Lane Evans

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the rule and to discuss my concerns with the current efforts to reform the Occupational Health and Safety Act through the four bills before us today. As my colleagues know, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created OSHA to protect American workers while they are at their workplaces. Since then, workplace fatalities have been cut in half and occupational injury and illness rates have declined 40 percent. This record of protection is commendable, but nearly 6,000 workers a year die due to workplace accidents. We need to continue to work to prevent the needless loss of life. Reforming OSHA oversight and procedures to the disadvantage of workers will not do that. I am deeply concerned that H.R. 739, 740, 741, and 742 will do nothing to protect workers who are dependent on OSHA to ensure their safety. Instead, these bills will open up OSHA to increased challenges to citations, subject the OSHA Review Commission to political tampering, undermine the enforcement authority of the Secretary of Labor, and punish OSHA for justified enforcement actions if the agency does not completely prevail. None of these measures will improve the safety of the workplace. American workers deserve to know that when they go to the workplace they will be protected from work-related harm. I believe that OSHA is essential to maintaining the high level of safety and productivity that America's workers currently enjoy and these measures will prevent improvements to the system. I urge my colleagues to vote against these blatantly anti-worker pieces of legislation and against the rule.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I support this measure, but I believe that it does not go far enough. Already, the VA has acknowledged a $2.7 billion problem next fiscal year. Health care for veterans today is being affected by budgetary shortfalls. Although the VA insists that $975 million is sufficient, there also argued as recently as just only 2 days ago that any additional funding was unnecessary. I do not know what we tell the homeless people in this country who would get no assistance if the committee bill would be dropped. We want to know how much money we could have saved by closing down State nursing homes and all the other innovative programs that the VA has been in favor of. If we cannot run a first-class hospital system, then shame on us for not fighting for the defending people of our Nation as much as we fight for other wars for people from foreign lands. I thank my colleagues and urge quick passage supplemental funding.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, the American Legion, which has 2.8 million members fully supports H.R. 2959, which will permanently authorize the Department of Veterans' Affairs Parkinson Disease Research, Education and Clinical Centers. The VA treats some 40,000 veterans who have this neuro-degenerative disease. The letter from the American Legion follows: The American Legion, Washington, DC, June 21, 2005. Hon. Lane Evans, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Evans: On behalf of the 2.8 million members of The American Legion, I would like to offer full support of H.R. 2959--``Authorization of Parkinson's Disease Research Education and Clinical Centers'', permanently authorizing the six existing VA Parkinson's Disease Research Education and Clinical Centers (PADRECCs). Parkinson's Disease is a debilitating neuro-degenerative disease that affects approximately 1.5 million Americans each year. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) currently treats more than 40,000 veterans with Parkinson's disease. As the veteran population ages, the PADRECCs will become even more essential, not only for treatment, but for training health care professionals, conducting progressive research, and finding a cure. This bill will help to ensure that these veterans receive the best quality care. Again, The American Legion fully supports H.R. 2959, ``Authorization of Parkinson's Disease Research Education and Clinical Centers'' and we appreciate your dedication to this serious health issue. Sincerely, Steve Robertson, Director, National Legislative Commission.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, Parkinson's disease is a serious health problem in the United States. Up to 1.5 million Americans have the disease and approximately 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year nationwide. By 2010, an estimated 39,000 veterans who are age 85 and older will have this progressive neurological disorder. Treatments exist for Parkinson's, but medical research continues to improve treatments and to find a cure. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) took an important step in 2001 towards eradicating this disease by establishing Parkinson's Disease Research Education and Clinical Centers (PADRECCs). In addition to providing an unparalleled environment for researchers to see their results rapidly and directly applied to better patient care and shared with the medical and scientific community, these centers of excellence are the backbone that now enables the VA to provide excellent care to veterans with Parkinson's disease and to conduct research. Through the PADRECCs and the National VA Parkinson's Disease Consortium--a network of nationally dispersed VA clinicians with expertise and/or interest in the fields of Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders--the VA is able to treat 42,000 veterans with Parkinson's disease. Together the PADRECCs and the Consortium serve as a channel for collaboration and development in the areas of clinical care, scientific research and educational outreach. The collaborative efforts of the PADRECCs and Consortium provide veterans nationwide with integrated, expert medical care and access to the full spectrum of state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic services to meet and exceed the standard of care. In just a brief time since their inception, the six PADRECCs, which are based at the VA medical centers in Houston, West Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland-Seattle, Richmond and San Francisco, have made enormous contribution to Parkinson's disease care and research and training of health care professionals. The PADRECCs, including the VA hospitals in Albuquerque, has Vegas, Lorna Linda and Long Beach, Calif., Phoenix, San Diego and Tucson, which are affiliated with the Southwestern PADREEC located at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center put VA at the forefront of the landmark clinical study to assess the effectiveness of surgical implantation of deep brain stimulators in reducing the symptoms of the disease. The efforts of the VA PADRECCs are the model of innovation in the delivery of healthcare and research for chronic disease in the veteran population. The efforts of the PADRECCs deserve continued support. Today, I am proud to introduce H.R. 2959 along with Mr. Baker of Louisiana, Mr. Boehlert of New York, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Ms. Maloney of New York, Mr. Pickering of Mississippi, Ms. Hooley of Oregon, Mr. King of New York, and Mr. Blumenauer of Oregon, which would permanently authorize these six PADRECCs. The Disabled American Veterans and Parkinson's Action Network support permanently authorizing the PADRECCs. I urge my colleagues to support this bi-partisan bill which will benefit tens of thousands of veterans and provide additional hope for all Americans who have Parkinson's disease. Disabled American Veterans, Washington, DC, June 17, 2005. Hon. Lane Evans, Ranking Member, House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Evans: The Disabled American Veterans supports your draft bill that would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish six Parkinson's Disease Research, Education and Clinical Centers. Currently, VA medical centers treat over 40,000 Parkinson's disease patients every year. These centers would conduct research covering basic biomedicine, rehabilitation, health services delivery, and clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of treatments such as surgical implantation of deep brain stimulators in reducing the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, the establishment of a consortium would allow VA to design a national network of VA clinicians with expertise and interest in the fields of Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders. The collaboration and development in the areas of clinical care, scientific research, and educational outreach would ensure specialized care will be embedded throughout the continuum of care provided by the VA health care system. Thank you for your efforts to improve VA's specialized medical programs for service connected disabled veterans, and thank you for your continued support of disabled veterans Sincerely, Joseph A. Violante, National Legislative Director. Parkinson's Action Network, Washington, DC, June 16, 2005. House of Representatives, Veterans' Affairs Committee, Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Members of the Committee: On behalf of the Parkinson's Action Network (PAN), I would like to express support for legislation that will be introduced by Rep. Lane Evans shortly that provides for the establishment of the Parkinson's Disease Research Education and Clinical Centers (PADRECCs) in the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs. PAN is the unified education and advocacy voice of the Parkinson's community--more than one million Americans and their families. Through education and interaction with the Parkinson's community, scientists, lawmakers, opinion leaders, and the public, PAN leads the fight to ease the burden and find a cure. PAN increases awareness about Parkinson's disease and seeks federal support for Parkinson's research. More than one million Americans have Parkinson's disease, with approximately 60,000 more diagnosed each year. As the disease progresses, patients are ultimately robbed of their ability to speak, walk, and perform many of the activities of daily life such as rising from a chair or rolling over in bed. PADRECCs, as suggested by their name, are charged with conducting clinical and basic science research, administering national outreach and education programs, and providing state-of-the-art clinical care. These services, provided by the existing six PADRECCs, are vital not only to veterans, but to the entire community. We firmly believe that patients, family members, and the general public should continue to have access to the invaluable services provided by the Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Centers. On this basis, PAN respectfully requests your support of this important legislation. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me or Mary Richards, PAN Director of Government Relations at (202) 638-4101. Sincerely, Amy L. Comstock, Executive Director.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the fiscal year 2006 Defense authorization bill. I believe it is a fair bill. I am pleased it has been handled in a bipartisan manner. It is a rare practice in this House, and I commend the gentleman from California (Chairman Hunter) for avoiding the politics of ``divide and conquer.'' I want to take this opportunity to express my great disappointment with the BRAC process. Rock Island Arsenal in my district was negatively affected by these recommendations. After further research, it seems that there are numerous errors in the Secretary's recommendations. For example, the report recommends a shift of 181 depot-level jobs in my district amounting to a savings of $13,000 over 20 years. That is $13,000 over the current expenditure. BRAC also recommends the closing of DFAS and C-POC, which both are rated number one above their peers. This Secretary of Defense wants to close the number one C-POC and number one DFAS, knowing full well that only 20 percent of the civilian employees will follow such recommendation. I am very disappointed at these recommendations and will work to hard fight them. I will be voting for amendments that would scrap or delay the BRAC process. Furthermore, I am disappointed that the BRAC commissioners do not seem interested in meeting with community leaders during their visit to installations. This is completely unprecedented and I call upon my friend, Chairman Tony Principi, to request that commissioners meet with the local communities to discuss these recommendations. Finally, I would like to express my disappointment at the Rules Committee for being grossly unfair in preventing important Democratic amendments. They should be ashamed for their sheer partisanship on an issue that should not be Democratic or Republican and that is the defense of our Nation. Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Skelton, I thank you and your staff for their hard work.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 810 because we need to support studying every kind of stem cell, from cord blood to adult to embryonic. Parkinson's disease affects over 1 million Americans, and I am one of them. Many people think that this is a disease that mostly affects older citizens. That is not true. I was diagnosed when I was in my mid- 40s and Michael J. Fox, for example, was much younger than that. Parkinson's does not keep me from doing the things that are important to my life and my work, but Parkinson's does affect me every day of my life. There are good days and bad days, but there is still a need for research and for a cure. Parkinson's has been said to be the most curable disease that is yet to be cured. Scientists believe a cure is on the horizon within the next 5 to 10 years. They also believe that the advances in Parkinson's research will lead to accelerated cures for other illnesses such as Alzheimer's. Only embryonic stem cells hold enormous potential in order to treat these patients. Doctors treating patients with disease or injury may feel compelled to ease the suffering by taking every ethical avenue possible to find treatments and cures. These doctors are among some of the most talented, dedicated, and well-respected doctors in this country. Today we decide whether to free these scientists or to hold them captive. We will decide whether those suffering from Parkinson's, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and others will have the greatest potential for cures, or whether they will just simply sit on the bench. Mr. Speaker, I do not think that is the right message to send patients and doctors. The American people agree. Poll after poll has shown that a wider majority of Americans support ethical embryonic stem cell research. The majority of Bush supporters, for example, have voted to support this research. Over 90 patient organizations, scientific and medical societies, and universities also support this research. Some think this research has given false hope to patients like me. But the science is moving forward and, with our help, will go even further. This is really an exciting day for me, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate everyone who has helped us.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2046, as amended. I would like to thank the gentleman from Indiana (Chairman Buyer) and the chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunities, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) and the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth) for their hard work in bringing this legislation to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, this has been a bipartisan effort. Let us keep it that way and get the job done for the veterans who deserve our help through the difficult times that they are facing. They face danger every day, and I am proud to represent them here in the United States House of Representatives. It is our responsibility to provide them the necessary benefits and protections as they serve this Nation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to publicly recognize and express the gratitude of many in Congress and the veterans' community to Susan Edgerton, Democratic Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Veterans Affairs in the U.S. House of Representatives. Susan is leaving the Committee staff after more than 8 years of service, and what she has accomplished in that relatively brief time has literally touched every comer of the body of law covering veterans' health care services. Her achievements have had profound impact on both the VA health care system and the lives of those who enter the doors of its facilities. Prominent among her accomplishments are a heightened focus on mental health, long-term care and specialized services for veterans, access to emergency care and chiropractic care for veterans, comprehensive services for homeless veterans, and improved pay for VA physicians, nurses and dentists. She has been a principal player in assisting Members of Congress in the struggle to acquire adequate VA health care funding. Before joining the Committee staff, Susan was the Program Director of Health Policy for Paralyzed Veterans of America here in Washington. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and received a Masters of Science in Public Health in Health Policy and Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has used that education well. Like the majority of successful public servants, Susan has quietly and diligently toiled behind the scenes to improve the lot of those she serves. With great compassion and impressive political and legislative acumen, Susan has made her mark in and on this body, garnering tremendous respect and trust on both sides of the aisle, and also from her colleagues in the Senate and throughout the veterans' affairs community. She has been an extraordinary asset to me, to my staff, and most important, to the noble mission of caring for veterans and their families. I will miss her, and so will a great number of others in this chamber and beyond. I know my colleagues will join with me in wishing Susan Edgerton well in her next and all future endeavors, and in thanking her for a job exceptionally well done.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 95. The GOP budget resolution will leave Department of Veterans Affairs programs $2 billion short of meeting the needs of our veterans. VA will not be able to make critical program enhancements for servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and it is even deficient to maintain current services. The Bush Administration's budget submission for FY 2006 requested less than half of a one-percent increase for its health care services. This budget offers us about a one to two-percent increase. VA has testified that it requires a 13- to 14-percent increase just to adjust for the growth in VA enrollment partly due to the rising tide of uninsured and underinsured Americans and medical inflation rates often approaching eight percent. Mr. Chairman, I joined every Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee in asking our Budget Committee to add $3.2 billion to our budget for America's veterans. Earlier measures offered by Mr. Obey and Mr. Spratt on the floor of this House would have supported increased amounts of funding for our veterans, but these efforts have been soundly rejected by Republicans in favor of tax cuts and the funding we must provide to our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Ironically, when the troops return from these deployments, they will find a health care system that is not adequately funded to address their needs. The President's budget has proposals that are anathema to many veterans. In addition to the increased copayments, new enrollment fees, and draconian reductions in long-term care programs, it would force VA to shoulder even greater ``management efficiencies''--a myth which many in this Congress continue to believe. At this point, ``management efficiencies'' must be viewed as what they truly are--cuts in services to veterans, longer queues for care, and fewer points of access for care than veterans have been promised or deserve. Republicans seem to have bought into many of these fantasies. Democrats have not been involved in the preparation of the conference package and are being forced to vote with little review of it. An $872 million increase over the President's budget is a minimal increase in the total amount of funding available for veterans programs. This may only be enough to compensate VA for once again rejecting the proposals the President has sent up to increase copayments for pharmaceutical drugs and charge new enrollment fees. It is not enough to restore long-term care services, to bolster mental health programs for our returning troops, or to better ensure that veterans' claims can be administered on a timely basis. It will not fill the deficits created from unspecified management efficiencies. It will not be adequate to allow for growth in medical inflation or veterans enrollment. It will not allow VA to make critical investments in its aging medical infrastructure. The Senate has at least rejected House budget reconciliation instructions that would have forced Congress to make $155 million in cuts to veterans' benefits in fiscal year 2006 and almost $800 million in cuts by fiscal year 2011. America's veterans deserve our eternal support and gratitude, and we should reflect this gratitude by providing adequate funds for the programs that serve them and help them readjust to their lives as civilians. This budget resolution fails our Nation's heroes and we should be ashamed if we pass it.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to state my opposition to H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act. We cannot simply seek more fossil fuel supplies and increase use of conventional energy sources as a long-term solution to improving the United States' energy security. Instead of creating a truly comprehensive plan for addressing our energy needs, this legislation sets us on the wrong path, making us more reliant on oil than we already are. It will not help consumers save on energy costs and it will not help the U.S. become energy independent. This legislation sends us in the wrong direction by relying on the fuels of today to provide energy in the future. We cannot sacrifice investment in new, cleaner, domestic sources in order to pay $8.1 billion to oil producers in tax cuts and subsidies. I am pleased to see that H.R. 6 does contain some encouraging provisions, such as increasing use of ethanol and biodiesel, but these provisions are far outweighed by the bill's misguided support of oil. We need to create new, clean, renewable resources for addressing our current and future needs and develop technology and programs that encourage conservation. This legislation would allow the oil industry, currently experiencing some of its most profitable years, to further their reach through exploration in sensitive environments, such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the Great Lakes. Allowing such activities is misguided at best. Additionally, H.R. 6 takes MTBE producers off the hook for dirtying local drinking water supplies and passes the costs of the clean up to State and local government. Additionally, this legislation will not stabilize the electricity market. One of the primary purposes of developing a comprehensive energy policy for the U.S. is to prevent another regional blackout and to prevent future Enron-like scandals. The legislation that was brought to the House floor exposes consumers to potential electricity scams by repealing the Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUCHA). This measure was enacted to prevent companies like Enron from holding monopolies and help consumers get justice when companies conspire to cheat. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is not designed to effectively protect consumers. In order to create a policy that looks to future needs and U.S. security, we cannot rely on increased drilling and oil refineries. We must look to methods to reduce our need for energy and expand the domestic and renewable resources available to us. Finding new, efficient, clean, renewable sources of energy is not just better than continuing down the path H.R. 6 sends us on, it is necessary for the security of the U.S.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I join my fellow Catholics and all citizens of the world in mourning the passing of Pope John Paul II. Though he is no longer with us, his extraordinary influence and tremendous contributions to the fight against tyranny and oppression will live on. Pope John Paul II was the 263rd successor to Saint Peter, and was elected on October 16, 1978. He was the youngest Pope in 132 years at age 58. He was also the first Polish Pope and the first non-Italian Pope in 450 years. He was seen as active and charismatic, and could often be found on the ski slopes of Europe. Throughout his papacy, Pope John Paul II worked tirelessly on behalf of human rights and the dignity of all mankind. In contrast with the Vatican's preoccupation with Europe, he was the most traveled Pope in history and involved the Church in world issues. He visited Africa more than a dozen times, yet refused to visit South Africa until it had ended its apartheid system. He sought to end religious and ethnic violence in Sudan and Rwanda. In Latin America, John Paul pressured Chile's General Augusto Pinochet to hold free elections and helped defuse a dispute between Argentina and Peru. He also visited Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Philippines, Haiti, North America, and Scandinavia, among other destinations. Pope John Paul II is widely credited with helping depose Eastern European communism. He helped inspire the worker rebellions and the Solidarity movement in his native Poland soon after he was elected. Twenty million Poles greeted the Pope during his nine day homecoming, an exceptional show of discontent with the one-party dictatorship that ruled the country. He also insisted that the Catholic Church confront its past misdeeds, including the Inquisition in the 15th century. In 1999, he ordered the Vatican to issue an ``act of repentance'' for the church's failure to prevent Nazi genocide against Jews in World War II and acknowledged centuries of preaching contempt for Jews. The pope expanded upon this in March 2000, when he asked forgiveness for many of his church's past sins, including its treatment of Jews, heretics, women and native peoples. While John Paul believed in the infallibility of the church, he recognized that its servants are human and sometimes stray from the teachings of Jesus. Along with John Paul's involvement in human rights, I have been moved and personally strengthened by his active engagement in papal duties in spite of the development of Parkinson's disease. He did not shrink from activity or the public eye though his body began to shake and become unsteady. In fact, it became part of his mission: to show the world the value of each life, even in those who are suffering from physical pain and the aging process. The world is now coming to grips with the passing of Pope John Paul II. We are comforted that his teachings live on as he moves to his final resting place. May he rest in peace.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, on the afternoon of March 10th until the morning of March 15th, I was part of an official congressional delegation to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. The delegation also had official events in Guam and Hawaii. Due to my absence I was not able to make the following votes and would like the record to indicate that I would have voted ``nay'' on roll call vote number 62. I would have voted ``aye'' on roll call votes number 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, and 68.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 95 and in support of both the substitute amendment offered by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) and the amendment of the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey). The GOP budget resolution will put the Department of Veterans Affairs programs at least $3.2 billion short to meet the current level of needs to our veterans. It is not just a matter that VA will not be able to make critical program enhancements for servicemen and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. It is even short of meeting current services. The Bush administration's budget submission for 2006 requested less than half of a 1 percent increase for its health care services. The VA has testified that it requires a 13 to 14 percent increase to sustain services annually. Both the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) and the gentleman from South Carolina's (Mr. Spratt) amendments will support increased amounts funding for our veterans. If we thought it was ridiculous to grant tax cuts to millionaires while the deficit soars, how about cutting veterans' programs in the middle of the war? Are we really going to promote a point of view that instead is deserving of our support by cutting benefits? Mr. Chairman, I hope not. If we do, we should be ashamed.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce today a resolution along with Representative Corrine Brown to commemorate the World War II service of the Montford Point Marines. On May 25, 1942, the Commandant of the Marine Corps issued instructions to begin recruiting African-Americans for service in World War II. These recruits were placed in a segregated training camp; a portion of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina called Montford Point. Those segregated soldiers came to be known as the Montford Point Marines. They endured racial discrimination and harassment during their training. The Montford Point Marines served with honor and distinction in the Pacific theater, assisting in the liberation and defense of the Ellice Islands, Eniwetok Atoll, the Marshall Islands, Kwajalein Atoll, Iwo Jima, Peleliu, the Mariana Islands, Saipan, Tinian, Guam and Okinawa. Their courage, commitment and heroism drew commendations from fellow soldiers, officers, the Navy as a whole and journalists such as Time Magazine's correspondent Robert Sherrod, who wrote that the African- American forces deserved the Navy's highest possible combat rating. The Montford Point Marines represent the highest standard of the Marine Corps and their sacrifice and endurance paved the way for future generations of Marines. I believe that it is time that Congress recognizes their achievements and commends their proud service in the face of racial discrimination.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to honor and remember the life of SGT Jessica Housby of Milan, Illinois. Last week, Sergeant Housby was leading a convoy that was hit by an improvised explosive device. Her death is tragic and I offer my thoughts and condolences to her family and friends. Jessica's mother said that serving her country was what Jessica always wanted to do. As a high school student, she participated in the Explorers Program at the Milan Armory. She won the honor of top cadet of 187 competitors in a training exercise at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin. From that service, Jessica enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard while still a senior in high school. Sergeant Housby was assigned to the 1644th Transportation Company in Rock Falls, Illinois. Sergeant Housby's unit was deployed to Iraq in October of last year. She believed in the mission of our Army, protecting the U.S. and defending our freedoms through her military service. While she was in Iraq, Sergeant Housby served as a truck driver. When she was hauling cargo to a base operating near the Baghdad Airport, her truck was caught in an explosion that killed her. Jessica's mother has said that Sergeant Housby was kind and giving to everyone that she met. Her mother explains that Jessica continually supported her by providing comfort 2 years ago when her husband, Jessica's step-father, passed away to giving reassurances when she expressed fear about Jessica's deployment. Jessica last talked to her mother on the Sunday before she died, sending her love before embarking on the mission which lead to her death. A week later, Jessica's mother received a birthday card sent from a war zone, a reminder of the love of her attentive daughter. Throughout her life, Jessica was recognized for her abilities. When she was awarded her top cadet honor in 1999, Lt. Archie Rose of the Illinois National Guard explained it was for her ``hard work, enthusiasm, and the responsibility.'' On Saturday, I will attend the funeral of this dedicated 23-year-old dedicated soldier. Sergeant Jessica Housby will be missed by her family, friends, and unit. I offer all of them my prayers and thoughts, and I pray for the safety of the remaining members of her unit, still serving in Iraq.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's yielding to me, and I thank him for holding this Special Order. I was 17 years old when I went into the United States Marine Corps. It was the proudest thing I have done in my life, including having this job, because it was really an experience in which we gave it all. I did not go to Vietnam, but I served as a Marine Corps guard of Naval Nuclear Ordnance in Okinawa. And it was a great point in my life. I was 18 years old when I got sent overseas, and I will never forget what those guys coming back home told us one night in a bar, going home from Vietnam via Okinawa, that the contributions they made, despite the controversy of that war, were ones that we should never have forgotten. But not only did we forget Vietnam; we have forgotten the veterans of this new war that is going on. And I think it is tragic that we do not live up to the consequences of funding the programs that our veterans assume will be available to them, and I think that we have got to keep it in mind that the young people, minorities, poor white people are the same people who fought this war as was waged by those men and women in combat in the last war. That is why we need to do all we can to help the veterans out. But this is not what the budget calls for. The budget call for increases in premiums paid for the prescription drug benefit, a benefit that has been very helpful to our veterans, particularly in line with the rate of increases in the private sector. The hospitalization is a big benefit to them, and yet this administration would sink to cut those benefits by double the pay for those benefits. So we have got a lot to work to do. What do we tell the people back home in places like Quincy, Illinois, who have a State nursing home run by the State, but pay partial per diem each day? What are we going to do with these people who have no place else to go and join the ranks of the unemployed? What are we going to tell those people who need that prescription drug benefit that it is doubling its cost to them? When are we going to talk about the educational benefits that rarely get talked about here? And it is a sad story because our veterans need help in that way too. People that went into the Armed Forces did so out of the highest patriotic obligation, and they wanted to do it. That may sound ridiculous in light of what happens to so many veterans that they would be so strong and proud all these years that they still remain patriots today. As a Congressman, I do not know what I am going to tell people when I go back home. I am going to go back home and meet these people who are affected by this every day. Every day people living in cars, living in abandoned parts of the cities. We can do much better than this, it seems to me. And that is why I applaud the gentleman for yielding to me. I look forward to working with him in the committee. He has been a really good member, and I appreciate his time and his interest on this issue.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to congratulate my good friend Representative Bill Lipinski his retirement after 22 years of dedicated service in the House of Representatives. Bill has been a close friend of mine since we were freshman together in the 98th Congress, and I know that reporting to work each day will not be the same without Bill around. Representative Lipinski is a native of Chicago and works incredibly hard for the residents of the 3rd Congressional district. Even after 11 terms in Congress he still flies home nearly every weekend to address the concerns of his constituents. Bill has spent his entire career working for the people of Chicago, first in Chicago's Park District for 17 years, then as the 23rd Ward Alderman in the Chicago City Council, and then as a U.S. Congressman. Some of Bill's greatest achievements lie in his work on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He has done an incredible amount both for Chicago and for the entire state of Illinois and has secured millions of dollars in federal funding for improvements at both Midway and O'Hare airports. For example, in 1990 Representative Lipinski sponsored and helped pass the Passenger Facility Charge Bill to enable both Midway and O'Hare to finance important airport infrastructure projects. In the 105th Congress, Bill was instrumental in passing the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, under which Illinois continues to receive an average of $885 million per year for highway funding and $150 million per year for mass transit programs. During the 107th Congress, Representative Lipinski was the author of legislation to allow Chicago's Mayor Daley to expand O'Hare International Airport without consulting the Illinois Governor, an important step of autonomy for the city. I cannot say enough about how much I have enjoyed working with Bill. Again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to convey my sincerest thanks to Representative Bill Lipinski for his friendship and counsel, and congratulations to both him and his family on this well-deserved retirement. He has built an outstanding career during these past 22 years and will be sorely missed in the halls of Congress. I will look forward to working with his son, incoming Representative Daniel Lipinski, during the coming years.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2486. This legislation includes a number of measures to improve the lives of this Nation's veterans and their families. I also want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the chairman of committee, and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) and the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud), the chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Benefits, and both of their staffs for their hard work in bringing this legislation to the floor. In particular, I also want to acknowledge the work and contribution of Pat Ryan, who is retiring from the committee after many years of service. I also want to thank the members of the other body, Senator Specter and Senator Graham and their staffs for the contributions made to this bill. Mr. Speaker, today, we recognize the sacrifices of the men and women in uniform who served our Nation. By passing this important legislative package, this bill honors their service and provides them with the care that they have earned. As is the committee's custom, this bill incorporates a large number of provisions from bills introduced by other Members from both sides of the aisle in both bodies. The House Committee on Veterans Affairs has a long-standing record of working in a bipartisan manner, and I am glad that we have the gentleman from New Jersey's (Mr. Smith's) leadership on his side, who has worked together with us on our side so that we can continue this practice. I am very pleased to be a sponsor or an original cosponsor of many of the other bills which were incorporated into this package and look forward to their implementation. Mr. Speaker, we can finalize the committee's work for this Congress. We have many accomplishments that we can be proud of, and I want to thank the chairman and members of the committee for working so hard and dedicating our work to our Nation's veterans. I urge all Members to vote for this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2486, a legislative package encompassing a number of important measures to assist this nation's veterans and their families. I would like to thank the Chairman of our Committee, Chris Smith, and the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Benefits Subcommittee, Henry Brown and Mike Michaud, and their staffs for their work in bringing this important legislation to the floor. I also want to thank the Members of the other body, Senator Specter and Senator Graham and their staffs for their contribution to this bill. Mr. Speaker, it is incumbent upon us to recognize the many sacrifices of the brave men and women in uniform who have so gallantly served our Nation. We do so by passing legislation honoring their service and providing them with the benefits they surely have earned. As is the Committee's custom, this bill incorporates a large number of provisions, from bills introduced by Members from both sides of the aisle and both bodies. The House Veterans' Affairs committee has a long-standing tradition of working in a bipartisan manner and I am proud that we have continued this practice as exhibited in this bill. I thank the Chairman for his leadership in continuing this tradition. This bill is truly the product of a bipartisan, bicameral effort. I am very pleased to be a sponsor or an original cosponsor of many of the bills which were incorporated into this measure. These provisions will improve the quality of our life of our Nation's veterans and their families. It honors their service and sacrifice to this country. Mr. Speaker, Congress has made important strides in providing quality educational assistance to servicemembers, veterans and their families; however, we have not made similar progress with respect to the job training and vocational programs available under the Montgomery G.I. Bill. Accordingly, S. 2486, as amended, is a strong step in the right direction in the job training and economic development area. Specifically, this bill includes important provisions that would modernize, enhance and encourage greater participation in the on-job training and apprenticeship programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It is important for veterans to be able to use the Montgomery G.I. bill education benefits for academic courses leading to a degree. I used VA education benefits to further my own education upon leaving military service. It is, however, just as important for the future electricians, plumbers, auto mechanics and other skilled workers to be able to effectively use the Montgomery G.I. Bill to fulfill the training and certification requirements they may need to prepare them to transition to the civilian workforce and contribute to society. The Committee worked diligently to ensure that these provisions accurately reflect contemporary industry and labor practices. We also worked with the VA to address its administrative concerns regarding these provisions. More important, Mr. Speaker, these provisions will provide veterans with improved job-training skills and opportunities under the Montgomery G.I. Bill. I am pleased to support in the bill a measure brought forth by the other body which will allow an additional 10-year period for those Gold Star Wives and the surviving widowers of men and women who die during military service to use their education benefits. Men and women who die during military service are often in their early twenties and leave behind young children. By providing an additional 10 years, we will allow those surviving spouses an opportunity to raise their children before resuming their education. We have learned that this benefit is underutilized because surviving spouses are reluctant to resume their education while raising young children. The bill recognizes the need for continued health insurance for those members of the Guard and Reserve who are called up for increasing periods of time. Therefore, a provision is included allowing these reservists to maintain employer-sponsored health insurance for 24 months, 6 months longer than that provided by current law. I am pleased that a measure introduced by my good friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr. McGovern, is included. He recognized that one of the biggest obstacles to effective utilization of employment-related rights for returning servicemembers is the lack of information concerning those rights. The bill requires the Department of Labor to provide employers with a notice of employee rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, known as USERRA, and requires employers to post those notices. S. 2486, as amended, also includes a provision requiring a study and report on employment, retention and advancement in employment of former servicemembers. This study and report will provide valuable information and assist Congress in our efforts to do all we can to facilitate the transition of servicemembers to the civilian workforce and promote veterans' employment opportunities generally. Several years ago, an evaluation of VA's programs for survivors found that surviving spouses of veterans who have children and who receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) need an additional $250 per month to maintain the same standard of living as DIC recipients without children for the first 5 years after the veteran's death. I joined the Ranking Member of the Benefits Subcommittee, Mike Michaud and others in introducing H.R. 1750 to implement that recommendation. I am pleased that the bill will provide the increased benefit to DIC recipients for the first 2 years following eligibility. I regret that funding was not available to provide benefits for a longer period. Nonetheless, this is an important step in implementing the evaluation's recommendations and providing for the widows and widowers who have borne the battle and their children. I am particularly pleased that included within this bill are provisions that would codify current VA regulations regarding additional cancers recognized as presumptively service connected under the ``Atomic Veterans'' program, and repeal a bar that prevents a veteran or survivor from applying for VA compensation, subject to an offset, if they have already received compensation from the Justice Department under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. As the son of a veteran who was exposed to ionizing radiation in the Pacific, I have long been an advocate for the ``Atomic Veterans'' program and will continue my efforts to recognize and honor their often dangerous confidential service in defense of this country. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, I support the provision of this bill which will exclude VA life insurance proceeds from being counted as income for those very low-income survivors of wartime veterans. Currently, those who have an effective advocate are able to time their request for death pension in a manner which will allow them to give up a few months of death pension benefits in order to keep the veteran's life insurance proceeds. Those without effective advocacy often lose a year of benefits. We care for the widow and widower of those who have borne the battle by providing a simple solution to the problem identified by VA in current law. Veterans who are disabled by reason of VA medical treatment or vocational rehabilitation activities qualify for cash benefits and grants for specially adapted housing. They are, however, denied grants for automobiles and other motor vehicle adaptations. A provision drawn from a bill introduced by Mr. Reyes and myself will not allow such veterans to obtain an automobile grant. Veterans who have lost the use of their arms do not currently qualify for specially adapted housing. I joined Mr. Michaud in introducing a bill to permit such veterans to qualify for this benefit and am pleased this bill includes a provision drawn from that bill. This bill will significantly improve VA's home loan program, including home loans for Native Americans. I am pleased that provision from bills introduced by Mrs. Davis of California and the newest Member of our Committee, Ms. Herseth of South Dakota, are included in the final bill. VA's most vulnerable veterans are those who require a fiduciary to handle their financial benefits. I joined Mrs. Davis of California in introducing legislation to provide improved protections for beneficiaries whose benefits are misused by fiduciaries. This bill contains a number of important provisions drawn from H.R. 4032. The bill also makes a number of improvements to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act which was substantially rewritten in the first session of this Congress. Mr. Speaker, many provisions from this comprehensive package are drawn from bills which have been considered by the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. The bill has been enhanced and improved by measures considered by the other body. As we finalize the Committee's work for this Congress we have many accomplishments of which we can be proud. Again, I want to thank Chairman Smith for his leadership and his dedication to serving our nation's veterans. This is an excellent bill which will make a difference in the lives of this nation's veterans and their families. I urge all Members to show their support for the men and women who have worn the uniform in defense of our country by voting to pass this legislative package.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3936, the Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act of 2004. I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) again for his leadership on these issues. Every time we try to do something good, his name is always in the forefront of the action. I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez) who came to our committee, has done great work as the subcommittee ranking member obviously through helping not only the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) but all veterans across the board. If we gave Medal of Honor awards to Members, he would certainly be given one. I want to thank everybody for developing this legislation. We have accomplished a lot. Of particular interest to me is the establishment of the capital asset fund to help renovate some of the VA's most underutilized facilities. The VA needs to meet construction priorities in order to maintain a health care system infrastructure that will be called on increasingly as our service men and women return from Iraq with physical and psychological disabilities. I am also pleased that the legislation will permanently allow the VA to provide sexual trauma counseling to those men and women who have experienced such trauma. The VA should continue to be available to veterans who need help picking up the pieces after these tragic events. This measure also includes a requirement for VA to develop a pilot to examine the effectiveness of interactive and online recruiting techniques. This pilot program is just one step to update VA's recruitment tools to what are now commonplace recruitment practices in the private sector. I support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2484, the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel Enhancement Act of 2004. There are now over 14,000 physicians and dentists who work in the VA health care system. Unfortunately, the pay system that the VA uses to pay our doctors has not been updated since 1991, and it is not helping the VA's efforts to recruit and retain high-quality providers for our veterans. The current system is very complex and does not offer the flexibility needed to respond to the changes of competitive markets, especially for the highest paid subspecialties. This legislation offers the VA the opportunity to award its physicians and dentists for tenure within the VA health care system, and even adds a performance pay section which acts as a bonus for those doctors who achieved specific goals and performance objectives outlined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Thanks to the efforts of the Senate and House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, we will have legislation that will greatly enhance the VA's ability to recruit and retain high-quality physicians and dentists. I support this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I join in the salute to Bill Lipinski and his retirement. We are going to miss him tremendously. Many people do not understand how a progressive member of the Democratic Caucus would have anything to do with a very conservative member of our caucus, but I came to know Bill because he worked incredibly hard for our fellow citizens. He always could be counted on to live up to the highest ideals of the Democratic Party on the issues that count, and we know that he will continue to be involved on these issues in the future. I enjoyed serving these last 22 years with Bill. I salute the whole Lipinski family. They are a great Democratic family. I think we will find out how good his son is after he is sworn in and gets involved in this committee, because his son is a college professor by background. We need a few more Members from academics and other people who have insights to things that we lawyers do not always have. I am pleased to have worked with him and salute him for his work with us. He has been a strong advocate for veterans issues. I will tremendously miss Bill in the future.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to voice my support for H.R. 4232, the Congressman Jack Fields Post Office Redesignation Act. This legislation would rename the United States Postal Service facility at 4025 Feather Lakes Way in Kingwood, Texas as the ``Congressman Jack Fields Post Office.'' I have nothing but respect and admiration for my former colleague, Congressman Jack Fields. Jack represented the 8th Congressional District of Texas in the House of Representatives from 1981 to 1997. He served on the House Committee on Commerce, and became the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance in 1995. As Subcommittee Chairman, Jack led the effort in the House to enact the first comprehensive reform of the Communications Act of 1934, which became the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This bill was signed into law by President Clinton in February of that year. As the Ranking Minority Member on the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, a position he held from 1981 to 1995, Jack was actively involved in the legislation related to oil spill liability that passed after the grounding of the Exxon Valdez in Alaska. He was also an advocate on issues as diverse as safety in the cruise ship industry, endangered species and wetlands, fisheries and wildlife refuges, promotion of American ports, shipbuilding, and the Coast Guard. I am proud to support this salute to my friend, former Representative Jack Fields. This is truly a fitting tribute to a remarkable man, and I congratulate him on this honor.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chris Smith, Chairman of the Full Committee, the Benefits Subcommittee Chairman, Henry Brown and Ranking Member of the Benefits Subcommittee, Michael Michaud, for working together to assure that the spending power of our Nation's disabled veterans and their survivors will not be eroded by the passage of time. Once again the Committee on Veterans Affairs had demonstrated the meaning of bipartisanship. Your work is strongly supported by Members from both sides of the aisle. H.R. 4175, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2004 will help our service-disabled veterans and their survivors to maintain the value of their compensation benefits despite any increase in the cost-of-living. Although we will not know the exact amount of the increase until computations of the Social Security cost-of-living increase are completed later this month, we can rest assured that benefits will be increased in 2005. The Nation's veterans and survivors have earned these benefits. H.R. 4175 is a bill which deserves the support of all Members of this House and I urge all Members to support it.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2004. I'd like to thank my colleague Ciro Rodriguez for the provisions in this bill that originated in his bill, H.R. 3849, the Military Sexual Trauma Counseling Act of 2004. I'd also like to thank Chairman Smith for helping in this bipartisan effort. I am pleased that this legislation will permanently allow the VA to provide sexual trauma counseling to those men and women who experience such trauma during their service for our country. Unfortunately, the problems of sexual harassment and assault are not going away, and VA should continue to be available to veterans who need help picking up the pieces after these traumatic events. Another much needed provision of this legislation will increase the FY 2005 funding level available for VA's homeless grant and per diem program to $99 million. VA's Homeless Grant and Per Diem Providers are a critical source of support to the mission of caring for our nation's homeless veterans. Troops demobilizing from a difficult deployment in which many experienced combat and other stressors will likely add to the challenges of meeting the needs of homeless veterans. We have to continue to be the advocate for our homeless veterans who are often not able to advocate for themselves. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4658, the Servicemembers and Veterans Legal Protection Act of 2004. I want to thank Chairman Smith, as well as Henry Brown and Michael Michaud, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Benefits Subcommittee, respectively, for their good work on this legislation. Additionally, I commend the Members and staffs on both sides of the aisle who have worked diligently to bring this bill forward. It has truly been a bipartisan effort. H.R. 4658 is important legislation that contains a number of provisions aimed at enhancing and improving the Servicemembers civil Relief Act (SCRA), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and other matters pertaining to the quality of life of our troops, veterans, and military families. Mr. Speaker, not since world War II has the Nation's military--active duty and Reserve forces--undergone such a massive mobilization and troop rotation effort. According to the Department of Defense, since September 11, 2001, over 400,000 reserve forces have been mobilized, some of these National Guard or Reserve members have been called up more than once, and some of our servicemembers have been activated for nearly twenty-four months due to extensions of their orders or prevented due to ``stop loss'' from leaving military service at their expected time. Needless to say, our armed forces are serving under stressful conditions, and they and their families are making great sacrifices. Accordingly, laws concerning reemployment rights, and legal and financial protections for our servicemembers play an integral part in their ability to serve the country. Indeed, if these laws are effectively administered and vigorously enforced, they not only provide comfort to our servicemembers and their families but they can also assist the Pentagon in in its recruitment and retention efforts. Mr. Speaker, this bill contains a host of quality provisions. I am particularly pleased that we have included measures to improve and perfect certain sections of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, such as defining certain terms under the Act; requiring that waivers of protections under the Act be highlighted and signed as separate documents; specify that the Act applies to either a plaintiff or defendant; clarify that dependents of servicemembers have the same right as the servicemember to terminate a lease when the servicemember is deployed or receives a permanent change of station; and prevents multiple taxation of certain servicemembers. H.R. 4658 also provides important and timely amendments to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. One important provision would extend reservists' ability to continue employer-sponsored health coverage from 18 to 24 months; another provision establishes a demonstration project for the investigation and enforcement of federal USERRA complaints by the Office of Special Counsel. Finally, in the area of reemployment rights, this legislation includes a measure, originally introduced by my friend, Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, to require employers to provide greater notice and awareness to employees about reservists' reemployment rights. I am also pleased that the bill contains a very important measure introduced by Susan Davis of California to enhance the fiduciary program within the VA. We must do a better job in protecting vulnerable veterans from financial misdeeds, neglect and manipulation by unsavory individuals or entities. I have been a member of the House of Representatives for over 20 years. I cannot recall any instance when a proposal sent to the Congress by any Administration--Democratic or Republican--to address a problem in meeting the needs of veterans having been favorably reported by the Committee was barred from consideration on the floor by the House Leadership. Sadly that day has arrived. The bill we are considering today was overwhelmingly approved by the Committee with a provision which would enable the Secretary to include a limited benefit for the newborn children of veterans who are eligible for maternity care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This provision was designed to address the difficulty which the Secretary has had in obtaining contracts in order to provide timely and adequate maternity care to service-disabled and low-income veterans. It was also designed to address the high cost of such care, which is charged when no provision is made for payment of services to newborn children. As reported by the Committee, the bill would limit VA's liability by providing that VA payment would be made, only when there was no other resource, such as private health insurance or Medicaid responsible for the care. Care would only have been provided during the neonatal period and would have allowed a small window of time in order to obtain additional health care for those children who may qualify for other health care programs, such a Medicaid or State child health programs. What message does this send to servicewomen risking their life and health in Iraq and Afghanistan today? What message does this send to service-disabled women veterans seeking maternity care from the VA today? I am extremely disappointed that in order for this bill to be considered by the House, it was necessary to eliminate the provision addressing a serious problem which will affect an increasing number of servicewomen in the months and years to come. I hope that we will address this issue early in the next session of Congress. Those women who have sacrificed for us deserve no less. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4658 includes many provisions aimed at protecting the legal, financial and employment rights of servicemembers, veterans and their families. Passing this bill sends the right message, and I urge all members to do just that.