Alcee Hastings

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Chair, when you're flabbergasted, the easiest thing to do is to not say anything else. I just can't believe that we're doing this useless legislation while people in the gulf are hurting the way that they are. It's senseless.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Chair, H.R. 1229, in my opinion, is an irresponsible giveaway to the oil industry, which has taken enormous profit at American taxpayer expense. Section 207 of the bill repeals the Equal Access to Justice Act, thereby eliminating the awarding of attorneys' fees to litigants bringing successful legal challenges, be they expeditious, just or not, to offshore oil and gas activities, making this kind of litigation prohibitively expensive. As the BP oil spill demonstrated, there has been a lack of Federal oversight of the drilling industry. Consequently, legal challenges have become the only enforcement mechanism for many related laws and regulations. Removing the judiciary system from the equation makes it even less likely that large oil and gas companies will comply with environmental and safety standards. Let me insert something here. As to the commission that was set up under BP, a colleague of mine on the Rules Committee said that BP has been accountable. Only 3.8 percent, $3.8 billion of the $20 billion, has been left to 177,000 claimants. That ensures, among other things, that by 2013, at the expiration of the commission's term, there will be money left over. Guess what my friends at Fox News reported? They reported that the money goes back to BP. How crazy can we be around here? Eliminating the awarding of attorneys' fees means the traditional groups that bring lawsuits on environmental or safety grounds, such as fishermen, small business owners and environmental groups, will no longer be reimbursed for the cost of successfully litigating these kinds of claims. The idea that the bill will somehow eliminate an excess of lawsuits is ridiculous. Since litigation is by its nature so expensive, these cash-strapped plaintiffs usually only bring those lawsuits with the most likelihood of success. Without the possibility of receiving attorneys' fees, legal challenges will effectively become impossible. Madam Chair, section 207 of H.R. 1229 only helps large oil companies avoid having to comply with U.S. law. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my strong support for House Resolution 244, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a Palestinian government which includes Hamas must be prohibited from receiving United States aid until that government publicly commits to the Quartet principles. The Quartet--the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, and the Russian Federation, require Hamas to recognize Israel's right to exist, to renounce violence, and to accept previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements. Last week on April 27, 2011, Fatah and Hamas initialed a document of understandings as a foundation for a ``Palestinian National Accord'' agreement, which was signed by all of the Palestinian factions on May 4th in Cairo, under the aegis of the Egyptian transitional government and with the presence of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas Political Bureau head Khaled Mash'al. That same night on Al-Jazeera TV, Foreign Minister of the Hamas Gaza Government, and a member of the Hamas delegation to the Cairo discussions, Mahmoud Al-Zahhar said: ``We believe that negotiations with the Israeli enemy are in vain . . . . It will be impossible for an interim government to take part in the peace process with Israel.'' Mr. Speaker, we should also be troubled by the announcement by a lead Fatah negotiator that Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who has been a leader in developing the Palestinian economy in the West Bank as well as a primary peace negotiator with Israel, will not be a part of the interim unity government. Hamas embraces violence against innocent women, children, and men and calls for the destruction of Israel in its charter. It has been a designated terrorist organization by the United States since 1995 and by the European Union since 2003. Hamas terrorists have murdered hundreds of innocent Israelis, kidnapped and refused Red Cross access to Israeli soldiers, smuggled Iranian arms into the Gaza Strip, and launched thousands of rockets and mortars into Israel, including more than 300 since the beginning of 2011. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and reaffirm the notions that a Palestinian government which includes Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, must be prohibited from receiving U.S. aid. The legislation further acknowledges that the United States House of Representatives has a deep interest in achieving a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the creation of a viable and independent Palestinian state living in peace alongside the State of Israel.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Increasing Access to Voluntary Screening for HIV/AIDS and STIs Act of 2011, which will help reduce the spread and morbidities associated with HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Each year in the United States, almost 19 million new STIs occur and an estimated 56,300 Americans are newly infected with HIV. HIV/AIDS and STIs are syndemics. HIV infection can increase a person's risk for acquiring certain STIs, as well as affect their frequency, severity, and healing time, while STIs increase the risk of HIV transmission, impaired fertility, reproductive tract cancer, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Due to various factors, including stigma, a lack of health care coverage, and an inaccurate perception of risk among communities and providers, HIV and other long-term, initially asymptomatic STIs often remain undiagnosed or are diagnosed at later stages. This leads to higher rates of mortality, morbidity, disability, and transmission. Furthermore, the burden of HIV/AIDS and STIs falls disproportionately on different populations, with 15-24 year olds, men who have sex with men (MSM), and racial and ethnic minorities facing the greatest risk for STIs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommend that voluntary screening for HIV/AIDS and other STIs be integrated into routine clinical care. All individuals engaging in sexual contact must have access to voluntary screening that is confidential, rapid, accurate, and medically appropriate. In addition, supporting scientifically based, culturally competent, and age-appropriate interventions is key to reducing the incidence of HIV/AIDS and other STIs. The Increasing Access to Voluntary Screening for HIV/AIDS and STIs Act of 2011 takes an aggressive and multifaceted approach to combating HIV/AIDS and other STIs, including Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human papillomavirus (HPV), by increasing access to voluntary screening and other preventive methods while preserving patient rights and confidentiality. Among other things, this bill requires Medicaid to cover voluntary screening for HIV/AIDS and other STIs as a mandatory service for all individuals 13 and older, including when such services are provided at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). This legislation also requires the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide Medicare reimbursement for voluntary HIV/AIDS and STI screening for all beneficiaries 13 and older. In addition, this Act requires group health plans, insurance issuers providing group or individual health insurance coverage, and federal employee health benefits programs to cover routine screening for HIV/ AIDS and other STIs; provides states with the support they need to cover low-income individuals infected with HIV until Medicaid is expanded in 2014 under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; and supports access to early medical and mental treatment by linking patients to appropriate medical and mental health services. Lastly, this bill will help improve the accessibility and effectiveness of screening and other preventive services for groups that have been historically underrepresented in public health interventions for HIV/AIDS and other STIs, such as people living with disabilities, the transgender community, women living with severe physical disabilities, and women who have sex with women (WSW). Mr. Speaker, HIV/AIDS and STIs remain a significant challenge to individual and public health. Through early detection and treatment, as well as comprehensive education for health care providers and communities, we can begin to reverse the tide of infections. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill, which combines the effectiveness of voluntary, routine screening with smart policy to improve the health of our communities and nation as a whole.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of William ``Bill'' Munsey of Pompano Beach, Florida, who passed away on April 3, 2011 at age 86 after a valiant struggle against cancer. Bill had a long and celebrated career in athletics. As a young man at Fleming High School in Roanoke, Virginia, he played football, basketball, tennis and ran track. In 1942, Bill enrolled at Roanoke College on an athletic scholarship. Following football season, he entered the U.S. Navy as a member of the Amphibious Forces and served as a ``frogman'' in both the Atlantic and Pacific commands. After his military service, Bill returned to Roanoke College, where he played basketball. Bill and his wife, Jane, moved to Florida in 1949, where he began teaching and coaching at Riverside Military Academy in Hollywood. During that time, he attended the University of Miami, graduating in 1950 with a degree in Physical Education. He loved Miami football and was always proud to be a ``Hurricane.'' Bill Munsey began his career in high school coaching in 1954 at Pine Crest School, where he was known as the ``cornerstone'' of the athletic program. He coached Pine Crest's first football team and served as its first Athletic Director. He built a legendary and very successful career, serving as coach and Athletic Director for 38 years. As head of the football program, Coach Munsey led his teams to nine conference titles, eight district titles and four regional titles. His football teams won 61 of 63 games during the 1987 to 1993 seasons. He compiled a career record of 216-92-2 that included four undefeated seasons. Bill Munsey loved all sports, and during his 38 years at Pine Crest, he also coached basketball, baseball, golf and track. His excellence as a coach was recognized with numerous awards. He was voted Broward County Football Coach of the Year six times and won the 1988 Football Coach Gold Award, a scholastic award. Besides the prominence of his football teams, his basketball teams won four district titles and a trip to the state Final Four in 1961. During his career, Coach Munsey was inducted into the Florida Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the FHSAA Hall of Fame and Pine Crest's own Athletic Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame and was named Athletic Director of the Year. Coach Munsey was also a football and basketball official and actually held the first Broward County officials' meetings in his home. Bill Munsey was known to say that he never recruited a player from another school and that a Pine Crest student-athlete had to be both smart and a good athlete to play for him. Mr. Speaker, Bill Munsey's absence will be felt by the many players he coached, the people he coached with and against and all who knew and admired him for the honest, dedicated sports professional that he was. I am pleased to honor his memory.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Deborah Duncan DuBois, who passed away on April 30, 2011. Mrs. DuBois, known to family, friends and admirers as ``Desca,'' was serving her second term as Mayor of the Town of Lake Park, Florida at the time of her death, having been re-elected without opposition. Mayor DuBois loved her town and Lake Park citizens loved her. Her dedication to good government was made clear by her longtime service on the town's Code Compliance Board, including six years as its chair, and her work with the Florida League of Cities. She also served on the League of Mayors and as one of the Palm Beach County League's Legislative Voting Delegates. Lake Park residents are also indebted to Mayor DuBois for helping to establish the local Historical Society, serving as its volunteer President for several years. A native of Barnwell, South Carolina, Desca DuBois attended the University of South Carolina on a theater scholarship. She also studied at the Columbia Museum School and, most recently, attended Palm Beach Community College, where she was accepted to the Honor Society. Mayor DuBois was a professor at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, where she taught stage and theatrical movement. During her career, she also worked with the Educational TV Network in South Carolina and appeared on CBS Network Morning News. Among her many talents, she was known as an accomplished artist, having presented a dozen solo art exhibits and participated in 34 group art shows. She was proud to have individual mural and major group mural projects in her curriculum vitae. Mr. Speaker, Deborah Duncan DuBois was a truly remarkable lady who represented everything that is great about America. She was a credit to her town, my district and our nation. Her absence will be felt by everyone who appreciates good government, the arts and devotion to making our world a better place.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the extraordinary efforts of the League of Black Women on their annual leadership conference that commences on May 17, 2011. The conference will commemorate the amazing work this organization continues to do in order to equip women with strong leadership skills and invaluable life experiences. The League of Black Women was founded in the 1970's by Dr. Arnita Young Boswell, and in the intervening years it has set itself apart as a powerful vehicle for lasting impact by evolving to fit the needs of its membership as they navigate a world in flux. Indeed, our globalized society is anything but stagnant, and neither is the League. With nearly 10,000 members worldwide, each decade has ushered new service themes for the organization. From a higher education and community service focus, to career development, to networking, to its current concentration on leadership research, education, and joyful living, it takes a pervasive approach to promoting leadership and success amongst its membership. Mr. Speaker, I am most impressed with the League's efforts to reach youth through its ``Bring a Girl into Your World'' mentoring program. This initiative pairs middle school girls in low-income, at-risk school districts with league members to help broaden their minds, horizons, and visions for the future. So many young people underperform through crucial high school years, because they have not been challenged to consider the reality, let alone the opportunity, of their future career paths. Through their strategic focus on this age group, the League provides young girls with this invaluable insight at a critical juncture in their lives. I am firmly committed to serving the underserved and to promoting diversity in all avenues of society. This program falls perfectly in line with those objectives by opening doors for African American girls to reach their full potential. Our society has so much to gain from the unique talents and perspectives of these remarkable young women, and I offer my heartfelt gratitude to the League for their enduring work to raise their chances at leading full, successful lives. Important initiatives like the ``Bring a Girl into Your World'' program facilitate the League's goal of achieving global impact and leadership through the development of strong, genuine interpersonal relationships and networks. This aim is showcased in the theme of its eighth national strategic leadership conference entitled ``Black Women 2011: New World Power . . . When Your World Is Not Enough.'' This conference will be held in May 17-20, 2011 in Tampa, FL and promises the continued empowerment of the League's membership through nuanced and expert guidance in a host of vital topics that address both professional and personal betterment. Again, congratulations to the League of Black Women on their strides toward bringing equality and opportunity to the disadvantaged youth of this nation, and on this year's conference. Your efforts are truly inspiring.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. Dennis Koehler and express my deepest condolences to his family. Dennis died Sunday evening at the age of 69 following a battle with melanoma. South Florida has lost a true hero with the passing of Dennis Koehler. Dennis served our Nation courageously during the war in Vietnam. After coming home to Palm Beach County, he ran for and was elected to a seat on the Palm Beach County Commission. During those 8 years, he selflessly worked to help improve the lives of Palm Beach County citizens. He was well-known for his compassion and dedication to the community. Additionally, Dennis was a major advocate for veterans' rights. He is one of the founding members of Vietnam Veterans of America, VVA, and served on VVA's first National Board of Directors from 1983 to 1985. A veteran himself, Dennis understood the importance of taking care of those who have served our Nation with dignity and respect. As an attorney in private practice, Dennis has earned the gratitude of veterans throughout Florida by using his legal skills to fight for their rights and benefits. Two years ago, when one of my constituents lost his pension following a road accident, Dennis volunteered his time and knowledge to work with my Congressional office to have the Department of Veterans' Affairs reinstate my constituent's benefits. Dennis' activism on this tragic issue prompted me to introduce the Veterans Pensions Protection Act to ensure that veterans, and their surviving spouses and children, will never again face the threat of losing their pensions because they received payments to cover expenses incurred after an accident. I wish to dedicate the Veterans Pensions Protection Act in honor of Dennis Koehler for his lifetime commitment and service to this Nation. Mr. Speaker, Dennis was a true patriot, a community leader, and an outstanding American. I am deeply saddened by his passing, which is more than a personal loss for just myself, but also a loss to the South Florida community.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Peter Vagi, an 83 year-old Holoucuast survivor from Palm Beach County. His inspirational story was recently documented in a film about the Holoucaust entitled The Rescuers. Mr. Vagi has shared his story with countless others. I .hope that by the telling his story we never itness such atrocities as the Holoucaust ever again. The world cannot forget. We must remember. We must remember every story, every victium, and every survivor. Mr. Vagi's story begins when he was 17 years old and the Germans took control of Hungary. He was almost immediately forced from school into a work camp to perform laborious tasks. Mr. Vagi was one of the few who was prevented from boarding the train to Auschwitz right on the platform. Soon after, he was moved to a Jewish Ghetto and stayed there until the Russians liberated Budapest. However, it wasn't long before the evils of Communism became aparent and Mr. Vagi decided to move first to Austria and then finally to the United States. Mr. Vagi's story, along with all the other survivors serve as a reminder of the terrible period of human history that must never happen again. Mr, Speaker, I am proud to honor Mr. Vagi's life and all that he has done to ensure that history is not forgotten.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn the terrorist attack that took the lives of at least 16 innocent people and wounded 23 others on April 28, 2011 in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Argana Cafe, the site of the bombing, overlooks the city's bustling Jamaa el- Fnaa square, which is a lively hub of cultural exchange and celebration. Moroccan, French, and British lives were lost in this senseless act, indicating that this was not a protest of local concerns, but of global ideals. This disgraceful demonstration of ill will is considered an attack not only on Moroccan, French and British civilians, but on the human right to freedom, security, and happiness. No human being should have to live in constant fear of such needless violence, and I firmly stand with the people of Morocco as they strive to cope with this blow. I would also like to express my most heartfelt sympathies to all who have suffered from this tragedy, whether through their direct presence on the scene or indirectly through the suffering of a loved one. Mr. Speaker, acts of cowardice and violence must not be allowed to prevail. It is my hope that the people of Morocco and the victims of this attack find peace and healing, and that we continue to work toward a global society that values every human life.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution welcoming the new state of Southern Sudan, encouraging Sudan and Southern Sudan to resolve separation issues and the future of the Abyei region, and urging the Governments of Sudan and Southern Sudan to abide by the principles of peace, democracy, and human rights. Sudan is geographically the largest country in Africa and one of the least developed regions of the world. Sudan has been ravaged by civil war intermittently for four decades and ethnic, religious, and economic conflicts have ensued between the Muslim north and Christian-animist south. These past twenty years, an estimated two million people have died and four million people have been displaced. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in January 2005, put an end to the long-lasting conflict between the north and the south by establishing a semi-autonomous government for Southern Sudan for a duration of six years, after which Southern Sudan would vote for secession or unity. From January 9 to 15, 2011, Sudan held a referendum to decide if Southern Sudan would become a sovereign and independent country, or remain part of Sudan. Approximately 3.8 million Southern Sudanese exercised their right to self determination, and on February 7, 2011, the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC) announced the final results, with almost 99 percent voting for independence from the north. On February 7, 2011, Sudan's President Omar Al-Bashir officially accepted the final results of the referendum, and the United States announced on the same day its intention to formally recognize Southern Sudan. On July 9, 2011, Southern Sudan will become the sovereign and independent Republic of Southern Sudan. While I applaud these recent accomplishments, several issues pertaining to the separation of the two states remain and must be resolved prior to the conclusion of the transition period. These include and are not limited to: the legal status of populations in the north and south, wealth sharing, resource management--especially oil revenues, division of assets and debt, currency, security arrangements, and infrastructure and institutions building. The future status of the oil rich region of Abyei--full integration with Sudan or Southern Sudan, or partition of the region in two--also needs to be determined. My resolution congratulates the people of Southern Sudan for exercising their right to self determination and welcomes the new nation of Southern Sudan. In addition, it calls on both parties to resolve separation issues prior to the conclusion of the transition period, including the status of Abyei. It also urges Sudan to put an end to repression and violence, and Southern Sudan to create democratic institutions and plan elections. Lastly, the resolution pledges that the United States will work with both governments to ensure a peaceful transition to independence and encourages other nations to do so. Mr. Speaker, the United States has played a major role in bringing this devastating conflict to an end. I will continue to monitor the issue and advocate for a peaceful and nonviolent separation. Not only do the people of northern and southern Sudan deserve it, but it is in the interest of our nation and the world to establish peace and stability in the region. Therefore, I encourage other nations to welcome the new state of Southern Sudan and assist with their transition process.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of the amendment that the gentleman from Connecticut spoke to in the Record along with extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding me the time, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Obviously, this measure amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and seeks to repeal those provisions that establish and appropriate funds to the Prevention and Public Health Fund. It also rescinds any unobligated balance appropriated to the fund. As I listened to my friend from North Carolina, two things jumped out at me immediately. One is her usage and the ruling Republican majority House Members' usage of the term for the Affordable Health Care Act as ObamaCare. I said earlier in the Rules Committee I guess I could call it HastingsCare, because I supported--as did many Members of this Congress who are still here and some who are not, on both sides of the aisle--health care provisions for America long before any of us knew Barack Obama's name. When it's used the way that it is, it's in some manner attempting to be demeaning of the President. He does not bear the sole responsibility for the Affordable Health Care Act. I would assume some of that responsibility. And what I would say is he and many others in this body did not go far enough in that we did not establish universal health care for all Americans in this country. The other thing that jumps out on this particular matter, calling it a slush fund and then allowing that it is going to be in the hands of an unelected bureaucrat. It puts us in a strange position in the House of Representatives when my colleagues with the ruling majority of the House of Representatives have sought and been successful in eliminating the opportunities for Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to seek to have appropriations earmarked for respective undertakings in their congressional districts. Rather, they would eliminate those earmarks and--guess what?--put it in the hands of unelected bureaucrats. So I find it inconsistent to make the argument on one hand, and then on the other hand say, Oh, it's okay for the unelected bureaucrats to have some opportunities to spend our money. Quite frankly, I take umbrage with that. I think I can do a better job defining a need for a treatment plant in Belle Glade than can an unelected bureaucrat. The burden of chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and stroke, present a significant public health challenge to all of our communities and our Nation as a whole. In my home State of Florida, over 10 million cases of seven chronic diseases--cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, mental disorders, and pulmonary conditions--were reported early on in this decade at the cost of about $17.6 billion in treatment, and resulting in $68.7 billion in lost productivity and economic cost. Simply put, we have a sick care system, not a health care system. Tens of millions of Americans are suffering from health conditions that could possibly be preventible. This is further exacerbated by the continuing rise of health care costs. Despite the fact that chronic diseases are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths among Americans each year and that they account for 75 percent of our Nation's health care spending, less than 3 percent of our health care spending goes to preventive health care services and health promotion. As you know, the Affordable Care Act, or the HastingsCare Act, or the Hastings and ObamaCare Act, or the Hastings and Obama and DemocratCare Act created the Prevention and Public Health Fund in order to assist State and community efforts in preventing illness and promoting health. The Prevention and Public Health Fund represents an unprecedented investment of $15 billion over 10 years to help prevent disease, detect it early, and manage conditions before they become severe. It aims to transform the focus of our system of care from primarily treating illness to maintaining long-term wellness by leveraging the power of preventive medicine. Through the Community Transformation Grants program, for example, the fund empowers State and local governments and partners to implement community prevention interventions that help reduce chronic disease and health care disparities. In fact, the fund is already being used in all 50 of our States and the District of Columbia to prevent smoking, increase physical activity, reduce alcohol and drug abuse, increase immunizations, train the Nation's public health workforce, prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, and help control the obesity epidemic in our country. In addition, the Prevention and Public Health Fund provides funding for States to help develop a health insurance exchange by 2014. Footnote there: We should have had a public option, where consumers will have access to a new market of more affordable, quality health coverage, as well as funding for up to 400 school-based centers in order to provide a safety net and improved access to care for children. Since the enactment of the HastingsCare, ObamaCare, DemocraticCare, RepublicansDon'tCare measure last year, the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded approximately $21.98 million in grants to organizations in Florida alone through the Prevention and Public Health Fund to help improve wellness and prevention efforts, including more than $9.3 million for community and clinical prevention, more than $3.1 million for public health infrastructure, and more than $9.4 million for primary care training. If we are to reduce health care costs, we must improve the health of all Americans. Investing in proven preventive measures can significantly reduce the risk of developing these diseases, improving people's lives and saving money. According to a report from Trust For America's Health entitled ``Prevention for a Healthier America,'' investing just $10 per person per year in proven community-based programs that increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and prevent smoking and other tobacco use could save our Nation more than $16 billion annually within 5 years. This is equivalent to and potentially greater than the amount as estimated by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office by which H.R. 1217 reduces direct spending over a 10-year period. Furthermore, a public opinion survey by Trust for America and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that 71 percent of Americans favor an increased investment in disease prevention. The Prevention and Public Health Fund is supported also by nearly 600 national organizations, including the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, Families USA, and the AIDS Institute. H.R. 1217, on the other hand, is nothing more than an attack on affordable health insurance, primary care and safety net care for children. This bill is yet another feeble attempt by the ruling majority Republicans to disrupt, dismantle, and ultimately destroy the HastingsCare, ObamaCare, DemocraticCare, RepublicansDon'tCare bill one piece at a time, including those programs that have already been funded and are helping millions of middle class, elderly, and working poor Americans and their families as we speak. The misinformation that pervades the health care debate in this country never ceases to amaze me at all. My friends on the other side of the aisle, the ruling Republican majority, would have the American people believe that the Prevention and Public Health Fund is a slush fund for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to spend money freely without congressional oversight. This is simply not true. A specific funding amount is allocated for prevention efforts through the fund each year during the fiscal year period: $500 million in 2010; $750 million in 2011; $1 billion in fiscal year 2012 and so on up to $2 billion beginning in 2015. This gives the Secretary, whomever she or he may be, under Republicans or Democrats, the flexibility and health care providers the funding certainty that they need to implement prevention and public health interventions that help Americans make healthier decisions for themselves and their families. The Prevention and Public Health Fund is the first and only Federal program with dedicated ongoing resources specifically designed to improve the public. It represents our commitment to preventing illness and investing in our Nation's long- term physical and fiscal health. Let me say this, Madam Speaker: Every day that I awaken, I start my day by trying to figure what can I do to follow the scriptural mandate to help the least of us. I am curious whether my friends in the ruling majority have the same feeling. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green), my classmate and my good friend.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my good friend from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, that's just about the most convoluted, backward argument that I can imagine that I've heard in the 19 years that I've been here in the United States Congress. There is not one dime in the Prevention and Public Health Fund that can or will be used for abortions. The law in this land, enunciated by a legend and an icon, among the other things that Henry Hyde was, is that Federal funds cannot be used for that purpose, and to carry us into that neverland that the previous speaker just spoke of is astoundingly wrong. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to my good friend, the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee). (Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I am going to offer an amendment to the rule to provide that immediately after the House adopts this rule, it will bring up H.R. 1354, the American Jobs Matter Act of 2011. To address that, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Murphy).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Of course I will. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I thank the gentlelady for yielding. Please, let's have a clear understanding that no dollars from this fund are going to be used for abortions.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I don't have any opportunity to guarantee whether or not I'm going to be alive in the next 30 seconds, let alone tell you what may happen. But if you ask my belief, and yours was your belief that it may be used is what you said, my dear friend, all I'm saying is it is not going to be. And the law enunciated through Henry Hyde, and almost verbatim has been included in the Affordable Care Act, precludes the use of money for abortions.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to yield 3 minutes to my good friend from California (Ms. Matsui), a former member of the Rules Committee that we miss.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield an additional 30 seconds.