Gene Green

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt).

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise to express my support for House Resolution 398, a resolution recognizing the devastating impact of fragile X, urging increased funding for fragile X research, and commending the goals of National Fragile X Research Day. Fragile X is the most common inherited cause of mental retardation, affecting 1 in 2,000 boys and 1 in 4,000 girls. This condition causes a host of mental and physical problems, including learning disabilities, mental retardation, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, anxiety, autistic-like behaviors, physical abnormalities and seizures. Despite the prevalence of this illness, many Americans, including health care providers, are unfamiliar with fragile X. As a result, 80 to 90 percent of individuals with fragile X are often misdiagnosed. Without proper diagnosis many children are unable to reach their full potential or get the education or treatment they need to better cope with fragile X. Fragile X is also a very expensive disease to treat. Most children with fragile X require a lifetime of special care at a cost of over $2 million each. The lost wages, special education and health care costs associated with fragile X create a significant societal burden that justifies additional Federal research in this area. Advances in the current research indicate that this would be a worthwhile investment. Many prominent scientists have undertaken fragile X research projects, rapidly accelerating the progress and leading to new breakthroughs about its cause. Researchers have identified the set of genes which are normally regulated by the fragile X gene. This set is also associated with other neurological and psychiatric problems, and these advances could lead to breakthroughs in two other neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as autism, pervasive development disorder, Rett Syndrome, schizophrenia, obsessive- compulsive disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, and numerous other disorders. Research into the treatment of this genetic malfunction could benefit the hundreds of thousands of people suffering from these diseases. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Watkins) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt) for their commitment to finding a cure for fragile X, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important cause. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3450, the Health Care Safety Net Improvement Act, and I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) for bringing this important legislation to the floor today. I would also like to thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Chairman Tauzin) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), for their efforts to improve access to quality preventive and primary health care for the millions of medically underserved Americans who rely on these programs. This important legislation strengthens our health care safety net by reauthorizing the Consolidated Health Centers program, the National Health Services Corps, certain rural health programs, and creating a new Community Access Demonstration Program. This legislation could not come at a better time. The U.S. Census Bureau announced on Sunday that the number of uninsured people in the United States increased by 1.4 million in 2001 to more than 41 million Americans. With the decline in the economy and escalating health care costs, the ranks of the uninsured will continue to grow. We must act now to ensure that our health care safety net is prepared for the flood of newly uninsured individuals. These programs ensure that all Americans have access to health care, regardless of their ability to pay. I would like to take a moment to talk about the Community Access Program, or CAP program, as this is an issue I have been working on for a number of years. The CAP program was launched as a demonstration project in fiscal year 2000, providing grants to 23 communities across the country. This program has expanded in fiscal year 2001 to 77 communities, and again in fiscal year 2002 to a total of 136 communities. The CAP program provides grants to help agencies coordinate preventive and primary care for that 41 million Americans without insurance. The uninsured and underinsured tend to be more expensive to treat, often because they fall through the cracks in our health care system. Instead of getting checkups and having small problems looked at, the uninsured often ignore the symptoms of what might be larger problems because they simply cannot afford to go to the doctor. CAP can help fill the gaps in our health care safety net by improving infrastructure and communication among the agencies to ensure that care is continuous. With better information, agencies can provide preventive, primary, and emergency clinical health services in an integrated and coordinated manner. I am particularly proud of the CAP program in Houston, Texas, which has been operating for the past 2 years. Using Federal CAP funds, the Harris County Community Access Collaborative was able to grow into an organization consisting of 78 member and affiliate groups working together to coordinate and improve access to health care. In just the last year, over 9,000 persons have been assisted during the 15,000 interventions to procure access to care through navigation services. And after-hours telephone service called Ask Your Nurse has been opened that is designed to provide health care information to 20,000 callers per year as an alternative to emergency rooms. The collaborative is also supporting the redesign of existing safety net services in order to assist them to use their resources more efficiently resulting in the increase of services to 18,000 to 24,000 additional persons. This kind of program not only helps ease some of the burdens on our health care system, but makes a tremendous difference in the quality of life for many of these patients. That is why I am pleased to support H.R. 3450, including a 3-year demonstration program for the CAP program. However, I am concerned that H.R. 3450 limits the number of grants nationally to 35 and that the initial authorization level in the bill will not adequately support the program or provide for its growth. Given that there are currently 136 grantees and many more prospective CAP participants, I support efforts to achieve the strongest CAP provisions possible as the bill moves forward. It is my hope in the closing days of the 107th Congress, we are able to work out the differences and produce a strong and effective CAP program. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. GREEN of Texas. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I intend to share my 1 minute with my colleague, the gentlewoman from Houston, Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). Mr. Speaker, it has been a difficult year for Houston, between floods and Enron and reduced energy production, but last night I watched a community come together. Last night, the National Football League came back to Houston after more than 5 years of being gone, and we watched the Houston Texans, a new expansion team, take on our cross-State rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, on prime time Sunday night at the Texas Super Bowl. I watched as a team that was not expected to win literally won convincingly. It had not happened in 41 years that an expansion team won their first regular season game. I want to congratulate the Houston Texans and Bob McNair for their effort, and they played like veterans. To quote Willy Nelson, ``Momma, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys,'' and with the Houston Texans, the pro football team, we now have a new sheriff in town.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss a serious disease or illness that affects a great many in our country. It is Alzheimer's disease. I have been a longtime advocate for increasing research for treatment and cures for Alzheimer's. I was particularly touched by a recent article in Time Magazine by Patti Davis, President Ronald Reagan's daughter, discussing her family's battle with Alzheimer's. I include that for the Record. The article referred to is as follows: [From Time, Aug. 26, 2002] The Faces of Alzheimer's (By Patti Davis) We learn about the disease by looking into the eyes of victims--and their families The day after the first anniversary of my sister Maureen Reagan's death, Charlton Heston announced that he had been diagnosed with ``symptoms consistent with early stages of Alzheimer's.'' Sometimes in life, there are odd juxtapositions of events--an interplay of circumstances that makes one pause and wonder what forces are at work. This was one of those times for me. Maureen was so committed to defeating the scourge of Alzheimer's, to getting more funding for research and increasing understanding of the disease that she sometimes delayed her own treatment for the melanoma that eventually killed her. Maureen would have tirelessly done interviews on Aug. 9; instead, her husband Dennis Revell spoke to the media, as did the actor David Hyde Pierce, who lost both his grandfather and his father to Alzheimer's. My mother released a statement. Maureen's voice had been silenced, but her activism, her determination, were still present. We learn about diseases through the faces of those who are stricken. Famous faces garner the most attention, obviously. When we think of Alzheimer's, my father's face comes to mind. Or Iris Murdoch's. And now Heston's. When Parkinson's is mentioned, we picture Michael J. Fox or Muhammad Ali. But there is another way that faces tell the story. You have to lean closer, look carefully into the eyes, study the set of the jaw and the tilt of the head. I recognized more than the famous visage of Heston when I saw his taped announcement. I saw the first shallow waves of a cruel disease lapping at the edges of the person he has always known himself to be. I recognized it because I saw the same look in my father's eyes eight years ago. In the early stages of Alzheimer's, the eyes have a wariness, a veil of fear. It's as if the person is standing at the edge of a fog-bank, knowing that in time it will engulf him and there is no chance of outrunning it. I used to see my father's eyes simultaneously plead and hold firm. It would happen when a sentence broke off because he couldn't remember how to finish it. Or when he would say, ``I have this condition--I keep forgetting things.'' He was on a high wire, balancing on courage, with the dark waters of fear below, and he was using every bit of his strength to cling to that wire. Slowly--sometimes over months, sometimes over years--the eyes stop pleading. There is a resignation, an acceptance of distance, strangeness, a life far from home. You know the look when you see it, and the only mercy is that fear seems to have subsided. The eyes of family members change too. My brother Ron's eyes show the sweet stoicism that men seem born to possess. But looking more intently, I see the bubble of pain beneath the surface. A father's helplessness has to tear at the fibers of a son's heart like a dull blade. My own eyes have too much history in them, I often think. I was the little girl who worshipped her father, and the young women who hurt him the way daughters do when their love is needy and true. Now I look at him in a soft, maternal way, which still feels odd to me, even after all these years. As if the laws of nature have been turned upside down. My mother's eyes are frequently such deep wells, I have to look away. A 50-year marriage is full of intimate memories that live in the blood of lovers and life partners--memories that are both benediction and punishment. So much life has been shared, and so much has been lost. I could tell you that I don't fear getting the disease myself because I know how toxic fear is, how paralyzing. But in the next breath I would have to tell you that there are late hours of the night when I lie awake and wonder what fate has in store for me. At other times, I study photographs of my father from many years ago, or film clips. I don't want to forget how his eyes used to look. Alzheimer's teaches a harsh lesson--that the past is like the rudder of a ship. It keeps you moving through the present, steers you into the future. Without it, without memory, you are unmoored, a wind-tossed boat with no anchor. You learn this by watching someone you love drift away. I woke last night and listened to the silence. It was a late, deep hour, long after midnight, long before dawn. I though about how, for someone with Alzheimer's, silence must be like a prison, another corner of the wasteland. There can be nothing soothing or serene about it. Perhaps the next time members of Congress assemble to decide how much money to set aside for Alzheimer's research, they should be asked to listen to silence differently, as if it were a jail sentence. Maybe then they would look into their hearts and know that if stopping a disease that is stalking so many is not a top priority, we have lost our collective heart as a nation. During the August recess, I had the opportunity to speak to the Houston Alzheimer's Association's educational symposium in Houston with Dr. Rachel Doody, who has a well-known research program at Baylor College of Medicine in the Texas Medical Center. The number of people at that event, it amazed me. It was the first time I had the opportunity to address that group and see how many people were interested. The battle that we have affects far too many Americans. More than 4 million Americans, one in ten over 65 and nearly half those over 85, suffer from Alzheimer's disease. With the aging baby boom population, unless a cure is found, 14 million Americans will have Alzheimer's by 2050. I personally have been touched by Alzheimer's when my mother-in-law was diagnosed with this disease several years ago. I know firsthand the incredible toll Alzheimer's has on not only that person, but also the family. As a family member, I know the heartache of watching a vibrant and active and independent loved one become lost in a world of confusion, isolation, and despair. I know the frustration that there are so few treatments and no cure to this disease. As a policymaker, I am concerned by the staggering economic burden of this illness. The U.S. society spends at least $100 billion a year on Alzheimer's. Neither Medicare nor most private health insurance covers the long-term care many patients need. Alzheimer's disease is costing American business $61 billion a year: $36.5 billion is the cost to business of caregiving, and the rest is the business share of the cost of health care and long-term care. While I am proud that the National Institutes of Health spends almost $599 million on Alzheimer's disease research, that number seems insignificant in light of the cost of this disease. We must do more to study the causes and risk factors of Alzheimer's and to develop a new way to diagnose the disease, and to develop new methods for treatment and caregiving. Five years ago, Congress made a commitment to double the budget of the NIH so more money could be invested to find a cure for many diseases, such as Alzheimer's. I have been a longtime proponent of doubling the funding for NIH, and hope we will be able to achieve our goal of doubling the NIH budget in this, the final year of that commitment. But there are other things Congress can and should do to aid in the fight against Alzheimer's. We must ensure that the individuals who care for people with Alzheimer's have the resources they need to keep their family members at home as long as possible. We should pass legislation which allows individuals to deduct their long-term care expenses from their income tax and would help alleviate some of the financial burdens on the family caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's. We should pass legislation which would provide respite care for these caregivers. These are just a few steps Congress should take. I urge the leadership to take up these bills and do everything we can to support the millions of Americans who suffer from Alzheimer's. I would like to close with a quote from Patty Davis's article in Time magazine of last week: ``Perhaps the next time Members of Congress assemble to decide how much money to set aside for Alzheimer's research, they should be asked to listen to silence differently as if it were a jail sentence. Maybe then we would then look into their hearts and know that if stopping a disease that is stalking so many is not a top priority, maybe we have lost our collective heart as a Nation.''

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have never spoken to my colleagues from this mike, that I can remember. Mr. Speaker, we do not enjoy what we are doing today, but I am proud to follow my colleague, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Hulshof). When we have to discipline ourselves, it is a task we try to avoid. We avoid it to give due process to the accused, but in all reality, we really do not want to air our dirty linen in public. We really do not. Nobody does. Because we are a family, and families do not do that. With that said, I could not be more proud in my four of five terms here. I did not want the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, but I am proud to serve on it with the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hefley) as the Chair and the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) as our ranking member. This is not something that any of us wanted. In fact, we would resign tomorrow, except it is our duty. This is the people's House and we have to do our job. If we cannot remove a Member of Congress who has been convicted of 10 felonies, including using his office for personal gain, we risk losing the faith and trust of the American people that we have. As a duly elected Member from the 17th district of Ohio, I do not fault the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) for doing everything he can to bring economic assistance to his constituents. As my colleague from Missouri said, we do that every day; 434 of us try to do that, and we work hard for our constituents, for jobs and economic development. The line of legality is crossed when we help ourselves for our benefit instead of helping our constituents for their benefit. The gentleman from Ohio crossed that line when he worked for a company to get road contracts for his district, and then that company did improvements on his own private property. That is not lawful. And when he helped a family move an imprisoned loved one closer to home and then provided a list of improvements to be made to his properties, that was illegal. When he created a system of kickbacks by his congressional employees, that was outrageous and unlawful. When he helped a company receive Federal tax dollars that we vote for for worthwhile projects, and then they accept benefits to use personally, that was illegal. Mr. Speaker, I know I am out of time, but we need to do our job, and we need to make sure that we remember we are only here temporarily, and this is the people's House. These examples of violations of House Rules and U.S. Statutes by Congressman Traficant clearly demonstrates a continuing abuse of his congressional office. That is why the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct voted unanimously to expel him. Congressman Traficant is our colleague, and I do not like having to list his past mistakes, but I value the honor of this body above all else. Our colleague has brought disrespect on his House by his violations of law and for that reason, he must be expelled. Mr. Speaker, Congressman Traficant has been judged guilty by a jury of his peers in Ohio and a Committee of his peers in the House of Representatives. I urge my colleagues to show the American people that this body believes in the ``rule of law'' and vote to expel Congressman James Traficant. We should all be appalled by this activity--we should not continue the image that elected officials are crooks who get special treatment. We need to act on this immediately--well after conviction but before sentencing next week.

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I am the newest member of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, and like all of my colleagues, I did not want it. In fact, I had to be asked three times by the leadership on our side before I would say yes. But I rise tonight to oppose the motion to postpone until September 4. This House is more important than any of us individually. We will come and go. Our voters will make that decision. What my concern is what this looks like for our House of Representatives for the future. Sentencing for the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) is set for next Tuesday, July 30. We will be in recess until September 4. We could actually have our colleague serving with us and also serving in Federal prison for a month. I would hope we would not think about us as individuals but think about us as a House and ask ourselves if we want that for our House of Representatives, and not really ours, as Members, but the people of this United States. I do not think it is right, and I do not think it does this House honor. I will not repeat what my colleagues have said who heard the testimony. I listened to Mr. Detore, and I found that he must be a very nice fellow, but I did not find him to be a credible witness on even the issues he was trying to talk about. I felt like he was out of the loop even on those issues, much less that we need to remember that the jury in Cleveland convicted our colleague of nine other felony counts. The committee found eight other counts and unanimously voted for expulsion.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as one of the Democratic cosponsors, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3609. Our pipeline infrastructure is the invisible backbone of this country through which the vast majority of our gasoline and natural gas flows. This bill greatly enhances the safety of all the pipelines by requiring more frequent inspections, additional operator training, greater fines for safety violations, and better measures to protect against terrorist attacks. All these additional enhancements are reached on a bipartisan basis, not only by the Committee on Energy and Commerce but also by my good friends and colleagues on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, protecting the lives of the folks whom I represent in Houston, Texas, who have lived and worked along pipelines all their lives, is our first priority, even around the country. The vast majority of the pipelines scheduled to be inspected first are those with high population density surrounding them. This commonsense approach will immediately bring the greatest margin of safety to the largest number of people. In addition, all pipelines will be inspected more frequently under this legislation. Because of the increased inspections mandated under the bill, pipeline inspection equipment and the personnel needed to man them should increase at a rapid pace. This will in turn lead to even better inspections and less accidents like we have had in Washington State and New Mexico. This is a great bill. I am proud to be a cosponsor. Mr. Speaker, as one of the Democratic cosponsors to this legislation, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3609. Our pipeline infrastructure is the invisible backbone of this country through which the vast majority of our gasoline and natural gas flows through. This bill will greatly enhance the safety of all pipelines by requiring more frequent inspections, additional operator training, greater fines for safety violations, and better measures to protect against terrorist attacks. All these additional enhancements were reached on a bipartisan basis between members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Energy & Commerce Committee. Mr. Speaker, protecting the lives of my folks in Houston who happen to live around the many pipelines is my first priority. The vast majority of the pipelines scheduled to be inspected first are those with high population density surrounding them. This common senses approach will immediately bring the greatest safety margin to the largest number of people. In addition, all pipelines will be inspected more frequently under this legislation Because of the increased inspections mandated under this bill, pipeline inspection equipment and the personnel needed to man them should increase at a rapid pace. This will in turn lead to even better inspections and less accidents like we saw in Washington State and New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill and I want to commend both Chairmen and Ranking Members for working to better protect the American people.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my ranking member from Michigan for yielding me time. It is hard to say in one and a half minutes how much is wrong with this piece of legislation. We should have the opportunity to debate alternatives to correct the problems, but the tyranny of the majority makes that mockery of democracy. There is one major glaring problem that should be mentioned: the gaping hole in the coverage of the drug costs that exceed $2,000. If a senior has a $300 monthly drug bill, they can expect to lose their drug coverage halfway through the year. But they will have to keep paying month after month for the rest of the year until they reach that catastrophic limit. Another problem is, if seniors have other coverage from an employer or maybe some help from their church or a charitable organization, these contribution will not count as out-of-pocket expenses for that senior. So that is wrong with the bill. There is another major disincentive for employers to provide retiree health care. It will further erode what little health care coverage we have left in our country. Diabetes is a major illness for seniors. This bill, granted, covers insulin, but it does not pay for the syringes. So those seniors have to pay to inject the insulin we will give them. What kind of sense does this make? Mr. Speaker, there are so many problems with this legislation we should be allowed our alternative, providing a meaningful prescription drug benefit, but the Republican majority again is afraid to allow amendments to pass. My Republican colleague from Iowa said that their bill is a bird in the hand, but seniors, when they find out what this bill does, will be left with only bird droppings in their hands.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I want to express my disappointment that the Appropriations Committee included $94 million to fund the Department of the Navy's Military Sealift Command purchase of T-5 Tankers. As I have stated to the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I believe the Military Sealift Command has not determined the actual cost of exercising their buyout option--particularly by underestimating the purchase costs of the ships and by not taking into account lease and other termination costs. There is no cost penalty for waiting until future fiscal years to purchase these vessels, when the T-5 Tankers will be older and will have a lower residual value. However, Mr. Chairman, I note that the Committee acknowledged the excellent operating history of the T-5 Tankers by conditioning any changes in operating contracts resulting from this new acquisition strategy on a certification to the Committee that the readiness and efficiency attained in the current operation of these tankers be maintained. Knowing how the Committee operates, it would be my understanding that such certification to the Committee is not pro forma, but substantive, supported by facts and timely submitted before agreements are executed affecting T-5 Tanker operators or operating personnel responsible for meeting the Defense Energy Support center's military fuel resupply needs. The current T-5 Tankers operator with this excellent record, Ocean Shipholdings, Inc--a Texas-based company--has long expressed its hope that the Navy will extend the existing leases when they expire. At the time Ocean Shipholdings is willing to renegotiate its operating contract in a fashion which secures these ships under operating rates beneficial to the Navy. The Congress has been struggling to find additional funding to procure advanced combatant vessels and auxiliary craft for the Navy mission; using current procurement funds to purchase aging vessel already under lease is not the best use of those funds. It will reduce the funds available to the Navy for new vessel construction. Ocean Shipholdings designed and built these five unique and environmentally compliant double-hulled ocean going oil tankers. These U.S. flag T-5 Tankers were completed in 1985 and 1986, at which time they were purchased and then leased back by private sector leasing companies. The T-5 Tankers were then Time Chartered to the Military Sealift Command for a term of 20 years to transport petroleum fuels globally to meet the requirements of the Defense Energy Support Center under the Defense Logistics Agency. Ocean Shipholdings was awarded the prime contract to manage, operate and maintain the T-5 Tankers for the term of the 20-year Time Charters. This included crew, maintenance, insurance, drydocking and logistics support on a turnkey basis. Under the operation of Ocean Shipholdings, the T-5 Tanker fleet has reliably moved clean petroleum products worldwide for the Navy over the last sixteen years in some of the most hostile ocean environments, including Antarctica and Arctic seaports. Ocean Shipholdings has a perfect safety and environmental record in the operation of the T-5 fleet, has maintained all five ships in full operating status and continuous deployment for sixteen years, and has established comprehensive in-house protocols and contractual arrangements for oil pollution response. During Operation Desert Storm, this Texas-based tanker operator ran the T-5s in the war zone effectively and continuously with U.S. citizen officers and crew. Instead of using scarce resources for the purchase of these T-5 Tankers in this time of increasing burdens on U.S. military global operations, maintaining the current leases will ensure the continued efficient operation of these T-5 Tankers by Ocean Shipholdings--while meeting the Defense Energy Support Center's requirements for global movement of defense fuels. Extending the ship leases and Ocean Shipholdings operating contract-- at rates favorable to the Navy and taxpayers--are the most stable and prudent courses of action to meet the Navy's defense fuels needs over the next decade. As this bill moves through conference committee, I hope my colleagues will insist that the Navy maintain the same level of readiness and efficiency already experienced in the operation of these tankers by retaining their relationship with Ocean Shipholdings.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we are one Nation under God, but God please help this House of Representatives. For the outrageous procedure that the Committee on Rules did this morning, we need God's blessing. For years and years seniors in our country have needed a prescription drug benefit, and yet early this morning Medicare was styled as a Soviet-style health care plan in the Committee on Rules, Medicare that was passed and had provided health care for seniors for over 35 years called Soviet care. Well, the Soviet concern is what the procedure is today in the House of Representatives, not allowing an option except on the Republican prescription drug bill that is so filled with holes, it leaks so bad, no senior will be able to get any prescription drugs. They will not have these lifesaving pharmaceuticals. Now they are not turning on their electricity, they are taking half prescriptions, and yet the Republicans today are giving them a sieve to be able to sift through.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, last week the Committee on Energy and Commerce spent 3 long days and one very long night marking up a piece of legislation that is supposed to provide seniors with a Medicare prescription drug benefit. I say ``supposed to'' because most Americans support putting prescription drugs under Medicare. I have a graph here that shows those who support or oppose rolling back the tax cut that Congress passed last year and using that money to provide a prescription drug benefit under Medicare for seniors. Supporting is 64 percent, opposing is 25 percent, and 6 percent do not think Medicare ought to have prescription drugs. This poll was done between March 28 and May 1 of this year. So instead of having the huge tax cut that we passed last year before September 11 and extending them even after 9 years from now, the American people really want a prescription drug benefit for seniors before they want a tax cut. What is frustrating is that if we had been able to pass even one single Democratic amendment during that markup, I think all those days and that night would have been well spent. Unfortunately, every effort we made to improve the bill, and there was so much to improve, was shot down on basically party line votes. When I look at all the problems of the bill, I have to wonder why my friends on the other side of the aisle fought so hard to preserve it, because their bill creates such a complicated scheme of varying copays, high deductibles, and insufficient coverage. When seniors sit down around their kitchen table to figure out how the Republican plan affects them, they will find this bill simply does not add up. Under the Republican proposal, the beneficiary pays a $250 deductible. For the first $1,000 of drugs, they have to pay a 20 percent copay, or an additional $150. Does not sound too bad. But for the second $1,000 worth of pharmaceuticals they have to buy, the copay jumps to 50 percent, or $500. So far we are up to $900 in out-of-pocket expenses for a $2,000 benefit. The legislation that came out of our committee had a gaping hole in coverage from $2,000 to $3,700 where seniors have to pay every single dime for that $1,700 worth of coverage. At the same time, they are still paying their $35-plus a month for coverage they are not receiving. So to get to the catastrophic coverage, there has to be $3,700; but seniors will have to have $4,800 worth of drug costs before they will receive the catastrophic benefit under the Republican plan. Most seniors never will actually reach that level. If a senior's drug cost, for example, is $300 a month, they will hit that $2,000 by midyear. For the next 6 months, they will be paying these premiums but getting nothing in return. And while we are talking about the monthly premium, let us point out that the legislation does not specify exactly what it should be. It says that the private drug plans can charge whatever they want. Now, in the committee we talked about $35 a month, and that is great. But when we tried to put an amendment on that said it could be $35 or cost of living after that, that was defeated. But the $35 a month adds up to $420 a year in premium before they even get to the copay. Mr. Speaker, under this plan, the seniors' out-of-pocket expenses are adding up, but their benefits are not. There are even more holes in the bill that should cause great concern. Under the legislation, private health care plans can create a benefit that an actuary can call an ``equivalent'' plan to the Republican scheme. That means that the insurance companies can create any plan they want, any premiums, any deductibles, any copays as long as an actuary deems it an ``equivalent'' plan. Under this plan, the health insurance companies could go to an actuary, such as Arthur Andersen, with a plan and have them sign off on it and sell it as a Medicare product. There is no guarantee that a private plan would look anything like the Republican proposal. Finally, I want to focus a moment on a point that seniors will be thinking about. The Republican plan relies on private insurance companies to run this new benefit. It will be separate from Medicare part A and Medicare part B and will be run by something called a Medicare Benefits Administration. Why is this relevant? Because this is the first step to long-term efforts to privitization in Medicare. The Republicans have tried to do it for 5 or 6 years. It has not worked. Those HMOs just do not make enough money to serve seniors. My Republican colleagues have been long-time crusaders for the free market. I agree with the free market, but you cannot have the free market and private insurance trying to cover seniors. It does not work. We learned that in 1965.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, seniors cannot wait a minute longer for a prescription drug benefit under Medicare. Our seniors have been in need for far too long. Unfortunately, they will be very disappointed with the plan that will be presented by the Republican majority either this week or after the Fourth of July break. With its high deductibles, fluctuating premiums and gaps in coverage, the Republican plan hardly provides any benefit at all. But the biggest problem with their plan is that it relies on the insurance industry to work. Their plan is the first step in their long- term effort that they have been trying to do to privatize Medicare. Let us face it. The insurance industry just does not work for seniors. As we have seen with the Medicare+Choice program, private health insurance companies cannot make a profit with the health care demands of our seniors. That is why Medicare was created in 1965. It is foolish to believe that private drug plans will be able to do any better. We need to take profit out of the equation and create a prescription drug plan that is run by Medicare, just like hospital visits and doctors visits. It is time to stop wasting money on failed experiments and put the money where we know it will work, in a drug benefit under Medicare.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor the men and women who were a part of the Northeast Allison Commemoration Community Project. This project was composed of citizens, community leaders, civic clubs, churches, and local government and business who banded together for each other after the devastating flooding caused by Tropical Storm Allison. Last June, when Allison began moving into the Houston area, few had any idea the disaster that lay ahead. Over the week beginning June 6, Allison sat over Houston, Texas, and dumped rainfall in excess of 10"- 15", with some areas in the 29th District receiving over 30", with the majority of that falling in a 24 hour period. Flooding from this storm was severe and widespread, with streets and freeways impassible, residents being rescued from their roofs just before their homes were completely submerged, and schools and other public places transformed into hastily-organized shelters. The damage to both homes and businesses was estimated at over $5 billion. However, that total is low, when you consider the inability to completely replace treasured mementos and other valuables that were left behind and washed away or ruined by floodwaters. In the aftermath of this disaster, the Northeast Allison Commemoration Community Project was formed. This organization helped address the overwhelming sense of helplessness with crisis counseling; strengthened the unity of the community; served as a remembrance to those who lost their lives; and brought healing to the devastated neighborhoods. This Saturday, the Project will hold a gathering to celebrate their recovery. This gathering will allow members of this community an opportunity to close the door on this difficult period. However, the bonds which were forged and strengthened by this flood will continue, as we all work together in the future.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have been in a Medicare and prescription drug markup for the last two days trying to give our nation's seniors a meaningful health coverage. Every Democratic amendment to improve seniors access to cheaper prescription drugs has been blocked by the Majority. The reason they give is that it costs too much. I find it amazing than that we are here today once again giving the richest people in this country another break. Over the next 10 years, millions of Americans will benefit from the increased pension contribution allowances this body passed last year. I support all Americans saving for their retirement and believe over the next ten years they should do just that. However, by permanently extending these pension reforms so early, these same people may be devastated by astronomical health care costs when they retire. We do not have to make the decision on this legislation today. Ten years from now our elderly population is going to explode and we will have no wiggle room to ease their financial burden. In addition, the huge budget deficit being run up by the federal government will only compound the problem. Mr. Speaker, for upper-income Americans, this legislation will be a real bonanza and over the next ten years I hope everyone is able to enjoy the benefits, but we all know everyone will not. We have once again pulled out the government credit card and are back to the ``buy now pay later'' approach. I just want everyone here today to know that we will not feel the effects of this bill for ten years, but when we do it is going to be very bad.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Energy and Commerce was in session all night debating a prescription drug benefit for seniors. I am on that committee, and the biggest frustration we had was that all night we heard was that the Democratic plan for prescription drugs under Medicare or that 80 percent/20 percent, like doctors and hospitals, we do not have the money, we cannot afford it. Well, it is a matter of priorities. In 2001, we passed a huge tax cut, and it will be paid out over the next 10 years. So will a prescription drug benefit. It is a matter of priorities. The House Republicans set their priorities for tax cuts. That is fine. I like tax cuts, but I also know that we owe a debt to our seniors to make sure that they do not have to miss their prescriptions because they cannot afford it; they do not have to give up turning on their air conditioner in Houston, Texas, during the summer because they cannot afford their prescriptions. We need to take care of America's generation. We need to make sure we have our prescription drug benefit that will take care of the seniors who built this country.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank both the Committee on Resources and the Committee on Science for this legislation. I rise in support of H.R. 3389, the National Sea Grant College Program Act Amendments of 2002. This important legislation reauthorizes the Sea Grant Program in Texas and its counterparts around the country to continue the important work done. When Congress passed the Sea Grant College Program in 1966, it intended to apply the successful attributes of the Land Grant College Program to coastal and marine issues. Today, the National Sea Grant Program represents the bridge between government, academia, industry, scientists and private citizens to help Americans understand and maintain the oceans and Great Lakes for long-term economic growth. Sea Grant also serves as a bond uniting 350 participating institutions in 35 States, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia and millions of people. In short, Sea Grant is an agent for scientific discovery, technology transfer, economic growth and public education as they involve coastal, ocean and Great Lakes resources. Every day, Sea Grant scientists make progress on important marine issues of our time. A network of outreach professionals takes this information out of the laboratory and into the field, working to enhance a coastal business, a fishery, or a resident's safety and quality of life. The dedicated corps of communication specialists builds public understanding, and bring discoveries into our Nation's schools to pioneer better ways of teaching. Through these research, education and outreach activities, Sea Grant has helped position the United States as a world leader in marine research and the sustainable growth of coastal resources. Mr. Chairman, Texas A&M University was among the first four institutions to be designated a Sea Grant College in 1971, and its researchers had been involved since passage of the National Sea Grant College and Program Act of 1968. As a Sea Grant College, Texas A&M provides research support for university-level faculty throughout the state through a competitive grants process. A great amount of this research is conducted at the Texas A&M--Galveston, Texas campus. In Texas, the Sea Grant program has conducted research in hyperbaric physiology, endangered species ecology, marine aquaculture, coastal processes, fisheries biology and ecosystem health. As a result of these and other Sea Grant efforts, we have seen development of a major shrimp aquaculture industry in South Texas, marina initiatives to adopt best management practices and minimize water pollution, non-point source pollution reduction from residential landscapes, improvements in seafood handling to reduced loss in the retail markets and expanding marine educational opportunities in support of the state's, and nation's teachers and students. I urge my colleagues to support the National Sea Grant College Program Act Amendments of 2002.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, joining my colleagues in paying tribute to a leader in Harris County, TX, who is retiring from office this year. Harris County Commissioner Jim Fonteno, in his 27th year of service to the county, has earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues and his constituents with his tireless devotion to his job. The Jim Fonteno Post Office is our small way of repaying him for all he has done over the years. A veteran of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Merchant Marine, Commissioner Fonteno has a long history of public service. He has served as a municipal judge for the city of Baytown, served two terms as the commissioner of the Port of Houston, and, since his swearing-in on January 1, 1975, has represented the residents of precinct two in Harris County. Over the years, Commissioner Fonteno has been an advocate for those often neglected or forgotten in our society. When he took office, he recognized the need for programs aimed at senior citizens, and, when he realized that the County did not have the money, he formed East Harris County Senior Citizens, a nonprofit corporation. The most critical need seniors faced was adequate transportation. Because seniors had limited transportation, many of them were inactive and isolated from the rest of the community. In 1976, Commissioner Fonteno, along with four area businessmen, signed a note on a 32- passenger bus nicknamed ``The Fun Bus.'' Today, the fleet includes 21 buses, five of which are equipped for the physically challenged. These buses are used to transport senior citizens to various places and activities. East Harris County Senior Citizens sponsor various activities throughout the year, including trips to sporting events such as Houston Astros, Comets, and Aeros games, and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. One of the most popular events sponsored by the East Harris County Senior Citizens is the Senior Citizen Olympics, held annually throughout precinct two. These fun-filled events provide both social and physical interaction among senior citizens. However, not every senior is able to attend these events. The distinctive needs of the seniors in the 18 nursing homes located throughout precinct two are addressed by the Nursing Home Program. Special activities such as movie parties, manicures, and the Ms. Golden Years Pageant are offered to nursing home residents. In addition, the handicap buses are utilized for field trip outings. All of these activities are funded solely by grants, fund raisers, and private donations made to the 501-C3 corporation. Another cause that Commissioner Fonteno devoted a great deal of time to was the well-being of our youth. The East Harris County Youth Program, which he founded, is dedicated to serving the needs of the Harris County precinct two youth. The program originated as a pilot program comprising a summer camp at J.D. Walker Community Center and an after-school program at Cloverleaf Elementary School. The single most important role of the East Harris County Youth Program is to serve as a vehicle that makes learning fun. Designed to be a resource, not a substitute for school systems, the program is a strong proponent of students staying in school. Although academic achievements receive top priority, the East Harris County Youth Program also puts an emphasis on physical activity. I am proud to know Jim Fonteno, proud to call him a friend, and honored to be his representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. My only regret is that, after all these years in public service, we will no longer have Commissioner Fonteno, his experience, and his wisdom, at the commissioner's Court, fighting for the people of precinct two. I thank Jim Fonteno for his service, and wish him the best as he settles into a well-deserved retirement.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to honor the memory of a brave law enforcement officer, Harris County Sheriff's Deputy Shane Bennett. Deputy Bennett was killed early Wednesday morning, as he and two other deputies charged into a home and stopped a robbery and assault on an innocent family. He and his fellow officers were summoned by a 911 call from a teenaged girl. Five gang members had broken into their house, and were in threatening the ten people inside with guns. Tragically, it appears that they had made a mistake, since they were demanding jewelry, money, and drugs, none of which these innocent people possessed. While only two members of the family were shot, a woman of 22 and her 3 month old son, the outcome could have been much worse if the officers had not arrived and come to the family's rescue. These assailants were all members of the Latin Kings street gang, and two of them had criminal records, including weapons possession charges. Two of them were killed by the officers, and the rest were tracked down and captured by an intensive manhunt through the nearby woods and homes by officers from a half-dozen local police agencies. After hearing of the shooting, law-enforcement officers from all over the Houston area gathered at Memorial Hermann Hospital, prepared to roll up their sleeves and give the gift of life for their brother in arms. Sadly, as they arrived, they were met with the news of Deputy Bennett's death, and could do nothing but comfort his family, and each other. Shane Bennett, 29 years old, was a member of the class of 1990 at Spring High School, in north Harris County. He had been patrolling the second patrol district, which covers 300 square miles of unincorporated Harris County, since 1997. His colleagues remember him as a dedicated officer, who loved his job. He was known for his eagerness to combat the drug trade in this area, and was often involved in breaking up meth labs, a dangerous job due to the volatility of the chemicals used in the process. Ed Christensen, president of the Harris County Deputies' Association, remembered him as a tireless and hardworking officer. He also said, ``Shane died a hero. What would have happened if he hadn't been there? He laid down his life and gave the ultimate sacrifice. He absolutely laid down his life for his fellow man.'' Deputy Bennett is survived by his wife, Teresa, and his 20 month old daughter, Alyssa. According to reports, as he lay mortally wounded, the name of the young girl who will never know her father was the last words he was able to speak. We are indebted to Shane Bennett for his courage, and we share the grief of his family and offer kind words, knowing that it is a poor substitute for their loss. Every day, ordinary men and women make an extraordinary commitment when they put on the badge that symbolizes the oath they took to protect and serve, the badge that also makes them a target. Every day, they leave their families behind, not knowing if they will come home that night. Congress should continue to make sure that we keep our commitment to the law enforcement by providing funding for more officers, better equipment, and advanced training. It not only saves the lives of officers, but it makes our families, our homes, and our neighborhoods a safer place to live.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate NASA on the successful launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour on June 6. This important mission has delivered the Expedition Five crew, and continues to install the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module and the Mobile Remote Servicer Base System on the International Space Station. This launch marks Endeavour's 18th flight and also marks the 14th shuttle flight to the space station. This launch is also historically significant because Astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz makes a record-tying seventh flight into space. He now shares the record with Astronaut Jerry Ross. During this mission, Astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz, along with French Space Agency Astronaut Philippe Perrin have also preformed three scheduled spacewalks that continue the assembly of the International Space Station. These extravehicular activities mark the first time that Chang-Diaz and Perrin have been the first spacewalks for both astronauts. Four years ago, I had the privilege of meeting and getting to know Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz, an outstanding scientist and an accomplished astronaut. During this four year period, Dr. Chang-Diaz has accompanied me to nine middle schools in my district to talk about the importance of our national space program and to encourage students to take more math and science classes. I have also had the opportunity to visit his plasma propulsion laboratory at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston. Dr. Chang-Diaz is a man of many talents. Not only is he the second human to make seven space flights, he is also currently developing the new Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) concept. The VASIMR prototype rocket engine is designed to shorten the trip to Mars and provide a saver environment for the crew. Dr. Chang-Diaz has been working with scientists at NASA and the Department of Energy to develolp this project. To date, he has been able to secure just enough funding to keep the project operating. However, this project is too important to allow it to just survive. I am hopeful that NASA will quickly realize the need to have a dedicated stream of funding for the VASIMR project. Our nation is fortunate to have such outstanding individuals, like Dr. Chang-Diaz and the other crew members, as part of our national space program. Our NASA astronauts are scheduled to arrive back to earth on Monday, June 17. At that time, I look forward to welcoming back our heros. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating Astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz, the Johnson Space Center in Houston and everyone at NASA for a successful launch and a successful mission.