Alcee Hastings

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Well, I will do it rhetorically and allow that you answer on your own time. The simple fact of the matter is when this administration took office, they had a $1.2 trillion deficit. And to continue along the lines of saying that nothing was done, I want you to know that you don't just create a situation that gives rise to eliminating that with a magic wand. The American public understands this dynamic and will be patient as we go forward to try and remedy this matter. The gentleman spoke earlier to my colleague, Mr. Sherman. But before turning to him I want to look at some of the numbers. Job growth under the current administration is reversing a long downward spiral that started under the last President. The stimulus plan is working as planned. We are making sound investments in helping Americans find good jobs and getting this economy moving again. The unemployment rate dropped last month. And the efforts of this Congress are helping people afford a home. And we need to do a lot more to un-seize the frozen dollars in these banks that are not helping small businesses, and that is what some of this financial regulatory reform is referencing. Even the TARP program is working better than expected, and confidence has been restored to Wall Street, evidenced by the market and everybody's 401(k)s, and more than $200 billion is going to be returned to the government. I am very pleased at this time to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Reclaiming my time, I have yet another question. When you lost the majority, what was the deficit? And I understand 9/ 11. I understand all of the things that took place. I also understand that had we never been in the Iraq war in the first place we wouldn't be here in this situation. So tell me, if you can, my friend, what the deficit was when you lost the majority, and what in fact did President Obama inherit when we gained the majority again?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Honest and Open Testimony Act, a bill that helps provide for an honest and open discussion regarding Don't Ask, Don't Tell by allowing active- duty members of the Armed Forces, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) members, to openly testify in Congressional hearings without fear of retribution. The Honest and Open Testimony Act expands existing whistleblower protections between members of the Armed Forces and Members of Congress to include communications from active-duty service members who testify concerning Don't Ask, Don't Tell in a Congressional hearing, as well as those who do so and disclose their sexual orientation. The United States of America prides itself on having the finest military in the world because of the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices of its brave men and women in uniform. And yet, under the discriminatory law known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the talents and contributions of our GLBT service members continue to be ignored simply because of who they are. As you know, Don't Ask, Don't Tell was signed into law in 1993 by former President Bill Clinton as a compromise to allow gay and lesbian service members to serve in the military. To the contrary, Don't Ask, Don't Tell compromises the integrity of our troops and kicks them out to boot. For more than fifteen years, Don't Ask, Don't Tell has negatively impacted the lives and livelihoods of these military professionals and deprived our Armed Forces of their honorable service. This is not only a disservice to them, but to our country as a whole. Don't Ask, Don't Tell hurts our troops, runs counter to the values of our Armed Forces, and threatens our national security. Since the law was implemented in 1994, over 13,500 qualified service members have been lost to Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and counting. With each passing day, we lose approximately two service members to this misguided, unjust, and debilitating policy. Furthermore, Don't Ask, Don't Tell continues to undermine and demoralize the more than 65,000 GLBT Americans currently serving on active duty. Keeping good troops is good policy, and our GLBT troops are among our most talented and dedicated. As the United States continues to work toward responsibly ending the war in Iraq and reengages the threat from al Qaeda in Afghanistan, our GLBT service members offer invaluable skills that enhance our military's potency and readiness. They are linguists, aviators, medics, and highly trained soldiers who are involved in valuable operations that have nothing to do with their sexual orientation and everything to do with protecting our freedom and advancing our national security interests. Above all, however, they offer their lives to serve their country. I am extremely proud of the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces and truly appreciate the countless sacrifices they continue to make every single day to protect this nation and the American people. They deserve better than Don't Ask, Don't Tell. In order for Congress to have an honest and open discussion about the relevance of the current law, as well as on how to best implement its repeal, its members must hear from those about whom Don't Ask, Don't Tell was written--active-duty GLBT troops. Now is the time to take action. Madam Speaker, I realize that this issue is considered controversial, but it should not be. As Congress prepares to debate the future of Don't Ask, Don't Tell with hearings in the Senate and in the House of Representatives, we must ensure that we hear all sides of the issue and especially from active-duty GLBT service members. The Honest and Open Testimony Act helps achieve this by addressing a major barrier to an inclusive, transparent, and complete hearing process--fear of retribution for testifying honestly and openly about the consequences of Don't Ask, Don't Tell in the Armed Forces. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill, which would bring us one step closer to repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell once and for all and replacing it with a policy of inclusion and non-discrimination.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Increasing Access to Voluntary Screening for HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections Act of 2009, a bill that will reduce the spread and morbidities associated with HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, STIs. Fifty percent of sexually active Americans will contract an STI at some point in their lives, and 15 million STIs are reported each year in the United States. Many of these infections are asymptomatic for an extended amount of time and often remain undiagnosed, or diagnosed at later stages resulting in increased rates of mortality, morbidity, disability, and transmission. 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. However, stigma, culture, language, lack of education, cost, limited resources, and inaccurate perceptions of risk contribute to insufficient screening for HIV/AIDS and STIs. And, these same factors have exacerbated the instances of transmission and late detection of HIV/AIDS and STIs over the past decade. The Increasing Access to Voluntary Screening for HIV/AIDS and STIs Act of 2009 takes an aggressive and multifaceted approach to combating HIV/AIDS and STIs by increasing access to voluntary screening and other preventative methods while preserving patient rights and confidentiality. Among other things, my bill includes 83 percent Federal Medical Assistance Percentages, FMAP, rate for the screening of HIV/AIDS and other STIs and requires all private health insurance plans to cover screening for HIV/AIDS and other STIs. My bill provides grants to Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve individuals who cannot access screening because they lack insurance coverage or sufficient income. And, my bill urges the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement a broad and comprehensive approach to covering screening for HIV/AIDS, and encourages CMS to take steps to reimburse screening for other STIs. Additionally, the Increasing Access to Voluntary Screening for HIV/ AIDs and STIs Act of 2009 supports access to early medical and mental treatment. It includes language from the Early Treatment for HIV/AIDS Act, ETHA, and requires testing facilities to link patients to appropriate medical and mental health services. Lastly, the bill will make screening and other preventative services more accessible to groups that have been historically underrepresented in public health interventions for HIV/AIDS and other STIs. It requires the Director of the CDC to work with appropriate entities to track screening trends for HIV/AIDS and STIs among people with disabilities, and ensure that comprehensive sex education materials are accessible to these individuals. The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to take the appropriate steps to ensure that all women have equal access to screening for cervical cancer regardless of sexual behavior or sexual orientation. And, this bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to improve research efforts concerning the prevention, spread and transmission of HIV/AIDS and STIs in the transgender community. Madam Speaker, voluntary and routine screening for HIV/AIDS and other STIs is an effective and low-cost approach to decreasing the life- threatening and life-altering effects of these infections. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill that includes a comprehensive and evidence based strategy to improve the overall health of our nation.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an organization that has helped countless individuals in my community. The Pantry of Broward, Inc., is a not for profit organization that provides food and support services to low-income seniors and to grandparents raising grandchildren. In Florida alone, there are 147,893 grandparents raising grandchildren, yet 8 percent of grandparent caregivers live in poverty, as do nearly 10 percent of all seniors. For those who live in Broward County, and the children who rely on them, the Pantry of Broward is an indispensible resource. Each month, the Pantry of Broward delivers a 60 pound box of food items to hundreds of seniors. However, the Pantry of Broward is much more than a food bank. They also provide seniors with transportation services, legal assistance, access to affordable medical care, and a slew of other resources that make life just a little bit easier for Broward's struggling seniors. Whether an individual needs help finding affordable housing, is having trouble understanding complicated medical or insurance forms, or simply needs a pair of eyeglasses fixed, the Pantry of Broward is there to help. Seniors in south Florida, like those around the Nation, have worked hard and provided for themselves and others their entire lives, yet often, despite incredible need, they are too proud to ask for a helping hand. For this reason, the Pantry of Broward provides assistance in a caring, dignified manner, mindful of their clients' privacy and self- esteem. Madam Speaker, while we in Congress work to revive our Nation's economy, it is organizations like the Pantry of Broward that serve as a lifeline to the seniors and families in our districts struggling to make it from one day to the next. I am truly grateful for the services they provide to my constituents and commend them on their extraordinary work.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 15- year-old Michael Brewer of Deerfield Beach, Florida, whose courage and strength defy the atrocious attack he has endured. Michael sustained burns to over 65 percent of his body after a group of schoolmates set him on fire in an act of cruel revenge. On October 12, 2009, neighborhood bullies Matthew Bent, 15; brothers Denver and Jeremy Jarvis, 15 and 13 respectively; Steven Shelton, 15; and Jesus Mendez, 15; surrounded Michael in the parking lot of Limetree Village Apartments, poured rubbing alcohol on him, and set him on fire with a lighter. Led by Bent, the bullies sought him out and terrorized him for not paying back $40 borrowed to buy a video game. Michael had called the police the night before the encounter when Bent attempted to steal a $500 custom bike from Michael's father at their home. I am truly shocked and outraged by this heinous crime. Michael still remains in critical condition at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Hospital Burn Center and will have to endure a long and painful recovery process. A 7th grader at Deerfield Beach Middle School, he has since received hundreds of cards and letters of support from fellow classmates and well-wishers from around the world. My thoughts and prayers go out to Michael, his family, and friends during this most difficult time. It is heartening to hear that Michael's first surgery went well and that his doctors are cautiously optimistic about his recovery. In addition, I want to commend the South Florida community for coming together to raise money in order to help the Brewer family pay for Michael's medical expenses. During these difficult economic times, these Floridians have shown their true colors by extending a helping hand to a neighbor in need. In particular, I would like to recognize Neighbors 4 Neighbors for raising more than $10,000 for Michael, and Broward Sheriff's detective Joe Kessling for his leadership and community activism. Madam Speaker, we must stop the dangerous values of bullying and violence from being perpetuated in our schools and communities. Young people like Michael deserve a safe educational environment in which they can reach their full potential and become respectful, contributing members of our society.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding educator and devoted mentor, Ms. Anthonette Pena. Anthonette teaches eighth grade science at Howell L. Watkins Middle School in Palm Beach Gardens, FL and is indeed among Florida's best and brightest. A standout among her colleagues with a passion for teaching and shaping educational policy, Anthonette has earned an esteemed Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship for a second year in a row. I.welcome Anthonette to Washington and am certain that her time at the office of the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings at the National Science Foundation (NSF) will be an enriching learning experience for all involved. Anthonette hopes to use this fellowship year to raise awareness about the importance of community organizations and government in motivating students to excel in science and mathematics. I laud her commitment to creating more scholarships for students of under-served populations so they, too, may benefit from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) opportunities. I. her home state of Florida, Anthonette is very active in her local community. In addition to securing several grants for science related programs, she also dedicates her time as a mentor for beginning teachers. Anthonette believes that employing cross-curricular lessons is key to developing well-rounded, critical thinkers. When she organized her school's first Girl Scout troop, she not only incorporated STEM activities, but brought learning opportunities from inside the classroom into the community. Anthonette has worked hard to earn this distinction, and exemplifies the possibilities that a good education offers. She earned her B.A. in Liberal Studies at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and her M.S. in Education at Nova Southeastern University. Recognizing the importance of a well-balanced education in today's ever-shrinking world, Anthonette also studied abroad at The University of Valladolid in Spain, while also participating in the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher program and the Toyota International Teacher Program in Costa Rica. Madam Speaker, I truly appreciate the work that Anthonette Pena and Florida's teachers do every single day in preparing our nation's leaders of tomorrow. She has long demonstrated excellence and dedication to teaching worthy of the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship, and I congratulate her double on this achievement.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Distinguished chairwoman and distinguished Speaker, this is an extraordinary day for the two of you and the Members of the House of Representatives. I, too, am hopeful that our legacy is that we achieved health care for more citizens in our great country. Achieving comprehensive health care reform in a way that is sustainable, fiscally responsible, and improves the overall health of the American people has proven to be no small task. The facts are clear. Despite being the richest country on Earth, the United States ranks 45th in life expectancy and has startlingly high rates of infant mortality, depression, and chronic disease. What's more, employer- sponsored health insurance premiums have grown six times faster than cumulative wages. This issue hits close to home. My State of Florida has the sixth highest number of uninsured people in the country. There are millions that are uninsured and tens of millions who are underinsured, and they are the prime justification for moving forward with one of the most important health care reform agendas in modern history. Some have sought to dominate the health care debate with fear- mongering, misinformation, and blind opposition to key reform elements without offering substantive and high-quality alternatives. This perpetuation of fictions and misinterpretations is off base and has steered the health care discussion off course. Such claims as death care panels, rationed care, government monopoly, these are not true. What is true is that the United States spends more on health care than any other country in the world, but yet the high cost of care has not brought a high standard of health for millions of Americans. What's true is that Medicare, which is a Federal Government plan and one of the great health care successes that this gentleman in the Chair had something to do with in our Nation's history, was initially met with opposition, the same we get now. I urge this measure to be adopted.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, is it not correct procedure in the House of Representatives for the purpose, when a Member offers a unanimous consent request, that the objection be heard after the conclusion of the unanimous consent request?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

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

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the distinguished subcommittee Chair, Mr. Pascrell.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I will be brief. I once again thank Chairman Bennie Thompson for offering this vital legislation, and I thank him for supporting this amendment. As Vice Chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I commend the recognition of the potential risks associated with our chemical manufacturing and water treatment infrastructure. Securing these industries is vital not only to America's economic viability, it is essential to the human security of surrounding communities. My amendment will strengthen the Office of Chemical Facility Security created by designating a specific point of contact for interagency coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies. This amendment also requires the Secretary to proactively inform State Emergency Response Commissions and Local Emergency Planning Committees about activities related to the implementation of the act so that they may update their emergency planning and training procedures. I know that Chairman Thompson would agree with the fact that many facilities that will be designated with significant risk through the implementation of this legislation lie in communities of significant economic need and vulnerability to chemical and contaminant exposure. For this reason, many of such areas are characterized as environmental justice communities. It is necessary that these communities be better empowered to strategically plan for potential chemical releases and security risks. The fact is incidents like the 1984 methyl isocyanate released from a chemical facility in Bhopal, India continue to happen throughout the United States on a smaller scale. Until we enforce chemical release regulations and take aggressive steps to protect vulnerable environmental justice communities, they will be at even greater risk for acts of terror. Also, the amendment designates a specific point of contact for interagency coordination to ensure greater transparency when it comes to our oversight responsibilities as Members of Congress. This adjustment will ensure that all agencies invoked by this legislation will cooperate as closely as possible. I appreciate the opportunity to offer this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support the amendment and the underlying legislation. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, inherently safer technologies, known as methods to reduce the consequences of a terrorist attack, includes techniques such as eliminating or reducing the amount of toxic chemicals stored on-site or using safer processes that facilitate as a best practice often integrated into the operations. My good friend from California doth protest too much about us legislating on something that is particularly critical that we have this IST technology, and his argument, as I heard a portion of it, is we are doing this for the reason that we are waiting for health care and we don't have anything else to do. Well, that's just not true. We've been a pretty busy Congress from the inception of this Congress. If there was no health care provision, we would have matters that we would have to undertake, including this particularly critical matter. Only a small subset of the people that he is talking about, covered chemical facilities, are placed in the top two riskiest tiers by the Department of Homeland Security because of the consequences in the event of a chemical release, and it could be required to implement IST. Between 100 and 200 chemical facilities nationwide currently fall into that category, according to DHS. I am continually surprised at my colleagues' arguments. A while back, we were describing them as the party of ``no,'' and I think that that had currency and still does after you look at their health care provision, which insures nobody. But the thing that really I find interesting about this is that they really are the party of ``status quo.'' And if you look at this legislation that Congressman Thompson, Congressman Oberstar, and Congressman Waxman have fashioned, had hearings that were in the public, everybody had an opportunity to make their presentation, including what you just heard from our colleague, someone that had a different view as occurs in just about every hearing--the minority has an opportunity most times to bring witnesses and the majority brings witnesses, and generally, they don't agree. But that doesn't mean in this body that we don't have an exacting responsibility to go forward with legislation demonstrably to improve the American public's safety. That is what we are here about at this time. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my good friend's passion. I don't know whether he has any Native American tribes in his constituency, but I do. I have Seminoles and Miccosukees in my constituency, and they are as proud of their ability to operate facilities and to do those things. As a matter of fact, quite frankly, both of those tribes are doing a whole whale of a lot better than a part of the systemic institutions that have existed in the non-Native American area. And I remind my friend that we are not here about the health care bill. I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman, who is the subcommittee Chair of the Homeland Security committee that has jurisdiction on this particular matter, Sheila Jackson-Lee.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield the gentlelady an additional minute.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to my good friend from Rhode Island, a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Langevin. (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to remind my colleagues of the urgency of this legislation. This bill takes important steps to protect our Nation's wastewater infrastructure. Publicly owned treatment facilities serve more than 200 million Americans and consist of 16,000 treatment plants, 100,000 major pumping stations, and 600,000 miles of sanitary sewers. Damage to these facilities and collection systems could result in loss of life, contamination of drinking water facilities, catastrophic damage to lakes and rivers, and long-term public health impacts. Also, by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to establish risk-based performance standards for community water systems serving more than 3,300 people and other exceptional water systems posing significant risk, the bill safeguards our Nation's drinking water supply and restores confidence at a time of upheaval and uncertainty. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule. The material previously referred to by Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida is as follows: Amendment to H. Res. 885 Offered by Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida At the end of the resolution, insert the following new section: Sec. 4. On the third legislative day after the adoption of this resolution, immediately after the third daily order of business under clause 1 of rule XIV and without intervention of any point of order, the House shall proceed to the consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 554) amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require that legislation and conference reports be available on the Internet for 72 hours before consideration by the House, and for other purposes. The resolution shall be considered as read. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the resolution and any amendment thereto to final adoption without intervening motion or demand for division of the question except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules; (2) an amendment, if offered by the Minority Leader or his designee and if printed in that portion of the Congressional Record designated for that purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIII at least one legislative day prior to its consideration, which shall be in order without intervention of any point of order or demand for division of the question, shall be considered as read and shall be separately debatable for twenty minutes equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent; and (3) one motion to recommit which shall not contain instructions. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the consideration of House Resolution 554.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on resolution.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished chairman of this committee to correct a few of the inaccuracies that my distinguished colleague, Mr. Dent, offered. One that I heard, the Department of Homeland Security has a responsibility of regulating the matter under our consideration and not the Environmental Protection Agency. I yield to Mr. Thompson such time as he may consume.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 885 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only. General Leave

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 885.