Ted Deutch

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Madam Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. DEUTCH. I would like to confirm. Therefore, if the language in the bill were very clear that for cases to be brought affecting the leasing and the exploration of oil in the gulf, that if those cases could be brought in any of the Gulf States, including Florida and Alabama, then the bill's sponsor would not oppose this amendment?

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Ronald Feinman, a constituent of mine from Boca Raton who will retire from teaching at the end of June after 39 years. Dr. Feinman, a Senior Professor of History and Political Science at Broward College in Pembroke Pines, and an Adjunct Professor of History at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, moved to South Florida in 1989 after teaching for 17 years in New York at Queens College, New York Institute of Technology, and Pace University. A graduate of Queens College, Dr. Feinman earned his PhD from the City University of New York Graduate Center in1975. A student of history from an early age, Dr. Feinman has dedicated his life and professional career to ensuring future generations grow up with an appreciation of American history, politics and government. This dedication is evident in the pure enthusiasm he shows for his students and the topics he professes, and the strong reputation he has established amongst his peers and his students is a direct result. He has developed strong friendships with many of his students throughout his teaching career, and some of them have taken him for as many as eight classes along their way to completing their degree. The author of Twilight of Progressivism: The Western Republican Senators and the New Deal, 1933-1945, Dr. Feinman regularly contributes articles and book reviews in a wide range of academic journals, lectures on modern American topics throughout South Florida, and maintains a blog discussing daily political topics. While he is looking forward to retirement and having the opportunity to spend more time with his family and travel, after taking a year off, he intends to return to teaching part-time to continue doing what he loves. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Ronald Feinman embodies the true essence of an educator and a role model for our younger generations. I know I speak not only for myself, but for the thousands of students whose lives he has positively impacted throughout the four decades of his career in congratulating him on his retirement and wishing him the best going forward.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. I rise today in opposition to H.R. 3, but I also rise in great disappointment that the people's House is again engaging in a debate about the rights of women rather than a discussion about the challenges our Nation faces. For months, Democrats have urged this body to refocus its efforts on jobs; yet since the Congress convened in January, the Republican majority has failed to bring to the floor any measures to help create jobs. Their negligence is showing. Instead of working in a bipartisan way to regain America's economic strength, we again find ourselves on the floor in a divisive debate over women's reproductive freedoms. That's right. Rather than wage a war on unemployment, my Republican colleagues are waging a war on women's health. Under this legislation's logic, anyone who has government-subsidized insurance coverage--which is really everyone who has private health insurance, for we exempt employers from paying taxes on health benefits--would be forbidden from abortion. Where does it end? The answer is it doesn't end. Even in the face of overwhelming support for women's rights among the American people, even in the face of more pressing challenges, real challenges like the jobs crisis, nothing stops my Republican colleagues from their assault on a woman's right to choose. I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Tomorrow, my Republican colleagues will bring a 2012 budget to the floor of the House, a budget that rolls back generations of progress and, quite simply, ends Medicare as we know it. Fifty years ago, before Medicare and Medicaid were signed into law, Americans preparing to retire faced tremendous uncertainty. Private health insurance was simply out of reach. Savings put away during years of employment could barely cover those bills, if they could cover them at all. Seniors were forced to rely on their own children, many of whom were struggling to raise families of their own, to pay for medical care. When the financial support of family and relatives was not an option, elderly Americans found themselves with the choice of a life without the care of doctors or a life of destitution. This was the status quo before Medicare and Medicaid were signed into law, and the American people found it unacceptable. We believed then, as we believe now, that we have a responsibility to ensure that seniors, children, and the permanently disabled, the most vulnerable in our society, have access to quality health care. It was this sense of shared responsibility that Congress codified in 1965 through the creation of Medicare and Medicaid. As President Lyndon B. Johnson said as he signed this historic legislation, ``No longer will older Americans be denied the healing miracle of modern medicine. No longer will illness crush and destroy the savings that they have so carefully put away over a lifetime so that they might enjoy dignity in their later years.'' Today, 45 million seniors depend on Medicare's guaranteed quality benefits. Now this year, as in every year, we find ourselves in the middle of a budget debate. At times, both Republicans and Democrats can be accused of hyperbole. However, it is no exaggeration to say that the Republican budget headed to the House floor tomorrow abandons America's seniors and does away with the concept of guaranteed Medicare benefits. It is no overstatement to say that it hands Medicare over to the private health insurance industry, and it is no lie to say that this plan ends Medicare as we know it. This budget is no Path to Prosperity; for seniors, it is a path to the poor house. You can call it premium support; you can call it a voucher; you can call it a coupon; you can call it the golden ticket if you'd like; but changing the name won't change the fact that this Republican plan will force America's seniors to hand over most of their income to America's insurers. Maybe instead of ``premium support,'' this plan should be called ``insurance company profit assistance.'' By the time the Republican plan begins distributing coupons to seniors in 2022, most retirees will be unable to afford health care. After all, these coupons will be worth only 32 percent of the insurance bill. According to the nonpartisan analysts at the Congressional Budget Office, in less than two decades a private health insurance plan as good as Medicare will cost about $30,000. Unfortunately, the Republican voucher that will be sent out under this budget plan will only be worth $9,700. This means that there will be an insurance bill worth about $21,000 sitting in the mailboxes of America's seniors. The Republican budget plan is no work of genius; it just shifts the burden of rising health care costs from the Federal Government to seniors and calls it a day. Through Medicare, Americans made a moral commitment as a people to ensure that seniors are not bankrupted by a hip replacement or diabetes medication. Likewise, with Medicaid, we made a moral commitment to ensure that elderly nursing home patients, impoverished children, the permanently disabled, and the neediest in our society can afford basic care. In fact, two-thirds of all Medicaid spending goes to caring for older adults and people with disabilities. The cost of long-term care, like in rehabilitation centers and nursing homes, is prohibitive. Medicaid serves as a lifeline for these individuals. And it is not an expensive program. In fact, compared to private sector health care costs, Medicaid is cheap, growing half as fast. The GOP plan cuts Medicaid when physicians and hospitals can barely afford to treat these patients because of such low reimbursement rates. It is no mystery why Medicaid is beginning to strain State and Federal budgets. With so many Americans out of work, enrollment in Medicaid has skyrocketed as more and more families come to rely upon this safety net. I have said it before and I will say it again: Medicaid is not too expensive. People are too poor. That's why we should be focused on creating new jobs. One hundred days into this new Republican Congress and not a single jobs bill. Madam Speaker, this plan is not a price that I'm willing to pay. We can do better. We will do better. America's seniors are watching.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a hero from my district whose story I recently became aware of--Martin Chase. During the war in Vietnam, Martin was a civilian engineer that responded to his country's call to develop more conventional weapons. Our soldiers frequently were pinned down with no way out. To counter this situation, Martin developed a grenade that detonated on impact, giving U.S. troops a more effective means of protecting themselves and fighting the Viet Cong. When Martin's grenades were shipped to our troops overseas, Martin traveled with them to oversee the training and distribution of these new weapons. Upon arrival, Martin found himself in the middle of the Tet Offensive, and for the next 3 weeks followed our troops through some of the deadliest battles of the war in Vietnam. However, upon learning that his grenades were distributed to thousands of soldiers to use without training, Martin approached the American commanders, alerting them the grenades could result in countless deaths to American troops. In fact, Martin pointed out that if these new grenades were used without training, there could be more deaths to U.S. troops than enemy Viet Cong deaths. This heroic act of bravery prevented countless, unnecessary deaths of our soldiers. I am proud to have Marty as a constituent and have enjoyed getting to know him and his story. Martin believed in the power of truth. By confronting the war's needs for results, he saved countless lives. I wish him all the best and thank him for his service and courage during the war in Vietnam.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to welcome Rabbi Efrem Goldberg to our Nation's Capitol and thank him for delivering such an insightful opening invocation. Rabbi Goldberg's presence here today is especially significant to me, for I regularly study under his guidance. Since entering public life, I have become all the more grateful to have him as a spiritual mentor. His insights help me serve my constituents and work to better our world in a way that honors our Jewish tradition. As Senior Rabbi of Boca Raton Synagogue, Rabbi Goldberg leads a wonderful congregation of over 700 families and 1,200 children. This February, after an extraordinary first 5 years as Senior Rabbi, it was announced that he will continue to lead the congregation for the next decade. His energy, vision, and wisdom touch everyone he meets, just as it did for us here this morning when he provided us with his compelling and thoughtful invocation.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. I thank the gentlewoman from New York. I have been listening to this debate about the Constitution. I am proud to serve in a body that has such respect for the Constitution. Yet I couldn't find this provision that was applicable today until just a moment ago. Apparently, my friends on the other side of the aisle are using a special April Fool's edition of the Constitution that has the following provision in it. It says: When a majority party in the House of Representatives is immovably committed to shutting down the government unless the President of the United States and the United States Senate get on board with their plan to destroy 700,000 jobs and cripple the Nation's economic growth, that House majority can simply deem their plan the law without a vote by the Senate or the signature of the President, as they are null and void. There you have it, Madam Speaker. What we've clearly seen here is that my colleagues are so bent on adding 700,000 Americans to our unemployment lines that they can simply declare the Senate of the United States and the President of the United States null and void. This bill tramples on our Constitution. It is bad political theater. I urge my colleagues to oppose it.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, the Party of No has officially become the Party of No Plan. Every week under GOP control has been another week with no plan to create jobs. This is not a game. In Florida, unemployment remains at 12 percent. People want to work. They want Washington to lead with a jobs plan. With construction and housing so integral to Florida's economy, stabilizing this sector is critical to our recovery. Close to 1 million Florida families and seniors have lost their homes since 2009. Now, through no fault of their own, nearly half of all mortgages in Florida are underwater. But instead of creating jobs, Republicans want to kick middle class families while they're already down. Rather than improve mortgage modification programs by working with Democrats, my Republican friends want to shut them down altogether. So to families and seniors across America who owe more to the banks than their homes are actually worth, what's the Republican plan? What's the response? Pay up, even if you have no job, no income, no health care. Under today's Republican bills, soon you and your family will have no home.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. DEUTCH. I am, in its current form.

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I present an amendment to this legislation that will help the seniors who built America from the bottom up. This amendment provides us with an opportunity not to stall this bill, but improve it, right here and right now. The contributions of the men and women who became known as America's greatest generation should humble us all. As teenagers, Mr. Speaker, they confronted unspeakable evil and endured incredible sacrifices during World War II. In the aftermath of the Great Depression, their love of country and commitment to hard work created the world's most vibrant economy. They were doctors and nurses, teachers and engineers, steelworkers and pipefitters, secretaries and truck drivers. Today, they are seniors who deserve to live their retirement years with dignity and self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, throughout the financial crisis and this devastating recession, seniors have often gone forgotten. For many, their pensions have dried up or come under attack. Their life savings were decimated by recklessness on Wall Street. They have not received a Social Security cost of living increase for 2 years. Finally, Mr. Speaker, their homes, often their last standing pillar of equity and economic security, have lost their value through no fault of their own. The community of South Florida I am so privileged to represent is home to one of our Nation's largest populations of retirees. But it is also ground zero for the foreclosure crisis. In 2010, Mr. Speaker, South Florida outpaced the Nation for new foreclosure filings. The counties of Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami Dade have suffered the majority of these foreclosures in Florida, and my office fields calls from struggling homeowners every day. Statewide in Florida, nearly 1 million families and seniors have lost their homes since 2009. Today, nearly half of all Florida homeowners are underwater on their mortgages. They owe banks more money than their homes are now worth. Through no fault of their own, thousands of seniors who built this Nation face the tragedy of losing their homes. Now, America's greatest generation has never been one to ask for handouts, and today is no exception. What we have the opportunity to do here today is to give our seniors a chance--a chance--to rearrange their deal with their lenders, make their payments, and keep their homes. The mortgage program abolished by the bill needs to be fixed. So let's start by fixing it for seniors, as my proposal will do. Before us is a real opportunity to amend these programs for the future. It will not send this legislation back to committee. It will not stall this bill. It will simply preserve these mortgage modification programs for seniors and open the door to improving these initiatives. According to leading economists, high foreclosure rates and our struggling housing sector remain the biggest challenge to our economic recovery. In Florida, with unemployment at 12 percent, the real estate industry is so integral to our economy, we must stem foreclosures in order to grow the private sector and create jobs. We can begin stabilizing the housing market today and do right by Americans who made this country great for every one of us in this Chamber. Seniors answered the call of Uncle Sam every week of their working lives, paying taxes for America's schools, roads, military and health care. When asked to serve, these Americans always said yes. Now, when these same men and women are asking for a modest amount of time to renegotiate in good faith, to prevent foreclosure, to remain self- sufficient as retirees, what answer will this body give them? Every day, it seems, mortgage lenders have their day in Washington. Every day, Wall Street executives have their day in Washington. Every day, Mr. Speaker, banks have their day in Washington. Isn't it time to give the seniors who made America great their day in our Nation's capital? Let's make today a day for the people who rebuilt this country after the Great Depression, who started the businesses small and large so important to our economy, the people who are our parents and our children's grandparents, who served our nation, who made America what it is today, the people who taught us what it means to be Americans. They're not asking for credit or recognition or attention, but we owe it to them to honor their lifetimes of hard work and responsibility and decency by making it possible for them to live out the rest of their lives with four walls around them and a roof over their heads. Vote ``yes'' on this amendment.

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, a 2-week extension to fund the government may prevent a shutdown, but it will not change the fact that a serious choice lies before this Congress. Will 2011 be a year in which we continue to grow our economy, a year that builds on the over 1 million private sector jobs created in 2010, or will it be remembered as the year extremists ignored the warnings of world-class economists at Moody's Analytics and Goldman Sachs and allowed our economy to shrink by over 700,000 jobs? Will 2011 be a year in which we prepare America's children to compete in a global economy, or will it be the year that right-wing extremists and Congress defied common sense, cutting Pell Grants, blaming teachers for the deficit, and punishing struggling school districts across America for a financial crisis they did not cause? In 2 weeks, these choices will once again come before this Congress. I implore the Republican leadership to seize this opportunity, not for partisan gain but for America's gain. Let's reduce the deficit in a way that does not jeopardize our recovery and make 2011 a year we move forward instead of backwards.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today to congratulate Syd Bykofsky on his 95th birthday. Born in New York City, Syd has dedicated his life to helping others, and to being a loud and commanding voice for workers' rights. Syd began his political activism at the age of 14. When he was just 18 years old, Syd solidified his activism by advocating for a 40 hour work week and picketing on behalf of Laundry Workers, Taxi Drivers, and Millinery Workers, to ensure a better work environment for future generations. In his 20s, Syd joined the Workmen's Circle and served locally and nationally in many leadership positions. Since 1993, Syd has been an active member of the Workmen's Circle Florida Regional Board. Syd continued his political and social activism and in 1965 he marched on Washington with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Syd continued his fight for equal opportunity when he participated in the Selma to Montgomery March for Civil Rights; and, by demonstrating for Memphis Garbage Workers and Nurses in Atlanta, Georgia, Syd's contributions to workers rights expanded over the years. Even though Syd maintained a busy schedule as a community activist, he always made time to be involved in the life of his family. Having been the President of both the PTA and the Father's Club of his children's public school, he was a proud and dedicated father to his children. His commitment to his children and the community continued as he became the Vice President of the 61st Precinct Community Council Day Camp. Syd helped organize Marlboro Houses Day Camp, served on the local school board of District 21K in Brooklyn and assisted in opening John Dewey High School for Special Education. Today, Syd continues to be a part of his family's lives not only with his grandchildren, but also with his great-grandchildren. Syd's activism is sustained by serving on the Executive Board of the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans and as the Director of Brittany C. Kings Point in Florida. This is a wonderful opportunity to honor Syd for his lifetime of activism, and I join his family and friends in congratulating him on this joyous occasion. Congratulations to Syd and his entire family on his 95th birthday.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, this week my Republican colleagues offered us a glimpse into their vision for America. It is a country where millions of women are turned away from basic health care, where the wealthy can buy access to our courts, and the poor are denied justice, where we abandon our obligation to pass on a cleaner, safer world to the next generation, where the voices of a thousand workers' cries for better treatment fall on a few pairs of deaf ears, where we deny children the arts education that has helped inspire the greatest culture on Earth. This is not the America envisioned by the constituents I serve, among them thousands of America's Greatest Generation who fought during World War II and built an extraordinary Nation after the Great Depression. This continuing resolution is, quite simply, a disgrace to their vision and to their sacrifice. We can do better. We must do better.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of my friend, Marvin Manning, for his 85th birthday. Born in Ohio, Marvin valiantly served his country during World War II in the United States Navy. Upon returning from his service, Marvin used the G.I. Bill to graduate from The Ohio State University. In 1987, after serving for years as the Chief Financial Officer for a jewelry company, Marvin retired to South Florida. After the move, Marvin quickly became involved in politics and in the community. Marvin chaired the Dade County Community Coalition, was the Chief Community Advisor for Congressman Bill Lehman, and worked for Senator Bill Nelson's 1990 gubernatorial campaign. In 1997, Marvin moved from Dade County into Florida's 19th Congressional district. Here, he continued his volunteerism where he has served as President of the Century Village Democratic Club, President of the Century of Boca Raton Umbrella Association, COBRUA, as President of the Yarmouth Association, was on the Half Penney Board, and serves on the Executive Board of the West Boca Community Council. I, along with much of the South Florida community, am most grateful for Marvin's close work and relationships with our local elected officials. When Hurricane Wilma devastated South Florida, Marvin's hard work, along with the help of former Congressman Robert Wexler, Commissioner Burt Aaronson, and other local officials led to a speedy response which guaranteed that Century Village got the assistance it needed in the aftermath of the storm. It has been an honor to count Marvin as a colleague, an advisor, and most of all a friend. I would like to congratulate Marvin and his family on his 85th birthday, and I look forward to many more years of working together with Marvin to better the South Florida community.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Madam Chair, I do not believe that the government should interfere with the reproductive rights of a woman, but that is not what is being debated here. No matter how many times our friends on the other side of the aisle say that this is an amendment meant to prevent Federal dollars from going to fund abortions, it will not make it true; it will not make it so. That's not what this is about. We have heard all of the statistics. We know what this is about. I would like to spend a moment talking about how this whole debate is viewed around the country. I would like to spend a minute talking about what the country ought to look like for my daughters and for my son. In this amendment, we can envision a Nation where there might be a place for sex education to be taught in a scientific and comprehensive way, which might actually reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, which might actually reduce teen pregnancies, and which will keep our American children and young women healthy. We might actually envision a country where we have testing for sexually transmitted diseases and where, if caught, we can help make the Nation healthier. Madam Chair, we also have an opportunity here tonight to think about a Nation where women have the opportunity to seek the health care they need and deserve--poor women oftentimes who might have no place else to go but who can have an opportunity to get the health care they need and to get the cancer screenings they need, screenings that can save their lives. We can envision all of these things in this amendment. Ladies and gentlemen, we know what Planned Parenthood provides in these clinics: 95 percent of what they provide is health care that does exactly what we want done in this country; 95 percent of what Planned Parenthood does helps keep Americans healthy. It helps take care of women, and it helps make sure that they are better mothers. It helps make sure that their families can be taken care of, and it helps identify cancer before it's too late so that kids can grow up with their mothers. We understand what this amendment is about. This is not an amendment about abortion. This is an amendment about clamping down on a clinic that provides medical services whose politics those on the other side simply do not agree with. This is about the opportunity to move forward with something that can provide those health care services: with clinics that can help save lives. We can do all of that right here in this House. Members, I ask, as we go forward today, that we think about the opportunity we have here to cast a vote that supports women, to cast a vote that supports families, and to take what will be the most pro- family vote we will have an opportunity to cast in this CR debate: that is a vote against this amendment. I urge my colleagues to do so. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DEUTCH. Madam Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Harold Ostrow and his selfless dedication to his community for over a quarter of a century. Appropriately nicknamed ``Mr. Civic,'' Harold has provided leadership, guidance, and true heart to the community through his volunteer work over the years. Harold's involvements vary in interest from being the Chairman of the Health Care District where he oversaw the management of the trauma program, the school nursing program, and a program to provide health coverage to the working poor. In addition, as a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission, Harold held the responsibility of providing the Governor with names of candidates for judges. Mr. Civic did not stop there, though. Harold has also held the position of Chairman of the nonpartisan Voter's Coalition and the citizen's Advisory Committee for the Solid Waste Authority, gaining him the respect of government officials on both sides of the aisle. Harold's activism continues today as a member of the advisory board for the Fire-Rescue Agency. No matter what the needs of his community was, Harold has been there, lending his open hand without asking for anything in return. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the love and support of Harold's wife, Lenore, by his side. His dedication to participating in every area of community life, helping wherever he could, and mentoring members of the community, has made Harold Ostrow a beacon of volunteer involvement, and I am proud to have this opportunity to recognize him. I would like to congratulate Harold and his family for this tremendous honor. It is truly an honor to have Harold as a part of the South Florida community and as a friend.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. In a time of great economic strife, Americans deserve more from their leaders than recycled attacks on their constitutional rights. Let's not deny women access to birth control and wellness care provided by Planned Parenthood, or the Presidential Women's Center in my district, or the many other providers instrumental in reducing unwanted pregnancies in America. Let's not levy special taxes on women who have never had an abortion, but pay for a private health plan that covers these procedures. Let's not subject any citizen to government intrusion in the doctor's office because of their gender. The retired women in my district who were on the front lines of the fight for equality in reproductive rights know what path these policies will lead us down. Let's not create a crisis in America--a crisis of public health, of back-alley abortions and accidental sterilization, of less education and more sexually transmitted diseases, of fewer routine screenings and more cervical cancer. We already have a crisis on our hands in this country--a jobs crisis--and in November, Americans voted this Congress to address it.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Madam Speaker, just days ago, our nation was shaken by the brutal act of violence committed against Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and the constituents waiting in line to speak with her. The shots fired in Tuscon claimed the lives of several Americans, from a federal judge with decades of service to our country, to a young child participating in our great democracy for the very first time. Tragedies like this one tear at the fabric of our democracy, which is woven together by the everyday conversations that take place between ordinary people and those they elect to represent them in government. What started out as a routine morning in American political life--an elected representative listening to the thoughts and concerns of her community--ended in senseless bloodshed. As we pay tribute to those who fell victim to this violence, and as we pray for the swift recovery of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, we must also reaffirm ourselves to the work being done that morning before those shots rang out. Congresswoman Giffords enjoys such respect in this body not only because of her intellect and warmth but also because of her commitment to directly engaging with people. She believed--and every day put into action--that with sincere, hard work we can forge common ground, in our communities and as a nation. In a few days, when this body reconvenes and we resume the business of moving our nation forward, let us honor Congresswoman Giffords by keeping that sense of common purpose in the forefront of our minds as we work to overcome the many challenges faced by our nation.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a dedicated public servant, fierce consumer advocate, and my dear friend, State Senator Dave Aronberg. A native of Miami, Dave attended Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Shortly after graduation, Dave began his work with the office of the State Insurance Commissioner taking on foreign insurance companies that refused to honor World War II era policies issued to victims of the Holocaust. Dave's passion for public service next took him to the office of the Attorney General, where he became an Assistant Attorney General. It was in this capacity that Dave was responsible for prosecuting consumer fraud and led the lawsuits against ``Miss Cleo's'' fraudulent business holdings. In 2000, Dave was chosen to participate in the prestigious White House Fellows program as a Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury for international money laundering. During his fellowship, Dave represented the Treasury Department at a global summit on money laundering and the laundering of terrorist assets in Malaysia. He then traveled as part of an official White House delegation to meet with foreign officials and to visit refugee camps in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. After his fellowship, Dave returned to South Florida and in 2002 was elected to represent the 27th District of Florida in the State Senate. During his 8 years in the Senate, Dave continued his advocacy for strong consumer protections, was a member of Florida's Medicaid task force, and led the fight that successfully secured federal funding for the Everglades Restoration Project. Recently, Dave has announced that he will continue his work for strong consumer protections by becoming Special Counsel to Attorney General Pam Bondi. As a special counsel, Dave will oversee the effort to eliminate pain clinics and ``pill mills'' in Florida. I would like to congratulate Dave on his appointment in the Attorney General's office and wish him luck as he continues his dedication to public service and consumer advocacy. It has been a privilege working with him as an attorney, in the State legislature, and as a Congressman. I look forward to many years of continued service for South Florida alongside Dave.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Chairman, I rise with deep concerns over the temporary payroll tax cut included in the package before us tonight, not because we shouldn't provide relief to the middle class. We must, tonight. Cutting Social Security contributions could have lasting consequences, however, for our Nation's most successful domestic program. In a year, in this very Chamber, many of our colleagues across the aisle will likely work to make this tax holiday permanent, just as they are tonight for the Bush tax cuts. Jeopardizing Social Security's independent revenue stream will open retirement benefits to budgetary attacks for the first time and pave the way for attempts to privatize Social Security. We could give middle class Americans tax relief without threatening Social Security in this way. The unfortunate truth is we will not accomplish that here tonight, even as we do provide struggling working families and jobless Americans with a lifeline that they desperately need. But we must commit ourselves tonight to the fight that lies ahead. We must be ready to protect Social Security and defend our seniors and working Americans from the attacks that are sure to come.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I came to Congress to fight for new jobs, protect the retirement security of America's seniors, and give middle class families a fair shake in this economy. Yet our efforts, the basic bricks in the foundation of a working economy, have been cast aside by my Republican colleagues. The Republicans have sweetened the tax deal today by demanding that American taxpayers fork over $26 billion for an estate tax break that will go to about 6,600 families. I offer some perspective. There are more than 6,600 people in Century Village, King's Point, and each of the major retirement communities I represent. There are more undergraduates at Florida Atlantic University in my district. And my teenage daughters and their high school friends are together on track to have more than 6,600 Facebook friends. And $26 billion? 16.2 million Americans who depend on food stamps to eat could eat for a year. 3.5 million American college students at our public universities could see their tuition paid in full. And most striking, more than $175,000 could go to each of the 140,000 families whose sons and daughters are serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. We can do better, Mr. Speaker.