John Dingell

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds. My colleagues on the other side talk about Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage gets somewhere between 11 and 30 percent more than they are supposed to get and more than regular Medicare gets. That's absolutely wrong. If we support this veto, we would continue that outrage. This is something that needs to be corrected. Madam Speaker, I am now happy to yield to my dear friend, the distinguished majority leader, Mr. Hoyer, for 1 minute.

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) 2 minutes.

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, at this time, I'm happy to yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette) 2 minutes.

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from California, the vice chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Mrs. Capps, 2 minutes.

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I have one speaker remaining who will close for us.

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I yield at this time to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire) 1 minute.

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I yield at this time 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo).

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield to the distinguished Speaker of the House, Ms. Pelosi, the remainder of my time.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2607, the ``DTV Transition Assistance Act''. This measure will help facilitate the transition to digital television (DTV), a technology which holds great promise for this country. It will allow for more broadcast programming with better sound and picture quality. It will provide new opportunities for wireless technologies on analog spectrum being vacated by broadcasters. And most importantly, some of this vacated analog spectrum will be used to create a nationwide, interoperable broadband network for first responders. With the February 17, 2009, DTV transition date slightly more than 7 months away, however, we must ensure that all Americans are prepared for it. S. 2607 takes a step in the right direction by solving some outstanding problems relating to the transition in a thoughtful manner. Not all television stations will make the transition to digital broadcasting on February 17th. Low-power and translator stations, many of which serve rural, minority, and other underserved communities, do not have a set date by which they must switch to digital. The ``Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005'' established a grant program to help often financially constrained low-power television stations acquire the equipment needed to make the transition to digital. S. 2607 makes those funds available beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2009, rather than in FY 2011, as provided by current law. It also extends the availability of funding through FY 2012. These changes will help facilitate the DTV transition for low-power stations so they can offer consumers th benefits of digital broadcasting. The 2005 Act also established a $10 million program to help translator stations continue providing an analog broadcast signal after February 17, 2009. Such stations are eligible for grants of up to $1,000 toward the purchase of digital-to-analog conversion equipment. That grant program is currently undersubscribed and includes more than enough money to accommodate every translator station. Accordingly, S. 2607 gives the Assistant Secretary of Communications and Information the flexibility to reallocate unspent money from the program to DTV consumer education. Consumer education is the key to a successful DTV transition, and its importance cannot be overemphasized. Television is the predominant medium through which Americans receive critical public safety information and is one of the chief conduits for news and political discourse, as well as entertainment. Therefore, the most critical aspect of the DTV transition is ensuring that consumers are prepared for it. Congress mandated the DTV transition, and it is its responsibility to protect our constituents by ensuring the transition proceeds as smoothly as possible. I am pleased to see the House consider this measure, which will contribute to a more successful transition. I strongly support S. 2607 and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the University of Michigan Hospital and Health Center, UMHHC, Security and Entrance Services for receiving the 2008 Lindberg Bell Award. Bestowed annually by the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety, IAHSS, the Lindberg Bell Award is given to the hospital with the best healthcare security program in the country. The IAHSS has over 1,600 members and is the only healthcare security organization in the U.S. They provide valuable services to those in the field, including education and training programs. The award recognizes organizations that have vastly improved their services over the last year, and the UMHHC Security and Entrance Services should be commended for meeting this high standard. The UMHHC Security and Entrance Services is charged with protecting hospital personnel and property, in addition to providing excellent customer service. This is no small feat, considering that there are over 10,000 people in the hospital at any given time. Their leadership skills and innovative spirit have been demonstrated though the development of a badge system for the Mott Children's Hospital. Under this program, all visitors to the hospital must check in at a station to receive a badge to wear during their stay at the hospital. This system resulted in an increase in security and has spread to other sections of the hospital. I am confident the UMHHC will continue to provide a high level of security for patients. As a Lindberg Bell Awardee, it is my hope that the UMHHC Security and Entrance Services will continue to serve as an example to the community and its peers that the security of our patients should not be overlooked. Our hospitals open their doors each day to diagnose and care to the citizens of our community. It is imperative that while serving this mission our doctors and nurses are not distracted by outside issues. By going the extra mile, UMHHC is ensuring that every person who walks through their doors will know that both high quality care and safety comes first. Again, I commend UMHHC for their effort and tireless dedication to its patients. To the doctors, nurses and support staff, I congratulate each one of you for being part of a health system who takes the mission of caring for patients to the next level. Congratulations UMHHC on winning the Lindberg Bell Award.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. I want to commend and thank my good friend from West Virginia and my good friend from Alaska for their gracious kindness in this matter. This is a cry for justice from Indians who have had their land unjustly and improperly taken from them. It is not a violation of Indian gambling law, and this is the only place in which those Indians can get justice. They asked for justice. Now, you've just heard a lot of things, and there are a lot of people on this floor who are entitled to their own view, but they are not entitled to their own facts. What are the facts? Under Michigan law, this is legal. Here's a copy of the vote and the ballot that was put before the people of Michigan. It specifically excludes this kind of transaction, and it says that it will ``not apply to Indian tribal gaming'' and then goes on to say ``or gambling in up to three casinos located in the City of Detroit.'' It doesn't apply. That's hooey. Now, let's take a look. The claim is legitimate. The land was stolen from the Indians in an improper tax sale, and until this matter is resolved, there will be no peace in the area. The Indians will be denied justice, and land titles and land settlements in the northern part of Michigan will be clouded for years to come. This came out of the committee 22-5. It has been heard many times. Now, the legislation follows--it does not set--congressional precedent in dealing with Indian land claim settlements. In fact, the Congress, as mentioned by the gentleman from Michigan, has the sole power to extinguish land claims, since the very first of the Congress, and it follows precedents set by Torres Martinez, the Timbisha Shoshone, the Mohegan Tribe, the Seneca Nation of New York, and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe in 1983. This is drastically different than off-reservation gambling. In that scenario, the tribe purchases land and then the Secretary lets them go down there and gamble. This is not so. As mentioned, it fully complies with the requirements of the Indian gambling law. The land was not selected by the Indians. It was selected by the Governor of the State of Michigan, John Engler, and it was ratified by the Michigan legislature and by our current Governor, with a change in the law. The votes of the people of the communities have supported the fact that if gambling is to occur in these communities it will occur. The people of the State of Michigan, the people of the cities involved have come out and have said they want this to take place. Let us give justice to the Indians. The bill does not, I repeat, violate the will of the people of the State of Michigan. And the legislation is going to bring desperately needed jobs to southeast Michigan, some 4,000 in my district, some 1,000 in that of the distinguished gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller). It is supported by unions that believe that this will bring good union jobs to Michigan and that it will help the Indians. As repeated, there are two groups here who oppose this legislation. One group is of those who legitimately oppose gambling. That's a matter of concern to them, and I respect their judgment. The rest are those good-hearted folk who seek an unfair advantage. They want to protect and preserve their outrageous monopoly on gambling. That's what's at stake. That's all that's involved here; a bunch of good-hearted people are seeking special preference for themselves. A Member came over to me, and he talked about Abramoff. I remember Abramoff, a very unsavory individual, and the interesting thing is that Abramoff was hired at a high price to oppose the legislation we are discussing today. So, if you're concerned about voting with Jack Abramoff, don't vote against the bill; vote for the bill. The Abramoff vote is a ``no'' vote. The right vote is an ``aye'' vote. Vote to give justice to the Native American people. The citizens of the communities in which these facilities will be located legally, legitimately and properly are, in my district, in one city, 100 percent African American and, in the other, 50 percent African American. There is no racial question here. If you are looking to do racial justice, support the legislation. Take care of the Native Americans, and take care of the African Americans who will benefit from these jobs. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, before us is a very simple responsibility. It is a power that has been exercised exclusively by Congress since the very first Congress in 1789, when in the Indian Nonintercourse Act of that year, only Congress may extinguish Indian land claims. That has been the law ever since. So before us is simply the question of whether we're going to accept or deny a settlement agreed upon by the tribes and by the State of Michigan to resolve a serious problem in the Upper Peninsula, in the district of our good friend and colleague, Mr. Stupak. Having said that, what is going to happen is this legislation will permit us to resolve those questions, to enable Indians to resolve the land claims concerns that they have, and to allow the State of Michigan to resolve its concerns and to allow its citizens to remove clouds over the title on the lands which they own up there, and which will enable the Indians to begin to live a more orderly and proper life. This legislation was opposed by my friend, Mr. Jack Abramoff, who left a rather spectacular and smelly legacy. And it is a chance for us now to undo some of the nastiness that he sought to do by preventing the resolution of these questions. I urge my colleagues to support the rule. I urge my colleagues to support the settlement of these rights which were agreed upon between two Governors of the State of Michigan--Governor Engler, a Republican, and Governor Granholm, a Democrat. And this legislation is not only supported by the affected tribes and citizens of the Upper Peninsula but also by the AFL-CIO and the UAW and a wide roster of other unions that are strongly supportive of this.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Georgia, and I congratulate him on the way he is handling this legislation. We are proud of him and his service. Mr. Speaker, the legislation before us today is critical to ensuring high quality physician services for Medicare beneficiaries. If you want to cabal about that, you're making a great mistake. If this legislation fails, physicians are going to face a 10 percent pay cut, and that is going to drive them out of Medicare and it's going to threaten the security and the health care of senior citizens and the disabled. At the same time, this legislation provides additional protections for low-income beneficiaries, adds benefits to the traditional Medicare program, such as coverage for more preventive benefits. It will also address the Medicare drug benefit and make it work better for pharmacists and therefore seniors. Finally, the legislation addresses one of the most egregious problems, and that is private plans operating in Medicare. Private Fee- for-Service plans, or PFFS plans, which is one type of Medicare Advantage plan. There, they are cutting a fat hog at the expense of the public. If you do away with that particular vice, you will find you are making it more solvent over a long period of time and you are using a mechanism which will help our senior citizens to know that their Medicare is protected and seeing to it that the doctors are there to provide the care that is needed. We are also assuring that the pharmacists are able to stay in this business by addressing a significant hurt that they are undergoing. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and not to cabal about the perfection of the process.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3403, the New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008. This legislation ensures that consumers using Voice over Internet Protocol technology, or VoIP, can make full use of the 911 system in two important ways. First, the legislation extends the same liability protections afforded to wireline and wireless carriers, public safety, and end users to VoIP service. This parity in liability protections will encourage service providers, public safety, and end users to continue to rely on the 911 emergency communications system, regardless of the technology used to make a 911 call. Second, the legislation ensures that VoIP providers can interconnect with legacy telephone networks so they can deliver calls and information to 911 call centers. Representative Gordon, the author of H.R. 3403, Representative Markey, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Representative Barton, Ranking Member of the Committee, Representatives Upton and Stearns, the former and current Ranking Members of the Subcommittee, and I worked very closely with all stakeholders on this legislation, and it has widespread support among the public safety community, industry, and others. As is clear from the language of the legislation, the requirement for interconnection is for purposes of 911 only and should not be used to bootstrap access for other reasons. Similarly, the legislation makes clear that those who control the legacy gateways to the emergency communications system must provide access, including rights of interconnection, to those seeking to deliver 911 calls and information. Because all stakeholders agreed to the legislative language, we fully expect that this access will not be inhibited by either delay or litigation. H.R. 3403 also requires the development of a national plan to ensure that the 911 system continues to evolve. It is significant that the plan will include the participation of first responders, including the emergency communications professionals maintaining and using the system. It is also important that the plan will address the needs of the disabilities community when they use emergency communications. I look forward to reviewing the results of this work so we can begin to move to the next generation of emergency communications. I am disappointed that the Senate stripped out one provision of the House-passed version of this legislation that protected proprietary customer information. This provision prohibited a carrier from using the customer information that other carriers are required to provide for 911 databases for any purpose other than emergency communications. I heard no rational argument against the policy underlying this provision. Nevertheless, in the interest of ensuring that this legislation be enacted swiftly, I will support the bill as passed by the Senate. I intend, however, to take this matter up again in the future. We owe it to consumers to ensure that their emergency communications system does not become a playground for competitive shenanigans. H.R. 3403 is a forward-looking bill that ensures that consumers using VoIP service are able to access 911 as easily as consumers using wireline or wireless services. Each of its elements--giving VoIP providers access to the components they need to provide 911 service; extending to VoIP providers, public safety officials, and end users the liability protections currently afforded to wireline and wireless services; and requiring a plan for the continued evolution of the emergency communications system--is a worthy victory for all consumers. I commend Representative Gordon for his years of dedication to this important issue and hail this success, from which all Americans will reap benefits for years to come.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3403, the ``New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008''. This legislation ensures that consumers using Voice over Internet Protocol technology, or VoIP, can make full use of the 911 system in two important ways. First, the legislation extends the same liability protections afforded to wireline and wireless carriers, public safety, and end users to VoIP service. This parity in liability protections will encourage service providers, public safety, and end users to continue to rely on the 911 emergency communications system, regardless of the technology used to make a 911 call. Second, the legislation ensures that VolP providers can interconnect with legacy telephone networks so they can deliver calls and information to 911 call centers. Representative Gordon, the author of H.R. 3403, Representative Markey, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Representative Barton, Ranking Member of the Committee, Representatives Upton and Stearns, the former and current Ranking Members of the Subcommittee, and I worked very closely with all stakeholders on this legislation, and it has widespread support among the public safety community, industry, and others. As is clear from the language of the legislation, the requirement for interconnection is for purposes of 911 only and should not be used to bootstrap access for other reasons. Similarly, the legislation makes clear that those who control the legacy gateways to the emergency communications system must provide access, including rights of interconnection, to those seeking to deliver 911 calls and information. Because all stakeholders agreed to the legislative language, we fully expect that this access will not be inhibited by either delay or litigation. H.R. 3403 also requires the development of a national plan to ensure that the 911 system continues to evolve. It is significant that the plan will include the participation of first responders, including the emergency communications professionals maintaining and using the system. It is also important that the plan will address the needs of the disabilities community when they use emergency communications. I look forward to reviewing the results of this work so we can begin to move to the next generation of emergency communications. I am disappointed that the Senate stripped out one provision of the House-passed version of this legislation that protected proprietary customer information. This provision prohibited a carrier from using the customer information that other carriers are required to provide for 911 databases for any purpose other than emergency communications. I heard no rational argument against the policy underlying this provision. Nevertheless, in the interest of ensuring that this legislation be enacted swiftly, I will support the bill as passed by the Senate. I intend, however, to take this matter up again in the future. We owe it to consumers to ensure that their emergency communications system does not become a playground for competitive shenanigans. H.R. 3403 is a forward-looking bill that ensures that consumers using VolP service are able to access 911 as easily as consumers using wireline or wireless services. Each of its elements--giving VoIP providers access to the components they need to provide 911 service; extending to VoIP providers, public safety officials, and end users the liability protections currently afforded to wireline and wireless services; and requiring a plan for the continued evolution of the emergency communications system--is a worthy victory for all consumers. I commend Representative Gordon for his years of dedication to this important issue and hail this success, from which all Americans will reap benefits for years to come.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, while l cannot support the legislation before us today, I commend Majority Leader Hoyer for the work he has done to negotiate a bill that is substantially better than the version that passed in the Senate. This legislation, which will be the exclusive mechanism for the Government to conduct surveillance within the United States, contains provisions that will provide greater protections against unwarranted and unconstitutional searches of American citizens. Despite the many improvements Mr. Hoyer was able to obtain, I unfortunately still cannot support this legislation because it contains a provision that will grant immunity to the telecommunications companies that assisted the President with his illegal and unauthorized warrantless wiretapping program. I have consistently said that it is not appropriate for Congress to grant these companies immunity for their actions without having an understanding of what it is that they did. This is not only because it will hold the telecommunications companies accountable for their actions, but because it is the only way of finding out just how extensive the President's illegal wiretapping program really was. In other words, this provision will enable the Bush administration to continue suppressing facts and information about the Government's own misbehavior and wrongdoing. The immunity provision contained in this bill purporting to allow for judicial review to determine whether immunity is appropriate is a sham. As drafted, courts will have no real discretion and will be forced to grant immunity so long as the Government claims its actions were legal. However, the court is under no obligation to investigate whether the Government's claims are true. Anyone following the headlines recently, who has read about the recent Supreme Court decision overturning the administration's argument that it has the authority to detain people indefinitely in Guantanamo Bay, or about the hearings held by Senator Carl Levin and the Senate Armed Services Committee uncovering evidence that top civilian leadership at the Department of Defense authored memos arguing it was legal for the military to torture detainees, should be extremely wary of trusting President Bush to decide whether or not it is legal to spy on Americans.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Ypsilanti district library and to commemorate its 140 years of service to the Ypsilanti community. In 1868, only 31 years after Michigan became a State, a group of three women who were committed to promoting reading and literacy founded the library in the small room of a building on Huron St. It began with only 175 books, and today has expanded to three branches with a collection of over 300,000 volumes. In addition to this impressive collection of reading material, the library provides other outstanding services to the community. It offers classes on computer skills and specific software programs, which provide participants with the tools they need to succeed in this technology-driven world. Last year, the library ran over 1,000 youth- oriented programs, which reached over 24,000 people in the Ypsilanti area. The Ypsilanti Library's ``Tumblebooks'' program provides animated picture books online for young children, which promotes early reading skills. Such services are invaluable in Michigan, as they help combat illiteracy while sparking a child's imagination and desire to continue learning. Libraries offer themselves as a tremendous resource to those who are learning to read and those who love to read. Without libraries many young children would not have access to new books or computers with access to the Internet. I have always believed that teaching children to read provides them with an important lifelong tool. The Ypsilanti district library should be commended for what it has done to further this cause. I am proud of the Ypsilanti library's many contributions to Michigan's 15th Congressional district and ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the library on 140 wonderful years of service.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Chuck Estep for being chosen as a finalist for the 2008 Cable's Leaders in Learning Award for General Excellence. This honor is bestowed annually by Cable in the Classroom, the cable industry's education foundation which promotes the use of cable and technology in schools across the country. Every year, they honor those in the education field who demonstrate leadership skills by using technology to transform the way we teach our students. Through his work as a Curriculum Resource Consultant in the Monroe County Intermediate School District, Chuck Estep certainly meets this criterion, and is worthy of such high praise. We all know what an important role field trips play in our educational system. Not only do they expose children to new ideas and experiences, but they also promote a hands-on style of learning that is vital to keeping our children engaged in their schoolwork. Faced with a tight budget that was unable to accommodate expenses for field trips, Mr. Estep used his technological skills to overcome the problem. He set up a system of virtual field trips in conjunction with the Monroe County Historical Museum. This allowed students to ask questions in real time to an expert at the museum about the rich history of Monroe County. Specifically, one virtual field trip discussed the Battle of the River Raisin, which occurred in Monroe County during the War of 1812. Museum staff showed the students what dress from that period looked like and they discussed the positions of both sides during the war. Students in the district would not have been able to have such an enriching experience without the work of Chuck Estep. The Battle of the River Raisin is arguably the most violent battle on continental U.S. soil outside of the Civil War, a fact many residents in Monroe and Michigan are unaware of. This virtual field trip paid special attention to the great role that this Battle played in the War of 1812, ensuring that the heritage and history of Monroe County will live on through today's students. In this age of technology, we must strive to integrate all of the cutting edge tools that are available to us into our educational system. Doing so will create vibrant and engaging teaching methods that will keep our children interested in learning. Chuck Estep has certainly demonstrated this capacity for innovation, and for this he should be commended. I am proud to represent him here in Congress. I congratulate him on being chosen as a winner for Cable's Leaders in Learning Award for General Excellence Award, because he truly deserves it.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Bunyan Bryant, Ph.D., for winning the 2008 Helen and William G. Milliken Distinguished Service Award, from the Michigan Environmental Council, on May 28, 2008. Dr. Bryant is a national leader in the field of environmental justice. His work helped not only to identify the pressing need to actively protect our environmental resources, but it also helped to show the glaring disparities in the communities affected by such harm. He is the founder and director of the Environmental Justice Initiative at the University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and serves as an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor at the school. Bunyan Bryant is a pioneering figure in the Environmental Justice movement. His work helped to show the correlations between adverse environmental impacts and the disproportionate affect they have on the lives of the poor and minorities. This relationship and the need to actively address such disparities, forms the bedrock of the Environmental Justice movement. Dr. Bryant has been more than just a strong voice for justice and the environment. He has been and continues to be a teacher, guide and mentor for his students. In his role as a professor he has touched thousands of lives. His work has helped to shape the next generation of environmental leaders. Bunyan possesses a unique ability to connect with students individually and help them understand the difference their efforts will make. I salute Dr. Bunyan Bryant for winning the 2008 Milliken Award. This honor is given to those who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to the environmental movement and its goals of improving our world through action. Dr. Bryant is certainly worthy of this recognition and I appreciate any chance to recognize him. I honor Dr. Bryant for his tremendous efforts and a lifetime of sacrifice and dedication to a noble cause. I thank him for all that he has done.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Monroe Bank & Trust as they celebrate their one hundred and fiftieth year serving the people in and around Monroe County, Michigan. One hundred and fifty years ago, Monroe Bank & Trust derived its humble origins from the courage of two innovative entrepreneurs who recognized the need for a place where community residents could safely keep their savings while also entering into a financial partnership to help them prosper. Beginning in the rear of a dry goods store, the focus of founders Benjamin Dansard and Louis LaFountain never waivered. Through many economic periods of boom and bust, the American Civil War, two World Wars and the Great Depression, MB&T has not only endured, but flourished. Mr. Dansard and Mr. LaFountain understood the needs of the largely farming area and from a small space in the Dansard General Store, took on a major role in the progress ahead. Sound financial management has led MB&T to become one of the largest community banks in the State of Michigan; however, the legacy of Dansard and LaFountain is more than just numbers. It is a story of courage and hard work and just as in the year 1858, today's team of professionals continues to provide service, convenience and the personal touch. MB&T's contribution to the community goes far beyond the outstanding financial services they offer. Their charitable financial support of organizations such as the American Red Cross, United Way, Community Foundation of Monroe, the Guidance Center, the River Raisin Center for the Arts and many others exceeds $200,000 annually. Additionally, with over 80 percent employee participation, MB&T's ``Employees Now Linked in Service Together'' (ENLIST) program boasts over 120,000 man-hours of volunteer support provided over its 20-plus-year history to nonprofit organizations. With great respect and admiration for this tremendous corporate citizen, I ask that you join me in recognizing the many contributions of Monroe Bank & Trust over the past 150 years.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for being honored as one of the U.S. News and World Report's Top 30 Hospitals in the Nation for pediatric care. This achievement recognizes all of the hard work they have done providing outstanding medical services not only to the children of Michigan's 15th Congressional District, but also across the State. Some specific honors they achieved deserve mention. The magazine ranked C.S. Mott Children's Hospital 4th nationwide in the area of pediatric heart care and surgery, and 27th for general pediatric care. They were the only hospital in Michigan to be nationally ranked for all seven pediatric specialty areas. I commend them for this fine achievement. Since C.S. Mott Children's Hospital opened in 1969, it has been at the forefront of providing innovative, high-quality pediatric care. Surgeons at the hospital were among the first in the Nation to perform open heart surgery on children. Specialists at Mott also pioneered an in-house education system that allows patients to keep up with their school work, now a commonplace feature of hospitals across the Nation. Small wonder that Mott has treated over 170,000 patients from across the United States and the world. Pediatric care is one of the most important aspects of our Nation's health care system. We should always make it a priority to provide treatment for the youngest and most vulnerable in our society. It is clear that the doctors and nurses at Mott have taken this ideal to heart by providing such outstanding care in the community. The University of Michigan should be proud of the achievements it has made. It is an honor to represent this fine institution here in Congress. I look forward to seeing their sterling efforts recognized on the list again next year.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 977. This resolution, introduced by my friend and colleague Representative Braley of Iowa, encourages Americans to spend their stimulus payments on American-made goods and services. Our Nation's recent economic troubles have hit both American consumers and businesses hard. I believe that the bipartisan stimulus package passed by the Congress and signed into law by the President will help alleviate some of these troubles, provided that consumer spending is directed wisely. The Braley resolution is an important and quite necessary reminder of the billions of dollars that could uplift the National economy, provided Americans spend their rebate checks on goods and services produced by American-owned companies. Moreover, with import prices rising and the mammoth trade deficit of our country, it strikes me as eminently prudent to encourage citizens to ``buy American.'' As one of the more than 100 cosponsors of H. Res. 977, I urge my colleagues in the House to adopt this sensible resolution, which raises the awareness of Americans about the vital role they play in the Nation's economic recovery.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of 2009 Budget Conference Report. I know many Members here today shared with me the opinion that the President's proposed budget was ``dead on arrival.'' This conference agreement upholds that opinion and goes a step further by rejecting many of the proposed cuts the President suggested in February including his proposal to gut billions of dollars from Medicare and Medicaid. For the last two years the House has held true to its commitment to American families by increasing funding for domestic priorities such as energy assistance program, state and local law enforcement programs, education, among many others. And while it might be hard for this administration to grasp, this Congress has proposed increases in funding for domestic priorities without increasing our deficit. In fact, this conference agreement will balance the budget by 2012 and provide a surplus of $22 billion in 2012 and $10 billion in 2013. What I am most pleased about is the commitment this conference agreement makes to areas that are of the most importance to me-- Medicare, Medicaid, education, job-training and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, among many others. Our veterans, many of whom have served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, will benefit from this budget through a $3.7 billion increase in funding. This is a sharp contrast from what President Bush originally proposed--$18 billion in new fees over five years. These men and women have served our country honorably and with dedication and under no circumstances do they deserve to come home to a fee from our government. This budget agreement also strives to address rising energy costs. Just this month gas in Romulus, Michigan, located in the 15th District, hit $4 gallon. The ever rising cost of fuel in our country is becoming more and more unmanageable for our families. This budget agreement increases funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives, while also providing full funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program which has helped numerous families heat their homes through the winter and cool their homes during the summer. Without a doubt this does not solve our energy problems, however, it does help families whose pocketbooks are already stretched thin. More importantly, this conference report will provide increased funding that will help prepare our workers to compete in the global marketplace. The America COMPETES Act, which I strongly supported, created a commitment to increase training and funding for math and science education and research. This legislation upholds that commitment. It also increases funding for education that will help to address the rising costs of college tuition and the rigorous standards of No Child Left Behind. A successful workforce depends on access to quality education and this legislation will help our constituents with that. The Democratic budget provides funding that is crucial for job creation. As we have seen here at home, our economy is heading towards a recession. From 2001-2006 alone, Michigan lost 235,000 jobs, many of them high-paying manufacturing jobs. With the rising unemployment rate, it is clear that we need to invest in our workers and new industries that would promote job creation here at home. I am again proud to say that this budget proposal will follow through on our commitment to expand children's health insurance coverage by providing a $50 billion increase to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) so that we can provide healthcare to millions more children who otherwise would go uninsured. As we all witnessed last year, the President vetoed legislation expanding SCHIP on two occasions. In my home state of Michigan we have seen the number of uninsured increase to one million Michigan residents. Rather than making healthcare coverage less accessible, Congress must be doing everything it can to ensure that every individual who wants healthcare coverage has the means to get it. The Democratic budget also rejects the proposed $500 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid proposed by the President. I have long said that this administration neglects our families and his proposal to cut funding from two of our most important healthcare programs is ill- advised. This Congress will not stand for it and this budget will not stand for it. Mr. Speaker, I know that the budget process is never easy; however, I stand in support of today's conference report with great pleasure. Not only am I pleased that this is the last budget that this Congress will work on with this administration, but I am also pleased that once again Congress has shown that it will not rubberstamp the priorities of this administration.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Department of Defense (DOD) Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009. This legislation achieves a number of very important goals. First and foremost, it provides our troops and their families with the support they need. This includes a military a pay raise of 3.9 percent, which is larger than that requested by the President, a prohibition against fee increases for the military health care program known as TRICARE, an expansion of available health care services, and improved support for military families. The bill also helps protect our troops by improving military readiness, and providing them with the equipment they need to keep them safe. The bill authorizes nearly $2 billion for unfunded readiness initiatives, and authorizes $800 million to provide the National Guard and Reserve, which are terribly stretched thin due to repeated deployments to Iraq, equipment they critically need. It also authorizes $2.6 billion for additional Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, $947 million for additional Up-Armored Humvees, and $783 million for the continued procurement and enhancement of personal body armor. This is equipment that will save countless lives in Iraq. Finally, this legislation includes provisions making important changes to the government contracting system and adds increased accountability for those who are working for the government in Iraq. This bill reforms the DOD acquisition process, provides for a better trained acquisition workforce, and cracks down on conflicts of interest in defense contracts. I want to thank my friend and colleague Chairman Skelton for his hard work on this legislation. It has always been the bipartisan goal of the Congress to ensure that the United States military is the best trained, best equipped, and most capable fighting force in the world. This legislation accomplishes those goals, and has my strong support.

Mr. DINGELL

Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following exchange of letters for the Record: Congress of the United States, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, May 19, 2008. Hon. John D. Dingell, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to you regarding H. Res. 1022, a resolution introduced by Representative Lois Capps (D-CA) for the purpose of reducing maternal mortality both at home and abroad. This legislation was initially referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and, in addition, to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Representative Capps has requested that the Committee on Foreign Affairs waive consideration of this resolution. Based on the discussions that the staff of our two committees has had regarding this resolution and in the interest of permitting your Committee to proceed expeditiously to floor consideration of this important resolution, I am willing to waive further consideration of H. Res. 1022. I do so with the understanding that by waiving consideration of the bill, the Committee on Foreign Affairs does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the resolution which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. Please place this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. I look forward to working with you as we move this important measure through the legislative process. Sincerely, Howard L. Berman, Chairman.