Rosa DeLauro

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. I want to first say to the gentleman from Texas, to be clear and have real clarity about this amendment, this would transfer $50,000 from the Office of the Chief Economist to the Economic Research Service. The gentleman's amendment does not address trade or trade agreements. It is a simple transfer of funds from the Office of the Chief Economist to the ERS, without any designation of what the disposition of those funds are. I want to be absolutely clear about that. I yield to the gentleman.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, although I plan to support the amendment, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I would just indicate that the Rules Committee did make the amendment in order. As I say, it is a noncontroversial amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, this is a good amendment, and it contains several provisions. First, it appropriates the tobacco fees authorized in the recent tobacco bill to start up the new Tobacco Control Program as authorized under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The amendment also provides increases of $2 million for the Agriculture Research Service and $3 million for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. It increases funding for the Office of the Inspector General. It raises the funding level for the Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program to $1.5 million; provides $2 million for the Methamphetamine Inhibitor Grant Program authorized in the farm bill; and prohibits first-class travel by employees funded in the bill if it violates existing rules. The increases are fully offset by small reductions to administrative programs. It is a noncontroversial amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the American Clean Energy and Security Act--a historic step forward to revitalize our economy and get America running on clean energy. There is a global race underway to develop clean energy technologies. We have the innovation and manpower to take the lead--but we will not get there unless we muster the political will to keep our nation competitive. This bill makes sure that everyone benefits from the millions of jobs this bill will create through a Green Construction Demo Project and additional Green Jobs Act funding to train workers with the new skills they will need to repower and rebuild this nation. This bill also makes the U.S. more energy independent by investing in energy efficiency, including for consumers of natural gas, home heating oil, and propane. We know that comprehensive energy efficiency programs can help households save money on energy. I thank the Chairman for providing states with greater flexibility to use allowances under the SEED Program to expand existing cost-effective efficiency programs. And for including a provision I cosponsored with my colleague Rush Holt, to jumpstart important research on consumer behavior, energy conservation and efficiency. Moving forward, I hope we will strengthen the combined energy efficiency and renewable energy standard, to maximize efficiency and investments in clean technologies like wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. Madam Speaker, this bill is a significant step towards a better future, and a major break from the past eight years of ignoring our energy crisis. For the first time, it would create a system of clean energy incentives designed to jumpstart the economy and reduce the carbon pollution that causes global warming. Make no mistake--the effects of global warming are visible here and now. In my home state of Connecticut, global warming is a threat to our health, our wetlands, our lobster fisheries, and our economy. This bill is our chance to mitigate that threat--a chance that will not come again soon. Future generations are counting on us to do the right thing today--to set our country on a path towards a cleaner, more prosperous future. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. According to the Army, 143 soldiers committed suicide in 2008, the highest rate since the Army began keeping records nearly three decades ago. Mr. Chairman, after asking our men and women in uniform to sacrifice so much, the very least that we must do is to ensure that they get the care they deserve. This amendment, based on the Sergeant Jonathan Schulze Military Mental Health Services Improvement Act, is about making sure our troops receive adequate pre- and postdeployment mental health evaluations. It directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a demonstration project at two military installations, one Active Duty and one Reserve, to assess the feasibility and efficacy of providing face-to-face post-deployment mental health screenings between a member of the Armed Forces and a mental health provider. The 2-year project will include a combat stress evaluation conducted by a qualified mental health professional within 120 to 180 days of the date the soldier returns, and a case manager will follow up. Let me say thank you to Chairman Skelton for his collaboration and his commitment to this issue. We have no excuse for failing the soldiers who have given this Nation everything. Let's give them a long life, good health and quality care.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Gynecologic Cancer Education and Awareness Act of 2009: a lifesaving, bipartisan bill to reauthorize Johanna's Law, a national awareness program to educate women about the symptoms, risk factors, and prevention of gynecologic cancers such as ovarian, uterine, and cervical cancers. Every hour, approximately 10 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer such as ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancers. Each year, we lose over 26,000 of our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends to one of these terrible cancers. This is a tragedy. Research shows that many of those deaths could be prevented if more women knew the risk factors and recognized the early symptoms of gynecologic cancers so that they could discuss them with their doctors. Ovarian cancer has a 90 percent survival rate if detected in Stage One and only a 20 percent survival rate if detected in Stage Three or Four. That is why, in December 2006, Congress passed the Gynecologic Cancer Education and Awareness Act--also known as Johanna's Law, named for Johanna Silver Gordon, a dynamic and dedicated public school teacher, a loving and beloved mother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. Despite being a health conscious woman who visited the gynecologist regularly for pelvic exams and PAP smears, Johanna was blindsided by a late stage diagnosis of ovarian cancer--learning only after her diagnosis that the symptoms she had been experiencing were common symptoms of ovarian cancer, not those of a minor gastrointestinal problem, as she'd assumed. Sadly, despite multiple surgeries and aggressive chemotherapy, 3\1/2\ years after her diagnosis, Johanna lost her life to ovarian cancer. Determined not to allow Johanna's death to be in vain, Johanna's sister Sheryl Silver proposed Johanna's Law. This bill provides for an education campaign led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to increase the awareness and knowledge of health care providers and women with respect to gynecological cancers. The program has been funded for the past two years, allowing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to begin a national awareness campaign about the signs and symptoms of gynecologic cancers. In order to continue and build on these important efforts, the Gynecologic Cancer Education and Awareness Act of 2009 will reauthorize the CDC's awareness campaign and create a new grant program to support non-profit organizations in carrying out complementary education and awareness campaigns that extend the reach of the CDC's work. The bill enjoys the support of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA), the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC), the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO), the Alliance for Women's Cancer Awareness, Society of Gynecologic Nurse Oncologists (SGNO), Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE), CONVERSATIONS: The International Ovarian Cancer Connection, the Cancer Awareness Team for Ovarian Cancer (Ohio), CanSurvive Support Group, UAB Gyn-Oncology (Alabama), Capitol Ovarian Cancer Coalition (COCO) (Kentucky), Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance, Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance, Nine Girls Ask (California), OASIS of Southern California, Ovacome United States (Florida), Ovarian and Breast Cancer Alliance of Washington State, Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Arizona, Ovarian Cancer Coalition of Greater California, Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Oregon and Southwest Washington, Ovarian Cancer Orange County Alliance, Ovar'Coming Together (Indiana), Ovarian Awareness of Kentucky, Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation (Pennsylvania), Space Coast Ovarian/Gynecologic Cancer Alliance (Florida), and the Women's Cancer Awareness Group (California). I urge my colleagues to support this bill and to move swiftly to ensure that women have the lifesaving information they need about gynecologic cancers.-

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the important work being done in Connecticut to bring attention to the problem of elder abuse, and to ask that all of my colleagues join the national observance of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15th. Older adults are our parents and neighbors and friends--the grown-ups who cared for us when we were young and once protected us from harm. Now, we can help them live safely and with dignity. Sadly, elder abuse and neglect happens all too frequently in America. Elder abuse can be financial, sexual, emotional, and neglect; and it is not always intentional. It can happen in any kind of home. Sometimes abuse is the unintended action of an overwhelmed family member. Sometimes it is out of anger. Never is it deserved. Only one out of five cases is ever reported, and awareness of the problem is our first line of defense. In Connecticut's Third District, The Coalition for the Advocacy, Prevention and Elimination of Older Adult Abuse (CAPE), is working to bring this hidden crisis into the light. They began a little over a year ago with a grant from the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. CAPE is led by The Center for Elder Abuse Prevention at The Jewish Home for the Elderly and the Southwestern Area Agency on Aging. Today, the partnership has earned the generous support of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Local Funding Partnerships and many local funders including The Fairfield County Community Foundation and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. These resources allow The Center to help victims who cannot stay at a domestic violence shelter, because of physical or cognitive issues that occur in late-life, find a safe temporary place to live, where their special needs can be met and the healing can begin. On June 15th, CAPE will be holding a World Elder Abuse Awareness Day event at the Jewish Home for the Elderly in Fairfield. I commend their efforts to ensure that my constituents know how to spot the signs that a friend or loved one may be the victim of abuse, and where they can go for help. And I encourage my colleagues to contact me to learn more about elder abuse and become part of the solution in their communities. Again, I commend the work of The Center and CAPE. Ending elder abuse begins by making every day World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today and extend my sincere congratulations to Visiting Nurse Services of Connecticut as they celebrate their centennial anniversary. This is a very special milestone for this organization--a non-profit health care provider and innovative leader in providing home health care needs to individuals in more than fifty communities across Connecticut. In March of 1909, eighty women representing twenty-one churches and charitable organizations met to discuss their concerns about the spread of tuberculosis and came to the conclusion that the solution was to secure and finance a visiting nurse to treat patients and teach others in the community how to protect themselves and their families from this devastating disease. These women also understood the importance of involving the community in their efforts. They contacted local businesses, churches, and social groups to explain their plans and solicit funds to support it. With the hiring of Miss Finnegan, who made her home visits around the City of Bridgeport on her bicycle, the foundation for Visiting Nurse Services of Connecticut was laid. Over the course of the last century, Visiting Nurse Services of Connecticut expanded to meet the growing and changing needs of our communities. Today, Visiting Nurse Services of Connecticut provides skilled nursing care, hospice care, therapy/rehabilitative services, medical social work assistance, and home health aide services for thousands of patients each year in Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield counties. The commitment of the administration and staff remains as strong today as it was in the agency's earliest years. In the last hundred years, there have been many changes at the agency, however, at its heart has always been the desire to provide affordable, quality health care to those most in need and improve their quality of life. Humor, Excellence, Attitude, Respect, Teamwork--HEART--is at the core of this agency's mission. ``Bringing HEART to Health Care'' is so much more than a slogan--it is the essence of their philosophy and the culture of this very special organization. For one hundred years, Visiting Nurse Services of Connecticut has been an invaluable resource to countless individuals and families in need. I am proud to stand today and extend my heartfelt congratulations on their centennial anniversary and my very best wishes for many more years of success.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with the heaviest of hearts that I rise today to pay tribute to the life and legacy of an outstanding member of our community and my good friend, Catherine Sutton-Dawson. Though we lost Cathy much too early, her lifetime of good work has left an indelible mark on our community. Cathy dedicated her professional life to helping others. In a career that spanned nearly thirty-five years, she was employed at Yale-New Haven Hospital where she worked in a variety of roles, most recently as an outreach worker in the Maternal Child Health Initiative in the Department of Community Health. Cathy understood the importance of giving back to the community. The Department of Community health often sponsored a variety of causes and Cathy was always an active and willing participant. From toy collections and Thanksgiving baskets to community initiatives, Cathy was always available to lend a helping hand. She saw these efforts not only as a means to support those in need, but also as a way to promote unity and departmental teambuilding. Cathy was also an active member of the New Haven community. She believed in supporting causes that would enrich the community. As a member of the Connecticut NAACP, Cathy chaired the health committee which sponsored an annual health fair which reached thousands of local residents and families. She was also deeply involved in the Hill Development Corporation--a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing economic progress and improved quality of life to the urban neighborhoods of New Haven County. These are just two examples of Cathy's outstanding contributions to our community. The myriad of awards and citations that she has been honored with over the years, including Yale-New Haven Hospital's Annual Martin Luther King Dream Builder Award, are a testament to her unique dedication to civic service. Catherine Sutton-Dawson was a remarkable woman--always greeting you with a smile and open arms. She possessed an enthusiasm that was infectious and a kindness that inspired all of those around her. I consider myself fortunate to have called her my friend. I extend my deepest sympathies to Cathy's husband of twenty years, Tony, her daughter, Toni, grandchildren Frank and Amir as well as her family, friends, and colleagues. Though her loss will be felt throughout the New Haven community, she has left a legacy of compassion and generosity to which we should all strive.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with special and personal gratification that I introduce into the Congressional Record for the Nation and the people of my District, especially in my home town of New Haven, Connecticut, the enormously gratifying and important tribute that was paid to Richard Proto on May 18, 2009, by the United States National Security Agency. who died last July after a hard-fought bout with cancer, was recognized by the NSA with the naming of the ``Richard C. Proto Symposium Center'' within the NSA compound at Fort Meade, Maryland. It is only the second time the NSA has formally named one of its facilities. Richard was born and raised in the Fair Haven section of New Haven, a graduate of the city's public schools--Strong, Fair Haven, and Wilbur Cross High School--and the son of Matthew and Celeste Proto, both active in the political life of our community at the same time as my own parents. Like many of the children of immigrants--Richard's mother was born in Italy and immigrated with her parents in 1916 at six years old, and both his grandparents were immigrants from Italy as well--his parents encouraged education, broadly defined, and a commitment to public service as a way of ensuring more fairness in the Nation they now called home. Richard was educated at Fairfield University, where he received his bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1962 and at Boston College, where he received his master's degree in mathematics in 1964. He then joined the NSA. His contribution to the Nation--he served at NSA for thirty-five years; its Director of Research from 1994 to 1999--was described by the current Director of Research, Jim Schatz, in these terms during the ceremony: Richard was ``Universally regarded as one of the Agency's most visionary thinkers. He influenced NSA unmatched by anyone else in recent history . . . Nearly twenty years ago, when large scale networking was still in its infancy, Richard anticipated the emergence of cyberspace as a battleground for national defense, and committed himself to ensuring NSA was prepared. . . . [His] life was a celebration of intellectual power dedicated to the service of his country. He was an exemplary American . . . NSA and the Nation owe him a debt of gratitude.'' Senator Barbara Mikulski (Maryland), in her capacity as a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, in a letter following Richard's death, wrote that ``By any definition of the words, Mr. Proto was a warfighter and a patriot. He set high standards of performance at NSA and inspired others to conform to his expectations. He dedicated his life to the security of this Nation and has left a contribution that will endure for decades.'' During his career, Richard received the Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Service and the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal. Since his retirement in 1999, he remained as an adviser to the intelligence community, the national laboratories, and the Institute for Defense Analysis at Princeton, until his death. Richard's family was present and participated in the ceremony, including his brother, Neil Proto, also a New Haven public school graduate and now a lawyer in Washington, D.C. and a professor of public policy at Georgetown University, and his sister, Diana Proto Avino, an educator and mathematics consultant in the public school system in Clinton, Connecticut, and formerly a nationally-recognized teacher of the year. Richard had been raised in New Haven among twenty-six cousins, four of whom made the journey from Connecticut. Richard was truly a product of his community and his Italian-American heritage. He was a member of the famed 1958 Wilbur Cross team that won the New England High School basketball championship in the Boston Garden that captured the soul of our community when I was a teenager. Mr. Proto also was the founder of the Antonio Gatto Lodge of the Sons of Italy in Laurel, Maryland. I am personally gratified to recognize Richard; a wonderful American who exercised his responsibility when the duty was his; who helped ensure the safety of our men and women soldiers in the tumult of combat; who rose to the highest rank of a dedicated public servant from the neighborhoods of New Haven, and who never lost sight of his origins and their values; the son of an immigrant insistent on defining America in its highest ideals.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Dr. Rhea Paul, a resident of Milford, Connecticut, for her lifetime of dedication to the improvement of quality-of-life for children who suffer from language and significant developmental disorders, for serving as a teaching professor who has mentored hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students, and for contributing extensively to the research in autism and language disorders as she prepares for her investiture as President of the Connecticut Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Dr. Paul currently serves as a Professor at the Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy within the Yale University School of Medicine, where in 2008 she became the first woman in her field to be awarded a Yale professorship. She has published over 70 papers in refereed journals and her textbook, Language Disorders from Infancy Through Adolescence: Assessment and Intervention, is considered the gold standard by scholars, clinicians and students alike. Dr. Paul, who specializes in autism studies and preliteracy development, has been the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of her enormous contribution to the field of Speech Communication Disorders including the Millar Award for Faculty Excellence in 1988, an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Fellowship in 1991, the Editor's Award from the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology in 1996, and the Faculty Scholar Award from Southern Connecticut State University in 1999. She is the widow of Dr. Charles Isenberg, who passed away in 1997, and the proud mother of three grown children. Today, I would like to recognize Dr. Rhea Paul as she begins her term as leader of Connecticut's professional association of speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and professional affiliates. I am truly proud that such an accomplished woman resides in my Congressional District, and grateful for the energy and advocacy Dr. Paul demonstrates on behalf of children with communication disorders and their families. I offer my best wishes to her and the Connecticut Speech-Language-Hearing Association in their future endeavors.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, as we work to ensure every American has access to affordable choices of public or private health care coverage, we must also give them the tools to make informed choices about that coverage, to make sure that we will truly provide adequate protection in case they ever get sick. We have all heard stories, sometimes tragic stories, about Americans who thought their health care coverage was comprehensive, only to realize that it had huge gaps once they actually got sick. Take the story of Jim Stacey, from Fayetteville, North Carolina. In 2000, Mr. Stacey and his wife bought a plan with a lifetime maximum payout of up to $1 million per person. Then he learned he had prostate cancer. But the policy paid only $1,480 of the more than $17,000 in treatment costs. The simple fact is that right now, what you see is not what you get as a customer trying to decide on a health care plan. According to one recent study from Georgetown University, health insurance plans that look similar up front with similar copays, deductibles and so-called ``out-of-pocket limits'' can actually result in drastically different out-of-pocket expenses at the end of the day. And yet because that information is buried in legalese, or simply left out altogether, the consumer cannot tell the difference before it is too late. Mr. Speaker, when we buy cars, computers, even cereal, we know what we are getting and how much it will cost. And yet when it comes to purchasing health care coverage today, families are too often kept in the dark about what kind of care their plan covers or what out-of- pocket costs they may face in the case of a serious illness. Health insurance is one of the most expensive products Americans buy. Consumers and employers pay on average over $12,000 for it every single year. And yet we still expect them to make critical decisions about their health and well-being without all the information they need. You or I would never buy a car without first looking at its crash test ratings or knowing what kind of safety features it had. It is all laid out right on the sticker. Yet when it comes to health insurance, the most important information is simply not there. And in a system where costs continue to skyrocket, the consequences have been devastating. Bad coverage and hidden exclusions can bankrupt people. Sixty-one percent of working age adults who had problems paying medical bills or were paying off medical debt in 2007 actually had health insurance at the time the care was provided. That is why I plan to introduce the Informed Consumer Choices in Health Care Act to promote transparency in coverage and to provide crucial data to consumers and health care providers. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association, Families USA, and the Campaign For America's Future endorse this legislation to promote consistent information standards, provide long-overdue data and resources for consumers and create a new Office of Health Insurance Oversight within the Department of Health and Human Services to administer accountability and transparency initiatives in coordination with State insurance regulators. It is a simple idea that better information makes better consumers, and in the end, healthier families as well. That is what the Informed Consumer Choices in Health Care Act is all about. I hope you will join me in empowering consumers to make the right choices for themselves and their families to make sure that they can truly count on their health care coverage.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I am honored to have this opportunity to rise and extend my sincere congratulations to the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA as they celebrate their 150th Anniversary--a remarkable milestone for an outstanding organization. The Central Connecticut Coast YMCA has become an institution in the Greater New Haven community. What began as the effort of a small group of local businessmen has today grown into an organization with twelve branches, serving more than 75,000 people in twenty-five communities. The Central Connecticut Coast YMCA offers a myriad of programs for children, families, as well as adults--continuing in their founders' vision of identifying and addressing unmet needs within the community. Although the work of the YMCA has changed over the years, from teaching English to immigrants at the turn of the 20th century to teaching values to modern day youth, they continue to provide programs and services that enrich the community and enhance the quality of life for all. The Central Connecticut Coast YMCA has a vision for the community--to advocate for those whose voices are seldom heard, improve neighborhoods, and build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities. From after-school childcare to summer camp and preschool programs to year-round swim lessons for all ages, the CCC YMCA offers our young people programs designed to help them develop strong foundations on which to build their future success. The CCC YMCA has created parent-child fitness classes to encourage families to exercise together, youth sports programs with parents interacting as coaches as well as cheering from the sidelines, and have most recently begun programs promoting and supporting healthy family lifestyles. The Central Connecticut Coast YMCA has created an environment where families have the opportunity to spend quality time together. The Central Connecticut Coast YMCA is also a strong partner in providing a continuum of care to individuals and families who have become homeless. It is the largest provider of supportive housing in Fairfield County and operates the only family emergency shelter in the City of Bridgeport. In just this past year alone, they provided housing to 892 individuals, including more than 400 children. And they are providing so much more than simply shelter from the elements and a place to lay one's head. Their supportive services include case management, job training, and continuing education classes. It is through this holistic approach that so many in need are finding the resources necessary to rebuild their lives, provide for their families, and contribute to the community. For one hundred-fifty years, the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA has been there for our children and families. Its great success would not be possible without the dedication and commitment of its Board of Directors, Managers, Trustees, staff and volunteers--past and present-- who remain vigilant in their mission. Their compassion, generosity, and vision have guided this organization and I am proud to have this opportunity to extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to them for all of their good work. Today, as the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA celebrates its 150th Anniversary, I am pleased to rise not only congratulate the organization on this remarkable milestone, but thank them for the many invaluable contributions they have made which have gone a long way in shaping the very character of our community. Congratulations and best wishes for many more years of continued success!

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure I rise to recognize and show my support for the 17th Annual Letter Carriers National Food Drive. The Letter Carriers National Food Drive is being conducted in more than 10,000 cities and towns, in every congressional district in all 50 states and jurisdictions. On May 9th, letter carriers will collect food from their postal customers along their route. This is the largest one- day food drive in the country with nearly one billion pounds of food being donated to food banks and pantries since its inception. The Annual Letter Carriers National Food Drive is made possible by the letter carriers represented by the National Association of Letter Carriers (AFL-CIO), rural letter carriers, other postal employees and volunteers, as well as the countless citizens who donate. To participate, all someone has to do is place a box or can of non- perishable food next to the mailbox on May 9th and a letter carrier will collect it and bring it back to the postal station to be sorted before it is delivered to a local food bank. To nearly 35.5 million people in our country, hunger is a daily struggle. During this troubling economic time, many families are finding it increasingly difficult to put food on the table. This year, more than ever, donations are needed. I urge my colleagues to stand with me and recognize and support the 17th Annual Letter Carriers National Food Drive.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this Resolution Honoring and Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Global Youth Service Days, held earlier this spring from April 24 through 26. With this resolution, we recognize the contributions that young people make to their communities and our Nation and across the globe. For generations, during times of great crisis and need throughout our Nation, Americans have stepped up and served their country and their communities. Today, with soaring unemployment, stagnant wages, rising health care costs, and the financial market in crisis, this is one of those moments. To confront its dire challenges, we have an urgent responsibility to act, but no one person or single solution will fix this crisis alone. If we are serious about getting our Nation back on track, we must give everyone the opportunity to do their part, especially young people, our next generation of leaders. Global Youth Service Day is a public awareness and education campaign led by Youth Service America, with the National Youth Leadership Council and the Global Youth Action Network, highlighting the valuable contributions that young people make to their communities all year long. The goals of Global Youth Service Day are to mobilize youth as leaders in identifying and addressing the needs of their communities, to support youth in community service and civic engagement, and to educate the public, the media, and the policymakers about the year- round contributions of young people to their communities. On the weekend of April 24-26, young people across the United States and around the world designed and carried out community service and service learning projects in areas ranging from literacy and mentoring, to the environment and energy conservation, to hunger and homelessness; 75 local and statewide Lead Agencies, 150 national partners, 50 international organizations crossing old boundaries, building new partnerships. In addition to the tangible and positive results these projects have on our communities, research shows that sustained participation in community service and service learning leads to increased levels of academic achievement and increased civic engagement among our youth. Last month, President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, expanded AmeriCorps, changing the face of national service as we know it. I am proud that a number of the initiatives I introduced to engage middle school students in service were included in the bill and enacted into law. Ultimately, it is all about the asking. People want to be asked to serve, and it is already paying off at a time when more Americans than ever are ready to help those left vulnerable by this devastating economic downturn. In the past 5 months, the Corporation for National Service has received 48,000 online applications, up 234 percent over the 14,000 applications it received during the same 5-month period a year ago. Shirley Chisholm said that, ``Service is the rent that you pay for room on this Earth,'' and that is true no matter what your age or place in this world. This is a transformational moment in our history. And so today, with efforts like Global Youth Service Day and amazing opportunities like it every day around the world, we hope to mark a new beginning, ready to meet the responsibility again to the greater good and to our shared community.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and the underlying budget conference report that we are considering today. As a member of the Budget Committee and a budget conferee, I was proud to have worked with Chairman Spratt and the other members of the committee on a 2010 budget resolution that reinvests in America and reinvests in hardworking middle-class families that make up the backbone of this country. As we all know, the voters spoke this fall overwhelmingly, voting for change and a reorientation of our priorities so that, in fact, we are strengthening the middle class and making the critical investments needed to build a better tomorrow. We began to bring that desired change with the economic recovery program, and we continue on that path by providing a blueprint in this budget that will bring tax relief to hardworking families across this Nation and make investments in health care, education, energy, and elsewhere that are needed to move this economy from recovery to long- term growth. Our friends on the other side of the aisle will decry this budget claiming that it will burden future generations with crippling debt. But let's be clear. It was under their leadership that a $5.6 trillion surplus turned into the historic budget deficit that President Obama and this Congress inherited, a deficit of well over $1 trillion in 2009. If you listen to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, they were missing in action over this last 8 years. It is hard to believe that they were in charge. It is a little bit like ``see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil.'' They were gone from the playing field over these last 8 years. We will also hear the other side rail against the instructions that are included in this resolution--to bring about what? Education and long-awaited health care reform, despite the fact that they used this same procedure to pass massive tax cuts for the wealthiest people in this Nation. When it comes to health care reform, the American people have watched as Congress has failed since 1993 to make a serious attempt to fix our broken system. Health care reform, making health care coverage affordable, available to all, improving safety and quality, and providing Americans with a choice of health plans and physicians, including the choice of keeping their current health plan, is long, long overdue. We will work to craft bipartisan legislation, but the American people are not interested in process. They are interested in results. We will not let a party of ``no'' stand in the way of a reformed health care system that the majority of Americans so desperately want. Along with health care, this budget also invests in education by expanding access and increasing funds for early childhood education, creating a new tax credit to help cover college costs, and raising the Pell Grant award. It invests in energy, builds a framework for developing and producing new energy and jobs, modernizing the electricity grid to make it more efficient, secure and reliable, increasing the efficiency of Federal buildings, and helping to make State and local governments more energy efficient. This conference agreement invests in rebuilding America, including the establishment of a national infrastructure bank which would allow the government to objectively consider a wide range of infrastructure projects and leverage the private sector to fund those with the most significant economic, social and environmental benefits. Finally, this budget plan reflects on the economic recovery program that we passed, including its provisions to provide tax relief to middle-income families. This includes room to expand the refundable child tax credit. By lowering the eligibility threshold to $3,000 in the Recovery Act, we provided relief to the hardworking families of nearly 16 million children, including 5.5 million newly eligible children. This budget builds on our efforts to create jobs and rebuild the economy through the economic recovery plan by providing a forward- looking economic blueprint that makes the strategic investments necessary to move from recovery to long-term economic growth while putting us back on a path to fiscal sustainability. I urge my colleagues to support this rule, to support the underlying resolution and do not let our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, who had 8 years--and what did they do in those 8 years? They brought this Nation to its economic knees. It's time to look to the future. Support this resolution.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to join the North Haven Democratic Town Committee as well as the many family, friends, and community leaders who have gathered to pay tribute to an outstanding member of our community and a man I am honored to call my friend, Dominic Palumbo. Entrepreneur, community leader, mentor, and friend, Dom has left an indelible mark on our community. Dom has dedicated a lifetime of service to the town of North Haven, the State of Connecticut and our nation. Born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, Dom joined the Merchant Marines and later the armed forces where he fought in both World War II and the Korean War. Upon his return from military service, Dom and his family settled in North Haven where he began a successful business, North Haven Ceramic & Tile, and soon became an institution in town. There are few who demonstrate the depth of commitment to their community as Dom has over the years. When he made North Haven his home, he quickly became involved in local issues and is perhaps best known in town for his enduring presence on the Planning and Zoning Commission. The Planning and Zoning Commission is one of those local boards which have a significant impact on the town as its responsibilities include the oversight of the overall development of a community--balancing the often competing demands of expansion and the quality of life for its residents. Dom served on that board for more than thirty years, at least ten of which as its Chairman, and in doing so helped to shape the very character of his community as it has grown. Dom's contributions stretch far beyond the town of North Haven. Over the course of his life he has been involved in countless service and civic organizations which include serving as Director of the Quinnipiac Council of the Boy Scouts of America, a supporter of the Special Olympics, a sponsor of several Little League and Midget Football teams, as well as a founding member of the North Haven High School Sports Hall of Fame. The myriad of awards, commendations, and honors that he has received from groups ranging from the Knights of Columbus to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society are a testament to the difference that he has made. Dom has long been a political leader in the North Haven community. As a founding member of the town's Democratic Town Committee, Dom has spent long hours advising and supporting candidates as they seek elected office--in North Haven and across the state, at every level of government. As a long-time member of the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee, he has also helped to shape Connecticut's Democratic Party. His commitment to public service and to improving his community has been an inspiration to candidates as they sought his guidance and direction. I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to extend my sincerest thanks to Dom for his many years of special friendship. Today along with his wife, Judith; his four children, Richard, Robert, Ronald and Raymond; and his four granddaughters, we pay tribute to Dominic Palumbo--a remarkable individual whose innumerable contributions have set an example of community service to which we should all strive.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with the heaviest of hearts that I rise today to pay tribute to the memory of one of Connecticut's most outstanding public leaders and my dear friend, The Honorable Irving J. Stolberg. After a year-long fight, Irv lost his battle with leukemia and Connecticut lost one of its most respected and beloved public officials. Elected to Connecticut's House of Representatives in 1970, Irv served twenty-two years in the General Assembly--a member of virtually every committee and twice elected to lead as Speaker. It was during his tenure as Speaker that the General Assembly saw its greatest transformation with more members seeing legislating as their primary occupation even though it is considered a part-time position and his oversight of the construction of the Legislative Office Building which, after its opening in 1988, gave all legislators their own offices and provided the additional space for public hearings that our historic Capitol building could not accommodate. The very character of the General Assembly was changed with the members finding a stronger voice and taking a more active role in shaping public policy. He has been called the ``father of the modern legislature'' and there could not be a more fitting tribute to his legacy. His passion for service stretched far beyond Connecticut politics. A Professor of Geography and African Studies, Irv taught at both Southern Connecticut State University as well as Quinnipiac University. As an Africanist, he did research in Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. Most recently, Irv served as the President of the Connecticut Division of the United Nations Association and was most proud of his production of the widely distributed UNA Calendar of Peace. He was a member of the UNA Board of Directors and in 2006 was elected to represent the United States on the Executive Committee of the World Federation of UNAs. His travels took him to more than 90 countries--twenty-two visits to China alone. He helped to develop training programs at American universities for more than 700 Chinese Provincial Officials, assisted in the democratization of Eastern Europe--particularly in Bulgaria--and had a role in drafting the Brazilian Constitution. A recognition of his commitment and contributions to international relations, President Clinton appointed Irving to the Commission on the Preservation of American Culture Abroad where he had the lead responsibility for relations with Slovakia, Ukraine, and Moldavia. Irv was indeed a global citizen and has left an indelible mark not only on our state but across the world. Here in Connecticut, Irv was also instrumental in the establishment of Connecticut Hospice--the first organization of its kind in the nation. Connecticut Hospice is dedicated to using a holistic approach in helping patients and their families attain an optimum quality of life as they cope with irreversible illnesses providing the comfort and care that they need in their last days. It may also be fitting that it was at Connecticut Hospice, surrounded by family and friends, that Irving spent his final days. Irv dedicated a lifetime to public service and forever changed the face of Connecticut politics. I consider myself fortunate to have been able to call him my friend. Today, as we remember all that Irv contributed to his community and his state, I extend my deepest sympathies to his family: his son Robert; former wife, Alicia; his brothers, Roger and Frank; and his sister, Melody. Irving J. Stolberg set an example for public service to which we should all strive and has left a legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to join the community of Stratford, Connecticut in marking the 100th Anniversary of the Stratford Fire Department. This is a remarkable milestone and a testament to the dedication and commitment of those men and women who devote their professional lives to protecting the Stratford community. One hundred years ago the town's paid firefighting force was established with the hiring of the first paid fire chief and then volunteer, Allen Judson as well as the merging of two volunteer units, the Mutual Hook and Ladder Company and the Chemical Hose Company. In its earliest years, Chief Judson was the sole paid employee of the Department and he would lead the Department for the next forty-three years. Volunteers were called to emergencies by the ringing of the church bells with Chief Judson coordinating the ``bucket brigades,'' the hand-drawn hook and ladder apparatus, as well as the manually operated water pump. By day the men who worked in Stratford Center responded and by night those who lived within a thousand feet of the Center responded while horses drew the fire apparatus. Nine years after its establishment, the second paid member of the Department, Assistant Chief William Anthony, was hired and by the 1930s there were more than half a dozen paid members. Many changes have occurred since those early days of the Department-- its responsibilities expanding dramatically and the job becoming more complex and dangerous. Today's 97-member Department staff four stations throughout Town and respond to fires, Haz-mat calls, vehicle extrications, medical calls, as well as plane incidents. Department members also participate in a variety of community activities aimed at fire safety and prevention as well as annual celebrations such as the Memorial Day Parade. The Department does all of this in a Town which today has 50,000 residents, is bordered by eighteen miles of shoreline, is intersected by Interstate 95, the Merritt Parkway, and the Metro- North railroad, and has an airport within its borders. What makes this centennial celebration even more special is that the proceeds from the parade and festival will benefit the Stratford Professional Firefighters Burn Foundation--a non-profit organization founded in 1999 by the members of the Stratford Fire Department, Local 998 of the International Association of Firefighters to provide economic support to the funding of projects in the areas of fire and burn prevention through education, research, and public awareness programs. We owe a great debt of gratitude to the men and women who dedicate themselves to the protection of our communities as firefighters. They face risks that few of us can truly comprehend. Each day, they must be ready to perform under intense pressure--literally in life or death situations. For one hundred years, the men and women of the Stratford Fire Department have ensured the health and safety of the Stratford community and I am proud to rise today to pay tribute not only to their rich history but to their outstanding and unwavering commitment to public service.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this resolution and a budget that addresses our Nation's priorities, confronts our economic crisis today, and makes critical investments in our long-term growth. With this budget, we have laid out a clear path to cut the deficit by nearly two-thirds and to cut taxes for middle-class Americans. It reduces wasteful spending while making long overdue investments to get our country back on track. The truth is we cannot afford to wait. Failure to reform and invest have produced 8 years of the slowest growth in three-quarters of a century. Every day, I hear stories from my constituents. The single mother who lost her job and the health care coverage that went with it. Now she fights daily just to make sure her children can get the care they need to stay healthy. To the small business owner, to stay afloat in a market where credit has become so tight, simply making payroll is not a sure thing. The student who excelled in school but won't be going to college because he or she cannot afford it. And the homeowner who worked and saved and did everything right, but still finds himself or herself underwater on the verge of foreclosure. Our Nation owes its citizens far better. There will be no growth, no opportunity and no jobs unless we invest in our future. We cannot fix our economy unless we take concrete steps to create jobs, transition to a clean energy economy, make health care more affordable, and improve education, pursue true reform, get the big things right and focus on our national priorities. Focus on health care by addressing the burdens that the current health care system places on families, aiming to improve quality, efficiency and accountability of health care in order to control costs and provide resources to expand access. There are no easy answers when it comes to making our health care system work for everyone, but one thing is clear: This is our window of opportunity. This budget is an essential first step to ensuring quality, affordable health care for all of our constituents. It gives us the flexibility to give people real choices when it comes to their health care; the choice to keep what they have now, or to have a new choice of a private or public health insurance plan. Focus on education, the key to economic opportunity, especially in these tough economic times. When too many of our children and adults are not prepared to compete or when our region's workforce does not meet the demands our employers, our entire Nation suffers. This budget expands access and increases funding for early childhood education, creates a new tax credit to help cover college costs, and raises the Pell Grant award. Focus on energy independence, because from rising prices to rising temperatures to the dangerous actions of hostile regimes abroad, one thing is clear: If we do not take action, young people today, not to mention their children and their grandchildren, will face dire consequences. This budget builds a framework for developing and producing new energy and jobs, modernizing the electricity grid to make it more efficient, secure and reliable, increasing the efficiency of Federal buildings, and helping to make State and local governments more energy efficient. Focus on infrastructure to create jobs for transportation, energy projects, maintaining highways, rebuilding bridges, transit and water systems. This budget lays the groundwork for a national infrastructure bank to give these projects the priority they deserve and the leveraged resources to maximize their impact, all to create good jobs that cannot be outsourced while spurring economic growth and keeping our Nation competitive. No matter where we focus, our goals are clear: To move from recovery to growth. This budget builds on the powerful down payment we made with the recovery package that President Obama signed into law this spring. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand behind this responsible budget. It is the foundation of a strong economy, true reform and future growth.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1256, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. This bipartisan legislation would grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) long- needed authority to regulate the manufacture, sale, distribution and marketing of tobacco products. As we all know, tobacco related diseases contribute to the death of 400,000 Americans and costs the nation's health care system nearly $100 billion each year. The most tragic part of this statistic is that virtually all of these deaths are preventable. It is alarming that preventable diseases such as emphysema, heart disease and cancer all can be attributed to the use of tobacco. We must do everything we can to end preventable suffering and death due to tobacco use. And as we look towards significant, comprehensive health reform legislation, this bill is critically important to achieving our goal of a healthier nation. The FDA has the scientific expertise and regulatory experience to understand complex tobacco products, stipulate changes and address how these changes interact with the marketing that impacts consumer behavior. The FDA is the best agency to regulate tobacco products because it is regularly engaged in evaluating the scientific and technical evidence related to the safety or lack thereof of consumer products, as well as examining issues related to access, marketing and claims made about these products. Continuing to allow tobacco manufacturers to escape any sort of regulation when food, drug, device and other manufacturers are subject to oversight is unacceptable. Congress cannot leave tobacco products, the number one preventable cause of death, unregulated. Tobacco companies should not remain free to manipulate their products by secretly increasing nicotine levels or adding candy flavorings to entice children. We need to do what we can to reduce the harm of tobacco products and FDA is the only agency with the level of expertise required to take on this task. Colleagues, we can all agree that the FDA faces significant challenges, is in desperate need of new, effective leadership and a commitment from this Congress to implement the necessary changes. H.R. 1256 is not in conflict with those changes. The legislation creates a new, separate center for tobacco product regulation within FDA and establishes user fees--paid for by the manufacturers and importers of the tobacco products regulated by FDA--to fully fund the agency's new work relating to tobacco products. None of the positions or funding for the new Center for Tobacco Regulation will be taken from existing FDA resources. I am pleased that the bill before us includes language that maintains the same role of the Appropriations Committee with regard to the fees in this bill that the Committee has with regard to other FDA user fees Providing the FDA with authority over tobacco products is completely consistent with FDA's core mission to protect the public health. This bill has strong bipartisan support, and is endorsed by key groups including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the American Medical Association and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and more than 1000 other health, medical, consumer, community and faith groups. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. They simply ignore urgent challenges that we face as a Nation. They pour $3.3 trillion into tax cuts over 10 years, most of it going to the wealthiest Americans. This budget is the last thing our economy needs now or down the road: the kind of drastic cuts to essential services that will raise costs, which will destroy our ability to compete and to grow. It's a relic of 8 long years of a failed economic policy of the Bush administration. The American public rejected it. I urge my colleagues to think realistically about our national challenge and to oppose this substitute budget.

Ms. DeLAURO. This substitute budget is a shortsighted attempt to short-circuit essential investments in our economic recovery and long- term growth. It takes back resources for long overdue investments in education and health care and in energy. A $29 billion cut to income security programs over 10 years, $25 billion of which comes from critical nutrition program increases. The kind of investments that conservative economists tell us have the most powerful stimulative impact, $1.73 in economic growth created for every dollar spent, if only it were allowed to reach families in need. But it does not end there. This Republican substitute budget creates even more dramatic reductions in nutrition programs by requiring the Agriculture Committee to cut $38 billion over 10 years. This is cutting food programs for hungry kids. We know what the devastating effects of unemployment, the cutoff of benefits for health care, that people today are going to food pantries who never thought in their lives they would have to do that. A gentleman who says I have to take care of my kids, I never thought I would go to a food pantry, I was humiliated, and I felt like a lowlife, but my kids need to eat. That's what this budget would cut, nutrition programs. To be sure, the committee could reach a target here by reducing farm price supports, but the gentleman from Wisconsin has said that he will not open the farm bill. That means that the nutrition programs are the only place to do their cutting, leaving millions of families, seniors, women, and children to pay the price. Our opponents have just trotted out the failed programs of the past, and they are dealing with $3.3 trillion in tax cuts over 10 years.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. This budget addresses our Nation's priorities. It confronts our economic crisis. It makes critical investments in our long-term growth. It cuts the deficit by nearly two-thirds and cuts taxes for middle-class Americans. It reduces wasteful spending while making long overdue investments to get our country back on track. At its core, the idea is that we cannot fix our economy without fixing our health care, as the gentlewoman spoke about. Every day I hear stories from my constituents about a broken system; the woman who lost her job and health care benefits, the small business owner struggling to offer health care coverage to his or her employees, people with preexisting conditions who cannot find a health insurance policy at any cost. There are no easy answers when it comes to making our health care system work for everyone. One thing is clear: This is our window of opportunity. The country cannot wait another year. Bills are piling up, and people are putting off the health care they need. This budget is essential to ensuring quality, affordable health care for all of our citizens. And it says to them, as my colleague knows, it gives them flexibility, keep what you have now, or you have a choice of a private or a public health insurance plan. This budget takes action to control the underlying cost of health care. It addresses chronic illness on which we spend 75 cents of every health care dollar. We must do a better job encouraging healthier life styles. It covers preventive services and improves care coordination, all of which improves the quality and creates a more efficient health care system that delivers better care, not just more care. And finally, we need to reform this broken health care system, not in spite of our struggling economy, but because of it. I urge my colleagues to stand behind this responsible budget. It is the foundation of a strong economy, future growth and true health care reform. I thank the gentlewoman for leading this segment of the budget debate. Health care is what our future needs to be about. This budget does it.