Gene Green

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise not necessarily in opposition to the amendment, but concerning the amendment offered by my colleague, Congressman Polis. I want to thank the Congressman for his efforts to advance medical device development and would like to work with him on the legislation to enhance patient access to therapies. However, I am concerned this amendment as drafted would lower the approval standard for medical devices and suggest that patients should be exposed to products that are not proven effective. The FDA approval is a global gold standard for safety and effectiveness. While I support efforts to modernize and improve the standard, safety cannot be evaluated in a vacuum, and patients should not be offered treatments that have not been studied or proven useful to their care. I have great respect for my colleague, Congressman Polis, and appreciate his commitment to improving our healthcare system. I would like to work with him forward on that because he was correct in his statement, this doesn't mean it will be reimbursed. So we are proving a device is safe but it is not effective. I think there is a way, maybe, we can still make sure that not only we want it to be safe, but we want also to solve the problem or have a cure for whatever particular illness.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the bipartisan landmark legislation, H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures Act. Dozens of roundtables and hearings, thousands of responses from stakeholders, and countless hours went into crafting this bill. This legislation is the product of months of bipartisan collaboration with the administration and stakeholders. As a result, H.R. 6 is supported by more than 370 patient groups, physician groups, and research institutions across the country. The investments and provisions in this bill will accelerate the development of new tools and treatments for the fight against diseases, which have a great cost to our economy and an even greater toll on the patients and families that suffer from them. After more than a decade of cuts and stagnant budgets, the National Institutes of Health will receive $8.75 billion, and it will not increase the deficit. This influx of investment will be put toward solving today's complex scientific problems and discovering the next generation of medical breakthroughs. In addition to this much-needed funding for medical research, there are so many provisions in this package worthy of support. The 21st Century Cures Act will deliver hope and new treatments to Americans. While some of the provisions are technical in nature, their real- world impact is not abstract. Patients and families deserve to have their elected officials respond to their needs, and that is what this bill does. I want to thank Chairman Upton, Congresswoman DeGette, Ranking Member Pallone, and Chairman Pitts for their leadership, vision, and determination to speed the medical progress. This is an example of what our constituents want us to do: legislate and solve problems. It was a privilege to be involved in this landmark effort, and I want to thank the staffs, legislative counsel, and the countless stakeholders who worked tirelessly to craft a bill that lives up to the promises of the 21st Century Cures initiative. I strongly support H.R. 6 and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I rise today to express my opposition to H.R. 5, the Student Success Act. This bill undermines the fundamental purpose of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which was created to ensure that disadvantaged children are provided a high-quality education that allows them to compete on a level playing field with their more-advantaged peers. Among its many problematic provisions, this bill cuts crucial education funding, fails to hold states and districts accountable for supporting and improving the achievement of all students, eliminates and weakens protections for disadvantaged students, and lacks critical support systems for our nation's educators. I believe No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is flawed and must be reformed, and reauthorization presents a tremendous opportunity to make much- needed improvements and bring our education system into the 21st century. However, instead of fixing the problems of NCLB, the Student Success Act does not reflect best practices and fails to strike the appropriate balance between flexibility and accountability. Reauthorization should support college and career-ready standards, address the overuse of testing in teacher and school evaluations that currently forces educators to substitute test preparation for instruction, and feature an accountability system that includes meaningful targets for improving student attainment that gives schools and districts flexibility in how they achieve those goals. I urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 5 and instead support reauthorization that restores our nation's commitment to providing equal opportunity for all students regardless of their background and protect our country's students including the most vulnerable, which was the intention of this landmark civil rights law.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2042, the Ratepayer Protection Act of 2015. The EPA's clean power plan has raised a number of justifiable concerns. However, while I would like to find a solution to the issues raised by today's bill, I don't believe the present bill is the correct solution. For more than a decade, the focus of environmental debate has been on greenhouse gas emissions. In that time, we have passed two comprehensive bills, while the EPA has promulgated dozens of rules. Now, I am not raising Cain with the EPA. The Agency, backed by the Supreme Court, has the authority to regulate greenhouse gases, including carbon. The Agency, however, has a different approach to regulating than I think many Members of Congress on both sides would prefer. I acknowledge that global climate change issues are difficult, and the legislation would require a compromise, but this bill doesn't accomplish that. Congress should create a regulatory framework for the 21st century economy and environment. We should recognize that human activity has impacted the climate, but that does not mean regulating sectors of our economy out of existence. Regardless of the public outreach conducted by the Agency, regulatory overreach can occur. I don't think allowing each successive administration to prescribe policies that affect so much of our way of life is a correct course of action. We need to recognize our industries, and more importantly, our workers need time to adjust to the new environmental realities and implement changes, both technological and educational. Mr. Chairman, I know many of our colleagues agree that our job as legislators is to ensure each of our constituencies are equally represented. I prefer we sit down and craft a bill that addresses the many challenges we face not only domestically, but as a world leader. Unfortunately, the present bill doesn't address those issues I have laid out in a balanced and complete way. Allowing for endless legal challenges or partisan political decisions is not the proper way to handle an issue that affects the entire scope of the environment and the economy. Today's bill is only a part of the challenge, the part that is directly in front of us, and I don't agree with that approach. I would like the opportunity to sit down with my colleagues to draft a fair and comprehensive legislation that reasonably balances the interests of all parties rather than a sector-by-sector approach that balances none. I want to make sure that the folks back home get what they need, and I think it is an opportunity to bring all sides together. I have heard certainly from many groups they all want the same thing, but they want certainty.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, we want to be certain that their companies will be profitable, that their livelihoods will be protected, and their grandchildren have a clean environment. We can accomplish these goals not with endless delay or agency decree. I want to thank my colleague, Chairman Whitfield, for addressing part of the problem, but let's work together to solve the whole problem. For this reason, I oppose the bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2576, the TSCA Modernization Act. I am a proud cosponsor of this bipartisan legislation that will update the Toxic Substances Control Act, our Nation's primary statute regulating the use and safety of commercial chemicals for the first time since it was enacted in 1976. This legislation will directly address many of current TSCA's biggest flaws, including eliminating the ``least burdensome'' requirement and explicitly clarifying the law's safety standard excludes any consideration of costs. This bill would require EPA to consider the risks to vulnerable subpopulations, like children, pregnant women, workers, and set restrictions if necessary to protect them. The TSCA Modernization Act will go a long way towards ensuring that all American families--especially for families of chemical facility workers and fence line communities in our congressional district in Houston and Harris County, Texas--are protected from potentially harmful chemicals and bring needed regulatory clarity to this important sector of our Nation's economy. I would like to thank both Chairman Shimkus and Ranking Member Tonko of the Subcommittee on the Environment and the Economy and Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Pallone of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and their staffs for the hard work and willingness to work together to make TSCA reform a reality. I would also like to personally thank my legislative director, Sergio Espinosa, who has worked on this for three terms, I think, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to join us and vote in support of this important legislation.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1190, the Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act. While I support repealing the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), I oppose offsetting the cost of repeal with funds from the Prevention and Public Health Fund. The Prevention and Public Health Fund is the nation's single largest investment in prevention programs. Established under the Affordable Care Act, the Fund represents an unprecedented investment in preventing disease, promoting wellness, and protecting our communities against public health emergencies. Since its creation, the Fund has invested in a broad range of evidence-based initiatives. These include community prevention programs, research, surveillance and tracking efforts, increased access to immunizations, and tobacco prevention programs. Much of this work is done through partnerships with state and local governments, which leverage Prevention Fund dollars to best meet the local need. These monies have been used for important work, such as controlling the obesity epidemic, detecting and responding to outbreaks, and reducing health disparities. Congress has a distinct responsibility to formulate and fund programs and initiatives that promote public health and wellness. The Prevention and Public Health Fund is one means by which Congress fulfils this obligation. While I opposed the creation of the IPAB and support its repeal, gutting the Fund would be a significant step backwards on the path towards improving our nation's health. Rescinding $8.85 billion to offset the costs of H.R. 1190 will have a devastating effect on our nation's health. It is not an acceptable trade off. We spend billions of dollars on treating disease once people become sick. This investment in prevention is a key component of efforts to improve health and bend the health care cost curve. Using this money to pay for other priorities will only damage the long-term health of our nation. I urge my colleagues to protect the federal government's only dedicated investment in prevention and vote against H.R. 1190.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise today in honor of the graduates from the KIPP Generations Collegiate High School, KGC, in Houston, Texas. KIPP is a charter school that partners with our Houston area public school system. Last Sunday, I was honored to speak at their commencement ceremony. I have followed the success of KIPP students for 20 years. From their beginnings in elementary school, Mike Feinberg and his excellent staff have taught thousands of children in Texas. KGC's main focus is to build a rigorous learning environment to better equip its students for college. This school has upheld its mission by empowering its graduates to take ownership of their education by approaching learning with curiosity, with a sense of responsibility, and by putting their knowledge into action in the service of others. Hailing under the motto of ``We Lift as We Climb,'' KGC is truly a model of success for the entire country. KGC's values of hope, empowerment, grit, and citizenship are tools that every student needs to succeed in the 21st century. Because of this learning environment, every graduate from this program has been accepted into a college or a university. KGC continues to perform well above the State in district averages. I would like to congratulate the students, the parents, the teachers, and the administrators for their success now and in the future.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the month of June as Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. Approximately 340,000 Texans and 5.4 million Americans currently have Alzheimer's disease. One in nine Americans over 65 is projected to develop Alzheimer's, and it is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. The rapidly growing number of older Americans will lead to a corresponding rapid growth in the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease. The devastating emotional and financial impact of this debilitating disease is known by too many. My mother-in-law battled this disease, so I know firsthand how difficult it can be for patients and their loved ones. I strongly support efforts to advocate and raise awareness and robust funding for research to find treatments and cure for this disease. Congress has a real opportunity to dramatically impact the lives of millions of Americans by funding research and outreach programs for Alzheimer's. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the month of June as Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. Together we can help turn the world purple for Alzheimer's, and by doing so, promote care, support, and research of this terrible disease.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to fast track authority and the Trade Act of 2015. Passage of this legislation today will undermine Congress's constitutional authority to regulate trade and, I fear, accelerate the de-industrialization of our great country. The Constitution is very clear that it is Congress, and Congress alone, that has the power to ``regulate commerce with foreign nations.'' Passage of fast track, which grants the Executive Branch authority over how and when legislation must be considered by Congress, undermines our chamber's very ability to effectively regulate foreign commerce. I share the concerns of many Members and middle class families in Texas and around the country about the Trans-Pacific Partnership--TPP-- this mega-trade deal we are negotiating with Japan, Vietnam, and other countries. To this date, Congress has been left in the dark as to what's in TPP, let alone made public to the American people. We are told that TPP will help American businesses export billions of dollars of manufactured and services each year and has labor and environmental protections that all countries will have to abide by. But we simply don't know because we haven't seen the text. What I do know is that these so-called free trade deals have displaced millions of middle class jobs to developing countries over the past 20 years. Our district in Houston and Harris County, Texas saw first-hand the consequences of free trade when five plants moved to Mexico in the years immediately after we joined NAFTA. If TPP benefits the American people as much its supporters say, it doesn't need fast track. It can--and should--be considered under regular order and give Congress and the American people the time to debate the merits of this trade agreement, the largest our country has ever negotiated. Mr. Speaker, I call on Members from both sides of the aisle to stand with America's working families and small businesses and to vote no on fast track.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call for the House to bring H.R. 1031, the Promoting U.S. Jobs Through Exports Act for an immediate vote. This critical legislation would reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States, our nation's official export credit agency for the next seven years. Currently, the Ex-Im Bank's charter will expire at the end of this month if immediate action is not taken. If Congress fails to do its job, hundreds of thousands of American jobs, including over 10,000 jobs in my district in Houston and Harris County, Texas may be lost to China, Japan, and other foreign competitors if we force Ex-Im to close its doors. The Export-Import Bank, created 80 years ago during the depths of the Great Depression, has been authorized 16 times by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan majorities and has broad support from industry and labor for the very simple fact that it works. In the past six years, Ex-Im has supported more than 1.3 million jobs and has returned over $2 billion in deficit-reducing profits to the U.S. Treasury while providing over $27 billion in export credit last year alone. Mr. Speaker, at a time when foreign competition is becoming more fierce than ever before, with nations like China using any means necessary to win contracts in overseas markets, Congress must do everything in its power to support American small businesses and working families, including the immediate, long-term reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call to the attention of my colleagues the 97th Anniversary of the Republic Day of Azerbaijan. Republic Day celebrates Azerbaijan's declaration of its independence from the Russian Empire on May 28, 1918, becoming the region's first Muslim democratic secular republic in Central Asia. While that independence was short lived, from 1918-1920, the young Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan made tremendous strides, granting women the right to vote long before most Western democracies and laying the foundation for architecture and formal educational for future Azeris. Two years after independence, Azerbaijan was occupied by the Soviet Union, losing the hard-won independence, and was forced to become a republic in the U.S.S.R. In 1990, as the U.S.S.R. crumbled, Azerbaijan regained its independence from the Soviets after seventy years. On August 30, 1991, Azerbaijan's Parliament restored their nation's independence for the second time in a century, and weeks later, adopted their Constitution. A valuable international ally, Azerbaijan was among the first nations offering unconditional support to the United States in the war against al Qaeda, having provided a safe transit route to resupply our troops in Afghanistan. Azerbaijan leads the Central Asian area in regional economic cooperation, and is a crucial in European energy security matters. Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to join me in thanking the people of Azerbaijan for their friendship, and in congratulating Azerbaijanis around the world on the anniversary of Republic Day.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to note that I was unable to vote on Monday's legislation due to the weather, which forced my flight to be diverted to Norfolk Virginia. If the weather had allowed, I would have voted as follows: On consideration of the Dingell Amendment to H.R. 1335, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, I would have voted ``yea.'' On consideration of the Lowenthal Amendment to H.R. 1335, I would have voted ``no.'' On the Motion to Recommit H.R. 1335, I would have voted ``yea.'' On final passage of H.R. 1335, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the bill, H.R. 2353, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015 but with reservations. I support Chairman Shuster's efforts to ensure the Highway Bill does not expire and cost the economy jobs and cause important projects to stop progress. I am, however, disappointed we once again face this issue. We need to pass a long-term highway bill so that our communities and businesses have the certainty they need to invest in our future. I understand the fiscal challenges we face but I believe that we must do more to improve our nation's transportation system. Transportation funding, particularly for highways and transit, is particularly important for my constituents and the entirety of the Greater Houston area. We have a congestion problem in Houston. We have done a lot to reduce this congestion, but more must be done. We also have the largest port for foreign tonnage and largest petrochemical complex in our country along the banks of the Port of Houston. In the years ahead, we will face a much higher traffic volume due to population growth and the expansion of the Panama Canal, which will bring more truck traffic and economic development to the area. In order for Houston and our Port to continue to be a hub for commerce, we must strengthen our rail and road infrastructure. Both a successful port and a growing local economy rely on well maintained roads and bridges. Communities around our country must improve its transportation infrastructure in order to encourage businesses and economic development. While I understand the strain the Highway Trust Fund is experiencing, it is important that we fund important highway projects throughout the country. We are at a critical time for our nation in terms of transportation funding. We must fix bridges, expand highways, and increase the capacity of our infrastructure. Highway and transit projects are important to our constituents, so they can get to work and school and they are important to our businesses so they can move commerce. Everyone wins when we increase our investments in our transportation infrastructure. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2353 but I also urge my colleagues to fix the problem and craft a long-term highway bill for the benefit of all our citizens.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it doesn't take long for a Texan to brag about things that we do in Texas. But I wanted to take my 1 minute today to talk about what the Houston Rockets have done for the first time in 19 years to advance to the next level of the NBA playoffs, being a Rockets fan for as long as we have had them. I know all Houstonians and basketball fans were amazed that they came from three games behind to win. Also, basketball is not the only thing. In fact, a couple blocks from where the Rockets play, the Houston Astros are playing. A few years ago, we had the worst team in baseball, but they have been leading their division and just swept another home stand. So I want to congratulate the Houston Rockets for moving forward in the playoffs and also the Houston Astros because it is a long season. We need to keep it up. But they are bringing sports history into Houston again.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Chair, today I rise in support of the over 180,000 brave veterans in Harris County, Texas who answered the call to duty when America needed them most and urge my colleagues to make much needed changes to the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill that honor America's promise to all of our nation's veterans. The MilCon-VA funding bill has traditionally been bipartisan and without controversy. Just last year MilCon passed the House by a margin of 416-1. This year, unfortunately, this must-pass legislation fails to fully fund critical priorities for our veterans and the American people, including veterans' medical care and military and VA construction. Nearly every major national Veteran Service Organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and the American Legion, agree and have called on the House to reconsider this legislation and fully fund the Department of Veterans Affairs. Yesterday, the national commander of the VFW said that ``the nationwide crisis in care and confidence that erupted in the VA last year was caused in many ways by the lack of adequate resourcing that only Congress is authorized to provide. That's why the VFW is demanding that the House amend this bill to appropriate a funding level that fully funds VA.'' The national commander for the American Legion voiced similar feelings last week when he called for Congress and the White House to put political gamesmanship aside and fully fund Veterans Affairs. Madam Chair, I do not recall ever voting against a VA funding bill. Unfortunately, as currently written I cannot vote for this bill and call on my colleagues to demand that the VA be fully funded. The current funding shortfall for our veterans and military construction, which have always been supported by Democrats and Republicans, further highlights the pressing need for Congress to end the sequestration cuts. We simply cannot continue suffocating essential programs that support our servicemembers and veterans protect working families and our most vulnerable.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise to speak in favor of the Huizenga and Hahn amendment. First, I would like to commend our Committee on Appropriations' efforts on the increased Army Corps of Engineers budget on the navigation safety and efficiency. The committee's work this year, despite very low numbers from the budget, has been difficult. I would like to thank the chair, ranking member, and staff for your hard work in working with us. In Texas, we have serious energy and water infrastructure needs. Representing a large part of the Port of Houston, our need for operation and maintenance, as well as construction money, is significant. I greatly appreciate the committee's efforts to fund our needs by appropriating more than $32 million for harbor maintenance, but this amount does not reflect the amount the Port of Houston needs or the amount of revenue it generates. The Port of Houston is the second largest port in the country by tonnage. The Port of Houston ranks number one in foreign tonnage. For dredging operations alone, the Port of Houston requires more than $50 million annually. Currently, the Port of Houston has a backlog of projects with the Corps of Engineers totaling almost $100 million. The Port of Houston generates significant tax revenue, both for the State and Federal Government. To meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, the Port of Houston needs the funding allocated from the harbor maintenance trust fund. The Water Resources Reform and Development Act, WRRDA, requires that 69 percent of harbor maintenance trust fund fees be spent on related activities. While the energy and water appropriators have done great things with limited resources, this bill shortchanges the Port of Houston and many other ports across the country. I support the Huizenga-Hahn amendment. The approximately $37 million shortfall significantly impacts the ability of the Port of Houston to receive larger ships, and it is our job to meet these demands. I ask my colleagues to support the Huizenga and Hahn amendment.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise to recognize Israel, our partner in peace and prosperity, for its 67 years of independence. On April 14, 1948, just hours before the British mandate was due to end, Israel's founding fathers and mothers, led by David Ben-Gurion, declared the birth of the State of Israel in Tel Aviv. On that day, 67 years ago, the population of Israel was 806,000. Today, 67 years later, after many difficulties and hardships, a strong, resolute Israel has a population of over 8 million. Many of the Jews who lived in Israel in 1948 were survivors of the Second World War and the Holocaust, which pushed international opinion for the need for a homeland for the Jewish people where they could be free from persecution and free to build a better life. Since that fateful day in Tel Aviv, Israel and its people have worked tirelessly to build a thriving democracy that is economically prosperous and at peace with neighboring nations. The first nation to recognize Israel's independence, I am proud to say, was the United States, when Democratic President Harry Truman welcomed Israel into the community of nations just hours after its declaration. The bonds between our two great nations, bound together by common interests and shared values, have only grown with time. Mr. Speaker, I hope, on this joyous day, that we reflect on the need to redouble our efforts to bring peace to the region and continue to support our friend and ally in its quest for peace.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate one of the most important events in Texas history. Yesterday, on April 21, Texans celebrated the 179th anniversary of San Jacinto Day. On that day in 1836, approximately 900 Texian and Tejano volunteers overpowered a larger professional Mexican army of conscript soldiers, after defeats at the Battles of Goliad and the Alamo. These outnumbered volunteers succeeded because they were fighting against tyranny and for their homeland. In the words of the Texas Declaration of Independence, the people's government had been ``forcibly changed, without their consent, from a restricted federative republic, composed of sovereign states, to a consolidated central military despotism.'' The Texas Revolution proved the bonds of freedom are stronger than ethnicity, as many Tejanos and Texians sacrificed their lives for Texas' freedom at the Battles of Gonzalez, Bexar, Goliad, the Alamo, and San Jacinto. The war was not between Anglos and Hispanics, it was a struggle between all Texans and the unjust military dictatorship of Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana in Mexico City. Texians and Tejanos knew then what we know now--freedom requires sacrifice. Texas culture places high honors on heroes willing to sacrifice their lives for a better life for their fellow man, and Texans are known around the world as an honorable people who respond to the call of duty. While our young people are answering today's calls of duty, we should not forget those who have bravely answered that call in the past. With an understanding of where they came from, future Texans will continue to respond to calls to service, and Texans will continue to be respected and admired around the world.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding to me, and I appreciate his leadership on this issue and many others in our committee. I rise in support of H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act. As an original cosponsor of this landmark legislation, I urge my colleagues to support the bill. H.R. 2 will reform the flawed Medicare physician payment system that will reward quality and value over volume, make reforms to slow the growth of healthcare costs, and extend other critical programs, including the Children's Health Insurance Program and the funding for community health centers. Since 2003, Congress has intervened 17 times to prevent steep payment cuts caused by the flawed SGR formula in order to preserve seniors' access to care. Repealing the SGR is the responsible choice, both fiscally and logically. More money has now been spent on short-term patches than the full cost of the permanent repealing of the SGR. We are closer than we have ever come to repealing the flawed SGR formula and enacting meaningful reform that will strengthen the Medicare system for generations to come. I want to highlight the additional 2 years of funding for the community health centers program included in the package. These dedicated mandatory funds will avert an impending fiscal cliff set to take place in September. Without this extension, funding for health centers would be slashed by 70 percent, and 7.4 million patients would lose access to care. Also included in the agreement are funding for the National Health Service Corps and the teaching health center program. Both programs further the goals of improving and strengthening access to primary and preventative care in our communities. Like any good bipartisan compromise, the legislation strikes a balance and offers a set of viable solutions that should have broad bipartisan support. I want to thank Speaker Boehner, Leader Pelosi, and my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee and Ways and Means Committee for their leadership in working across the aisle to craft this commonsense, landmark legislation.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 648, the Trauma Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act. I am proud to be the lead sponsor of this bill, along with my colleague, Dr. Burgess, and I want to thank him for his leadership and commitment to this issue. The bill reauthorizes the programs that provide grants to States for planning, implementing, and developing trauma care systems and establishing pilot projects to design innovative models of emergency care systems. Ideally, trauma and emergency care systems respond quickly and efficiently to ensure that seriously injured individuals receive the care they need within the golden hour, the time period in which medical intervention is most effective at saving lives. However, unintentional injury remains the leading cause of death for Americans ages 44 years and younger, and access to trauma centers is inconsistent throughout the country. In fact, 45 million Americans lack access to a trauma center within the first hour after injury. Emergency departments and trauma centers are overcrowded. The emergency care system is splintered, and surgical specialists are often unavailable to patients when they need them. This legislation helps establish a system that saves lives and improves the functioning of our trauma care systems. Again, I want to thank Representative Burgess for championing this effort with me and his staff for their efforts. I also want to acknowledge the leadership of Chairman Upton, Chairman Pitts, Ranking Member Pallone, and the work of the committee's staff in advancing this bill through the Energy and Commerce Committee. Mr. Speaker, I support this bipartisan bill. I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 647, the Access to Life-Saving Trauma Care for All Americans Act. My colleague and fellow Texan, Dr. Mike Burgess, and I have introduced this legislation. I thank him for his leadership and partnership on this issue. The bill would reauthorize vital programs to prevent more trauma center closures and improve access to trauma care. The trauma center care grants were created to prevent trauma center closures by supporting their core missions, covering a portion of the losses from uncompensated care, and providing emergency awards to centers at risk of closing. The trauma service availability grants are awarded through the States to address shortfalls in trauma services and improve access and availability of trauma care in underserved areas. Despite our best prevention efforts, trauma injury will continue to occur. Unfortunately, access to trauma care is threatened by losses associated with the high cost of treating severely injured patients, including those unable to pay for their care, and a growing shortage of trauma-related physicians. The public expects that appropriate trauma care will always be available to them wherever they reside or travel, yet this is not a reality. Profound challenges face our Nation's trauma centers, trauma systems, and the physicians who treat the most vulnerable patients. Thus, I urge swift passage of this important legislation. Again, I want to thank Representative Burgess for championing this effort with me, and his staff, J.P. Paluskiewicz, for their hard work. I also want to acknowledge the leadership of Chairman Upton, Chairman Pitts, Ranking Member Pallone and the work of the committee's staff in advancing this bill through the Energy and Commerce Committee. I support this bipartisan bill. I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.