Steny Hoyer

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for his comments. There is another bill, as we all know, that the authorization of which is expiring the end of this month, and that is the Transportation Efficiency Act 21. TEA-21, as we refer to it, is expiring. That has been in consideration. I know there is a lot of controversy about how much investment ought to be authorized in that bill. Can the gentleman tell us the status of that particular piece of legislation, which is so critical to the welfare of our country? I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. HOYER. Reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman for his observation on that, and we want to try to help him find a way, but as the gentleman knows, one of the provisions in that, which suggests privatizing the air traffic controllers, is a very controversial item I think on both sides of the aisle very frankly, but giving my colleague the information I think it is appropriate for him to have, I think beyond that and perhaps the training of the attendants, which we think is also very important for our homeland security and air traffic security purposes, but for those two I think we are pretty much in agreement. So if we can facilitate perhaps on that which we are in agreement, moving the bill, we would be glad to try to help on that effort.

Mr. HOYER. I am glad to yield.

Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for his comments. Now, if I could go to the specifics.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I appreciate the leader's comments, and I understand when we get down towards the end of the session you are not sure exactly how the business will flow and you have got to make decisions as that occurs. I understand the week of October 6, which is I guess a week and a half from today, I hate to try to pin the gentleman down, but Members obviously are trying to figure out when they get requests in their districts to do things, whether or not that October 6 date, again because the Senate's going to be off, is a probable time that they may be able to work in the District or whether it is too problematic for them to make any kinds of plans. I yield to my friend.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for that information. If I might, I would like to start with the general and then go to the specific for next week. I know that there are some of our colleagues who are trying to plan schedules for not only next week but weeks out and I know there has been a lot of discussion going on. Can the leader tell me what he anticipates the schedule will be generally speaking in the month of October? My presumption is that we are going to be here through the end of October, as the Senate has not passed some of the bills and sent them to us. Our anticipation is that we will be here at least that long. Can the gentleman tell us what he anticipates to be the schedule for the weeks of October? We know that the Senate is taking off one of those weeks. I think the first full week of October they will be taking off. I think Members would find it very useful if the gentleman could give us his thoughts on what our schedule would be. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to appropriately draw attention to the contributions of our nation's prestigious Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their proud tradition of educating and preparing African-Americans for the past 166 years. This year, we celebrate these universities the week of September 14 to September 20, and I feel honored to participate in such a noble cause. Over 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been established in the United States. These institutions comprise only 3 percent of all centers for higher education in the United States, but account for 30 percent of bachelor's degrees awarded to African Americans each year. I am very proud that Bowie State University, the oldest of Maryland's four HBCUs is located in my district and I am privileged to represent the students, faculty and staff members who make great things happen on this campus. (There are three other HBCUs in MD--Morgan State in Baltimore City, Coppin State in Baltimore and the University of Maryland--Eastern Shore). Bowie State is the descendant of the first school opened by the Baltimore Association for the Moral and Educational Improvement of Colored People in 1865. BSU rightfully boasts a number of significant and praiseworthy statistics: First nationally in graduating African Americans with master's degrees in computer science and information sciences; Second nationally in graduating African Americans with master's degrees in psychology; Third nationally in graduating African Americans with master's degrees in communications; Eighth, nationally in graduating minorities with master's degrees in psychology; Fourth among HBCUs in granting master's degrees of all disciplines; Fourth in extramural funding in the University System of Maryland (USM) with the highest percentage of increase in the System (48.1 percent) for the 2000-2001 fiscal year. Ninth nationally in graduating all minorities with master's degrees in communications; Thirteenth nationally in graduating African Americans with master's degrees; Additionally, in 1995 BSU won an 11-year, $27 million award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/National Science Foundation to become one of the six national Model Institutions of excellence in science, engineering, and mathematics. HBCUs provide a vital role in educating the next generation of our nation's leaders by extending to our students access to the best opportunities for personal and professional success. Most important, these schools champion the cause of equal access to education, access that is critically important during a time when fiscal constraints have burdened our state and ultimately our families, making affording higher education even more difficult for many Americans. In fact, the Maryland Higher Education Commission recently announced that the number of Maryland college students on a waiting list for state-sponsored financial aid increased almost 50 percent this fall--at the same time, tuition and the number of college applicants has increased. Last school year 133,692 Marylanders filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the nationwide form that determines aid eligibility. That was up from 118,537 applications from Maryland in the 2001-2002 school year, a 12 percent increase. Many historically black institutions are facing similar financial challenges, and regrettably, for some, closing has become a reality. The federal government must realize that Historically Black Colleges do not simply provide educational opportunities and benefits to African Americans, but educating our nation's young people, regardless of race, improves the aptitude of all of our people. The entire country has gained from these fine institutions of education, and with the help of the federal government, the youth of our nation will continue to be well educated for generations to come. Congress and the President can acknowledge this by adequately funding the programs that support the efforts of these important institutions. The House of Representatives included $224 million in funding for the Strengthening Historically Black Colleges program and the Strengthening HBCU Graduate Institutions for fiscal year 2004. This is a $10 million increase in funding from last year, and as a member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations. Subcommittee, I will continue to support these programs and will fight for increased funding to help them continue their mission and tradition of educating African-Americans. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me this week in saluting the contributions of America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which have been educating students for more than 100 years. I am grateful to the nation's HBCUs for their commitment to academic excellence for all students, including low-income and educationally disadvantaged students, and am especially proud of the four HBCUs in the state of Maryland.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois, and I thank the other gentleman from Indiana for bringing this resolution so quickly to the floor. I join my Indiana colleagues. I knew Frank O'Bannon pretty well. I was asked by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt) in 1995 to serve in the capacity of the liaison to the National Governors' Association and to the Democratic Governors' Association, and I, therefore, know firsthand the loss that the Hoosier State has sustained and the loss of this extraordinarily popular Governor, who presided over great change and progress in his State. Our Nation, as I think the last speaker indicated so well, has lost a model public servant and citizen. A few years ago when I served as the House liaison, I had the pleasure of working with Governor O'Bannon, both on issues that were in front of the Congress and on politics, and I can confirm what so many have written and said about him. He was a wonderful, intelligent, kind, and humble gentleman who, along with Judy, worked tirelessly for all Hoosiers and who cared deeply about his country and his State. It is noteworthy, I think, that Governor O'Bannon never lost a political election. Democracy is an extraordinary process, and the people's wisdom is what makes it so great because they choose well. They choose different types of people, and we contend politically, but I am always impressed with how well, ultimately, they do choose. But it is telling what his last opponent David McIntosh, a former Member of this body said about him. This is somebody who ran against him, ran a hard campaign, an extraordinarily able young man. He said this: ``Everywhere I'd go, people would say to me: `How are you going to run against someone who is everyone's grandfather?' And it was the truth,'' David McIntosh said. ``He was a congenial guy that everyone liked.'' After serving 18 years in the Indiana Senate including 8 as Democratic floor leader and 8 as Lieutenant Governor and more than 6 years as Governor, Frank O'Bannon pulled off a rare feat in politics: He was both effective and well-liked. However, his gentle nature is not his only legacy. His many accomplishments, as the colleagues from Indiana know better than I do or others, include creating a community college system, adopting of academic standards that are among the best in the Nation, extending health insurance to nearly half a million children, and engineering an overhaul of the State tax system to entice business to Indiana and to relieve property tax owners. There is no doubt, Mr. Speaker, that Frank O'Bannon lived life to the fullest, graduating from Indiana U, where he played basketball, serving in the Air Force, practicing law, and working as a newspaper publisher in his native Corydon. And there is no doubt that we are fortunate for his service. I am pleased to join my colleagues in lamenting for ourselves, for Indiana, and for our country the loss of this extraordinary individual and being joyous in the fact that, as a man of faith, he is better off, and joyous in the fact that we had the opportunity to know him and to work with him and to know that his State and country were better for his life.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) is my counterpart in this House. It is his responsibility to organize his party to vote on issues of importance to this country and to express their views. And on my side of the aisle, it is my responsibility to organize my party to express our views. At times, that is extraordinarily contentious and we demonstrate to the American public, and indeed to the world, sometimes deep differences. But the gentleman from Missouri is my friend, he is my fellow citizen of this greatest of democracies and nations. And on September 11, 2 years ago, he and I and our colleagues were on this hill, and we heard that there was a plane coming towards this city. It was in the context of one plane hitting the north tower and one plain hitting the south tower of the World Trade Center in New York. On that day, there were no Republicans, there were no Democrats, there were no liberals, there were no conservatives. There were Americans. There were representatives of 280 million people elected to serve this great Nation. Today, we are as one with our President and with our people in remembering, remembering those whom we lost from this Nation, and indeed from nations around the world. We remember the heroism of those brave citizens on that plane over Pennsylvania, determined that the information they had received about terrorists taking down buildings would not be allowed by them to happen as a result of the plane that they were on being crashed into what we ultimately conclude was either this building, the center of democracy, or the White House, the House of the leader of the free world. And so, Mr. Speaker, as we remember, as we reflect, we renew our resolve that we will confront terrorism; that in John Kennedy's words, we will pay any price, bear any burden to defend freedom here and around the world. God blesses America, God blesses America through the resolve and the courage of its people and its commitment to freedom.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Reclaiming my time, that is the legerdemain I was referring to exactly. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this motion to instruct. It recognizes what the ideologues on the other side of the aisle refuse to admit. Turning Medicare into a voucher program will only encourage private insurers to skim the healthiest seniors, leaving Medicare to cover the sickest, most disabled beneficiaries. Vouchers are nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to end Medicare, our Nation's bedrock commitment to America's seniors for the last 38 years. This motion instructs conferees to reject the provision in the House bill that would turn Medicare into a voucher program in 2010. In addition, it instructs conferees to accept the Senate-passed provisions requiring a Federal fallback prescription drug benefit if the private sector in any given area refuses to offer an alternative plan. I have not heard any protestations that there is such a fallback in the House bill, because there is not. Under the Senate bill, if at least two private plans are not available to seniors, the Federal Government would offer beneficiaries a prescription drug benefit. Let us not turn a blind eye to reality. Insurers are not lining up to provide prescription drug-only policies. In fact, as I think the gentlewoman knows, because the former chairman of the subcommittee, I think he is now the Chair of, Mr. Gradison, had some comments to make when he was president of the Health Industry Association of America, said that private sector would not offer such plans that are contemplated under my colleague's bill. They are in business to make money, as they ought to be; and they will not hesitate to drop customers who file too many claims or cost them too much. That has been our experience with the Medicare+Choice plan in which more than 2 million seniors have been abandoned by HMOs seeking higher profits, including in my own area. I do not criticize the HMO. They are in business, but this is a service that we want to guarantee to all of our citizens to have available to them at affordable prices; and as any homeowner can tell my colleagues, that is the experience in that line of insurance as well. One might think that they are in good hands, but if they file a claim, they might just find that those hands have said bye, bye. They might think that their private insurer is a good neighbor; but if they file a claim, they might just find that their good neighbor has moved away without leaving a forwarding address. Finally, Mr. Speaker, let me say, on Saturday, July 19, more than 70 of my colleagues, my Democratic colleagues in this House, held town hall meetings in their districts on the issue of prescription drugs. The turnout at those meetings was terrific, and virtually every Member that I have talked to said that their constituents want a guaranteed, affordable, universal prescription drug benefit under Medicare now. That is not included, and their experts and the seniors who sat around their table with their pencils and papers said your bill does not give them what they need, not necessarily what they want, but what they need. They were deeply disappointed when they learned the details of the House GOP bill; and I might say to my friends, so that I do not just viciously attack my House friends, they are not too hot about the Senate bill either. This motion does not address all the deficiencies of the GOP bill, but it does focus on two of the most important ones. I urge my colleagues to support this motion to instruct.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, the previous speaker, of course, will have at least 35 to 37 or 39 years to worry about this problem. So for him it is not an immediate problem. For some of us, however, there is a heightened concern. And I will tell my friend from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan), my young friend from Wisconsin, and the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson), who protest over and over and over again that we are not privatizing Social Security, of course, their party was led until just last year by a gentleman who said that we ought not to have Medicare in a free society and formerly led by a speaker who said it was going to fade away. And millions, I tell my gentlewoman friend and my young friend, million of seniors, forget about what we here in the House say, millions of seniors and their experts who have studied your program very carefully believe it is going to privatize Medicare, notwithstanding your legerdemain about our definition of it currently being privatized. Nobody believes that. The fact of the matter is millions of seniors have reported back to my colleagues, hey, this program is not good for us.

Mr. HOYER. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. HOYER. Is the gentleman saying that there is no reason to oppose this motion which says do not privatize Medicare if, in fact, their plan does not do that?

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation--the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions of 2003--which provides a national uniform standard on how consumer reporting agencies and other financial services entities may access and use consumer financial and medical data. But before I discuss the substance of the underlying bill, I want to compliment the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee (Mr. Oxley and Mr. Frank), who worked together in crafting this bipartisan legislation, which I believe will be passed by an overwhelming margin today. This, Mr. Chairman, is how our legislative process should work. The Chairman and Ranking Member identified a need. They held hearings. And they crafted the bipartisan solution on the Floor today that is, nonetheless, open to amendment. Mr. Chairman, the advent of the Internet and the Information Revolution has been a terrific boon for the American consumer. Millions have received quick credit decisions on financing a new car, on obtaining a credit card, and on taking out or refinancing a mortgage. This has clearly facilitated many of the most important financial decisions consumer make, and strengthened our economy. However, it also illustrates the need for national uniform standards for financial information. And that is what this bill addresses. Under this legislation, consumers can receive a free annual credit report that will disclose their credit score. In addition, the Act gives consumers new options for disputing and correcting inaccuracies in their credit reports, encourages prompt investigations of such disputes, and establishes new requirements to prevent corrected errors from being reintroduced into a credit report. The Act also includes provisions to combat identify theft. A recent Federal Trade Commission survey indicated that more than 27 million Americans have been victims of identity theft in the last five years, including nearly 10 million people in the last year alone. H.R. 2622 permits consumers to more easily place ``fraud alerts'' on their consumer reports; to require credit reporting agencies to block (or omit) information that is confirmed to have resulted from an identity theft, as long as the consumer has filed a police report concerning the ID theft; and to prohibit retailers from printing the expiration date and more than the last five digits of a consumer's credit or debit card number on electronic receipts. Finally, the Act greatly expands the protections in the Fair Credit Reporting Act that govern the sharing and use of sensitive medical records and information, as well as information pertaining to medical- related payments and debts. These provisions will prohibit consumer reporting agencies from including medical information in a consumer's credit report unless the medical information is directly relevant to the consumer's attempts to obtain employment or credit and the consumer has explicitly consented to the release of the information. Mr. Chairman, this legislation is not only substantively important, it is timely. As my colleagues may know, Congress must reauthorize the Fair Credit Reporting Act before the preemptions expire on December 31, 2003. I urge my colleagues to vote for this legislation.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, further parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, further parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, listening to the Chair's recitation of the rule, would that mean that the Chair now has the authority to close this vote and express the will of the House of Representatives as reflected on the board?

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, under regular order, we were told at the beginning of this session that the leadership of the House and the message from the Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, was that we were going to allot 15 minutes for votes with only 2 minutes, and that at 17 minutes, the voting tally would close, and we were all urged to be on time so that the work of the House could be done efficiently and effectively. Mr. Speaker, my inquiry is, is that regular order still in place? Is that still the policy of the leadership of this House?

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, was that the rule that the distinguished Robert Walker of Pennsylvania raised such cane about and was so angry about and felt that Jim Wright was so out of order about when he held the vote open? Is that the rule, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. I thank the leader for that information. Also, Mr. Leader, I know you did not anticipate this, but when do you expect to attempt to conclude with the D.C. appropriations bill? Will that be done next week?

Mr. HOYER. Commemorate.

Mr. HOYER. We had a number of questions, one of which I will ask now because it is in my mind. Apparently, there is a delegation leaving for Doha Wednesday night. Can the gentleman reflect upon what might be on the schedule for Thursday that they might miss?

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the leader for his information. I want him to know on this side of the aisle we are going to be joining the majority side of the aisle as we reflect upon the tragic loss of some of our fellow citizens and the tragic loss of all of us and our country on that September 11. Mr. Leader, can you tell me what time on Tuesday Members need to be here to assure themselves that they will be able to offer the amendments on the Transportation-Treasury bill?

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, it is more than appropriate on this Friday afternoon of Labor Day Week that we recognize the enduring relevance and enormous contributions of the Teamsters Union, which tomorrow-- September 6, 2003--celebrates its 100th Anniversary. It is an historical imperative that every American committed to justice and fairness must acknowledge. Allow me to congratulate General President James Hoffa and all the men and women of the Teamsters on this important occasion. For through their hard work, all of us have benefited. The 40-hour work week that we take for granted far too often in this nation was not a gift bestowed on us by corporate chieftains. It was a hard-won victory secured by the men and women in the organized labor movement, including the Teamsters Union, who literally built this nation through their blood, sweat and tears. Paid holidays, including the three-day Labor Day Weekend. Health and safety regulations. Employer-sponsored health care. And employer- sponsored pensions. These are just a few of the monumental benefits brought to you by the Teamsters and organized labor movement. Ever since its founding, the Teamsters have been at the forefront of the labor movement to improve the lives of working men and women and their families. The Teamsters fought for equal rights for all workers, regardless of race, creed or gender. The Teamsters fought for African- Americans who sought jobs traditionally held by white men at the beginning of World War One. The Teamsters fought for a woman's right to equal pay before suffrage was popular. Today, the Teamsters Union--with 1.4 million members--continues to fight for working families, who simply want and deserve justice, dignity and opportunity. Only the uninformed would fail to recognize that many of the gains secured by the Teamsters over the past 100 years are at grave risk today--from the assault on the right of workers to collectively bargain, to attacks on overtime regulations, to the effort to gut compensatory time, to the failure to ensure that the minimum wage is fairly adjusted for inflation, and many more. It's clear that, despite the Teamsters' great achievements over the last century, and all the advances that this great union is responsible for, its efforts on behalf of working American families must go on. And I know that is precisely what the Teamsters--under the tremendous leadership of General President Hoffa--intend. Again, I congratulate President Hoffa and all Teamsters on this 100th Anniversary. Your efforts not only make us proud, they make us a better nation.