Ernie Fletcher

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma. Before he leaves, let me just ask him a question and make a remark. It certainly sounds like you have had a number of town hall meetings. As I go around my district in central Kentucky and I have had some town hall meetings with seniors, I really hear that this is probably the most pressing issue. You mentioned that illustration of the $1,000 a month of income. I hear this, especially from widows, women that have worked very hard all their life but they worked in the home. They are left with Social Security, which is very inadequate to provide for all the things they need in addition to prescription drugs. I just want to thank you and see if you have any further comments on that and this plan that we brought out here that would pay virtually 100 percent of coverage for those individuals that you talked about.

Mr. FLETCHER. I thank the gentleman from Kentucky. Next I would like to recognize another gentleman that has joined us this evening on this discussion, a very important subject, prescription drugs, one of our newer Members who has taken a leadership role on this, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Sullivan). We are glad to have him here this evening. Certainly we appreciate him coming and sharing his remarks as we address this very important issue.

Mr. FLETCHER. I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for coming and joining us tonight. You were talking about the Democrats and some people talking about this is not a big enough plan, but it is interesting when we look to just a year ago, there was an amendment offered by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt), a Democrat, that set aside only $303 billion and we have a list, and I think this is virtually every Democrat, voted for that. Yet now 1 year later, in a political year, in an election year, we have a political statement that it is not enough, even though we increased it from $303 billion in our budget, set aside for prescription drugs and enhancing and improving Medicare, to $350 billion. All of a sudden in an election year we hear this demagoguery, it is not enough. I really appreciate what you have said on that.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, as we speak tonight, there is a committee marking up the prescription drug bill which will provide prescription drug coverage for all seniors in this country. I believe it is one of the most pressing issues in health care that we face today, and so I am glad that we are going to spend this next hour talking about the House prescription drug plan; and I thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Chairman Tauzin), and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the chairman of the subcommittee, for their leadership in bringing this bill to the floor and making sure that we have a plan that is reasonable, doable, and will provide immediate relief for seniors. I am accompanied by some of my colleagues today, and at this time I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield). I know this has been an important issue that the gentleman has worked on.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, again I thank the gentleman for joining us tonight, and as he said, two critical things, immediate help, help now. If we, as we did a couple of years ago, pass a bill out of the House here, we sent that over to the Senate. The Senate did not act on it. Let us hope it is different this year as we look over the next few weeks of passing a bill out here and sending it over to the other body, but I do thank him for joining us tonight and thank him for all the work, for all the citizens, not only in the State of Connecticut, but all over the country. Let me just say a few things and close out this evening and remark on this. We said no senior should have to choose between food and medicine, and yet that is happening in this country, and yet we are undoubtedly the wealthiest Nation in the world's history. We have developed a tremendous amount of health care technology, including wonderful new medications, prescription drugs that help prevent disease. We now have medications that prevent hardening of the arteries, that reduce the rates of heart attacks and strokes. We have medications that certainly allow senior citizens to live more comfortably. We have medications that treat and sometimes even cure cancer. That would have been just unimaginable a few years and decades ago, but oftentimes our seniors are having to choose between the food that gives them that comfort, that quality of life and even assures them of prolonged life, and the medicine, having to choose between food and medicine. So we want to stop that. We have a good plan, and let me just review a little thing on that. First off, it fully subsidizes premium and cost-sharing up to 150 percent of the poverty level. That means those ladies that are on low income and those senior gentlemen that are on low income do not have to worry about that problem, as we have shown, choosing between food and medicine. It also provides a subsidy that is phased out between 150 and 175 percent. This is a coverage in Medicare, and it is important to understand that. It is also important to understand that people have a choice. There are several plans to choose from, so that they can get the medication that they need. It is not just a single formulary that may restrict someone or make it very, very difficult for them to get the particular medicine that they can tolerate and that treats their particular condition the best. It brings immediate relief of up to 30 percent cost reduction. It helps not only that, but there are a few other things I want to review as we close out. It protects improvements in Medicare to help reduce adverse drug interactions, provides for electronic prescribing to minimize medical errors which the complexity of medicine now certainly is needed to incorporate all the technology that we have to ensure that we reduce the medical errors to as little as few as possible. It allows pharmacy therapy management for chronic conditions, and I think disease management is part of this prescription drug plan that is very critical as we look to not only just treat the acute problems of our seniors but make sure we manage their condition to give them the best quality of life, again to help them with their retirement security, to secure their health for as long as possible. So as I close we have a plan that we will be rolling out soon to provide immediate relief that is available for all seniors that will ensure no one has to choose between food and medicine, that will also provide choice and freedom. It will also make sure that those people that have drug costs that become quite expensive, that they are not going to go bankrupt because of runaway drug costs. Mr. Speaker, it is an excellent plan. I certainly hope that we can get bipartisan support for this plan as we bring it to the House floor. As I mentioned a year and a half ago, we passed a good prescription drug bill out of this House. I think we have made marked improvements on the plan. I want to share, Mr. Speaker, this plan is not only a plan that we have worked on this year, it is the culmination of several years of work. What we found is that I think we can get a greater participation in the way this is structured; and again, the Congressional Budget Office predicts that 95 percent of the seniors will sign up for this, this voluntary program, because the benefits are so structured and so good and so attractive that they felt like seniors would sign up for this, and because it is available for all seniors. Again, it provides them with the ability to keep the plan that they have. If they have a retirement plan, and it provides prescription drug coverage, this does not impede their ability to keep that plan. It also, again through better negotiating power, gives them an immediate 30 percent estimated in their cost. We have a great disparity in this country in the fact that most people who are working can walk into a pharmacy and they can get prescription drugs at a markedly reduced cost because they have an insurance plan that negotiates the cost of those drugs and gets a reduced cost, but our seniors do not have that. They pay a substantially higher price when they walk in to buy their prescription drugs. Why, unless they have some sort of plan other than Medicare, they do not get the benefit, the negotiating power, to reduce the cost. This plan brings that power to every senior that takes advantage of this plan. I just wanted to share those few things, and let seniors know that not only providing this plan for the reasons we have mentioned because of the necessity of improving certainly retirement security and the security of our seniors' health, but it is a matter of equity. Medicare provides for acute care, and will provide, for example, bypass surgery for someone who needs surgery, but it will not provide the prescription drugs for hypertension or lowering cholesterol that are necessary.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) for joining me tonight. I thank him for his work on the task force, and I know as he mentioned certainly his sincere desire to help the folks in Connecticut, particularly in his district, I am sure they feel as I do, certainly appreciate the tremendous amount of work he has done on this, and I think he is focused. His background, as he has already mentioned, is one of serving the country and yet going well beyond that of focusing, not only as he mentioned on the national security, but now on the retirement security and security of our seniors' health. So I thank him for his work, and I know if he is like myself and some of the other folks that have joined us this evening, it is just an issue that they hear regularly around the district.

Mr. FLETCHER. I thank the gentleman for that high note of credibility he just added to this plan. Mr. Speaker, as I looked, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Grucci) also mentioned that some people are trying to scare seniors and talk about Social Security and spending Social Security money, taking Social Security away or privatizing, all of those terms that they use to try and scare our senior citizens. Let me say that is unconscionable because they do know that there is no plan afoot, no intent to that, and that we are actually trying to do and are working, and I think successfully, and certainly have come up with a plan that we will unveil shortly to help shore up retirement security, improve it, enhance it. As a matter of fact, this year as I served on the Committee on the Budget, we specifically set aside $350 billion over the next 10 years for the very purpose that we are here talking about tonight and that is to provide a prescription drug plan and to strengthen Medicare. Now we set aside for that very purpose. And let me say at that time the Democrats had no plan. They set aside no money for Medicare. They set aside nothing to plan for the future of prescription drugs. And I know that many of them desire just like we do that we have a prescription drug plan. And we just need to set the record straight that when we rolled out a budget here on the House floor, there was no alternative budget that provided the kind of money that we did or provided any provision for prescription drugs. We provided $350 billion over the next 10 years to address this critical health care issue in America. Let me share, I have practiced medicine before I came to join this honorable body. I was a family practitioner. I can remember situations like the one I will relay. A lady that came in who had high blood pressure, hypertension. I prescribe the medication for her. She goes home. She comes back, I check and the blood pressure is not controlled and I scratch my head. I increase the medication. She goes home, comes back, and the blood pressure still is not controlled. Finally when you sit down and she begins to pour out her heart, she says, Look, I cannot afford this medication and when the samples you gave me ran out, I could not afford to get them. I have seen folks that say, I take it every other day, or I could only take half of the dose you gave me. These are problems where people are not only have having to decide between food and medicine but it has a critical impact on their health and long-term security. If we are not controlling things like hypertension or diabetes or high lipids or cholesterol, then we are not doing all we can for the health of our seniors. And that will lead to diseases and problems that they would not have otherwise had if we do not provide the care that we are talking about here this evening. Let me review again some of the principles of this plan because I think they are critically important. First of all, it strengthens Medicare with a prescription drug plan coverage. It lowers the cost of prescription drugs now, and I want my colleagues to see that word ``now,'' Mr. Speaker, because I think it is critically important. People, I hear, need immediate relief and that means they need it now. This immediate relief is allowing us to reduce those costs. It is estimated at 30 percent. In the last year or so there have been Democrat plans that have been rolled out, and they are estimated only to reduce it about 10 percent. If my colleagues can remember, during the last Presidential election a plan was rolled out. The Democratic candidate, the estimate reduction was only 10 percent. We are providing three times the price reduction, and we are doing it immediately under this plan, as soon as this plan will be signed into law; and we get out the competition that would bring down the cost of those medications, the up-front cost as seniors walk into their pharmacy by up to 30 percent. It guarantees all seniors prescription drug coverage under Medicare. This is a plan that cannot be taken away from. Our Congressional Budget Office has estimated that 95 percent of the seniors will take advantage of this; and let me say, if, and this is a question I got at some of my town hall meetings, Mr. Speaker, and that is, if a senior citizen now has a prescription drug plan, this will not take away their ability to keep and maintain that prescription drug plan. It will allow them to maintain a plan that they like. So it does not restrict their freedom. It provides choices. It improves Medicare with more choices and more savings. We have already talked about a 30 percent saving immediately. With a small premium, there will be substantial savings. It also protects from any catastrophic drug costs that would result in bankruptcy because of runaway drug costs. It provides choices. We guarantee that a senior has at least two choices. This is unlike the Democrat plan that said we are going to give people one choice, one formulary that is going to be listed. That means that people have got a bureaucrat or bureaucrats controlling what is in the medicine cabinet of the seniors across America. Let me tell my colleagues, I worked with companies, insurance companies, that only had a single formulary, and sometimes it is nightmare to get the particular medicine that the patient needs, and so we wanted to make sure, as one of our basic principles, that we provided multiple choice. We guaranteed at least two choices, and hopefully there will be more than that, but more choices, more savings. We strengthen Medicare in the future. One of the problems we are seeing across this country and certainly in Kentucky is that a new Medicare patient has a difficult time of getting an appointment with a physician. We also see struggling rural hospitals and nursing homes and home health agencies because of reimbursals that are about to be cut or have been cut and the tightening or disparity in payments for rural hospitals. That makes it very difficult for these essential rural hospitals to continue to operate, and believe me, I think all health care is local. When we look at how important it is to have immediate care, when someone has something like a heart attack or a stroke, it is critically important to have that care right in the community, maintain those rural hospitals. Part of this plan will certainly help do that and improve the reimbursal for those rural hospitals. So I think that is critically important. Not only that, but it prevents this rather ridiculous plan of the way we were going to pay physicians and the reduction that would cause many of them to quit taking Medicare, and that is why I think it is critically important that we pass this, to improve the accessibility and availability of health care to our seniors. I see now I am joined by the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons). I am very glad to have him here and his work on prescription drugs. So let me yield to him.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, certainly I appreciate the gentleman's words and help again. As we begin to look at this problem, I am thinking of a lady who said that she was living on, it was around 7 to $800 a month, if you look at what it takes to provide, put food on the table, clothing, heating, a home, she was getting some assistance from family members, and we see that all across. It is not only the seniors that are very interested in this, but we all have parents, and there is a lot of younger folks out there that are struggling to make it and they are helping their parents right now because their parents are on a fixed income. They are having to contribute to that cost. So this is something that I agree immediate relief is certainly needed. And as the gentleman just said, there are a number of people out there struggling to make ends meet. They are having to decide whether there is food on the table and whether they will take the prescription drug. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the gentleman for his work and for coming and sharing the time tonight.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is absolutely right. In central Kentucky, probably throughout the State, when I talk to seniors at town hall meetings, and I was recently at a senior citizens center where there was probably 200-plus senior citizens there, and it was just the major issue on their mind. Virtually all of them seemed to be on some sort of prescription drug. I remember one lady that got up and she gave me her income and she said, How much will I have to pay? I was glad to tell her, and I will be looking just briefly at these charts, that lady who is on a fixed income, and I think the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito) talked about this, this affects particularly women that have worked all of their life very hard, many in the home, and they are on a fixed Social Security income and now they have these high drug costs. I was glad to tell her that actually this plan will pay for all of her medication costs, that it would help her tremendously, or virtually all of the costs would be covered. And that is something that I think as I get out around the district and tell people, they really understand how good this plan is and how comprehensive it is, covering all seniors. And certainly we get a tremendous amount of support out there.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Grucci). The gentleman could probably tell us a few situations. The gentleman mentioned he had been in a town hall meeting or meetings and this is probably the number one issue I hear about when we talk about health care, particularly with our seniors. I know that the gentleman, having owned and operated a small business, providing health care, and as we worked on the Patients' Bill of Rights, I remember a lot of times we spent together and the gentleman talking about making sure we could continue to provide the kind of health care we need. And it is good to see the gentleman now taking a leadership role on this prescription drug plan.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to thank the gentlewoman. Again, let me just thank her for her hard work, her dedication, and certainly her loyalty and care about those senior citizens in West Virginia. As the gentlewoman has mentioned, that is a large part of her population. I know she has worked very hard up here, and certainly I just want to thank the gentlewoman for coming this evening and sharing this time with us. I thank the gentlewoman for her work for those seniors back home. I know they will appreciate it. I just hope as we go through these next few weeks, and I believe we will be able to get this bill passed out of the House, I hope that it will continue to have work done so that eventually it gets on the President's desk and so those seniors back in West Virginia will see the kind of benefits that the gentlewoman has talked about. I thank the gentlewoman very much for joining us. I next yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Grucci), who has worked very hard also on this prescription drug plan. We appreciate him being here and sharing this time with us tonight.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, it is truly a privilege to be here this evening representing the leadership, the Republican leadership, on a very, very critical issue. Let me go back in time just briefly and look at when Medicare was first developed. We know that has been one of the most successful programs for our seniors, for their retirement security, for their health. Certainly it has been extremely successful. But since that time, medicine has changed tremendously. It has moved from a system that primarily was focused on acute care. In other words, if you had a problem, if you had a disease diagnosed, if you needed surgery, you went to the hospital, to the physician, and that was cared for. It was acute care. Medicine has transitioned tremendously since we first established Medicare. Medicare needs to be enhanced and improved and strengthened to meet those changes. Now, the Republican Party has already, over the last few years, certainly begun that change as we have increased some of the efforts toward diagnosis of early disease and screening of disease, and also on prevention, particularly in areas like diabetes, which certainly represents a tremendous problem in this Nation. Hopefully, through our increased funding of not only Medicare but NIH, we will find cures for these diseases. But we have already begun to move Medicare into an enhanced, improved program and strengthened it. Now, tonight, we would like to talk about prescription drugs. I think it is probably the most critical issue facing the United States and the health care, certainly, of our seniors, so it is certainly an honor for me to be able to be part of the Speaker's task force addressing this issue. Let me just review it briefly. First off, this program focuses and will provide coverage for all seniors. Every senior who is eligible for Medicare will be eligible for this program, and this program will cover them. It has been estimated about 95 percent of those seniors will take advantage of this. The other thing, it would provide immediate help, help right now: a 30 percent estimated reduction of drug costs, prescription drug costs, immediately. This is an up-front discount that will take effect immediately on the bill passing not only the House but the Senate and being sent to the President's desk, where he certainly is very much in favor of this. It is voluntary, and it provides at least two choices guaranteed to every senior. It cannot be taken away. It is not like a program that some others are offering on the Democratic side that would be sundowned or sunsetted. This program will not be able to be taken away. It has the same provisions and the same assurance guaranteed by the U.S. Government as Medicare and as Social Security. One thing, it also has provisions to ensure our seniors do not have to choose between food and prescription drugs. Certainly, I have seen that occur, and I will talk about that a little later. For those on fixed incomes, it certainly is critical that we provide this help to those. It also protects people from the bankruptcy of runaway drug costs. We have a lot of wonderful new medications that help tremendously, but the costs of those are accelerating. We need to protect our seniors from the possibility of runaway drug costs that will end up causing them to have substantial financial problems, and even bankruptcy. It also improves access and availability to hospitals, to physicians, nursing homes. With some of the provisions, it works to improve the reimbursement particularly for rural hospitals. It helps in general, again, with our health care of our seniors. I think it is one of the most pressing issues. I am pleased also to be accompanied here this evening by the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito), who has taken a leadership role in helping chair this task force. I yield to the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito).

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor Reverend Robert R. Blythe for his life-long commitment to the educational and spiritual development of residents in Richmond, Kentucky and the surrounding communities. Born and raised in Richmond, Reverend Blythe is a shining product of the local public school system. He was educated in the Richmond School System before earning his bachelor's degree in math education at Eastern Kentucky University, where he was elected President of the class of 1971. Following graduation, he went home to the local school system to begin his distinguished teaching career. He was named the Jaycees Outstanding Young Educator in 1974, and he received the Jaycees Outstanding Young Man of America Award in both 1978 and in 1985. In 1981, Reverend Blythe joined the First Baptist Church in Richmond as their Pastor; he was a worthy shepherd to lead the local flock. In 1986, he received his Master of Divinity with Pastoral Emphasis from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Reverend Blythe taught at Madison High School in Richmond and at Madison Southern High School in Berea as a mathematics and French instructor. He continues to educate Kentucky's future as a mathematics instructor at his alma mater, Eastern Kentucky University. Reverend Blythe has had a significant impact on the Richmond community and its residents. He has served on the Kentucky Human Rights Commission, the Youth Leadership Madison County Advisory Committee and the Governor's Health Care Data Commission. He continues to serve as the President of the Madison County Branch of the NAACP. Mr. Speaker, Reverend Blythe represents what is right about America. He demonstrates a willingness to sacrifice his own needs to foster and improve the lives of others. I am convinced that the lives of Central Kentucky residents have been and will continue to be blessed by Reverend Blythe's presence. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Reverend Blythe for his twenty years of service at the First Baptist Church and for his life-long service to the residents of Richmond, Kentucky.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, certainly I think it is very important in light of a lot of the discussion we have heard about Enron about a number of people losing investments over a number of years because of the ill-advice, because of the way Enron reported its financing, and because of the lack of financial advice, I want to say I encourage everyone to support 3762, the Pension Security Act of 2002, because it includes new safeguards and options to help workers preserve and enhance their retirement security. It insists on greater accountability from companies and senior corporate executives during blackout periods when rank-and-file workers are unable to change investments in their retirement accounts. Workers must be fully protected and fully prepared with the tools they need to protect and enhance their retirement savings. This bill gives workers freedom to diversify. We have heard it gives employers options to allow sale of company stock after 3 years, the 3- year rolling diversification, or allows workers to sell company stock after 3 years of service, the 3-year diversification cliff. It prohibits companies from forcing worker investment in company stock. Opponents of the bill, in the bill that will be offered as an option here, allow actually the employees to self-direct stock and money that actually is not theirs but it may belong in the future to other employees for several years, and I think that is a major problem in consistency that exists with the other proposals here. This bill creates parity between senior corporate executives and rank-and-file workers, the captain and sailor equity provisions the President has talked about. It prevents senior executives from selling stock during blackout periods because workers are unable to sell stocks in the plans during these periods, and it requires a 30-day notice to workers before the start of a blackout period. It clarifies that employers are responsible for workers' savings during blackouts. It clarifies that companies have a fiduciary responsibility for workers' savings during a blackout period and does outline situations where they may not be liable for losses in individually directed accounts. It enhances worker access to quality investment advice. It includes the Retirement Security Advice Act which was passed since the 106th Congress. This provision allows workers access to information and advice about their 401(k) plans, which is greatly needed to ensure the growth we have seen in the last two decades in the defined contribution retirement plans, and as my colleagues will recall, the House passed this legislation in November with a strongly bipartisan bill, but the Senate has failed to act on this bill as of yet. There are three reasons, I think, or three important differences with the opponent's bill. It does not include investment advice access, which is one of the provisions that would actually have helped Enron employees. It does not rely on education. Rather, it relies on overregulation. It increases the regulatory red tape that I believe will discourage these types of defined contribution plans. Lastly, their answer always seems to be, let us sue for some redress. Let us not give the personal freedom, responsibility, and the choice along with the education. I encourage the passage of 3762.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Chairman, we have heard a lot of strong words, I think even sometimes inappropriate words, disturbing, extreme words this evening, as we have been discussing this budget, particularly from the other side. All of us agree that these are unusual times. It is a time for tough decisions, a time that defines people. Do they rise to the occasion, or do they cower when they should stand tall? Do they sit quietly when they should speak? Do they freeze when they should lead? I am amazed this evening that at a time like this the Democrats have not stood, they have not spoken, and they have not led. At a time when your country needs vision, they have none. This year's budget reflects the tough decisions of those willing to lead when events call for a clear vision and clear priorities. Our budget meets the demands of these historic times and provides for our national defense, it provides for homeland security, and it provides for personal security. Let me talk about health care just briefly. Our plan provides $350 billion to expand and enhance Medicare; to provide a prescription drug plan for our seniors, which is needed; to provide for the reform of Medicare. Would we like to add more? Yes. But we have added a very reasonable amount. If Members look at prescription drugs, approximately 72 percent of our seniors are covered by prescription drugs. Yet the only thing that we have heard from the other side of the aisle is a plan that would control everything in the medicine box of our seniors, and would displace this money that already provides prescription drugs with an increase in taxes or an increase in deficit. We also have expanded and enhanced our community health centers, which provide health care for those who fall through the cracks. We have expanded health care for the poor, the children, and the uninsured. We have increased funding for research by doubling the funding for NIH, and we have provided fiscal responsibility. The other night in the Committee on the Budget when Democrats offered a string of amendments, the sum of those amendments would have increased our deficit by $200 billion. That is why we do not see them offering a budget. That is why we did not see them offering a budget when we marked it up during the committee. If we combined all of those amendments, it would require us to increase taxes by $150 billion to pay for the additional amendments they wanted. We have not cowered. We have taken a stand, a tough stand in these days that require tough stands. We have provided a budget which establishes the needed priorities, and yet it is remarkable to me that we hear chilling silence when it comes to offering a budget of responsibility.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in the well of the United States House of Representatives to wish a Happy 60th Birthday to a statesman and one of my esteemed colleagues in the United States Senate. During his first 60 years, Senator Mitch McConnell has influenced thousands of people, in both Kentucky and throughout the United States. Born on February 20, 1942, Senator McConnell demonstrated his leadership and political skills at an early age. He was elected student body president of his high school, student body president of the University of Louisville College of Arts and Sciences, and president of the Student Bar Association at the University of Kentucky College of Law. After graduating from law school, Senator McConnell quickly ascended Washington politics as an intern for U.S. Senator John Sherman Cooper, chief legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Marlow Cook, and deputy assistant general under President Gerald R. Ford. After serving in Washington, Senator McConnell returned home to Kentucky to help build the Republican Party he loves so much. He was elected as County Judge-Executive in Jefferson County in 1978 and to the United States Senate in 1984. He is the only Republican in Kentucky history to be elected to three full terms in that esteemed body. Since arriving in the Senate, Senator McConnell has achieved recognition as being one of Washington's most influential people. He is the Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee, the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, a senior member of the Senate Agricultural Committee, and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator McConnell's committee assignments position him well to champion issues that matter to Kentuckians. Perhaps one of the biggest honors of Senator McConnell's political career came in January 2001. As the Chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, he directed the planning and production of President George W. Bush's Inauguration as the 43rd President of the United States. Not only did he serve as emcee of the 2001 Inauguration Ceremony and escort President Bush throughout the day's historic events; he also helped coordinate the ``Bluegrass'' Inaugural Ball. Along with the long list of accomplishments in his political and professional life, Senator McConnell is a committed husband to his wife, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, and a loving father to his three daughters: Elly, Claire, and Porter. On Senator McConnell's 60th Birthday, I think it is important to thank him for the guiding light he provides to other folks in Kentucky. I speak personally and on behalf of a number of Republican candidates who have been inspired and helped by Senator McConnell's leadership. He taught us that Republicans can win in Kentucky. Mr. Speaker I would ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in wishing him a very happy birthday and continued service for Kentucky and America.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 24, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Stated against:

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present for rollcall vote No. 4 on January 24, 2002. Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 4, I would have voted ``Yea,'' in favor of passage of S. 1762, the Higher Education Act Amendments.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. William A. Mossbarger on the occasion of his retirement from Fuller, Mossbarger, Scott and May. Bill has dedicated his life to improving the Bluegrass area and the lives of Central Kentucky's residents. A native of Glendale, Kentucky, Bill had an early interest in both basketball and engineering. As a student at Glendale High School, he played in the Kentucky State Boys Basketball Tournament, known affectionately in Kentucky as the ``Sweet Sixteen.'' Bill moved to Lexington in 1956 to attend the University of Kentucky, where he played on the Freshmen Basketball team for the legendary basketball coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, Adolph Rupp. In 1961, Bill graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Engineering with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He went on to receive his Master of Science degree in Structures from the UK College of Engineering in 1963. Bill began his distinguished engineering career at the University of Kentucky in the research lab, where he rose to become the head of the Engineering Mechanics Section. In 1966, he left UK to organize the consulting firm of Fuller and Mossbarger, Civil Engineers, Inc. with Mr. Don Fuller. In 1968, the firm opened its arms to Mr. John Scott and became Fuller, Mossbarger and Scott, Civil Engineers, Inc. The firm welcomed Mr. Audrey May in 1973, and the firm's current title took its place in the Lexington community. Fuller, Mossbarger, Scott and May (FMSM) specializes in geotechnical evaluations for structures, highway designs, and locks and dams. FMSM has expanded significantly from its original office in Lexington, with offices in Hazard, Kentucky; Louisville, Kentucky; and Cincinnati, Ohio. Notable clients of Fuller, Mossbarger, Scott, and May include the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Kentucky Department of Highways, Ashland Oil, Inc., the Kentucky Finance Administration Cabinet, the Kentucky River Authority, and the Lexington-Fayette Urban- County Metro Government. Bill has also made significant contributions to the Central Kentucky community and the entire state. He is a past President of both the Kentucky Consulting Engineering Council and the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers. He is a fellow of the American Consulting Engineers Council and serves as a Board Member of the Cincinnati Bible College. As a past Chairman of the Board of Elders for Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Bill was a natural choice to chair the Building Commission when Southland decided to construct a new sanctuary. While achieving so much in his professional life, Bill has remained a devoted husband to his wife, Martha, and a loving father for his four children, Belinda Meyers, Carol Kearns, Evan Mossbarger and Dee Mallory.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, certainly in response to my colleague who last spoke, let me say that if he looks historically over the last several years in the funding for IDEA, he will find that since the Republicans have taken control of Congress, percentage-wise we have increased the funding for IDEA substantially over what previously had been funded, and I think we are doing a remarkable job as we increase the funding for that. I also rise to lend my enthusiastic support to President Bush's education reform plan, No Child Left Behind. First, I would like to congratulate the Committee on Education and the Workforce chairman, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) for this landmark piece of legislation and thank them for nearly one full year of work to produce a true education reform bill. I would like also to thank the conferees, both those in the House and the other body, whose work and support were vital to this bill. President Bush took office and immediately began his efforts to reform education in America. We tried to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in the 106th Congress; but at that time, because of partisanship, even though we had crafted a good bill under Mr. Goodling, we were unable to overcome that partisanship to get that legislation enacted. This year, H.R. 1 is not just a good bill, it represents true education reform in America and will begin to correct the shortcomings and failures of the Federal role in education in America since ESEA was first authorized in the 1960s. We will hear a lot today about funding for education and how important that is and how some Members in this body do not believe there is enough funding for education. I believe we should provide funding for education, and I have supported that idea with my votes here in the House since elected to Congress. A little over 2 months ago, the House approved the education spending package for this fiscal year that provided $3.5 billion over the budget request for the programs included in the President's elementary and secondary education initiatives authorized in H.R. 1 and special education programs. Total funding for elementary and secondary education funds was $29.9 billion, $4.9 billion over last year's levels. But just throwing money at problems we face in the education of America's children is not enough. President Bush has made it clear we must tie funding and resources to reform. The President outlined four pillars of education reform, and the conference report we are considering today has all of them: flexibility and local control; accountability; expanded choices for parents and a reemphasis on the role of the parent in education; and, finally, the idea that we need to fund programs that work, including the President's newly created Reading First and Early Reading First initiative, which is a scientifically based approach to overcoming illiteracy in America. The President has stated, since taking office, that the Federal role in education is not to serve the system, it is to serve the children. I am glad we have someone in the White House who is willing to hammer home this truth, and I am proud to support this rule and urge my colleagues to vote both for the rule and the passage of the conference report.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to draw my colleagues' attention to largely overlooked yet significant accomplishments on the homeland security front. Before the tragic events of September 11, the United States had a blood inventory of about 2 to 3 days. Critical blood shortages often meant cancellation of elective surgery and a national vulnerability to any sudden and widespread need for blood. Today, thanks to hundreds of thousands who have donated blood, and to the American Red Cross working tirelessly to collect it, we have tripled our supply to a 10-day national inventory of liquid red cells. This means enough blood to treat the immediate needs of 50,000 critically injured patients; and as a physician, I understand just how important that is. However, blood is a perishable commodity, and sustaining an adequate supply will require 25,000 donations a day. That is why it is critical to our homeland health security that we encourage the national habit of giving blood twice a year. I hope all of us will encourage our friends and family to do so by calling 1-800-GIVE LIFE.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for his work on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to vote for this measure; and I really do not think it will take a lot of encouragement because we have had an overwhelming expression of enthusiasm regarding those on United Airlines Flight 93 and their heroic activities. Mr. Speaker, this is a resolution expressing a sense of Congress that a memorial plaque be established on the grounds of the Capitol. It is an expression of our thanks and condolences to the passengers and crew of Flight 93. I also want to thank my Legislative Director, Phillip Brown, who has worked very hard to get this done. I think it will be great for posterity as they see a plaque that honors those on Flight 93 who I do believe had a significant part in probably saving our Capitol. On September 11, United Airlines Flight 93, piloted by Captain James Dahl, departed from Newark International Airport at 8:01 a.m. on a routine flight to San Francisco with six other crew members and 38 passengers on board. Shortly after departure, the flight was hijacked- by terrorists. The hijacking was one of four, as we all remember, on the morning of September 11. We all remember that date because it was a horrible day and a turning point in our nation's history. Four of our own planes were hijacked and targeted on buildings that define our nation and symbolize our freedom and values and symbolize our nation's economic and military strength. Three of these planes hit their marks, resulting in an incomprehensible tragedy and loss of innocent life on a scale not seen in this country since the Civil War. We know that the passengers and crew learned through cellular phone conversations with loved ones on the ground of the deliberate acts of destruction and murder occurring in New York City and Washington, D.C., and that hijacked aircraft had been used in these terrorist acts of war. During these phone conversations, several of the passengers indicated that there was an agreement among the passengers and crew to try to overpower the hijackers who had taken over the aircraft. It is believed that it was this effort to overpower the hijackers that caused Flight 93 to crash at 10:37 a.m. in southwestern Pennsylvania near Schwenksville, short of what is believed to have been its intended target, Washington, D.C., and probably, this very Capitol building we stand in today. The efforts of these individuals on this plane heroically limited the damage the terrorists could inflict, losing their lives for their country in the process. We owe the passengers and the crew our gratitude and our honor. The participants of the resistance on board Flight 93 showed selfless courage and patriotism: Passengers like Todd Beamer, whose young widow is here today in Washington. He told a telephone operator how much he loved his expecting wife and two sons, and he asked her to call them. He asked her to pray the Lord's Prayer and Psalm 23 with him. He told her, ``I am going to have to go out in faith,'' and his now famous words ``Let's roll'' have become a rallying cry in America. Passengers like Tom Burnett, who left what he knew would be likely his last conversation with his wife saying, ``Okay, we are going to do something.'' Passengers like Jeremy Glick, who told his wife that the passengers and crew had taken a vote and agreed to try to take back the plane. Crew members like Sandra Bradshaw, who told her husband of the plan to rush the hijackers and take back control of the plane, and that she was boiling water to use as a weapon against the terrorists. The passengers and crew, all of whom are survived by loved ones, husbands, wives, children, and parents, very likely averted the destruction of the U.S. Capitol and the symbol this institution has become for the democratic process of government, and in the process, saving hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives. By their heroic acts, the Statue of Freedom still stands at the top of our noble dome, and the light of freedom still shines brightly here in the Capitol. This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that a memorial plaque to honor Captain Jason Dahl, First Officer Leroy Homer, flight attendants Lorraine G. Bay, Sandra W. Bradshaw, Wanda A. Green, Ceecee Lyles, Deborah A. Welch, passengers Christian Adams, Todd Beamer, Alan Beaven, Mark Bingham, Thomas Burnett, William Cashman, Georgine Corrigan, Patricia Cushing, Joseph DeLuca, Patrick Driscoll, Edward Felt, Jane C. Folger, Colleen Fraser, Andrew Garcia, Jeremy Glick, Christine Gould, Lauren Grandcolas, Donald Greene, Linda Gronlund, Richard Guadagno, Toshiya Kuge, Hilda Marcin, Waleska Martinez, Nicole Miller, Louis J. Nacke, Donald Peterson, Jean Peterson, Mark Rothenberg, Christine Snyder, John Talignani, and Honor Elizabeth Wainio. This plaque should be crafted and placed here on the grounds of the United States Capitol expressing our thanks and condolences; and a copy of the plaque, together with a copy of this resolution from the Congressional Record, should be sent to a designated survivor of each victim. I am confident with the passage of this resolution that the Speaker of the House, the House minority, the Senate Majority Leader, and the Senate Minority Leader will ask and direct the Architect of the Capitol to begin plans for design, crafting, and placement of this plaque as soon as possible. I also want to thank my colleagues for their support of this resolution. After this vote, I intend to send a letter to the leadership regarding this sense of Congress, and I invite my colleagues to join me.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for his work on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, as we look at this, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to vote for this measure; and I really do not think it will take a lot of encouragement because we have had an overwhelming expression of enthusiasm regarding those on Flight 93 and their heroic activities. Mr. Speaker, this is a resolution expressing a sense of Congress that a memorial plaque be established on the grounds of the Capitol. It is an expression of our thanks and condolences to the passengers and crew of United Flight 93. I also want to thank my staff member, Phillip Brown, who has worked very hard to get this done. It was originally his idea. I think it is very appropriate as the families and survivors, and not only that, all of us, as we go about these Capitol grounds, I think it will be the appropriate thing to do. I think it will be great for posterity as they see a plaque that honors those on Flight 93 that I do believe had a significant part in saving probably our Capitol. On September 11, United Airlines Flight 93, piloted by Captain James Dahl, departed from Newark International Airport at 8:01 on a routine flight to San Francisco with six other crew members and 38 passengers on board. Shortly after departure, the flight was hijacked by terrorists. The hijacking was one of four, as we all remember, on the morning of September 11. We all remember that date because it was a horrible day and a turning point in our Nation's history. Four of our own planes were hijacked and targeted on buildings that define our Nation and symbolize our freedom and values and symbolize our Nation's economic and military strength. Three of these planes hit their marks, resulting in an incomprehensible tragedy and loss of innocent life on a scale not seen in this country since the Civil War. We know that the passengers and crew learned through cellular phone conversations with loved ones on the ground of the deliberate acts of the destruction and murder occurring in New York City and Washington, D.C., and that hijacked aircraft had been used in these terrorist acts of war. During these phone conversations, several of the passengers indicated that there was an agreement among the passengers and crew to try to overpower the hijackers who had taken over the aircraft. It is believed that it was this effort to overpower the hijackers that caused Flight 93 to crash at 10:37 a.m. in southwestern Pennsylvania near Schwenksville, short of what is believed to have been its intended target, Washington, D.C., and probably, this very Capitol building we stand in today. These efforts of these individuals on this plane heroically limited the damage the terrorists could inflict, losing their lives for their country in the process. We owe the passengers and the crew our gratitude and our honor. The participants of the resistance on board Flight 93 showed selfless courage and patriotism: Passengers like Todd Beamer, whose young widow is here today in Washington. He told a telephone operator how much he loved his expecting wife and two sons, and he asked her to call them. He asked her to pray the Lord's Prayer and Psalm 23 with him. He told her, ``I am going to have to go out in faith,'' and his now famous words ``Let's roll'' have become a rallying cry in America. Passengers like Tom Burnett, who left what he knew would be likely his last conversation with his wife saying, ``Okay, we are going to do something.'' Passengers like Jeremy Glick, who told his wife that the passengers and crew had taken a vote and agreed to try to take back the plane. Crew members like Sandra Bradshaw, who told her husband of the plan to rush the hijackers and take back control of the plane, and that she was boiling water to use as a weapon against the terrorists. The passengers and crew, all of whom are survived by loved ones, husbands, wives, children, and parents, very likely averted the destruction of the U.S. Capitol and the symbol this institution has become for the democratic process of government, and in the process, saving hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives. By their heroic acts, Lady Liberty still stands at the top of our noble dome, and the light of freedom still shines brightly here in the Capitol. This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that a memorial plaque to honor, and I would like to read these names, Captain Jason Dahl, First Officer Leroy Homer, flight attendants Lorraine G. Bay, Sandra W. Bradshaw, Wanda A. Green, Ceecee Lyles, Deborah A. Welch, passengers Christian Adams, Todd Beamer, Alan Beaven, Mark Bingham, Thomas Burnett, William Cashman, Georgine Corrigan, Patricia Cushing, Joseph DeLuca, Patrick Driscoll, Edward Felt, Jane C. Folger, Colleen Fraser, Andrew Garcia, Jeremy Glick, Christine Gould, Lauren Grandcolas, Donald Greene, Linda Gronlund, Richard Guadagno, Toshiya Kuge, Hilda Marcin, Waleska Martinez, Nicole Miller, Louis J. Nacke, Donald Peterson, Jean Peterson, Mark Rothenberg, Christine Snyder, John Talignani, and Honor Elizabeth Wainio. This plaque should be crafted and placed here on the grounds of the United States Capitol expressing our thanks and condolences; and a copy of the plaque, together with a copy of this resolution from the Congressional Record, should be sent to a designated survivor of each victim. I am confident with the passage of this resolution that the Speaker of the House, the House minority, the Senate majority leader, and the Senate minority leader will ask and direct the Architect of the Capitol to begin plans for design, crafting, and placement of this plaque, to begin as soon as possible. I also want to thank my colleagues for their support of this resolution; and after this vote, I intend to send a letter to the leadership regarding this sense of Congress, and I invite my colleagues to join me.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that during consideration of H.R. 2269 pursuant to House Resolution 288, notwithstanding the operation of the previous question, the Chair may postpone further consideration of the bill to a time designated by the Speaker on this legislative day.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson). (Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)