Donna Edwards

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I rise with regret today to express my concern about proposed changes to the DISCLOSE Act that I cosponsored. One particular change is deeply troubling--both on the politics and the policy. Having worked on campaign finance and ethics reform for many years, I didn't come to this conclusion lightly or uninformed. I was among the first to say that the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United was both wrong and shouldn't have given corporations a blank check in our elections. As an early cosponsor of DISCLOSE, I am dismayed that, in order to gain passage, we have fallen prey to bullying and threats from one of the most powerful special interest lobbying organizations in the country. Carving out an exception on behalf of one big group like this is just not the way to do reform. Shame on us. I proposed an amendment that would treat all of these organizations the same and guard against unfair, undisclosed contributions. Corporations would be required to disclose if they had receive more than 15 percent from any corporation or from donors who had contributed more than $100,000 regardless of the number of members or whether they are on the right or the left. We shouldn't draw these arbitrary lines. We should be looking at the corrupting influence. The question is ``Who owns our elections?'' Yet, before we answer that, we need to know who owns us--the NRA or the American people. You decide.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Thank you. It's really my pleasure to stand here with my good friend Congressman Dingell in honoring the incredible life and career and advocacy of Ron Gettelfinger, who retired just last week after a distinguished union career that began in 1964, when I was just a kid. But I will tell you, for the benefits that all of us as Americans and as workers have received for his good work with the United Auto Workers, we are all grateful. And you don't have to be from Michigan to understand the contributions that Mr. Gettelfinger has made. He has been a fierce advocate on behalf of workers. He understood that in his position as president of the United Auto Workers, he needed to try to address the current needs of his workers as well as the future needs that may come up. In 2006, Mr. Gettelfinger pushed to renew America's grasp on technology and innovation. He called for a renewal of America's industrial base through incentives to manufacture energy-saving advanced technology vehicles right here in the United States. And as a member of the Science and Technology Committee, I can assure you that there is a need for America and a desire for our workforce to do exactly what Mr. Gettelfinger has called for, to be on the cutting edge of this technology. And he has been right there pushing all the time for incentives and innovations. And this isn't new. Mr. Gettelfinger was one of the loudest voices, and I was happy to sing in his choir for health care reform, for single-payer health care reform, because he understood that health care accessibility and affordability is necessary, not just for the unionized and organized workforce, but for all Americans. Under his leadership, the UAW has continued its fight for fair trade agreements that include provisions for workers' rights and environmental protection. The union has loudly criticized the corporate global chase for the lowest wage that creates a race to the bottom that no workers in any country can win. We have to continue Ron Gettelfinger's fight. We know that he is retiring, but we know he is not down and we know his influence will carry across this country as we struggle for the working families of America. So it is with great honor that I stand here to pay tribute to our good friend, to a career of someone who has fought for workers, for equality, justice, and for quality of life. So thank you, Ron Gettelfinger, for your service and for your career.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution to congratulate the Urban Prep Charter Academy on the wonderful accomplishment of sending every one of their 107 graduates on to college this year. For some students, getting an education is a simple feat, but for many students in our urban centers, that is not true, and this is the focus community, the population, that is served by Urban Prep. Now, I knew Urban Prep some time ago. Their motto is ``We Believe.'' I want to say here that I believe in Urban Prep and in the phenomenal work that they do to reverse troubling graduation and completion rates among African American men in Chicago's urban centers. We can learn many lessons from the Urban Prep experiment, and indeed, that experiment is being looked at across the country, even in communities like the one I represent in Maryland's Fourth Congressional District. I know firsthand that the caliber of educators at Urban Prep plays an important role in the lives of their students. I want to speak today about one of those educators because in no one is this more prevalent than in Urban Prep's Dr. Derrick Brooms. Dr. Brooms is an amazing and dynamic educator, mentor, and high school teacher who makes history come alive. He is a Ph.D. recipient from the University of Chicago, the director of athletics at Urban Prep, and he was a mentor to my son and to one of my staff members when he lived right here in Prince George's County, in Maryland, when he taught and coached at the Field School. Dr. Brooms was excited to join the start-up Urban Prep because he wanted to mentor African American men to their fullest potential. He is just one of the many reasons Urban Prep is able to create an environment that not only educates but that also teaches students the importance of striving for success and in contributing to our communities. Mr. Speaker, I join Mr. Rush in wholeheartedly supporting this resolution and in the shared belief that this country needs more educators like those at Urban Prep, educators like Dr. Derrick Brooms, and that the country needs more schools like the Urban Prep Charter Academy. Now, for some of our young people, for some of our young African American men, education can come from a charter school or it can come from a private school. For the overwhelming majority of them, it can come from a regular public school. Yet the fact is, if we are to succeed as a nation, we have to begin to educate some of our most vulnerable and most challenging communities, and that is exactly what Urban Prep does. It doesn't matter what the school is. It matters that it educates our young people. So I salute the 107 graduates of Urban Prep who aren't going to just finish high school but who are going to go on to college and who are going to make a contribution to their communities in the way that so many of their mentors have made contributions to them.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to commemorate the life of Maryland State Trooper First Class Wesley Brown. Just 24 years old, Trooper Brown of Seat Pleasant, Maryland, was fatally shot last Friday. Trooper Brown was a brave Maryland State police officer, and a rising leader in our community. The youngest of nine children, Trooper Brown overcame a challenging childhood to serve Maryland and better the lives of the youth in Prince George's County through a mentoring program he founded, Young Men Enlightening Younger Men. In his own words, Trooper Brown wrote that he founded the program to ``show the young men in the community that there is a bigger and brighter future ahead of them with unlimited potential.'' Indeed, he had unlimited potential. A son of Prince George's County, a graduate of Crossland High School and an accomplished student of criminal justice, he was a testament to his own words, and a shining light to all whom he encountered. I join the Maryland State Police family and all those with whom he served in grieving the loss of Trooper Brown. He exemplified the best in our communities and, having spoken with his family, I know he was a wonderful son, brother and soon-to-be husband. His death is a tragic reminder of the perils our law enforcement officers face every day, and the bravery they show to ensure our safety. I honor the life and memory of Trooper First Class Brown, and our thought and prayers are with his family and friends. Young Men Enlightening Younger Men About Our Organization Welcome, My name is Wesley Brown and I am the founder of Young Men Enlightening Younger Men (YMEYM). In September, 2007, my friends and family and I came together to show the young men in the community that there is a bigger and brighter future ahead of them with unlimited possibilities. YMEYM meets together as a group at least once a month to take a field trip somewhere outside of our community and spend time bonding and mentoring. Between field trips, the mentors stay in touch with the young men and encourage them to stay in school, do the best they can in school and in extracurricular activities, respect themselves and each other, and to talk out any conflicts instead of resorting to violence. All of the mentors have committed much of their personal time and finances during this formation period. YMEYM's meeting location was my residence, where we would sit back and talk about whatever was on the boys' mind. Our goal is to listen and understand their problems and issues. Then we talk together to reach positive solutions to solve the problems. This way, the young men can think before they act, which sometimes results in unjustified punishment. So, what we created is more than a mentoring program, a tutoring program, or a community service program. This is now a brotherhood of more than 20 young males with distinct personalities and different goals in life who are coming together to be a part of something positive. After researching some of these issues, we found that the majority of today's young men just want to be a part of something and that is why gang violence in the neighborhood is growing so rapidly. The school system requires that students have a 2.0 GPA in order to play sports. What happens to those who try, but who just don't make it because of poor school systems or a lack of support from home? Where does he go? Who can he turn to? We believe that if a young man is trying to make himself a better man and a productive member of society, then we are PROUD of him--and we tell our young men that. We are proud of them and are here to push them to reach their full potential. As a young man myself, some may wonder why I am trying so hard to reach these young men, as if I am their parent. Well, I believe that if the community is not encouraging our youth to stand tall and become someone special, what makes us think that the outside world will? After they are exposed to the world outside of their immediate community, reality hits them. They must be prepared and they must be shown the importance of responsibility and accountability and then they will go far in life. During these teenage stages is when young men develop different characteristics which will continue to live within him during his entire adult life. Too often young men underestimate their own capabilities and greatness. It is our responsibility to step up to the plate and make a positive change. One young man at a time. Wesley Brown, Founder Young Men Enlightening Younger Men, Inc.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, in 2003, Republicans said they were overhauling Medicare, but all they succeeded in doing was creating a prescription drug doughnut hole that, in 2009 alone, forced 63,000 Maryland seniors to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket, forcing many to choose between buying the prescription drugs they need or purchasing food. The Nation's seniors shouldn't be forced to make such a choice. That's why, under the new health care law, we are dedicated to closing the doughnut hole once and for all. Today, June 10, $250 checks are being mailed out to 80,000 eligible seniors as a first step to reducing the financial burden faced by seniors. Then next year there will be a 50 percent discount on prescription drugs in the doughnut hole. Mr. Speaker, the first of many benefits under the health law that my Republican colleagues opposed and now hope to repeal is on the way. Our seniors and the rest of the country can't afford to go back to a broken system controlled by insurance companies with coverage gaps, denied care, and skyrocketing costs.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to thank especially Chairman Skelton and the House Armed Services Committee for their leadership on this issue and for their continued commitment to what it takes for our servicemembers and their families. I want to thank most especially my colleagues, Representatives Lipinski from Illinois and Chris Murphy from Connecticut, for working with us, for working together to advance provisions that bolster domestic job creation. There are no better advocates for domestic job growth than these two gentlemen. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to urge a ``yes'' vote on this en bloc amendment as well as on the underlying legislation. Most specifically, the amendment that I led directs the Department of Defense to start accounting for the domestic employment impact of major defense acquisition programs. With the DOD's spending billions of dollars a year, it is necessary that we are able to analyze the impact of this spending on our economy. The amendments led by my two colleagues are as equally important. They seek to ensure that our domestic companies are included on procurement opportunities for use by the DOD overseas. The amendments also strengthen transparency of the Buy American waiver process. Taken together, these provisions close major loopholes and fix major deficiencies. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this en bloc amendment.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. And, finally, looking at what we're doing in the manufacturing sector, we have amendments that strengthen the manufacturing extension partnerships that really allow the National Institutes of Standards and Technology in my congressional district to better reflect the needs and challenges facing manufacturers today. And so I urge my colleagues to support the underlying bill, to support the en bloc amendments, and to propel us into the 21st century to be competitive with nations around the world.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Madam Chairman, I would like to first say thank you very much to our Chairman Gordon, who's been a really tremendous leader, and especially as we move forward. What I think is-- I know it's the America COMPETES Act--but I think of it as the 21st- century America COMPETES Act. And it's also been quite a pleasure to work with Ranking Member Hall as well on getting this to the floor. I'm a strong supporter of America COMPETES, and it's pretty simple: either we're going to be in the 21st century competitive with nations around the world, or not. And I believe the America COMPETES Act, this en bloc amendment, and specifically several amendments, I think really strengthen what we've been able to achieve in our Science and Technology Committee. The COMPETES Act I think is one of the most important votes we're going to take in this Congress, and we're fortunate to be able to do work that really is about the future. Too often here in the Congress we have to do things that are just about the short term. And right here we have a vision that's really about the next decade and about whether we're going to be competitive, and whether all of our people, our young people, will be competitive, about whether we're going to create the Ph.D.s that are on the cutting edge of the next innovations for the 21st century, about whether we'll have businesses and our manufacturing sector that really is engaged in this century, not the old manufacturing of the 20th century, but the new manufacturing of the 21st century, around energy, around green technologies. And this is what America COMPETES is about. I want to tell you a little bit about an experience I had just 2 weeks ago. It was on a Saturday morning; and every Saturday morning, for the last several months, a group of elementary school students, middle school students, and high school students gathered at Bladensburg High School out in my congressional district, part of a CSTEM program, part of a challenge program, working with each other collaboratively, the young people learning from the older students, working on projects that would enable them to really become critical thinkers in science, technology, engineering and math, working on robotics together, with a group of teachers who volunteer their time every Saturday morning to work with these young people. And you know how they did it? They did it because they're part of America COMPETES. And this is what I think needs to happen in every classroom across the country, from pre-kindergarten to high school and on to the upper grades. Now, this group of students was able to compete in the CSTEM challenge in Houston just a week ago, and they competed with young people all across this country in those early year, elementary years through high school years. And it was a rewarding experience for them. I think that America COMPETES is about that set of young people because we don't know, in that room, which of those young people who get the benefit of learning to experience science and technology and to grab it at an early age, we don't know which ones of those young people will be on the cutting edge of the next innovation that's going to propel us even into the next century. And so I'm excited about being here today to support the America COMPETES Act and support a number of amendments that I think really strengthen what we're doing, particularly the amendment offered by my colleague Dina Titus from Nevada that really is looking in a very systemic way at what happens between kindergarten and 12th grade. What we know is that when we invest in young people at the earliest age and get them the kind of teachers that they need in the classroom, it is not when they get into college that they decide they want to take on science and technology. They make those decisions and they get prepared from kindergarten to fourth grade, and so what we're doing here really strengthens our ability for competition.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I join millions of Americans to demand that finally Congress get to the business of reforming Wall Street. Let's get a bill to the President and let's let him sign something that benefits Main Street. Eighteen months ago, I joined working families across the country in anger and frustration over lax regulation that led to unfettered greed, ultimately forcing Main Street to bear the burden of a Wall Street bailout. In the wake of these unprecedented, though necessary, actions, the American people demanded tough new regulations in exchange. Our party has introduced legislation to put an end to taxpayer-funded bailouts of Wall Street firms that bend the rules and avoid regulation. But as I stand here today, these firms are nothing more than common thugs working with their allies on the other side of the aisle to continue their risky investing. So we have to send a clear message that we will stand up for working people and reform the industry that almost brought us to the brink of economic collapse. Mr. Speaker, our colleagues in Congress face a choice: either stand up for working people and our values or protect the greed and risk of Wall Street. For me, the choice is really clear. It is time to put Wall Street back in line with Main Street.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the establishment of Turkey's first Jazz Department within Hacettepe University's prestigious Ankara State Conservatory. In the words of H. Res. 57 introduced by the Hon. John Conyers of Michigan during the 100th Congress, Jazz is ``a unifying force, bridging cultural, religious, ethnic and age differences in our diverse society.'' This introduction of jazz education in Turkey further demonstrates the sweeping influence of this national treasure and its power to build bridges extending beyond our shores. I am honored to have been in attendance, along with my colleagues the Hon. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky and the Hon. James P. Moran of Virginia, at a gala reception on April 2, 2010 celebrating this department's inception. There could not have been a more fitting time to recognize the launch of the Ankara State Conservatory's Jazz Department than at the beginning of Jazz Appreciation Month. Without the insight and collaborative efforts of Hacettepe University's American Studies Department, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, and the Turkish Coalition of America this momentous occasion would not have become a reality. As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, I am proud to have had the opportunity to witness first-hand another culture's deep appreciation for this over a century old African-American tradition. With its origins in the American south, Jazz is a musical genre that marks a confluence of African and European music traditions. Its melodic union of styles, sounds, and improvisation has inspired musicians around the world. At the gala reception held in Ankara on April 2, my colleagues Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Moran, and I were treated to a musical set by the Melis Sokmen Quartet. In addition to being a renowned Turkish jazz singer, Ms. Sokmen is the personification of her country's famed bridging of cultures. Born to a Guinean mother and Turkish father, Ms. Sokmen's pride in her roots beamed in particular during her jazz rendition of traditional West African lullaby ``Malaika.'' One cannot mention jazz without referring to the invaluable contributions of Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The son of a Turkish Ambassador father and a mother who filled their house with music, Ahmet and his brother Nesruhi became fans of blues and jazz at an early age while residing in Washington DC. The first ever integrated concert in Washington DC featuring jazz greats Duke Ellington and Lena Home came about due to the efforts of the Ertegun brothers. Atlantic Records was established in 1947 and over the next several decades produced albums by jazz legends including John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, and Wilbur de Paris. The Turkish fascination with jazz is attributable not only to the genius of the music itself but Ahmet Ertegun's success in helping it evolve into an internationally renowned art form. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in congratulating all parties involved in the development of the inaugural Jazz Department at Hacettepe University. Hacettepe University and the U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs section have commenced a faculty exchange program in which jazz specialists from both countries will work and learn from one another. The joint effort of American and Turkish individuals and organizations in its establishment is a testament to over sixty years of enduring friendship between the United States and Turkey. Through shared appreciation of the arts these two great nations have formed yet another vital and resilient bond.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to first thank Representative Andrews for introducing the IMPROVE Act, H.R. 5013, and to Chairman Skelton for all their hard work on this legislation and really steadfast support of our armed services. My amendment will help businesses that are in the vicinity of defense installations, especially small, minority and women-owned businesses and veteran-owned businesses, access defense contracting opportunities. I have heard the frustration of my constituent small businesses that are unable to access the complex system of defense acquisition and procurement. For example, one company located just across the street from Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs, Maryland, in my congressional district has repeatedly attempted to access on-base business opportunities. This company has the capacity, as indicated by contracts they have with other government entities, but they have been stymied on every attempt at Andrews. With this amendment, this company will receive the technical assistance necessary to compete. In my conversations with the base leadership at Andrews--and I want to thank them for their hard work--I hear their desire to work with the surrounding community and the businesses in it. With this amendment, they will receive the authority they need to engage in outreach to drive economic development activity directly around the base with entities such as the company I referenced in Camp Springs. This is true all across the country where we have installations located. I am encouraged that through this provision this scenario can really play out in Maryland, from Andrews to Fort Meade and all across the country; and in some regions this is particularly important. This provision will help build communities around our defense installations by directly including the businesses which are oftentimes right along the fence line but are currently left out of the contracting opportunity. By including these community businesses, capable community businesses, small businesses, the installations will strengthen their bonds to the community and these areas will receive a much needed economic boost. It is as important for those communities as it is for our installations. We want there to be a bond with the local community because we want them to embrace the installations that surround them. In the Fourth Congressional District of Maryland, I have so many competent and capable businesses that provide products and services that could really be used by the Department of Defense; but due to a lack of knowledge and a lack of communication and a lack of outreach, these companies often don't even hear about the opportunities until it's way too late. This amendment takes a step toward ensuring our businesses are aware of those opportunities and then supports competing for them. This amendment is a powerful tool for the Defense Department to use to be more inclusive of our businesses that all too often watch competitors from other States, regions, and sometimes even other nations receive contracting opportunities right in those communities. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Let me just conclude--and I thank you, Mr. Andrews, for your comments because it's so true that as a Nation we have already seen the beginnings of an economic recovery, what looks to be a strong economic recovery, but we need to make sure that our constituents and that communities and businesses throughout this country, especially the ones that are located in proximity and vicinity to defense installations, also enjoy the benefits of this economic recovery. And so it is true, it is my goal that, with this amendment, no more of my constituents will drive by an on-base construction job and look at that job in progress or see a delivery truck going into that base and through the gates of the installation and say to themselves, I wish I knew how to get business with the Defense Department. I understand that frustration, and I understand why we must address it; and I believe that this amendment does exactly that. Again, as Mr. Andrews has pointed out, the gentleman from New Jersey has pointed out, in fact this is about enhancing competition. It's not about getting in the way of it. And it's about giving the Department of Defense the kind of tools that it needs to engage in that kind of community outreach. And so no more will there be an excuse of not understanding how to reach those businesses, but they will have a tool to make sure that they get to them. Mr. Chairman, I urge the passage of this amendment and yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise today to mourn and to join our Nation in mourning Dr. Dorothy Height. She was an American icon who dedicated her life to racial justice and to gender equality. And at a time when women and African Americans were regarded as second class citizens, this strong, powerful, beautiful African American woman stood up for us and she strove to change that and rose to become a key figure in the civil rights movement, meeting with first ladies and Presidents and heads of state. I want to step back for a minute because I look back fondly to the time when I first met Dr. Height, and it was more than 20 years ago as a young advocate working on domestic violence. It was through Dr. Height's voice and her leadership and her kindness and generosity of intellect and of spirit that enabled me to become a really strong advocate for domestic violence and to speak on behalf of the needs of African American women and women of color in a feminist movement that was not always open to those kinds of voices. It was really Dr. Height who enabled us to meet those challenges with our other feminist colleagues. And so I regard Dr. Height as a strong woman of color in the civil rights movement, but also a really strong feminist and a committed feminist. Just a few weeks ago, I greeted Dr. Height when she was out in my congressional district with her beloved Deltas. She was feeling as strong and healthy then and healthy of spirit and mind and intellect as she always had been. And so with that, I rise to remember her, to value her, and as a novice political leader, to know that when it really counted, Dr. Height was on my side, too.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Thank you especially to the leadership of Chairman Oberstar, Mr. Boozman, especially to our chairwoman of our Water Resources Committee, Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, and to our two leaders here, Mr. Bishop and Mr. LoBiondo. I rise today in support of the Clean Estuaries Act, H.R. 4715, because I have seen firsthand the positive ecological and economic role that conservation and protection--indeed, attention--can play in improving the health of our Nation's estuaries. We have only to take a look at today's headlines in The Washington Post highlighting the improvement of the blue crab in the Chesapeake Bay, largely due to the protection efforts that we've undertaken there, a Federal commitment, a State and regional commitment to improving the Nation's largest estuary, which happens to be a great partner for my State of Maryland. And so in the past year we have seen that, because of the commitment of the administration and many in the Congress and lawmakers, the Chesapeake Bay, our Nation's largest estuary, has actually made great strides. And it is highlighted by the return of the blue crab, the highest levels in 17 years. The return has a positive economic impact for all sectors: fishermen experience larger catches, the price of the crab will decrease for our family restaurants, tourism will expand, and the bay is now healthier than it has been in many years. But we have a lot of work to do. So what does that mean in terms of the Clean Estuaries Act? Well, it means, in fact, that if we pay the same attention to all of our Nation's estuaries in the way that we have with the Chesapeake Bay, we can also see improvements. And for those of us who don't live near an estuary, every time we flush, every time we drive, every time we have an impact--dropping a piece of trash on the ground has an impact on our Nation's estuaries. And so while we may not be able to see them, the impact is so great; and that's why we need this legislation, to produce a positive effect on estuaries across the country. This deserves our support because commercial and recreational fishing accounts for $185 billion in revenues every year. Estuaries provide 75 percent of the catches for all of these revenues. And yet over the last 20 years the health of our estuaries has degraded and the size of catches has decreased. The relationship between the health of an ecosystem and the economic output can't be overrated. The Clean Estuaries Act stands to reverse this troubling trend by adding additional estuaries and providing strong accountability measures in a way to ensure that conservation and protection are taken seriously. We need to take positive steps toward cleaning up our Nation's estuaries by passing this bill and continuing to also invest in green infrastructure and nonstructural alternatives to protect our ecosystems. I want to commend Chairman Oberstar for his leadership and thank all of our leaders for their commitment to combine environmental stewardship with economic development for the protection of the Nation's estuaries.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, today, as Americans put the finishing touches on their tax returns, they'll see that Congress and this President have enacted tax cuts that benefit middle class and working class families. Despite the echo chamber of right wing misinformation, some of it we've heard here today, Mr. Speaker, we can finally set the record straight. For 8 long years, the Republicans put the interests of the wealthy few above the interests of middle class families, and they gave massive tax cuts for only a few Americans, sent the national debt soaring, and they had no way to pay for it. In this last year we've cut $800 billion in taxes focused on helping middle class families and small businesses. Americans are getting jobs, they're buying homes or a car, and they're sending their children to college. As Bruce Bartlett, adviser under Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush recently noted, ``Federal taxes are very considerably lower by every measure since Obama became President.'' And so while the other guys stand with the banks and insurance companies and CEOs, we'll continue to stand on the side of working families.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, proud of what we've accomplished with President Obama, our House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and now the United States Senate to bring quality, affordable health care to the American people. But our pride is tempered by humility, the humility of knowing that we have brought health care coverage to millions of women who now will no longer have to pay more than men just because they're women. Our pride is tempered by the humility of knowing that children who have preexisting conditions will now be able to also have health care. Our pride is tempered by the humility of knowing that for thousands and thousands of small business owners across this country, they'll now be able to provide health care coverage for themselves and their employees. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to have joined our forefathers and foremothers who brought us Social Security, civil rights, Medicare, and now health care to the American people.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlelady from California for yielding me the time and for the underlying bill. I come from the State of Maryland, and we have the largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay, in and around the State of Maryland, and this notion of educating young people, investing them in science and also educating them about the deep impacts that we have through all of our communities onto this estuary is so important. But I would like to take a moment and talk about an issue which has consumed us and over which we will hear a lot of discussion and misinformation over the ensuing days and hours. Let's talk about health care, Mr. Speaker. I am so pleased that on Sunday we will have an opportunity in this country, finally, to bring health care to the American people. All of us as Members of Congress will have an opportunity to say that we either stand on the side of the American people or we stand on the side of insurance companies; insurance companies that continue to raise their rates for premiums; insurance companies that deny care and coverage; insurance companies that determine that it is maybe better to pay a CEO $23 million a year than it is to deliver quality, affordable, and accessible health care to the American people. So at long last, the Democrats in Congress and our Democratic President are going to bring health care to the American people. We are going to ensure that at a cost of $940 billion over a decade, saving and cutting the deficit by $138 billion in just the first 10 years and by $1.2 trillion in the second 10 years. This is deficit reduction like we haven't seen since the last time we had a Democrat in the White House. And yet, that is exactly what this health care reform package will do. And what do we get for $940 billion? Well, I am going to tell you what the American people get. Our small businesses will receive tax credits so they can provide the kind of health care coverage that they want to their employees. Our seniors will see their Medicare coverage strengthened and those programs strengthened. Thirty-two million people across this country who don't have health care coverage now will finally be able to relieve themselves and their families of the worry of disease or illness that they can't take care of. And, of course, all of us who have health care will see the stopping of the escalation of our premium costs because we will be taking a look at what insurance companies do. This and more is what we will get for $940 billion, saving $138 billion in the first 10 years, $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years. This is a real bargain for the American people. It is an opportunity for the American people. We have long waited for that. It will eliminate exclusions for preexisting conditions. Can you believe, Mr. Speaker, that, over on the other side of the aisle, we would let the practice continue where a preexisting condition is identified as domestic violence? Those of us in this Chamber and across the country know that domestic violence is a crime; it is not a preexisting condition for excluding medical conditions. We know that there are exclusions for preexisting conditions like acne or even for childbirth. This is unconscionable in this country that we have allowed insurance companies to determine health care, and we are going to put a stop to that. We are going to say, You know what; we need everybody out there covered. We want to make sure that people are covered and they get quality care and they get accessible care. And we are going to do it at a cost to the American people that is not going to continue to break the bank in the way it has over the decades. I want to say, Mr. Speaker, we are going to end rescissions. We are going to stop insurance companies from telling you, You know, you've reached your cap. You can't get covered any more, even though you have paid into this system. We have to end discrimination against our children because they have a preexisting condition. These practices are unacceptable. Every American, whether you have insurance or you don't have insurance, you know that it is unacceptable and unsustainable. And we are going to make sure that it is affordable for the American people. That is what they deserve. This is what will happen. You can listen to all of the mythology, Mr. Speaker. You can listen to the mythology and points that are put out there that don't describe this bill at all. But I want to say to you, Mr. Speaker, as one Member of Congress who, in fact, has read the House and Senate bill and stayed up late into the night looking at the reconciliation, I am confident about what we are going to do for the American people to bring quality, affordable, and accessible health care.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I'm here today of course to celebrate and to honor Women's History Month. Mr. Speaker, it's an important time to honor the political and social struggles of women across this world and certainly in this Nation who have made significant contributions in the advancement of women. And it is perhaps fitting that we are here today to discuss the subject of the hour, health care, and especially as that pertains to women--women who bear the brunt of a system that's failing; women who make the decisions for themselves, their children and their families on health care; women who sometimes work in positions, in jobs that don't allow them access to quality and affordable health care. So I think that it is fitting that on this weekend, on this upcoming Sunday, we'll have an opportunity to discuss how we're going to bring health care, quality, affordable and accessible health care, not only to America's women but to all of our families and to our children. People who go every day, 32 million of them, who will now be covered, have health care coverage. Millions more will have more accessible coverage. Still millions more will have the access through their small businesses, through their independent employment, to quality, affordable health care. And let me just say that in this Women's History Month, it should go with some noting that in this system that we have, women don't often receive access to preventive care, mammograms and other screenings and a full range of reproductive services. We're bringing those to America's women. Women are often excluded for preexisting conditions, like domestic violence. Domestic violence is a crime; it's not a preexisting condition. So here we're talking today about what we're bringing to and for America's women in Women's History Month but also for all families, to make it quality, to make sure that it's affordable, and to make sure that it's accessible.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. As a woman in this country, who would have known but for this debate that as a woman just starting out, same condition, same age, you pay more for your health care as a woman in this country than you do as a man. We're going to end that kind of gender discrimination and gender rating. So I think that it is fitting in Women's History Month that we honor the contributions of all women in our history, and we honor the contribution of women and our families and our future by bringing quality, affordable and accessible health care to all.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, Congress is on the brink of passing comprehensive health care reform to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable and high quality care, health care that protects consumers and not just insurance companies. We need reform to rein in these companies and to hold them accountable for discriminatory and inhumane practices, policies like gender rating that force women to pay higher premiums than men just because we are women, and denials for preexisting conditions that can even include a history of domestic violence. We need reform to change the practice of insurance companies denying children with preexisting conditions or dropping someone's coverage if that person falls ill. We can't put it off. We can't wait. If we do nothing, in 30 years, one out of every $3 will be spent on health care. If we fail, families will see spending on premiums and out-of-pocket costs jump 34 percent in 5 years and 79 percent in 10. The American people not only want reform, they need reform. They are asking for reform. We made a promise to the American people to pass health care reform. It's time to keep our promise. It's time to get this done, and it's time to pass health care reform.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Madam Speaker, just when we thought we had heard enough, seen enough, and paid enough, the big insurance companies are at it again. Seniors are paying more for prescriptions, home values plummet, savings and retirement accounts disappear, and millions lose homes, jobs, and their health care. But that didn't stop the big health insurance companies from announcing premium increases of nearly 40 percent. Look, Madam Speaker, these companies have some impudence. They have to be stopped. Deny, deny, deny. They deny coverage. They deny claims. They deny care. And last week the CEOs came to Washington. It is not enough that we have to dodge their lobbyists in the Halls of Congress, but they came to town, staying at the Ritz on your premium dollars, and now they want to deny the American people quality, affordable, and accessible health care. They know we are in the home stretch, and they won't stop at anything. They will stop at nothing to keep us from clamping down on their practices. But we are going to stop them. Let's deny them. Let's vote them off the island. I am ready to do it.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support this resolution congratulating Greivis Vasquez and Coach Gary Williams on an outstanding season for the University of Maryland Men's Basketball Team. Their home is in Prince Georges County--my home county--and I congratulate the Terrapins men's basketball team on a season that came to a close just last week, ending the season with monumental victories, including a double overtime game win against the Virginia Tech Hokies. The season-ending victory over the University of Virginia placed the Terrapins as the number two seed going into the Atlantic Coast Conference Quarter-Finals. The Terrapins completed their regular 2009-2010 Atlantic Coast Conference season with an impressive 13 wins and 3 losses, earning first place honors, along with the top-ranked Duke University Blue Devils. I'd like to point out as a point of personal privilege and note that one of the three losses that Maryland faced this year was to the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest University, my alma mater, but I stand here nonetheless in support of our hometown Maryland Terrapins. The season got off to a promising start with star player Greivis Vasquez electing to forgo the National Basketball Association draft and play his senior year with the Terrapins. It proved to be a wise decision for him because Greivis went on to average 19.6 points per game during the season. He even scored a career-high 41 points in a single game. That was a rare feat for any basketball star. I know I was a fan. Throughout the season, Vasquez received the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week honor four times and was unanimously selected first team All-ACC by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. He led his team into the quarter-finals of the ACC tournament as the honored Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, which he was named on March 9, 2010. In 1967, while attending the University of Maryland, Coach Gary Williams played for the Terrapins--he wasn't coach then--and served as team captain. He returned to the University in 1989 to coach for the same team he once played for. It's been an honor to watch him, as Coach Williams has led his alma mater from a period of troubled times to an era of national prominence. He helped bring 13 NCAA tournament berths in the last 16 seasons, seven Sweet Sixteen appearances, and in 2002, led the Terrapins to win the national title in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship. I know I, along with other Maryland Terrapin fans, followed that season and all the others, watching Gary Williams and sitting through the nail-biters in the stands. The opening of the 2009-2010 college basketball season marked the 21st season as head coach with the University of Maryland for Gary Williams. As a member of the University of Maryland's Alumni Hall of Fame, Coach Williams was named Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year for the second time in his career, on March 9, 2010. I wish to heartily congratulate Greivis Vasquez on being named the 2010 ACC Player of the Year; Coach Gary Williams on being named the 2010 ACC Coach of the Year; and the entire University of Maryland men's basketball team on a truly outstanding season. I wish them and my other favorite team, Wake Forest University, great success in the 2010 NCAA Tournament--the University of Maryland facing the University of Houston, and another Texas team, Texas, facing Wake Forest University. We all look forward to that, and we'll be cheering them on their way. Again, congratulations to Coach Gary Williams and to Player of the Year Greivis Vasquez. Go Terps!

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. I thank the gentleman from Ohio for bringing this resolution. I think it is high time that we actually had this debate here in Congress. While it may seem untimely, there is never enough time to have a debate about war and peace that this Congress should be engaged in, and not just the actions of any President. I want to also join with my colleagues in expressing my support for the men and women who serve this Nation. And as a daughter of one who served through Korea and Vietnam and subsequently, you couldn't find a stronger supporter of our servicemen and women. So I would hope that on both sides of the aisle that we don't confuse our debate about policy and about a resolution with support for our men and women in uniform. Because that would be unfortunate for them and it would be disrespectful of us. I believe that this Congress has an obligation to send a strong message to the White House that the war must come to an end. And as others have pointed out, we began this war effort to fight al Qaeda following the tragedy of September 2001. But as National Security Adviser Jim Jones has told us, there are only 100 al Qaeda left in Afghanistan. Who are we fighting? Well, now we are fighting the Taliban. And that just shows you that over the course of this time, this war and its mission and its goals have morphed and morphed and morphed to the point that we find ourselves in now. I have no doubt that our well-trained and brave and dedicated Armed Forces will continue to be victorious on the field of battle. I am humbled by their service. But bringing stability to Afghanistan can only happen by rebuilding a truly functioning civil society--forget that, building a truly functional civil society, something that Afghanistan has not had the privilege to enjoy. This won't come by military force. The question remains really as to the future capacity of Afghanistan's military and government to do what is required of them to build their country. We really have little evidence, if any, that this outcome is likely given the levels of corruption in the existing Karzai government that continue as well as the intertribal violence that also changes over time. I am struck, there was a Time magazine article just this past week on the Taliban, on the fighting in Marja, and the limited success, the success that our NATO forces are having. But as was pointed out there, the take and hold and build strategy only happens if you really can transfer. And it is the transfer that I am concerned about. It is the transfer that actually endangers our troops to the point where they may transfer at one point and then have to go back and start the fight over again because that is the nature of the battle in Afghanistan. Even more troubling is that Afghanistan shouldn't be our top national security priority.

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Our military risk their lives and our Nation spends resources in a country that has so little hope of future success, that international terrorism actually flourishes in so many countries. Estimates are that this kind of terrorism actually flourishes in about 70 countries. And yet we are so heavily invested in Afghanistan that it leaves us little time, opportunity, or resources to really fight the battle where that needs to happen. By focusing our military and our energy and our treasury on Afghanistan, we are really operating under the inaccurate Bush era philosophy that the threat we face is both well-organized, centralized, and advanced. We know that violent fundamentalism often operates with little centralization and little organization. It is part of the reason that it can be so successful. This war is a constant reminder that our response to the quickly evolving threat of international terrorism is static, and we must end this war and look for ways to more effectively disrupt violent plots to protect our citizens, our national security, our safety and security, and to build nations in a way that they respect processes and people.