Jo Ann Emerson

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, again I would like to thank our colleagues and all of us and the many, many colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have been original cosponsors of this resolution. It is so important; and so many of our constituents around the country have asked us what can we do, what can we do to show our unity and to show our strength of purpose, other than to give blood, for example, or to work or volunteer in search and rescue missions. We have said that flying the flag, our great and unwavering symbol of freedom, would be something that all of us could do together. It is for that reason that we sponsored this resolution. It is something that the American people all understand. So that we might honor those brave souls who lost their lives in New York, at the Pentagon or in the fields of Pennsylvania, let us honor them by flying our flags for the next 30 days from every village, from every school, from every home across this great Nation.

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order at any time to consider in the House the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 225) expressing the sense of the Congress that, as a symbol of solidarity following the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, every United States citizen is encouraged to display the flag of the United States; that the concurrent resolution be considered as read for amendment; and that the previous question be considered as ordered on the concurrent resolution to final adoption without intervening motion, except 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by myself and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) or a designee, and one motion to recommit.

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I have always loved that song of Johnny Cash, because it so symbolizes the importance of our American flag. The Speaker today in our conference mentioned something that happened yesterday as he was driving along Rock Creek Parkway and saw an old veteran waving an American flag back and forth, back and forth, for hours on end because the man was there when they left to go and he was there when they returned back to the Capitol. It also reminds me of the time when my late husband Bill had just died and we were driving to the cemetery in Hillsboro and along the way was an old veteran standing on a hill with his military hat on, waving a flag. It was tattered and it was old. My children just gripped my hand and said, ``Oh, Mom, look.'' And that so symbolized what is right and what is great about our country. Mr. Speaker, there are no words to describe the sorrow and the heartache, the tragedy that has rocked our Nation over the past several days. We really have been cut to the core and been left shocked and numb and grappling with one question that cannot be answered, the question that my children, who are 19 and 23, and all of my stepchildren ask me, ``Why has this happened?'' But I think that in spite of the despicable horror we have seen, America does remain the world's shining beacon of freedom and democracy, and that freedom lives on in our hearts and in our actions and in our most enduring symbol of all, the American flag. Dr. Stephen Ambrose, who is, as we all know, a noted historian, once said, ``In World War II, the biggest army ever assembled was not German, Russian, nor indirectly American. The biggest and greatest army ever assembled was an aroused democracy.'' Let each of us as an aroused citizen of this democracy show our solidarity as a Nation by flying the Stars and Stripes from every flagpole, every home, every business, and school in this great country. Mr. Speaker, if I might paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King: as Americans, we must let freedom ring. We must let freedom ring, from coast to coast and border to border by flying our flag and showing the rest of the world our star-spangled banner still waves, over the land of the free, and the home of the brave. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is with a very heavy heart that I ask this resolution be brought today to the House floor. No one will ever forget what happened to this great country on September 11, 2001. As a Nation, we speak with one loud, strong and determined voice in solidarity. We must rise up from this horrific act and rally together as Americans, regardless of race, creed or religion. I can think of no better rallying tool to demonstrate that unity than the American flag. The American flag has long been a symbol of freedom for our country, but we are well aware that this freedom has always come with a price. Be it the price paid by our soldiers who died defending the freedoms of our great Nation or those involved in this week's tragedy, the sacrifices for freedom, for democracy and for peace must never be forgotten. For that reason, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert), the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) and I have introduced this resolution, the solidarity flag resolution. This resolution calls upon each and every American in every community throughout this great Nation to demonstrate their unity for our country by flying our flag, our most enduring and visible symbol of freedom, at home, at businesses, schools, and places of worship for 30 days. That demonstration of unity requires communities to join together at city councils and school board meetings and civic organizations and in State legislatures, to hold Old Glory high and proud, and to show the world that liberty, justice and courage live on in America. Mr. Speaker, we have an unbreakable and unwavering and unshakable spirit in this country and we have an enduring commitment to the preservation of freedom and democracy. No act of terrorism will ever be able to break that. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank my good friend and colleague the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) as well as our leaders, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert), for sponsoring this resolution with us. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Baca).

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 225.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, tonight, America is united in mourning those lost in the faceless and cowardly attacks on Americans in our nation. During this most difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, families, law enforcement, and medical professionals that have been directly touched by this horrible tragedy. But even as we try to make sense of what can only be described as a senseless act of hatred, we must remain strong, vigilant, and unwavering in our commitment to fight tyranny at every turn. And as the President said our response will be swift--against those who carried out the acts and those who harbor them as well. In doing so, together we will work to bring the cowards responsible for these despicable actions to justice. We have seen unspeakable horror and evil. Today, we stand with resolve and purpose to preserve justice, freedom, and democracy--the very foundation of our great nation.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, today, the men and women of the United States are facing a tragic loss. But in that adversity we see men, women, and children who possess an unbreakable, unwavering, and unshakable spirit and a commitment to preserving freedom and democracy, said Emerson. So, in a unified show of support, Congress is asking that for the next 30 days everyone, in every community across America, fly their American flags. Whether it is at home, work, in public buildings, schools, or places of worship, this is a symbolic gesture to remember those individuals who have been lost and to show the solidarity, resolve, and strength of the greatest nation on earth--the United States of America.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably delayed at a meeting with the President and missed roll call votes 275 and 276 on July 26, 2001. Had I been present, I would have voted no on roll call vote 275 and yes on roll call vote 276.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Brown- Emerson amendment, which will help FDA exercise its existing authority to prevent blatant patent-listing abuses under the Hatch-Waxman Act. As many people may know, since the passage of Hatch-Waxman, brand- name pharmaceutical companies have really become quite proficient in manipulating the law to keep generic alternatives from reaching the market. I do not think that the authors of this law would want that to be happening today. Just, for example, one of the brand industry's favorite and most frequently used methods to delay generic competition is to make insignificant changes to their products and secure new patents just as the patent on the original product is set to expire. Under current law, once such new patents are granted by the Patent Office, no matter how frivolous or invalid they may be, the generic drug is prohibited from going to market for 30 months. In one instance a brand-name company triggered the 30-month prohibition and delayed generic competition by patenting the color of the bottle, the color of the bottle in which the pharmaceuticals are typically dispensed. In another example, a brand company was able to delay generic competition by claiming the generic version infringed on the brand patent because, like the brand, the generic pill had two grooves in it. These types of delay tactics cost our constituents billions of dollars every year. For example, Bristol-Myers Squibb listed a frivolous patent with the FDA on the eve of its patent expiration for the drug BuSpar. After months of delay, a Federal court ruled that the patent was improperly listed and ordered Bristol to delist its patent with the FDA. So the cost to consumers for this 5-month delay was $57 million. The situation is getting so out of hand that on May 16 of this year, the Federal Trade Commission had to send a citizens' petition to the FDA questioning the possible improper or untimely listing of patents by brand-name drug companies. Mr. Chairman, our amendment is very simple. It would reallocate already-appropriated FDA funds in the amount of $1 million to the FDA's generic drug office. The money would allow the FDA to use its authority to review and prevent the abuse of patent listings by drug companies who want to extend the patent laws of their blockbuster drugs. This amendment does not add any additional money, no additional money. All it does is reallocate already-appropriated money. Let us all make sure that the FDA devotes the resources necessary to prevent the exploitation of patent listings, because each 30-month delay of generic drugs costs consumers billions of dollars in lost savings.

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Gutknecht amendment. Let me say as one of the Members of the subcommittee who tried to shepherd through last year's reimportation bill, I find it incredulous that every single person who has spoken today against the Sanders amendment or the Gutknecht amendment voted for both of them last time. Now, of course, there was not a recorded vote on the amendment of the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) but there was the amendment of the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), or rather the amendment of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) which was identical to the amendment of the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and every person who was in favor of it is opposed at this time and that is interesting, because I understand PHRMA, the trade association for the pharmaceutical companies, has spent millions of dollars this week advertising against this. Needless to say, this is a very critical issue. I have constituents who have to go to Canada to get drugs for their children, one of whom has a very severe form of epilepsy. This woman is a single mom and not able to afford to buy this drug in the United States because in Canada, of course, it is only a third of what it costs here in the United States. The Gutknecht amendment simply allows the reimportation of American- manufactured drugs, in approved, safe FDA facilities, to be brought back here without punishment. I think that it is very important in a nonelection year to be in favor of lower prescription drug costs. I might also add that safety really is not an issue with regard to the Gutknecht amendment. And it preserves all of the FDA's legal duty to approve all imports. And under the current law, FDA's mandate is to stop drugs that appear to be unapproved; and nothing in the Gutknecht amendment changes that. So I would certainly urge all of those people who supported this and other bills last year to vote for it again this year.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Chairman, I would like to speak in favor of this amendment. This is a very critical allocation of funds, primarily because we are having such a difficult time in getting generic drugs to the market. Let me just point out that I am the sole person who is responsible for my mother-in-law. I just wrote a check to Bill's Pharmacy in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, $636 for four different medicines last month. The month before that I wrote a check for $572. The month before that I wrote a check for $835. And these are for brand-name drugs because it is very difficult to get a generic equivalent to market. It is atrocious. Now, my mother-in-law has a supplemental Blue Cross/Blue Shield policy. It only goes up to $1,500, so my colleagues can imagine how quickly she uses that, because of the money that I have had to spend on her behalf. So, Mr. Chairman, I think this is an absolutely important and critical amendment, and I hope that the chairman will allow it to be considered.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio. The gentleman from Massachusetts and I thank the gentleman from Texas for his clarification on this issue.

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I rise to enter into a colloquy with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla) as well as the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) with regard to the continuation of the Global Food for Education Initiative. Mr. Chairman, the Global Food for Education Initiative was implemented as a pilot program during fiscal year 2001. The Department of Agriculture used $300 million of discretionary funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation to start this pilot program. I have joined with the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) and others in introducing the George McGovern-Robert Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Act of 2001 so that we actually can authorize this program for a 5-year period. However, it is unlikely that this authorizing legislation will be approved in time to provide a seamless transition from the pilot to the authorized program for fiscal year 2002. An amendment was offered to continue the pilot program at the current level of funding during our markup in the agriculture appropriations subcommittee, but we determined that, for lots of reasons, it would not be part of our bill today. However, I was pleased at the efforts of the gentleman from Texas to include language explaining that the House of Representatives expects the Department of Agriculture to continue the GFEI pilot program in the fiscal year 2002. Mr. Chairman, it is my hope that the committee supports the international school feeding programs. I would like to see the GFEI continued for the next fiscal year. Is it the gentleman from Texas' expectation that the Department of Agriculture will continue to fund this program at its current level in fiscal year 2002?

Mrs. EMERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mrs. EMERSON. I thank the gentleman.

Mrs. EMERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.

Mrs. EMERSON. I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to commend the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Callahan), chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water, and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the ranking member, as well as the staff for doing a tremendous job in writing this bill under very, very challenging circumstances. They have done a tremendous job. Mr. Chairman, I also want to make mention, as the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bentsen) did, about restoring the funding for the Corps of Engineers, which is very critical for my district, which has the largest amount of Mississippi River frontage in the country. The work that the Corps does with regard to flood protection is vital to many people in my district. I want to make mention of the excellent job that the complete staff and our chairman did with regard to hazardous waste worker training. It is a very vital issue. I have a lot of people who actually have worked in the facility at Paducah, Kentucky, who have faced many challenges; and the work that is ongoing there requires a lot of training for protection of lives. But my real purpose in standing here today is to talk about the language in the bill that prevents the implementation of the egregious plan by the Fish and Wildlife Service which would increase flood risk and eliminate transportation on the Missouri River. I can understand the concerns over the endangered species that this plan is designed to protect, but I think the cost is too high. I am not willing to displace thousands of farmers along the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. I cannot find a good way to explain to my farmers that they have to move because some fish upstream are not happy with their living conditions. It is not possible for me to do that. This plan calls for a controlled release, but one cannot control the release and ensure that there will be no flooding. Early this month in 3 days the river rose from normal stage to flood stage from one end of Missouri to the other. The water released from Gavins takes 5 days to get to Kansas City and 10 days to get to St. Louis. Once released, the water is not retrievable. The ``spring rise'' prescribed by Fish and Wildlife would have added to the flooding experienced in Missouri earlier this month. The Missouri River does not flow through my district, but the Missouri River feeds the Mississippi River and provides as much as two- thirds of its flow during dry years. Mississippi River transportation is not minor and is very, very important to my constituents. I am also concerned about this plan because from an energy standpoint we are having an obvious crisis right now with the delivery of energy, and the Fish and Wildlife plan calls for low flows during the summer during peak power demand, reducing the availability of clean hydropower in the summer. Given the investment that our bill makes in renewables, I do not believe that we should implement a plan that will hinder hydropower production. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources, which is an independent agency within Missouri, and with whom I did not agree on many occasions, as well as our Democratic Governor Bob Holden, as well as the entire Missouri delegation, Republicans and Democrats, the Senate and House, all reject the Fish and Wildlife Service plan, as do many others up and down the Mississippi River and the Missouri River all of the way down to New Orleans. Mr. Chairman, I will listen to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources which says that the science behind this plan is not accurate and certainly will not do anything to help these species. Frankly, I reject the notion that the Fish and Wildlife Service is always right and our experts at DNR are wrong, and I clearly oppose that plan and hope that we can reach a compromise that is in the best interest of everyone involved.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2299, and want to thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Chairman Rogers) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Sabo), the ranking member, for the fabulous job they have done in putting this bill together, as well as the staffs, who have worked tremendously. I believe very strongly this bill goes a long way towards meeting our Nation's transportation priorities. I come from a rural district; and, as cochair of the Rural Caucus, there is probably nothing more critical to helping rural America than improving our infrastructure. It is probably the most important thing that we needed to address in this issue, from my perspective, and, for the first time, our legislation does fund the Small Community Air Service Development Pilot Program, which will stimulate new and expanded air service at under-utilized airports in small and rural communities. The legislation also includes important language which strongly urges the Department of Transportation to issue rural consultation provisions which were included back when we did TEA-21 3 years ago. These important rules will ensure that our rural local elected officials have a seat at the table when our State departments of transportation are making Statewide transportation planning decisions. So, again, I would like to thank the chairman for his tremendous hard work; and I look forward to working with him and the ranking member as we continue on with the process.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor and pride that I stand before the House today in observance of the 50th Anniversary of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Library. The Laura Ingalls Wilder Library is located in Mansfield, Missouri, a small town in Missouri's Eighth Congressional District. Many will remember with great fondness the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. In fact many of us or our children grew up reading her accounts of life in the great outdoors. She wrote simply and vividly--with such detail that her accounts of pioneer life have become the way that many of us view life on the Midwestern frontier. Through her writing, Laura Ingalls Wilder provided us with a chronology of life during the Pioneer days that has allowed us to preserve a lost era in American history. But Laura Ingalls Wilder did more than just evoke a love for the rural way of life in her writing. Through her writing, she instilled a love of reading and over time that love of reading was translated into action as she became a tireless advocate for our public libraries. In rural America, public libraries are not just a luxury or a convenience, they are a way of life. Most small towns don't have a Barnes and Noble and many folks don't have access to Amazon.com. As a result, the tireless endeavors of the Laura Ingalls Wilder's of today are keeping Ms. Wilder's efforts alive. In Wright County, the community is working in a cooperative and most inspiring manner to create the Laura Ingalls Wilder Library and Community Center, an expanded library that will provide a technology and community center. The center will give folks the opportunity to embark on a journey of learning and to inspire adults and children with a love for reading. Mr. Speaker, on this very special occasion, I ask that all of my colleagues join me in recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Library. May the blessings of the last 50 years serve as a vision for the next 50 years.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I was attending my daughter Tori's college graduation and missed rollcall votes 106, 107, and 108 on May 10, 2001. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote 106, ``yes'' on rollcall vote 107, and ``yes'' on rollcall vote 108.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor and pride that I stand before the House today to extend my congratulations to Eiselben Evangelical Lutheran Church as the congregation celebrates its 150th Anniversary. Named after the town in Germany where Dr. Martin Luther, the founder of the Lutheran Church was born, Eiselben Lutheran Church was formed in 1848 in what is now known as Scott City. Formally organized in 1951, the first congregation was comprised of just 19 members gathered together in a home. But although small in numbers, they were large in faith. 1848 was a meaningful year. It was that year the first baptism was performed in the church and it was that same year the first communion was celebrated on the Sunday following Easter. Slowly the congregation grew, and steadily the numbers rose to a point where in 1855, the church was fortunate enough to welcome the arrival of its first permanent pastor. A short time later, a log building was erected as the first house of worship in 1867 and a second facility was added in 1897--a school building. Other timely and memorable events followed, including the organization of what is now the Lutheran Youth Fellowship in 1893. The church construction was completed in 1913 and the Ladies Aid Society was organized that year as well. Finally, Sunday School, the education program for the youth in the church community, began in 1922. The church has seen many changes during its colorful 150-year history. Twenty-five pastors have dedicated their time and energy to growing this spiritual community including the current Rev. Robert Azinger. Mr. Speaker, on this very special occasion, I ask that all of my colleagues join me in congratulating Eisleben Lutheran Church on its 150th anniversary. May the blessings they have enjoyed thus far continue so that they might remain strong and solid for years to come.