Kathleen Dahlkemper

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, the American people overwhelmingly have called on us, their Representatives, to enact real change in our country and in their lives. The Affordable Health Care for America Act embodies the positive change the American people have demanded. This bill creates effective, affordable, and quality reform for all Americans. Seniors will benefit from a stronger Medicare system, no longer subject to the prescription drug doughnut hole or have to pay out of pocket for their primary care needs. Small businesses will no longer be burdened by skyrocketing health care costs. Tax credits and greater competition in the health care market will make coverage affordable for these small businesses, and no individual will ever again be denied health insurance because of preexisting or chronic conditions. My colleagues, the need for reform is clear, and the time for reform is now. I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to vote for the Affordable Health Care for America Act for our seniors, for all women, for small businesses, and mostly for our precious children and grandchildren.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Stupak. I rise today to ask my colleagues to support the Stupak-Ellsworth- Pitts-Kaptur-Dahlkemper-Lipinski-Smith amendment which will keep in place current Federal law on abortion funding in H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. Mr. Speaker, our amendment does not change current law regarding abortion. It does not outlaw abortion. It does not prohibit women from making a choice to which they are entitled under the law. What this amendment does do is make the House's health care reform legislation consistent with all other Federal health care programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, SCHIP, and veterans care. It prohibits Federal funding for abortions consistent with legislation that has been in place since the 1970s.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, last week, we received news of our first GDP growth we've had in a year. Our GDP increased by 3.5 percent last quarter, which was better than expected. This is welcome news and shows that our economy is finally moving in the right direction. We still have a long road ahead to reach economic recovery. We must continue to help our families and communities find immediate relief. That's why I support an extension of the First-Time Homebuyers Tax Credit. This $8,000 tax credit has helped produce more than 130 sales in Erie County in my district alone, and many more throughout western Pennsylvania. I hope to see this tax credit extended so we can continue to give a boost to the housing market and help more Americans reach the dream of homeownership.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Small Business Financing and Investment Act. I want to thank Subcommittee Chair Schrader and Chairwoman Velazquez as well as so many members of the committee who have worked so hard on this legislation. As a member of the Small Business Committee and a former small business owner, I know firsthand that small businesses are the driving force of our economy, creating between 60 and 80 percent of our Nation's new jobs every year. Small businesses create good jobs and strengthen our communities. Not only do small businesses bring valuable resources to our neighborhoods, but they bring prosperity as well. When small businesses succeed, they benefit everyone in the community. Small businesses have been among the hardest hit by the recession. The Small Business Financing and Investment Act will help open tight credit markets that have shut down small business owners during this economic crisis so that small businesses can create jobs, particularly in struggling regions and industries. In addition, this small business legislation takes an important step to address another issue affecting small businesses in the health care business sector. My legislation, the Small Business Health Information Technology Financing Act, which has been incorporated into this bill, makes cost- saving information technology affordable for small group and individual health care practitioners. Administrative burdens add dramatically to the ever-rising price tag of health care, but the cost-saving information, technologies which are ready available, are often too expensive an investment for small group or individual health care providers. That includes small group physicians, nurse practitioners, community pharmacists and others. My provision creates an affordable loan program for these providers to make the investment in health information technologies that lower the cost of health care for everyone. The Small Business Health Information Technology Financing Act creates a new loan guarantee program at the Small Business Administration for the purchase of health information technology by health care professionals in individual and small group practices, those with 50 or fewer employees. The loan guarantee program provides a 90 percent guarantee and loan amounts up to $350,000 for an individual practitioner and $2 million for a group. Mr. Chairman, the Small Business Financing and Investment Act will help grow small businesses, create good jobs for Americans and help lower the administrative costs of health care. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this small business legislation.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce that I am introducing new legislation to create and save valuable manufacturing jobs and support our Nation's rail transportation industry. The Locomotive Fleet Investment and Tax Credit Act of 2009 creates a 30 percent tax credit to encourage the purchase, sale, and manufacture of long-haul freight, passenger, and switch locomotives. The locomotive industry in the United States provides more than 125,000 direct jobs and supports thousands more. This tax credit will create jobs by helping boost the sale of freight long haul, passenger, and switch locomotives by making fleet investment more affordable for our Nation's rail companies. In addition to saving and creating jobs, my bill will help put more efficient, cleaner-burning locomotives in service, which can lower air pollution in the long term. I urge my colleagues to support my bipartisan legislation to create jobs, support manufacturing, and enhance our national rail system.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, I came to Congress in January to make a difference for my community, to make a difference for my district. Today, I heard from one of my constituents who owns a small business, a printing company in northwestern Pennsylvania. This small business owner received notification that health care premiums for his business are increasing by 51.1 percent this year. That dwarfs the 14 percent increase of last year and the 20 percent increase from the previous year and dwarfs the 28 percent increase that I saw in my own small business when I was still working there. Anyone who has ever worked in a small business knows that these costs are unsustainable. This small business owner told me that his business' new family rate will be in excess of $1,700 per month. He wrote, ``I don't know what can be done, but it is small businesses like mine that cannot afford these increases.'' Mr. Speaker, we must not allow our small businesses to suffer so unnecessarily when something can be done. This is a clear and urgent need to pass health care reform legislation. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to embrace reform.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life of Sergeant David W. Wallace, III, of Sharpsville, Pennsylvania. Sergeant Wallace was killed in January 2009 while deployed to Afghanistan with the 2nd Combat Engineers Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. This morning, the Sharpsville community gathers to dedicate the Sergeant Wallace Memorial Bridge, where Sergeant Wallace used to fish on the Shenango River. The bridge is a fitting tribute, and the people of Sharpsville do a great service to the memory of Sergeant Wallace and his family in its dedication. Sergeant Wallace was only 25 years old when his life was taken in Afghanistan. He leaves behind his wife, Erica; his stepson, Landon; his daughter, Brooklyn; and a host of family and friends who dearly miss their brave soldier. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the memory of Sergeant David Wallace and commending the people of Sharpsville for honoring his service to our country. God bless his family, and God bless the troops.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3619, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010. This important legislation will not only provide vital resources to one of our Nation's key security and law enforcement services, but also has the potential to bolster the maritime shipping industry and create much-needed jobs. The legislation requires the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute to carry out studies of the maritime shipping system of the Great Lakes. My language, included in the manager's amendment, requires these studies to include an analysis of the number and types of jobs that rely on the shipping system and how they are distributed across key demographics. This information will help legislators better assess and respond to the needs of the Great Lakes marine transportation and labor force. The Great Lakes shipping industry is a key component of our regional and national economic well-being. My language will provide vital information that will help develop the Great Lakes workforce and help us anticipate and meet future workforce challenges. I urge my colleagues to support the Coast Guard Authorization Act.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support health care reform for our seniors. Our senior citizens deserve reform that will lower their medical expenses and provide the highest quality care available. Our health care reform legislation closes the prescription drug doughnut hole which forces seniors to reduce their prescription drug use, that is, not use lifesaving medications, by an average of 14 percent. The House's health care reform legislation will help guarantee our seniors access to their doctors by eliminating the 21 percent pay cut doctors are facing for Medicare reimbursements. Without this health care reform, 40 percent of our doctors say they will have to reduce the number of Medicare patients they see. Our seniors deserve better than that. They deserve reform that will keep them in good health at a manageable cost. I urge my colleagues to support quality health care reform for our Nation's seniors.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for recognizing me. I want to rise today in proud and enthusiastic support to House Resolution 754, honoring the citizen-soldiers of the Pennsylvania National Guard, including the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, known as the Stryker Brigade of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, on its return to the United States from deployment in Iraq. On January 15, 2009, the 56th Stryker Brigade was deployed to Taji, Iraq. Just last month, this extraordinary combat team, 4,000 strong, returned to their families in Pennsylvania after an incredibly successful deployment. They were welcomed home with proud, open arms throughout our State. In June, I was grateful and honored to have had the opportunity to visit Iraq and to meet personally with members of the 56th Stryker Brigade from the Third District of Pennsylvania. These brave Pennsylvanians embodied the fire of patriotism and the humility of sacrifice. I was in awe of their accomplishments and the high standard of excellence by which they executed their mission. Just yesterday, I was on a plane ride back to Washington sitting next to a general whose son's division from Fort Hood took the place of our 56th Stryker Brigade from Pennsylvania, and he mentioned to me how honored his son was to take over from such an excellent group of soldiers. It was certainly a joy and an honor to greet our troops as they returned to Cambridge Springs just last month, the division out of my district. Never had I felt such intense pride in our country as I did when meeting these extraordinary soldiers and witnessing the sacrifices they have made so that we may live in freedom and prosperity. Our Pennsylvania National Guard has answered the call to defend these United States of America and ensure the security of our people and our way of life. Today, we honor these Guardsmen and thank them for their service. In doing so, we also renew our pledge to provide our men and women in uniform with the highest quality of care and benefits they have earned. In doing so, we show our intense gratitude and enormous respect for our soldiers who so rightly deserve it. Mr. Speaker, I offer my unwavering support of House Resolution 754. I thank Congressman Holden for bringing this resolution forward. Our Pennsylvania National Guard and our 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team certainly deserve this recognition. May God bless our troops.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Thank you, Representative Pingree, for allowing me to join you and my other colleagues here tonight as a fellow freshman. This is certainly an historic time for us to be new Members of Congress, as I think we are working on probably the most important piece of legislation that we will probably ever take up within our time here in Congress, something that touches every American, something that touches every one of the constituents in our districts. I, like so many of you, spent my entire August going out and talking to my constituents. We, as the freshmen, were actually a pretty strong group that slowed down the vote on this bill. So when people say that we are rushing this legislation, I say, no, we actually slowed it down quite significantly. But I think that was great, because it gave us time to read the bill, really understand the bill, and, as Representative Polis said, learn more about health care. We all have learned a lot over these number of months as we have been here together day after day talking about health care. When I talk about health care reform, when I am out in my district, I talk about the fact that it is really a human story, and we all have our stories. One of the most poignant for me was a gentleman who came up to me, actually as I was on one of my congressional bike-and-hikes, because I like to really talk a lot about wellness and prevention, so I am trying to promote that by promoting the great resources in my region, bike paths and hiking areas. So we do these bike-and-hikes. He came up to me on his bike and said that health care was his number one issue. I asked him to explain to me, and he told me about the great health care insurance he had with his company. He worked for a very large corporation. But his daughter, when she was 20 and she was in college, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The treatment for that is very harsh. You end up being put into intensive care, and it really debilitates you as you go through this series of chemotherapy treatments. She had to drop out of college. And guess what happened as soon as she dropped out of college? She was removed from their insurance. So this is the kind of thing that we see over and over again. That is just one of many, many stories that I have heard, and I know all of you have heard. Today actually it was announced we are putting a provision in this health care reform where young people through 26 years, up to their 27th birthday, will be able to stay on their parents' health care coverage if they don't have another opportunity, if they don't work for a company that offers coverage. As we know, many young people in those early years, whether they are going to school, when they get out of school, don't get that first job that offers coverage, or can't find a job right now, as we know many of them can't, or maybe have other things that they want to pursue. It allows them to stay on their parents' coverage up to their 27th birthday. I think that is a great piece. When I was done with the press conference about this, one of the cameramen who had been there told me that was the best thing he had heard in all the years he had been covering the news here at the Capitol, because he has a son who works for a very large corporation, 19 years old, done with school, who did not have health care coverage. He was walking across the street and got hit by a bus, and just the cost that this has been to the family of this young man. So we are still working on this bill, and I think that is important for the American people to know, that we are continuing to work on this bill, to make it better every day so that when it comes to the House floor and we go to vote on this, we are going to be making such significant changes for this country, significant changes for these young people, who, as we know, 31 percent of them are uninsured, those in their twenties. We are going to be making significant changes for our seniors who are going to have their preventative services, for example, covered with no copay. We are going to be making significant changes for our small businesses, and as a small business owner, I know how important this reform is. In Pennsylvania, my State, only 51 percent of our small businesses cover their employees with health care coverage, and that is because they can't afford it. As Representative Polis said, it is not because they don't want to do it; it is because they can't afford the increased costs. So I want to thank you for letting me join you tonight and talk about this very important issue that we are continuing to debate and move forward really for the future of this country. I am just proud to be down here right now and proud to be with all of you serving and making this happen here.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. If the gentlelady would yield, I think that wellness and prevention is such a large component of this bill, and that is something I don't think we talk enough about. And really, as we look, people say to me, well, everyone can get health care in this country. They just go to the emergency room. Well, the emergency room is illness care. It's not health care. And what we're trying to do with this bill is actually go back to treating wellness and to treating health, not just treating illness, which is really what so many people in our country have to live with. They just wait until they're so sick they have to show up at the emergency room. And just on that point, I just wanted to make one other comment about a subject that I don't even hear talked about that much. But the largest hospital in my district told me that they had budgeted $30 million for charity care this year. It's going to be at least 50 million. There is no way that they can sustain this year after year after year. So that's just another piece to this entire issue that we don't talk about that often, but our providers are having trouble, along with our businesses and, certainly, along with individuals. So we do have a great wellness piece. We've been working on putting more wellness pieces into this bill. Again, we're continuing to work on this. We're looking at grants to go to communities to bring stakeholders together, to bring government and schools and the providers and businesses to work on things such as childhood obesity, which we know is an epidemic in this country. So there are still a lot of good things being worked on. This bill gets better and better by the day, and I believe we, again, are at a historic point here and we are going to be able to just provide stability and security to this country in terms of our health care. And, to me, we have to continue to sharpen our pencils, as Representative Tonko says, and continue to find ways to save with this bill and also to provide even better care for citizens of all ages.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak on behalf of the age group that boasts the highest uninsured rate in our country, our young adults. Young adults, those between 19 and 29 years old, are more frequently without insurance than any other age group. At 31 percent uninsured, nearly one in three 18- to 29-year-olds are without health insurance. This gap in coverage occurs when young people graduate from school or reach an age limit imposed by insurance companies that do not allow them access to their parents' health insurance plans. Young adults entering the workforce often take jobs that lack benefits or cannot afford them on their own. The Young Adult Health Care Coverage Act would give these young adults access to their parents' health insurance during these transition years when it is so difficult to maintain coverage on their own. This bill is a no-cost bipartisan solution to the problem of young adults without health insurance. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and to support health care reform to provide quality health care for all Americans.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Thank you so much for asking me to join you tonight as we have this very Special Order hour to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to recognize those that battle breast cancer across this country. But more than that, we're here to deliver an important message to the American people tonight. Not only are we on your side in the fight against breast cancer, but we are one with you in the fight against breast cancer. We are one with you not simply because we believe in your cause and to share your goals, and it's not only because we empathize with your hardship, we are one with you because breast cancer is just as real for us as it is for millions of Americans across the country. This disease, as it's been said tonight, knows no boundaries, knows no borders. It's blind to race, socioeconomic status, and age, and it certainly does not care whether you are a Member of Congress. All in all, nearly 150,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and more than 40,000 women will, sadly, succumb to the disease. But what do these numbers really mean? They are certainly alarming and give us pause, but the truth behind these numbers is that 150,000 families will confront a crisis this year; 150,000 families will be subjected to the fear they may lose a mother, a sister, a daughter or a dear friend, and 40,000 families will see that fear become a reality. Like so many American women, breast cancer became a real cause of concern for me, but I was one of the lucky ones. When my doctor told me I needed a biopsy to check for breast cancer, I was scared and worried what it would mean for my family. But, thankfully, breast cancer never became a reality for me. My biopsy came back clear. Other women I know were not as lucky as I. Numerous friends have lost their mothers to breast cancer. Witnessing our loved ones suffer is a pain that cannot be accurately described. And that's why we are here, to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to show our solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of women battling breast cancer now and celebrate the more than 2\1/2\ million women who are breast cancer survivors. I would like to share with you some stories from real women from the Third District of Pennsylvania. Cindy Hanna of Mercer County was 38 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003. Cindy was one of the lucky ones. She had a mammogram on her doctor's recommendation that caught her cancer early, and she is now a breast cancer survivor. Cindy shared her experience in the Sharon Herald paper. She quotes: ``I had no symptoms. I wasn't even thinking cancer. My cancer was very close to my spine, and if I had waited until I was 40, like most doctors recommend, who knows what would have happened.'' Cindy is now the coordinator of the Medical Equipment Recycling Program at UPMC Horizon in Farrell. This month she is tying pink ribbons in towns across her county to help raise awareness and encourage women to get mammograms early, like she did. Sue Kilburn of Meadville, Pennsylvania, was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was in her late 40s after an annual mammogram. Her doctor told her she had to choose between a lumpectomy and a mastectomy to treat the disease. She shared her journal with the Meadville Tribune Newspaper, and she writes: ``The words ring out unlike anything I have ever experienced before. I find no anger, just feel numb, dumbfounded and questioning how? When? It was just a routine mammogram.'' She survived her battle with breast cancer, and now she works as a clinical nurse breast care educator at the Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute. The position is funded through a grant from the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Cindy and Sue are heroes. They are survivors. And they are committed to helping women beat breast cancer. For Cindy and Sue and thousands like them, early detection saved their lives. Because they had regular mammograms, their cancer was detected early. When tumors are detected early, we know they are nearly 100 percent treatable. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let's encourage the women in our lives, our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, and friends, to get a mammogram. Early detection saved Cindy and Sue, and that's why I support the EARLY Act. Let's work together to make their stories the story for every woman diagnosed with breast cancer. I thank you.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, in this health care debate, we have called on health insurance companies, health care providers and the Federal Government to make major improvements to how they provide health care. Yet we have not asked the benefactors of these changes to make a contribution to reform. We have not asked anything of the American people. Successful health care reform must include a robust public policy to encourage personal responsibility and healthy living. Insurance discounts are a straightforward means to encourage healthy living. Most automobile insurers offer safe driver discounts for responsibility behind the wheel. A healthy living discount can reward healthy behavior and encourage personal responsibility. I urge my colleagues to adopt H.R. 3472, a bill to create health insurance premium discounts of up to 20 percent for healthy behavior and improvements toward healthy behavior. It's good public policy to help Americans live well. My bill creates a tangible incentive to live well and live healthy.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Madam Speaker, I rise today out of concern that the health care reform legislation this body is considering lacks an important component: an incentive for healthy living. Encouraging a healthy population is one of the best ways we can reduce our Nation's health care costs over time and can improve our country's livelihood and prosperity. A healthy lifestyle makes workers more productive; it helps people live longer; it helps people make smart choices about diet, exercise and tobacco use; it helps prevent and not just treat chronic diseases. Madam Speaker, successful health care reform must include an incentive for Americans to live healthy lives. It is the surest way to decrease our consumption of health care over time, thus, lowering costs. My legislation, H.R. 3472, will do just that. My bill provides for health insurance coverage premium discounts up to 20 percent for healthy behavior and for improvements toward healthy behavior. This means that Americans would have a tangible incentive to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, heart rates and body mass indexes, which are vital indicators of a person's overall health and wellness. Madam Speaker, it is good public policy to help Americans live well. It is good public policy to create positive incentives for wellness and to help people make healthy decisions in their everyday lives. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3472 and to create health care reform that actually encourages wellness.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, during the upcoming August work period, my colleagues and I will travel back to our districts to talk about meaningful health care reform that fixes what is broken and that protects what works. One of the things that does not work is the skyrocketing costs of medical treatment in the United States. If Congress is serious about tackling the issue, we must address the growing concern of chronic disease--preventable conditions that account for 85 percent of total health spending. Obesity alone cost $147 billion last year. Today, I am introducing legislation that will offer up to 20 percent discounted premiums to those who make the effort to live healthier lifestyles, such as not smoking, such as achieving and maintaining normal body mass index and working at lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. As a result, there will be an economic incentive to encourage personal responsibility for one's health, which will dramatically reduce overall costs. As we look at health insurance reform, we need to make sure that we look at encouraging wellness. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this commonsense legislation to promote wellness.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about the need for health care reform in this country, reform that must ensure patients can choose their doctor, is portable, and gives stability to our citizens as they grow old, change jobs, and face health problems. It must protect those with preexisting conditions and address prevention. I've received countless calls from constituents about the need to fix what is broken and protect what works in this health care system. Last night, on this floor, I heard a colleague on the other side of the aisle say that all Americans have health care today, the emergency room. Well, tell that to my constituents like Carla, who called about her sister Edith, who's been without insurance since last September. Edith is 49 years old and suffers from severe osteoarthritis. Injured at work, she had to change jobs because she was denied workmen's comp. And then, after she got a job that offered some coverage, she was laid off due to economic conditions. Now unemployed, Edith is without health insurance, insurance she desperately needs to help cover her doctors visits and her prescriptions. Edith is a victim of a failed system. Madam Speaker, we need health care reform in this country to ensure that Edith and countless others are not left behind.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise today to address this Chamber not as a Member of the House of Representatives but as someone who knows firsthand the balancing act that American families and small businesses have to negotiate in order to make ends meet. When raising our five children, my husband, Dan, and I had to make tough choices every day. We had to choose a smaller house so that we could put the food on the table and buy shoes and clothing for the five children. We had to choose to go camping in our State park rather than Disney World so that we could save enough for our children to go to college. And every day we had to make tough choices in running our small business to ensure we could make our payroll, pay the bills and grow our business all at the same time. Mr. Speaker, this balancing act is not unique. Any parent who has shopped for dinner at the grocery store and any entrepreneur who has handled the books for their small business understands the importance of living within their means. So this begs the question: if families and small businesses across this country have to live within their means, why shouldn't Congress as well? That is why I rise today to support reestablishing statutory PAYGO to the House of Representatives. We have important work to do here in Congress, such as rebuilding our economy to create good-paying jobs and ensuring quality, affordable health care for all Americans. However, it is simply irresponsible to build our children's and grandchildren's future upon a foundation of debt. If we do not begin to balance short-term deficit spending with long-term fiscal discipline, our children will face an even greater mountain of debt, even higher taxes, and cuts to Federal investments in priorities like education, health care and our national security. I thank my colleagues for making fiscal responsibility a priority. I urge passage of the rule and the important underlying legislation.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, any meaningful attempts to create long- term, sustainable health care reform must begin by taking control of our skyrocketing costs. That means we must get serious about combating obesity, a preventable disease that costs this country $117 billion. To that end, I have introduced two pieces of legislation. The first bill is called the Obesity Treatment and Wellness Act of 2009, which addresses the fact that half the costs associated with obesity are paid through Medicare and Medicaid. My legislation directs Medicaid to pay for nutrition counseling, which can effectively treat this disease. My second bill, the Healthy Communities Act of 2009, sets up a 5-year public-private community grant program to encourage a community approach to promoting wellness and fighting obesity. Mr. Speaker, only when we make wellness a major component of our reform efforts can we expect to get control of costs. I urge my colleagues to join me in this effort to ensure quality, affordable health care that works for all Americans.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, as I travel throughout my district, the primary concern I hear over and over again from Republicans, Independents, and Democrats, is that we need to reform our Nation's health care system. However, any meaningful reform must begin by taking control over the skyrocketing costs of health care. As a clinical dietitian for 25 years, I know that this can only be achieved with serious commitment to healthy living and combating obesity in America. A recent study by the National Center for Education Statistics found that one out of every five American 4-year-olds is obese. I would like to repeat that. One out of every five 4-year-olds in America is obese. Why is this a problem? The CDC estimated recently that the total cost of obesity in the United States is $117 billion. Mr. Speaker, as a Nation, if we are serious about reforming our health care system, we need to get serious about combating obesity. I urge my colleagues to join me in ensuring healthy living, wellness, and prevention are major components of the final health care bill. The success of our reform depends on it.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. I would like to thank Chairwoman Velazquez and Ranking Member Graves for their leadership in bringing this legislation forward, and I rise today in strong sport of the manager's amendment to H.R. 2965. The manager's amendment makes a number of very good changes to the base bill, including my amendment on water conservation technology. My amendment would improve the efficiency of water delivery systems and usage patterns in the United States by including this as a topic for one of the small business innovation research solicitations. Water scarcity is a growing concern throughout the United States. Multiyear droughts continue to plague regions and States around the country, including the Southeast, Texas, and California. For many municipalities, intense competition for water and diminished supplies will force local water agencies to make difficult decisions on water allocations to protect essential ecosystem services. This includes implementing tough restrictions that could harm our agriculture industry while diminishing economic growth and job creation. In order for our country to achieve a more sustainable future for our children, we must act now to conserve one of our most precious resources, our water supply. By improving the technology of our water delivery systems, we can maximize our limited water resources and reduce our energy use. Again, I thank the chairwoman for including this in her amendment, and I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this amendment's adoption.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Madam Chairman, on rollcall No. 438, I voted, but it did not record. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Part B Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. King of Iowa

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to announce the introduction of my first piece of legislation, the Young Adult Healthcare Coverage Act of 2009, or, as I like to call it, the young invincibles bill. I am the mother of five young invincibles, and this legislation will cover adults ages 19-29. This bipartisan, no-cost bill provides these young adults with the option to access their parents' health insurance. This is important, because young adults have the highest uninsured rate of any group in the country at 31 percent. The result is extreme measures, such as borrowing leftover prescription drugs from a friend, setting their own broken bones, or trips to the emergency room that cost the American taxpayer millions. Thirty States have already enacted similar legislation. This bill will create a nationwide uniform standard. I thank Congressman Leonard Lance and others who are cosponsoring this bill, and I ask our colleagues to join us.

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER

Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today profoundly troubled and deeply saddened by yesterday's senseless acts of violence that occurred at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Stephen T. Johns, the security officer whose life was taken in that tragic event. I am so grateful for his service and the service of all the security officers who work to keep us safe. Yesterday's action was a shocking reminder of the progress we have yet to make against bigotry, ignorance and hate. The gunman's attack was not only against one man, but against an important idea of human dignity for all. However, as a Nation, our resolve must remain strong, and our response must be very clear. There is no place for anti-Semitism and racism in the United States of America. I urge my colleagues to join me in renewing our commitment to ending hatred and violence by supporting House Resolution 529.