Bob Filner

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I think everything has been said, and I urge support for the bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 362, the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act. America's beaches are littered with garbage washed ashore. At a time when more and more people are enjoying being outdoors, we're finding more debris on our coasts that can pose a serious threat to beachgoers, boaters, and divers. Congress has already passed many laws that attempt to address this issue including the Clean Water Act, the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, the Ocean Dumping Act, the Driftnet Impact Monitoring, Assessment, and Control Act, and the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act. Yet the problem persists. S. 362 attempts to address these issues by having the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) undertake various initiatives to reduce and prevent the use and adverse impact of debris on the marine environment including-- Assessing the impact of marine debris found in the navigable waters of the United States and our 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone. Mapping and removing marine debris from our coastal waters. Requiring measures to prevent the loss of fishing gear that can kill fish and marine mammals for years after they are lost from a ship. Establishing outreach and education programs to help those that live on and along our waters to understand the impact of marine debris on our environment. Under this legislation, the Coast Guard is required to enforce existing laws and treaties related to marine pollution and to develop new regulations on the disposal of plastics and fishing gear. Plastic and other materials that are not biodegradable threaten the health of our oceans. Therefore, we must find a way to make sure they don't get into the water in the first place. As someone who represents a coastal district, I look forward to the day when I can walk down the beach without seeing it polluted by marine debris that has washed ashore. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Young, Chairman LoBiondo and Ranking Member Oberstar for the bipartisan approach that they took to develop this legislation. This legislation is another step forward in protecting the world's oceans from marine debris. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the great defender of our Nation's coastlines.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H. Con. Res. 481, legislation that I have just introduced, which urges the President to authorize the return of two church bells, currently on display at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, to the people of the Philippines. The New York City Council is expected to pass a resolution in support of this legislation on September 28th, 2006, the anniversary of a 1901 battle between Filipino and American soldiers in the town of Balangiga on the island of Samar, Philippines. As a result of this conflict between Filipino and American troops, the bells in the church were taken to the United States as war trophies and have been on display ever since at F.E. Warren Air Force Base. I am introducing as a result of a vote by the Wyoming Veterans Commission to return the bells to the church in Balangiga. The citizens of Balangiga have erected a memorial that includes the names of the Filipino and American soldiers who lost their lives in the 1901 incident, and the town honors these war dead on September 28th each year. The Filipino people have requested the return of the bells to the original setting in the Balangiga Parish where they could ring again, after 105 years of muteness, as a symbol of this bond. The acts of conflict that surrounded the bells of Balangiga are not consistent with the friendship that is an integral part of the relationship between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States. Filipino soldiers have fought side by side with American troops in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, and the bells should more properly serve as a symbol of friendship and not of conflict. I urge support of this resolution.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, again, to have the chairman of another committee testify to working together is really I think a good model. So thank you again, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth), the ranking member of our Economic Opportunities Subcommittee of the VA committee, a lady who has left much of her fingerprints on this bill. We thank you for your expertise, your real ability to stick to the issues here.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, again, I think this is an incredibly good bill. It shows the way we ought to work as a Congress and as a committee. Again, I thank one more time Mr. Buyer for his leadership and urge passage of the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As Chairman Buyer stated, a near catastrophe occurred in early May of this year when a lap-top containing 26 million names and data, Social Security data and some medical data, was stolen from a VA employee's home. Now, this theft of data was not just human error, it was not just an accident, it was not just bad luck. As Mr. Buyer had been pointing out for many years, this was a systemic problem, a problem of incredibly bad management of cyberinformation at the VA, a lack of cybersecurity, a lack of centralization of responsibility for cybersecurity, and it could have resulted in identity theft for millions of our Nation's veterans. We were lucky. Apparently, the lap-top was recovered before the names were stolen. Although I don't have 100 percent confidence in that judgment, that is what we think right now. But the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, under the leadership of Chairman Buyer, saw this as a wake-up call, a time to change failed policies, a time to change directions. Under the leadership of Chairman Buyer, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs took this wake-up call as an opportunity to change the way things were going, to change a backward culture, and to bring the VA into the 21st century. Now, Mr. Buyer had been saying such things about the need for cybersecurity and the need for centralization for many years. I have to say, Mr. Buyer, that I admire your persistence and your lack of discouragement when people did not pay attention. We should have. But we are now, and we thank you for doing all that work at a time when people did not pay much attention. I think you have, you have set up a model here in the bill that other Departments in the government should be looking at. You have set up a model where we can in fact say to the people who our government is serving, we are protecting your identity, we are protecting your data, we are making sure that if there is any breach of that, we will take these steps to make sure you don't have any losses, either material or psychological. And that was a real problem in the VA which you recognized. When this data was stolen, there was incredible fear throughout the country, because the VA did not have the steps ready to take to assure the veterans that they would not suffer any material or other loss. So, Mr. Buyer, I thank you for working not only in a bipartisan manner, but bicameral and bicommittee. You brought everybody into the process. The committee held hours and hours of hearings. We checked out all the expertise in the country. Our chairman, Mr. Buyer, brought expertise from all around the Nation. I think we took the role of oversight that is appropriate for every committee in this Congress, that is, we had a problem with the executive branch, we went to work to make sure that we had the knowledge, we had the information, we had the attention of the executive branch; and this bill is a result of that effort. I think Mr. Buyer described what was in the bill. I just want to point out that it establishes data breach notification requirements, it makes substantive changes to how the VA addresses information technology, and it clarifies how the VA is to comply with the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002. Most importantly, it provides veterans with the tools that they can use immediately to protect themselves in the case of future data breaches. If a veteran's data is compromised, they can immediately request that a fraud alert be placed on their credit files for a period of 1 year, as well as a credit security freeze. It also mandates that the VA undertake an independent analysis of any data breach, and if it is determined that a reasonable risk of misuse exists, then the VA will provide a range of remediation services, including making available data breach analysis, credit reports, credit monitoring services, and identity theft insurance. Finally, and again, Mr. Buyer, your creativity here was very important, knowing that an agency like the VA, which does not have the background or information or expertise, you said let's create a scholarship fund so we can train people in this area and that the VA can fund and then draw on that new expertise to improve its services in the cybersecurity area. So, again, I think this is a model for other agencies to look at, the way you looked at a problem and not only tried to solve it, but moved us forward with a real creative program of scholarship and loan forgiveness that I think will help students in our Nation and, of course, help our Federal Government. The VA Secretary, Mr. Nicholson, has stated that the goal now is to make the VA the gold standard in data security. I hope he takes advantage of this bill to allow him to reach that goal. I thank Chairman Buyer for the way he undertook the oversight, the bipartisan way we approached this bill, the drawing on all the Members for their ideas and their expertise, and I urge us all to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, a famous law of nature says that when you have dug yourself into a deep hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. That hole is Iraq. According to our own intelligence agents, the war in Iraq is actually fueling more terror worldwide, undermining the global war on terror. And yet this administration refuses to stop digging. Conditions for our own troops are getting worse and worse. They are merely serving as referees in a civil war between Sunnis and Shias in which over 100 Iraqis die every day. And our Army Chief of Staff, who I refer to as the Carl Sagan of the budget, says we need billions and billions and billion of more dollars if we are going to keep the Army going in Iraq and elsewhere. Last week, General Abizaid was asked if we were winning the war in Iraq; he said we would be if we had unlimited time and unlimited resources. Yet in the face of all of this mismanagement, all of the death and destruction, our President has the nerve to say when history looks at Iraq, it will see a mere comma. A mere comma. What about the deaths of 2,700 of our bravest men and women, Mr. President? How about the injuries of 20,000 of our finest troops? It is time to stop digging and bring the troops home.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. I thank Congressman Lantos for your leadership in the fight for benefits, and your chairman, Mr. Hyde, and the sponsor of this legislation, Mr. Issa. Along with my colleague from San Diego County, Mr. Issa, we chair the Congressional U.S.-Philippines Caucus, and Mr. Issa is the prime sponsor of the equity bill which you talked about, H.R. 4574, to bring real justice to our Filipino American and Filipino veterans. We all know, or we all should know, the impact of the Filipino soldiers on World War II. They endured the original Japanese advance. They held them up far beyond their calendar, allowed MacArthur and the U.S. Army to have more time. As guerillas, they kept the Japanese busy for the 4 years that they were occupied, and then helped prepare the way for General MacArthur's return and our eventual victory in the Pacific. We know their great contribution to American history, but we have repaid this great contribution with words. My friend, the doctor from Florida, said this is a long overdue resolution, and it is a fitting tribute. Well, 10 years ago this body, or 10 years ago, President Clinton said this same thing: I urge all Americans to recall the courage, sacrifice and loyalty of Filipino veterans of World War II and honor them. Five years ago President Bush sent his greetings, which said the same thing: We thank you all for this work. But nobody since 1946 has done what President Truman tried to say: I consider it a moral obligation of the United States to look after the welfare of the Filipino Army veterans. They were drafted into the American Army. They were promised benefits. But in 1946, this Congress, only Mr. Lantos was here, I think, at the time, this Congress passed a Rescissions Act, which cut the benefits and cut the recognition that they were promised by President Roosevelt and President Truman. This is wrong, my colleagues; and yet Mr. Issa, as the sponsor of this resolution, also is the sponsor of the real answer to this situation and the real tribute that we could pay to these veterans, all of whom now are in their 80s. They are a rapidly dwindling band of patriots. What they want is honor and dignity, and that is provided by H.R. 4574, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act. I hope that Mr. Lantos is right, that this resolution will pave the way. I am afraid it will be an excuse for not doing anything more. Let us pass this resolution. It helps educate us and our constituents about the role of the Filipino veterans in World War II. But let us go further. Let us pass the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, which provides access to health care and access to pensions of those Filipinos who are eligible. They don't have long to live, Madam Speaker. They want the honor and dignity that was denied them after World War II. So let us give a fitting tribute and let us do a long overdue action of this Congress. Let us pass H.R. 4574, which will be our true tribute to these brave men. I thank Mr. Issa for introducing this resolution. Let us approve it, but let us move on beyond this and truly recognize those who contributed so much to this Nation's freedom and independence.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and thank the committee and the Chair for moving this bill forward. I rise also in support of H.R. 5815. It has been some time now since Congress acted to address the health care infrastructure of the Department of Veterans Affairs. I am pleased, along with everyone else, that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs has reasserted its traditional role in this area. We have supported the CARES process, the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services, but have always maintained that the most important part of that acronym is at the end, that is, ``enhanced services.'' Realignment is certainly essential, but enhanced services are critical. As the CARES report to the Secretary stated in 2004: ``VA infrastructure and support facilities, many built in the aftermath of World War II, are not all configured for contemporary health care delivery, and some are no longer appropriately located. Moreover, with an average age exceeding 50 years, these buildings are becoming more costly to maintain.'' We all know that VA health care is a national asset. Our committee has been trying to ensure that veterans receive the health care they have earned and deserve. While health care funding should remain our biggest priority, we must also see to it that the facilities where veterans receive this health care are modern and up to date, as well as conveniently located to their place of residence. It is difficult to provide the most modern health care in facilities that are half a century old. It is time that we recognize this and move forward in bringing the aging VA infrastructure up to the standards of the 21st century. This bill is an important step in the process. It provides the authorization for the VA to complete the projects it has started. It provides the authorization for us to rebuild VA facilities that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and it provides authority to further the VA's collaborative efforts, efforts that hold the promise of enhancing health care for our veterans while maintaining the unique identity of the VA health care system. We must ensure that VA construction projects are authorized, that the resources are provided to quickly complete them, and that we provide all the resources needed to maintain high quality health care in the Veterans Administration. We must keep our promises to the men and women who have served our Nation in the past and, of course, are serving us today. So I thank my colleagues on the Veterans' Affairs Committee for their work on this issue and urge speedy passage of this important legislation

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Jim Santangelo who is being honored as San Diego's Labor Leader of the Year. Jim is a New Jersey native who began his career as a truck driver in his home state following an honorable discharge from the Navy in 1959. This was also the time when Jim joined his first Teamsters Union Local. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Southern California and began his rapid rise in Teamsters Local 848. Widely known throughout Southern California by thousands of rank- and-file Teamsters over the decades because of his communication skills, he served the Western Conference of Teamsters in 13 states as food and warehouse division director. In that post, he expanded working strategies for industry Union members to prosper under new collective bargaining agreements. For years he served as the Union's political affairs chairman. His long tenure as the director of Joint Council 42's political screening committee prompted a return of pro-worker and pro-labor elected representatives at all levels of public life in Southern California. His dedication to Union members and working families and advocacy of training and education for all propelled him to the leadership of the largest Teamsters Joint Council in 1998. This was followed by his election to Western Region Vice President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. He was re-elected IBT Vice President in June, 2006. More recently, Jim spearheaded the region's massive donation, mobilization and transportation of foodstuffs and necessities to the families of San Diego-based United States Marines deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan when it became known that welfare and food stamps were keeping families afloat. Under his leadership, Teamster's Joint Council 42 inaugurated an annual scholarship program, created a computerized phone center for Union-to-member communications, and secured the award-winning Teamsters Joint Council 42 truck and trailer, which traverses the country for organizing and charity relief purposes. He has also recently overseen the creation of the Teamsters Training Academy, a comprehensive training and upgrading facility to license commercial drivers. Jim's commitment to the community has also led him to train for and join the city of El Monte Police Department as a reserve officer where he serves as a sergeant. In addition, Jim is a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reserve officer. Jim Santangelo has been an inspiration to working families throughout Southern California--and truly deserves the honor as ``Labor Leader of the Year.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to honor James M. Westfall as the Johns Fellowship Award Winner for 2006. After graduating from high school, ``Jim'' Westfall completed the San Diego Electrical Joint Apprenticeship 4-year program in 1973. In 1976, he began working for the Bechtel Power Corp., at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and advanced to General Foreman in the Electrical Department. In 1980, Jim was elected Business Representative for I.B.E.W. Local 569 and served for 7 years. For the past 19 years, Jim has been employed with the San Diego Electrical Training Trust as Administrative Manager/Director of Training. During his tenure, Jim was instrumental in building the Apprenticeship from 300 students with 12 instructors to 13 full-time staff, 1250 students and 75 instructors. During his 30-year career, Jim has served on the National Electrical Training Directors Association, California Apprenticeship Coordinators Association and the Apprenticeship Coordinators Association of San Diego. He has also been awarded the Electrical Industry Progress Award for Leadership and Exemplary Service and the Founder's Trophy for Extraordinary Leadership and Service to the Electrical Industry by the National Electrical Contractors Association, San Diego Chapter. Jim is currently the Director of Training for San Diego Electrical Training and has been inducted into the California apprenticeship Hall of Fame on May 4, 2006. James M. Westfall is very deserving of this award as he has been a driving force in the organized labor movement for the past 30 years.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge two extraordinary men who have been recognized for their contributions to Off-Road Motorsports. Bob Ham and the late ``Corky'' McMillin were inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame on August 26th of this year. Bob Ham has been a long time advocate for ``off-roaders''. In 1969, he co-founded the California Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA) and went on to create the Off-Road Vehicle Legislative Coalition in 1983. Bob worked with President Reagan's Interior Secretary, James Watt, to successfully re-establish the ``Barstow to Vegas Motorcycle Race''. He has worked diligently to preserve designated funds for off-highway vehicles and created a trust fund to stop California legislators from taking allocated money from off-highway vehicle programs. Bob later forced the state to return 30 million dollars to off-highway vehicle programs. His efforts have made it possible for many of my constituents to enjoy the California wilderness in their off-road vehicles. Unfortunately, the off-road motorsports industry lost one of their most adamant supporters last year after Corky McMillin passed away last September. Corky was posthumously inducted to the Hall of Fame after supporting the industry for more than 29 years. He was a champion off- road racer, winning many competitions multiple times. Corky never wavered from his commitment to the sport and gave generously to various off-road events. He sponsored numerous races, and he was the title sponsor of the Superstition Championship Series, held in Plaster City, California. He was a true statesman to off-road racing and will be greatly missed. I am pleased to recognize these men on their induction to the Off- Road Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, gas prices are once again at record highs. According to the Bush administration's own Energy Department, the average national price at the pump is now over $3 a gallon. We are facing the biggest price rise since Hurricane Katrina 11 months ago. Yet this Republican Do-Nothing Congress, this Do-Nothing Congress is prepared to leave at the end of the week for a 5-week recess without passing any legislation that will help consumers with prices at the pump. What is the holdup--beside the giant heist of American people? Why will House Republicans not work with us to hold Big Oil's feet to the fire for any price gouging that is now going on? Why will these House Republicans not join us in repealing $20 billion in tax breaks and subsidies that they gave Big Oil last year? Why won't they join us in taking that money and investing in new energies of the future so we can end our dependence on foreign oil? The answer, I think, has everything to do with their cozy relationship with Big Oil. It is no wonder that most people think that the letters GOP mean Gas, Oil and Petroleum. Mr. Speaker, Americans have dealt with high gas prices all summer long. It is time this House started listening to their needs rather than the needs of the special interests in the gas and oil industry.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, Medicare Part D continues to bring problems for our Nation's seniors. As more and more reach the ``doughnut hole,'' seniors are confronted with dramatic, no-win choices. I offer my colleagues a recent article in the San Diego Union-Tribune--``Going to Have to Sell My House . . . or Die.'' It's past time to start over with the prescription drug benefit! [From the San Diego Union-Tribune, July 16, 2006] Going To Have To Sell My House ... or Die (By Keith Darce) Frank Harrison says he's facing a choice between his health and his house. When the Spring Valley retiree hit a coverage cap in his federal prescription drug plan in early June, his monthly medicine costs skyrocketed from about $250 to about $1,800, largely because of two expensive immune suppression drugs that he has taken since a kidney transplant six years ago. The 62-year-old former computer company operations manager, whose main income comes from Social Security disability benefits, stopped taking one of the drugs, which cost about $575 a month, so that he could keep paying his $750 mortgage payment. ``What it boils down to pretty soon is that I'm going to have to sell my house. It's either that or die,'' he said. Harrison is among the 3.4 million seniors and disabled Americans who have begun to fall into a gap in Medicare Part D coverage. They must pay the full price for drugs after they've spent $2,250 in co-payments and until their out-of- pocket costs reach $5,100 for the year. Those in the so-called ``doughnut hole'' are likely to cut back on medicines to save money even if doing so jeopardizes their health, according to some research. ``Some are being caught totally unaware,'' said Jennifer Duncan, who manages the San Diego Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program. HICAP, which assists Medicare beneficiaries, has fielded calls in recent weeks from about 20 Part D enrollees who've either hit the coverage gap or are nearing it. Medicare is the government's health insurance program for those 65 and older and the disabled. The gap is the latest headache to confront those who thought that signing up for a Part D plan would lower their costs for expensive medications. Early glitches blocked some from getting prescriptions because their names didn't appear in the computer systems of the private companies selected to operate the plans. Others tried to buy drugs only to learn at the pharmacy counter that the medicines weren't covered by their plans. Still, several surveys have indicated that most participants are satisfied with the Part D program and have saved money during its first six months. Congress created the Part D gap when lawmakers created the drug insurance program in 2003. The measure was added to reduce the program's overall cost. Lawmakers reasoned that only a tiny portion of Part D participants would reach the gap and most would be without coverage only for a short period. Many of the 22.7 million people in the program will avoid the coverage gap, according to a recent report by accounting and consulting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers. They have private supplemental insurance, are enrolled in a higher-priced Part D plan that doesn't cap benefits, have incomes low enough to qualify for exemptions or simply won't purchase enough drugs to reach the cap before calculations start over on Jan. 1. Those falling into the gap are largely middle-class seniors who aren't poor enough to qualify for MediCal--the federal health insurance for the poor known as Medicaid outside California--or they are wealthy enough to afford higher- priced Part D plans that have no coverage caps. People who fall into the doughnut hole don't pay the full retail price for drugs, said Peter Ashkenaz, spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Washington, D.C. They pay the discounted price paid by their Part D plan operator--about 20 percent below retail prices, he said. ``I think people tend to forget that piece of it.'' But halfway through the first year of the prescription drug program, the San Diego HICAP is fielding calls from frightened seniors whose benefits are about to run out, Duncan said. `` `Doughnut hole' is a lousy term. It's more like an abyss,'' she said. ``It's a soft, funny way for saying you may not be able to pay your rent or eat this month because you're going to have to pay for all of your medicines.'' One recent call was from a paraplegic who takes high doses of the pain-killer morphine that cost $1,500 a month. Another caller takes $10,000 worth of medicine each month to prevent his body from rejecting a transplanted lung. Even beneficiaries facing less dire circumstances could have trouble dealing with the gap. An overwhelming majority of Medicare recipients suffer from chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, said Kenneth Thorpe, chairman of the Health Policy and Management Department at Emory University in Atlanta. More often than not, they also are being treated and medicated for multiple conditions, he said. ``These are very expensive patients.'' When their drug coverage runs out, even temporarily, they are likely to stop taking some or all of their medications, Thorpe said. That's what Kaiser Permanente researcher John Hsu found when he studied about 200,000 Medicare beneficiaries in 2003 who participated in a more limited government prescription drug program that predated Part D. The results, published in the June 1 edition of The New England Journal of Medicine, found that people whose drug benefits were capped at $1,000 a year had higher rates of emergency room visits, hospitalization and death than those with unlimited coverage. Hsu attributed the increases to people ending drug treatments once the insurance cap was reached. The cost for additional medical care offset the lower drug cost savings created by the cap, he reported. When Harrison's coverage ended in early June, the maker of one of his immune suppression drugs put him on a program that delivered the medication for free. But he wasn't offered the same deal from the maker of the other medication, and his $1,300 monthly income is too high for him to qualify for the doughnut hole exemption available through Medi-Cal. He's hoping his doctors will provide an answer--perhaps an alternative drug available at a discount or for free from a manufacturer--when he goes in for a check-up in a few weeks. Wendel Ott, 74, of San Diego, doesn't expect to hit the cap until September, but already he's considering cutting back on his eight medications. ``It's going to cost me a tremendous amount of money for the last part of the year,'' said Ott, who takes medicines for high blood pressure, an enlarged prostate and chronic bronchitis. ``Let's face it, I'm not wealthy.'' While many people were aware they might face a gap in coverage when they signed up for a Part D plan, it's clear some haven't prepared for it, said Michael Negrete, vice president of clinical programs for the California Pharmacists Association. ``Most people haven't saved money to deal with the doughnut hole,'' he said. Once in the gap, people create a new problem for themselves if they try to save money by purchasing cheaper drugs outside their Part D program, Negrete said. ``When they get drugs outside of Part D, that doesn't go to the credit they need to get out of the (gap),'' he said. ``If they are getting their medicines from Canada or from a discount drug service, they will never get out of the doughnut hole.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 394, S. 1496, I was held up with airplane problems. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 395, S. 203, I was held up with airplane problems. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I have been active in the struggle for civil rights since my teenage years. In 1961, I joined the first Freedom Rides to desegregate transportation facilities in our Southern States--and was arrested and imprisoned for several months in Mississippi. In 1965, I joined our colleague, John Lewis, as he led the famous march from Selma to Montgomery, AL. This led directly to Congressional passage of the Voting Rights Act. Since then, I have not forgotten my long standing beliefs and have consistently fought to uphold civil and human rights for every person in the United States. The Voting Rights Act, adopted initially in 1965 and extended in 1970, 1975, and 1982, stands as the most successful piece of civil rights legislation ever. The Act codifies and effectuates the 15th Amendment's permanent guarantee that, throughout the Nation, no person shall be denied the right to vote on account of race or color. In addition, the Act contains several special provisions that impose even more stringent requirements in certain jurisdictions throughout the country, including the requirement to provide bilingual assistance to language minority voters. This Act marked the first successful Federal oversight of changes to election procedures in jurisdictions that had a poor record of respecting minority voting rights in the past. These ``special provisions'' are set to expire in 2007. Therefore, the Voting Rights Act must pass in its entirety, without amendment. At this time, when our country has staked much of its international reputation on the ability to spread democracy and free elections to troubled regions across the globe, the importance of keeping this Act in legislation with its special provisions is very vital. I urge my colleagues to support the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act and reject all amendments.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 350 and 351, I was involved with official activities of the Veterans Affairs Committee. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on both votes.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to acknowledge a great friend of mine, but more importantly, a great friend of the San Diego community, Bruce Michael Abrams. On Sunday, June 25, Bruce is being honored at the ninth GLBT Community Tribute Banquet. Upon learning of this award, Bruce stated that receiving the community tribute this year is humbling and a wonderful honor, and at the banquet Bruce will urge people to get engaged and give back to the community. No stranger to being honored, Bruce Abrams has received numerous awards in the past, such as the Douglas Scott Political Action Award and the Liberty Award presented by the Lambda Legal Defense Fund. Throughout his 20 years of activism, Bruce has used his education and influence to promote positive change and garner needed funds for the whole community. He has emphasized the importance of all people being involved in their neighborhoods and communities. The Bruce M. Abrams Lending Library at the center is a direct result of what I call progressive philanthropy. Bruce not only helped to start this community resource, he ensured that the library would have a group of supporters who would be able to keep it going throughout the years. Today the library houses more than 2,000 volumes. His resume of volunteer service includes a long list of current and past board memberships, including the San Diego Democratic Club, San Diego Foundation for Change, Equality California, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Since last year, Bruce has served as a city commissioner on San Diego's Human Relations Commission. No novice to the political arena, Bruce first cut his teeth working on the gubernatorial campaign of Mayor Tom Bradley. Frequently, Bruce holds political receptions, charity benefits and galas at his beautifully decorated home. As I personally know, these events are not mere fund-raisers, but elegant gatherings which bring people together for real communication. Everybody loves the evenings at Bruce Abrams' home. When not raising the moral consciousness of the world, Bruce works as a probate and planning attorney. He has a B.A. from the University of Oregon and a J.D. from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. He truly is the ``attorney for the community.'' Bruce, we love you.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time of the gentleman from California.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, workers across this Nation are increasingly being asked to do more with less. As prices rise at the gas pump, at pharmacies, on college loans, the millions of Americans who work full- time and make minimum wage are slipping further and further into poverty. The minimum wage in this country has not been raised since 1997 and is now at its lowest level in 50 years, when adjusted for inflation. Making only $5.15 an hour, a full-time, minimum wage employee will earn only $10,700 annually. This is far from enough to make ends meet, especially for the 75 percent or so who are responsible for at least half of their family's income. Raising children on a middle-class income is hard enough. Imagine trying to do it on less than a third of that. Mr. Speaker, Democrats believe that the minimum wage should be a living wage. No American who works full-time, all year, should live in poverty, unable to support their family. Last week at the committee level, Democrats were successful in inserting a minimum wage increase into an appropriations bill. But now, the Republican leadership says they will not permit a vote on the minimum wage. They will not permit a vote in this full House. It is time for real action to move hardworking Americans out of poverty. Seven million Americans deserve a raise today.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman and the ranking member of the committee for this discussion we have had on so many issues today. As the senior Democratic member of the Veterans Committee, I have been particularly appalled at the loss of 26\1/2\ million records of veterans with their Social Security numbers and some medical data plus about 200,000 active duty personnel. So the issue of identity theft I think is on all our minds. And we all know that servicemembers and military retirees are at great risk for identity theft because the Department of Defense puts the Social Security number right on their military ID cards. The DOD is thereby placing millions of servicemembers, military retirees, and their family members at risk for identity theft, and the threat is heightened for servicemembers who must carry this ID with them at all times. We all know identity theft as being one of the fastest growing crimes of the decade, and it creates a nightmare for the victims who suffer. Identity thieves make off with billions of dollars each year, and each day more than 1,000 people are being defrauded. The Federal Trade Commission recently listed identity theft as the top consumer complaint. With just your name and your Social Security number, a thief can open credit lines worth thousands of dollars, rent apartments, sign up for utilities, earn income, and your credit rating is ruined. You risk being rejected from everything from a college loan to a mortgage, and it is all up to you as an individual to fix it all up. Law enforcement will generally not pursue these identity theft cases. Sixteen percent of the 13 million victims of identity theft in the last 2 years had their wallets stolen. Anybody who had their ID card in their wallet lost their identity. A military ID is one of those that is generally carried in a wallet. We could have saved 2 million people from the problems of identity theft. Just look at the two individuals who were recently convicted of Federal identity theft after creating 331 fake credit cards in the name of high-ranking military officers. They just found their Social Security numbers and military IDs on a Web site and copied the information from the Congressional Record. The recent incident at the VA affirms our need to wean the Federal Government from its overreliance on the Social Security number for ID purposes. There seems to be a culture of indifference in many agencies with regard to these numbers. States and universities and health care insurance companies have given up their addiction of Social Security numbers. Why can't we in the Federal Government? So I hope this issue is taken very seriously. I know Mr. Murtha and Mr. Young are seriously looking at this. I hope they will look at it in conference and as they pursue this bill. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I do represent the total California-Mexico border. Mr. Kolbe, I want to thank you for your leadership during your time in Congress on many of these issues. You have chaired with distinction the Interparliamentary with Mexico, as was noted earlier. You have been a spokesman for rationality in dealing with Mexican issues. We are going to miss that voice. As you can see, the irrationality seems to be taking hold. So I am sorry you are going to go, and we are going to miss your leadership on this. So thank you again. Mr. Chairman, these amendments which aim at taking money from Mexico are going to do the exact opposite as what the makers of the motion have in mind. We have a long border with Mexico. It is a friendly nation. We have a real problem with immigration. How do we solve that problem, by punishing them? I don't know if that helps any. These monies that are the subject of this amendment, the Economic Support Fund, are to promote economic and political stability, to strengthen judicial systems, increase transparency in government, help create jobs. How is reform going to take place unless we are engaging with them, unless we are seen as an ally? And as we say, we are friendly with them. And I will tell Mr. King, my friend, who I often mix up with Mr. Tancredo in more ways than one, that the immigration issue will be compounded by these efforts to stop assistance to Mexico. We know that people come here for jobs. If there were jobs in Mexico, they would not come here. They don't want to leave their country. They are just trying to find a way for their families to have a future. We need to do everything we can to help Mexico create jobs. And that is the quickest, most cost-effective, cheapest way to deal with the illegal immigration problem. This is not going to help create jobs. This will hurt and hurt your efforts to stop illegal immigration. Let's vote down this amendment.