Chris John

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to join with my colleagues today in honoring national Catholic Schools Week. As a product of a strong Catholic education in Crowley, Louisiana, it is my privilege to commemorate the great resource that Catholic Schools provide for families and children across the country. Since 1974, we have celebrated this week in an effort to highlight the hard work of the teachers, parents, administration and students who have built and continue to grow our Catholic Schools. A quality education is the foundation of a child's future, and this week recognizes one of the many types of educational choices available our country's young minds. The State of Louisiana has the highest percentage of private schools in the country, and most of them are Catholic. With over 90,000 students attending over 200 Catholic schools in Louisiana the tradition of a Catholic education remains strong. For nearly 300 years, Catholic schools in Louisiana have endured and flourished. Capuchin Father Raphael de Luxembourg, pastor of St. Louis parish who founded the St. Ann Street School in New Orleans in 1725, believed ``there is nothing upon which the establishment of a colony more essentially depends than upon the education of the young.'' This year's theme for Catholic Schools Week is ``A Faith-Filled Future,'' and I truly believe that more than at any other time in our history that strong faith is a vital foundation. Our children today are faced with situations that none of us could have imagined in our youth. Faith is the stronghold that many of us rely on each day, and Catholic schools across the country build upon the foundation of faith to daily emphasize discipline and values to all they instruct. It is my pleasure to stand with my colleagues today in extending my best wishes and extreme gratitude to all of those who serve by providing a Catholic education not only based in academia but also in faith.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a fine American, a devoted husband and son, and beloved father who gave his life serving our Nation in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Craig Davis, 37, served with the U.S. Army's 603rd Transportation Company, 142nd Corps Support Battalion--part of the Warrior Brigade stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana. On the 8th of January, he and eight of his fellow soldiers were killed when their helicopter was shot down near Fallujah, Iraq. Craig was on his way to Baghdad for medical treatment at the time of the incident. Craig leaves behind a wife, Rosalind, and their two children who reside in Fort Polk. Craig's mother is Clara Mae Davis of Opelousas, LA and his father is Lionel Gabriel of Houston, TX. He also leaves behind two stepsisters: Cathy Gabriel and Sandra Gabriel. Craig dedicated his life to military service, joining the Army immediately upon his graduation from Opelousas High School in 1984. Family and friends describe him as a ``team player'' who approached every assignment with strength and determination. On January 8, he undoubtedly approached what would be his last assignment with that same strength. He bravely gave his life to help make this world a better place for his two children and indeed for us all. Mr. Speaker, please join Craig's friends, family and me as we honor his memory and thank him for his heroic service to our country.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this very balanced bill, and I think that is a very important point, that this bill is about balance. I just wish that maybe this process would have been a little more balanced. But notwithstanding any of that partisanship, this bill is important. This bill to me and to America is about jobs. This is a jobs bill. Is it a silver bullet that will help our economy? No. But this is a shot in the arm for an economy that today is in desperate need of jobs. And it will go a long way into something that we are most vulnerable to and that is energy security. This bill is very balanced from conservation measures that deal with the demand side to the production side and from the supply. Two items in the bill that are very important to me. I am very pleased that we have the Shallow Shelf Deep Gas legislation that I worked on with the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) to start dealing with the price of natural gas. That is about jobs. We are losing jobs in America every day because of the cost of natural gas. Finally, the coastal impact assistance. Louisiana and other coastal States deserve their break and their fair share. I support this legislation.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, as Congress is about to adjourn for the August recess, I am proud to see that we have taken a very important step in protecting our constituents from a serious public health threat--from the West Nile Virus and other mosquito borne diseases. Today, the House will be considering S. 1015, the Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health (MASH) Act which is the companion to legislation I introduced this year, H.R. 342. This legislation is almost identical to legislation which I introduced this year in the House, H.R. 342, in light of the impending threat of the West Nile Virus and the constant threat of mosquito borne illnesses. In Louisiana, mosquitoes are jokingly considered our state bird given their size and numbers. So for me, protecting my constituents from mosquito borne diseases has been a priority. As you may be aware, mosquito control programs have always been locally sponsored programs funded through a variety of ways--mostly through state and/or local taxes. In light of this, I wanted to find a way for the federal government to support, not supplant, this funding. Due to the severity of the West Nile outbreak last year, local mosquito control programs are buckling under the financial strain of operating these programs. This is where MASH steps in and how important it is for this program to be authorized and funded. The MASH Act would establish a matching grant program through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to assist states and counties in the creation or maintenance of a mosquito control program. This program is not designed to be a ``federal take-over'' of mosquito control programs, but it is designed to recognize the great expense of start-up and maintenance that these programs incur. Given the poor economic situation most of our states and localities are facing, there is simply not enough money that can be dedicated to this need. However, there still remains a major public health threat caused by the prevalence of mosquitoes. There is a federal need here and an appropriate cause of action for the federal government to take. It has been a rather long road, Mr. Speaker, but I am happy to be here today to recognize the final passage of this legislation and to encourage President Bush to quickly sign it into law. I am excited to return home and tell my constituents that relief is on the way, and I encourage the House and Senate appropriators to fully fund the MASH Act so that we can begin to provide the financial assistance our localities need and deserve. Mr. Speaker, I would also be remiss if I did not take a few minutes to recognize all of the hard work so many people have put into getting the MASH Act to this point. This legislation is a great example of bi- partisanship, and it was a pleasure to work with my colleagues across the aisle and across the Capitol on this issue. I must extend my sincerest thanks to Chairman Tauzin and Ranking Member Dingell for supporting the MASH Act. Without their help and guidance this bill would have never made it to the President's desk. In addition, Senators Breaux, Landreau, Frist, Gregg, and Kennedy worked equally as hard in the Senate to ensure the active support and passage of the MASH Act in their chamber. And as we all know the real work is done by our staffs who spent many hours negotiating and building support for this legislation. I would like to take a second to thank Vera LeBrun, Cheryl Jaeger, John Ford, Paige Jennings, Kathleen Strothman, and Katy French for all of the time and energy they put into this legislation. Today I stand here with a proud heart and an excited spirit. The MASH Act is so very important to me, and I am thrilled to see this program finally come into existence. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to see this program fully realized.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First, let me thank Ranking Member Dicks and also Chairman Taylor for allowing me to offer this amendment. I also want to thank the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for their ongoing cooperation regarding a very important issue to many of my constituents in Louisiana and elsewhere around the country. Growing up in the coastal marshes of Louisiana, also known as the Sportsman's Paradise, I am a very avid hunter and fisherman. It is a way of life for me and many other people in the marshes of Louisiana. I am also a very active member of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus. Let me begin by clarifying that I adamantly oppose the practice of illegal waterfowl baiting. It is in the best interest of sportsmen, farmers and conservationists to maintain and support a healthy population of our Nation's waterfowl all across the Nation. At the same time, however, we must also be careful to acknowledge and properly address shortcomings in the current interpretation and sometimes subjective nature of existing Federal regulations. Any misinterpretation of these regulations unintentionally prohibits legal hunting methods. This misunderstanding also prohibits agricultural producers from implementing normal agricultural practices that are essential in the preparation of next year's crops. These practices are in no way intended to bait waterfowl or undermine the Federal regulations. For the past several years, hunters, farmers and landowners in Louisiana have experienced serious problems determining whether or not what they are doing is abiding by the intent of Federal law. As a result of the unique nature of the growing season in Louisiana and also the unique agricultural process of growing rice, there is a disagreement over what constitutes a harvested rice crop and over what constitutes normal agricultural practices under this Federal regulation. The gray area that exists in Federal waterfowl baiting regulations may allow for the prosecution of law-abiding rice producers, landowners and hunters under certain conditions. In fact, this past hunting season was an excellent example of the confusion that this regulation causes. Rice producers went about their business of draining and preparing their fields for the winter crop, something we call in Louisiana water buffaloing. It is a practice that is used every year to smooth out the ruts and also to flatten the rice stubble that has been harvested. However, unbeknownst to some of the farmers, some of their normal agricultural practices, this water buffaloing, were actually considered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service game agents to be illegal according to the current Federal regulations. As a result, 2 days before the duck season opened in Louisiana, rumors had spread rampantly all over my district, and I represent the town of Gueydan which is known as the Duck Capital of the World, but 2 days before, the rumors were rampant whether any of the rice fields that were buffaloed by these farmers, whether these hunters were going to be prosecuted and ticketed for hunting over baited fields. Many of the hunters responded by canceling their hunts, their leases; and many of the farmers were needlessly delayed in preparing their rice fields for next year's crop. Hunting waterfowl in Louisiana, Mr. Chairman, is a very important industry. It is a way of life, it is very important for the local economy, and it is a very popular pastime for the people that visit the Sportsman's Paradise. As things stand right now, Mr. Chairman, many hunters are being intimidated out of leasing lands over this regulation about water buffaloing, even though there is an extremely valid argument that this practice is legal under Federal regulations. When these hunters cancel their leases, Mr. Chairman, not only do they needlessly miss out on a great opportunity of hunting ducks in south Louisiana, but they also take money out of the rural economies of south Louisiana that desperately need the support of a stable hunting industry. This can result in especially tough times for our rice farmers. As we all know, the past few years with the drought, the low prices have really cost the rice farmers a lot. That being said, I want to withdraw my amendment because of the assurances that I have with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and also with the staffs on both sides to work out this regulation. But this is an important amendment. I will continue to work towards that end. I want to thank the ranking member and the chairman.

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Chairman, today I intended to offer an amendment to fund the fight against mosquito borne illnesses such as the West Nile virus. However, due to the agreement for limited debated on the Labor- HHS Appropriations legislation I was not able to offer the amendment. I would like to express to my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee the importance of addressing this issue in conference. I commend the CDC for the work that they have done on educating our constituencies on prevention and for the support they have given for surveillance. Unfortunately, the CDC and many others were taken by surprise by the aggressive nature of the virus. And although the House appropriators have seen fit to increase CDC funding for the West Nile virus it is simply not enough. Counties across this country need help with controlling mosquito outbreaks. Education and surveillance alone is not going to put an end to the spread of this virus. This is a major public health threat, and Congress has recognized this by passing the Mosquito Abatement Safety and Health Act. H.R. 342 would provide financial assistance to localities as they attempt to battle the spread of such an aggressive virus. Both the House and Senate have recognized the importance of this legislation by passing my bill, and I am anxiously awaiting final negotiations on the bill so that it can be sent to the President for his signature. But an authorization is not enough, as we all know. This legislation needs to be funded at its authorized amount--$100 million. As of July 7, 28 states have experienced the West Nile virus, and the first human case of 2003 was diagnosed last week. For many of our constituents there are months of West Nile activity still ahead. Most of the 4,000 plus cases of West Nile infection in 2002 occurred in the last 6 months of the year. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to further fund the fight to stop the spread of mosquito borne diseases and to appropriate funds for H.R. 342 when it is authorized--which I hope will happen before a conference on the Labor-HHS bill concludes.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support a drug benefit in Medicare. And in some aspects, the Democrats have won because it has not been that long ago, just a few short years, that the Republicans wanted to take a privatized outside-of-Medicare, a drug benefit. But now all of the debate is about it being a part of Medicare. So in that aspect, I think that we have won as Democrats. But I do believe that what they have done with this bill is continue to try to privatize Medicare and the benefits that are in it. An entire generation of baby boomers are upon us, Mr. Speaker, and in just a few years away we are going to have to deal with this. Unfortunately, this bill falls short of what our seniors deserve as it has holes in it that the Republicans refuse to plug. Perhaps the $174 billion bill that we passed just previous to this debate could have been used for the doughnut to be plugged. Efforts to fix this problem were denied us through the amendment process in this body on this debate. I offered amendments to try to bring some certainty with 2 years for our seniors to try to provide our rural ambulance services, our rural home health care and our rural doctors a fair reimbursement. In particular, I believe this bill falls short in addressing the needs of rural seniors and rural Americans. In fact, our previous experience should tell us that it has not worked. It is not profitable to offer plans to seniors in rural areas. In southwest Louisiana we have no Medicare+Choice plans. I urge Members to vote against this, and I urge the other side to work, as the Senate did, in a bipartisan fashion to fashion a bill that our seniors can use.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, many people serve the needs of their community, not searching for public recognition. Their reward is the knowledge that those in need have been helped. Mrs. Leanna Richard Alfred of Lafayette, Louisiana is one such individual. Friends and colleagues have described her as a terrific role model with a warm smile and a loving personality--a motherly figure, always prepared to lend a helping hand to those in need. Mrs. Alfred is being honored this week in Washington, DC with the distinguished Jefferson Award. Given by the American Institute for Public Service, this national award is granted to ``ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation of recognition or award.'' Through a partnership with local media sponsor KLFY-TV in Lafayette, Louisiana, Mrs. Alfred's efforts were brought to the Institute's attention. This award is not the first for Mrs. Alfred, but it is a very special honor. In 1972, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Senator Robert Taft, Jr. and Sam Beard founded the American Institute for Public Service to establish a Nobel Prize for public and community service. Mrs. Alfred's work is directed toward children in our community. She sponsors several annual events--fashion shows, a Christmas Ball, and basketball tournaments--to offer African-American children in the area avenues to showcase their unique talents. Her events often provide scholarships for area youngsters to advance their education, as well as trophies and certificates of achievement. Her motto is ``Making a Difference,'' and that is just what she does on a daily basis. I congratulate Mrs. Leanna Richard Alfred for her dedication to making our community an area in which young people can strive, succeed, and know that they are cherished.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have been a member of this body for the past seven years. In that time our world and our Congress have gone through times of grief, destruction, joy and prosperity. Through it all, there has been a constant voice at my side asking me the tough questions and reporting news of my actions in Congress to the news consumers in Louisiana. As of today, that voice will move on to ask others the tough questions and aid Capitol Hill's press gallery reporters in relaying the latest news to their vast readerships. After 24 years as the Baton Rouge Advocate's Washington reporter, Joan McKinney is putting her skills to use in a new arena as Deputy Director of the U.S. Senate's Daily Press Gallery. My colleagues and I in the Louisiana delegation will miss her energy, her attentiveness, and most of all her objectivity. Joan's depth of historical and institutional knowledge of both House proceedings and the Louisiana Congressional Delegation is unrivaled. Having begun her career as press secretary to U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings of South Carolina, Joan understands the challenge of being both question asker and information giver. Her colleagues at The Advocate describe Joan as ``an excellent reporter who worked very hard to understand the complex issues she covered through the years. She understood the federal system and was able to anticipate developments on important stories. And, she was very good at understanding and communicating how federal issues might play out in Louisiana and how they might affect people here.'' We will all miss Joan's coverage of our lively delegation, her ear for a unique angle and her inquisitive spirit. She's not going far-- perhaps only a few desks from her current one in the Senate Press Gallery--but she leaves a gaping hole for her predecessor to fill. Joan, I wish you all the best in your new job. You'll be missed. Congratulations!

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Chairman, a ``no'' vote on this amendment is a ``yes'' vote for energy security and the families of America. Mr. Chairman, high natural gas prices are hurting consumers and businesses all over America. As Members know, natural gas is increasingly becoming the fuel of choice for both home heating and for electricity generation. This winter, natural gas prices reached their highest levels of all time. High natural gas prices are hurting working families. They are hardest on the poor in this country. Natural gas prices are also hurting our manufacturing companies, our chemical manufacturers, and our fertilizer makers. Our farmers are closing businesses. One single manufacturer in my district said that the high natural gas prices which he could not pass on cost him $10 million this year. How could he keep his doors open? Family farms are also suffering. As we well know, natural gas is a very important component in the creation of fertilizer. The reason we are facing these high natural gas prices, Mr. Chairman, is very simple. It is very simple. It is not rocket science. Supply is not keeping up with demand. We can talk about conservation and efficiencies. I am for that. But there is a space between where we are today and where we can go. We have ample supplies of natural gas in reserves in the United States. The vast majority of the future of gas supplies will come from Federal lands, including the offshore around the United States. This amendment if enacted ignores the natural gas supply demand that we have. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the largest fuel economy increase for light trucks in over 20 years. After studying the cost, safety, technological features, the effect on American jobs and other factors, the experts concluded that this increase represents the maximum feasibility level that manufacturers could possibly meet today. Light trucks meet the demands of millions and millions of American families, small business, farmers, ranchers, and outdoor enthusiasts. In fact, last year, more consumers in Louisiana purchased light trucks than passenger cars; and this is true in more than 36 States in our Union. The Boehlert-Markey amendment would force manufacturers to either stop making these vehicles or radically change them, including the safety features, on a product that millions of Americans want today. I support the ongoing efforts to develop fuel-saving technology, but let us let consumer demand drive that market, and not unscientific Federal mandates. I urge Members to vote ``no'' on the Markey-Boehlert amendment.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1036. As an original cosponsor of this piece of legislation, I also thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) for his vision and leadership in introducing this piece of legislation and allowing me to be part of the passage of this legislation through committee and now here on the floor. Mr. Chairman, frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers jeopardize a legitimate, legal, and I underscore and repeat, legal industry which is worth billions of dollars to our national economy. I cannot in good conscience support any of these actions. Being from Louisiana, officially known as the sportsmen's paradise, and I am an avid hunter and fisherman in a region that depends heavily on the sporting industry, I can easily see the potential that these lawsuits have to seriously restrict not only our freedoms but our constitutional rights. Not only would continued frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers threaten the firearm industry, but it would have an enormous impact on many other businesses that are dependent on this industry. These lawsuits could have serious negative economic impact on the various hunting and sportsmen-related industries which depend on safe, reliable gun manufacturing. However, of even more concern to me is the possibility that if we continue to allow municipalities across our country to file these suits against lawful gun manufacturers, we risk restricting freedoms of something very dear to me, and that is rural America where the use of firearms is a very important and integral part of our life-style and our livelihoods. Rather than acting as a deterrent, as many of the opponents of this legislation consider irresponsible, lawsuits such as these will take money away from beneficial programs and safety programs. The firearms industry has committed millions of dollars to the safe, legal and responsible sale and use of their product. Millions of dollars are spent each year by this industry to promote numerous preventive safety designs and educational programs that promote safe handling of firearms. I would hate to see the funding for these programs wasted, defending these needless lawsuits that in all probability will be thrown out and dismissed in our Nation's court systems. In response to these attacks on our Nation's firearms industry, many States, including Louisiana, have enacted laws. I urge Members to go along with 31 of the other States that have presented laws that have thrown out these lawsuits and urge support of H.R. 1036.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, the long and successful career of a good friend is drawing to a close. On June 30, 2004, after 20 years in his current office and over 40 years in law enforcement, Acadia Parish Sheriff Ken Goss will retire. Sheriff Goss' distinguished career in law enforcement is known and respected across Louisiana. He has been a leader, innovator and enforcer his entire career, consistently keeping his department on the cutting edge of law enforcement while maintaining the respect of his peers and those in the community he serves. He has received numerous awards and accolades from both his colleagues and his constituents, affirming his dedication to his community and his intense desire to constantly improve the safety of our neighbors. His long career has also incorporated service in the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association, including a term as president of the organization. Moreover, Sheriff Goss serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Sheriffs' Association. He is dedicated to the young people in our community. Throughout his tenure, Sheriff Goss has implemented or expanded programs such as DARE, Mentoring Programs, the School Resource Officer Program, ACAMP--a summer camp for 8-10 year olds, and Basic Training--a summer program for 7th and 8th graders. He has grown the Acadia Parish Sheriffs Office to 130 deputies and the Detective Division to 8 deputies in the Criminal Investigation Division. True to his desire to constantly improve as the resources allow, numerous programs within Sheriff Goss' department from narcotics to emergency response and communications have been enhanced to meet the needs of our community. Sheriff Goss is an example to local law enforcers across the country. After 40 years in law enforcement in Acadiana, his record of accomplishment is unparalleled. I wish Sheriff Goss well in his retirement, and I speak for our community when I offer him my humble thanks for his lifetime of dedication to our safety.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, our community lost a dedicated servant on February 20, 2003. Lester J. Guidry, Commander of American Legion Post 69, lost his battle with cancer. Mr. Guidry was a tireless advocate for Acadiana's Veterans, often serving as their voice in the community. Mr. Guidry was a veteran of the Korean War, serving with the 25th Infantry Division, 35th Regiment, 1st Battalion, Able Company. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds he sustained in battle in 1951. Back on the home front, Mr. Guidry became a mountaineering instructor with the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. For 25 years, he taught our young cadets the specifics of winter survival, mountaineering safety and awareness. Upon his return home to Acadiana, Mr. Guidry became a project coordinator working on behalf of Korean War Veterans. He was tireless in his efforts to help these veterans secure the service medals and accolades they were due. I knew Lester Guidry well. He constantly interacted with my office on behalf of our local veterans, insuring that cases were tended to and information was located. In 2002, he visited with me in Washington, DC during his trip to retrieve pieces of the damaged Pentagon for display at memorials across Acadiana. Mr. Guidry's passion for life and service was both inspirational and contagious. He was persistent in his task, making service to our local veterans and their memory his mission in life. I believe he accomplished his mission. He fought for the ideals he believed in until his final days. He labored to remind of us that ``freedom is never free,'' and that service to country should be recognized and never forgotten. He was an example of patriotism for our community, he touched countless lives in our area and across the country, and he will be sorely missed.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) for this piece of legislation, and I also want to thank my distinguished colleague from California (Mrs. Capps) for being the prime sponsor of this very important piece of legislation, House Resolution 389, the Adam Act or the Auto Defibrillation in Adam's Memory Act. This is an important piece of legislation that will authorize the appropriation of resources to establish a much-needed clearinghouse providing information to increase public awareness to successful life-saving tools and programs. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, heart disease is the single leading cause of death in America. This year alone over 1 million people will suffer from cardiac attacks, or coronary attacks. Over half of these people will die, and half of those will die before they reach the hospitals. Additionally, 60 percent of the heart-related deaths are due to cardiac arrest, and half of those occur in the patient before they can reach the hospital. It is vitally important to ensure that victims of heart disease and cardiac arrest are able to receive immediate medical attention, first responders right at the site. The Adam Act will help enable Americans to recognize and respond to incidences of heart disease and cardiac arrest by providing schools with the guidance and resources necessary to set up public access defibrillation programs. H.R. 389 will work to ensure that schools have access to the appropriate training, fund- raising techniques and other logistical requirements for successful life-saving programs. This is a very important and good bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill, a life-saving piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps), a prime sponsor of this life- saving piece of legislation.

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I yield back my time.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to thank the gentleman from Louisiana as chairman of our Committee on Energy and Commerce and also the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the ranking member. Without their leadership, this legislation would never be on the floor today, and to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), I think that it is appropriate that we two Louisianans on either side of the aisle take the lead on this piece of legislation because, as we all know, mosquitos are nonpartisan biting insects, and so it is really important that we have a nonpartisan bill here. So I thank the gentleman very, very much for doing this. I also want to thank Cheryl Jaeger with the majority staff and John Ford with the minority staff for their help in bringing this bill to the floor today. I also want to thank the 50-plus cosponsors of this piece of legislation that are on both sides of the aisle from all over the country, 50-plus people. I also want to add the support of the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Ross) and also the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) and a special support from the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) who shared with me just this morning a story of a lady, a constituent of hers, who died in her garden this past summer from West Nile virus. So she is a strong supporter of this piece of legislation. I first introduced this piece of legislation in May of 2002 in the 107th Congress last year, and I do not think anyone would have realized, especially Members of Congress or any other Americans would have realized or imagined the effect West Nile has had since that time when I introduced this piece of legislation. As we can see from the visual aids, the West Nile virus in the United States from 1999 to 2001 are depicted here in the red States, all the way from the Northeast all the way down to Louisiana, basically separated somewhat by the Mississippi River, but if we look at what has happened in just 1 year alone or year-and-a-half, the visual aid on my right indicates the verified cases, as of December 11 of this past year, of the cases of West Nile virus. They have spread to almost every State in our Union. It is important to note that the spread of this has happened only over the last year-and-a-half. Over 4,000 people have been infected, and 300 people have died of this disease. The people of Louisiana have suffered almost 330 human cases, 24 deaths, but surprisingly enough we were not the worst ones affected. The State of Illinois, 800 human cases; the State of Michigan, 550 cases; and Ohio, 450 cases. It is important that we know a little bit about this disease because it is somewhat new to the United States, and it is also important to know that prior to 1999 it was not diagnosed or it was not a disease that was diagnosed in America. It was first discovered in New York City in 1999, only 4 years ago. Before that, this virus was very common in Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia, or Western Asia and the Middle East. It is also important to know how this disease spreads, to try to get to better understanding of how we can cope with it. First of all, it is a disease that infests birds, birds of all prey, but it is mostly in bluejays and crows where it is found more prevalent, and of course, this disease, mosquitos bite these birds and these birds go on and spread this virus to many hundreds and thousands of mosquitos who, in turn, bite humans, cattle, animals and infect them. So that is how the disease is spread. It is also important to note that the disease patterns are very similar to the migratory patterns of some of these birds. So we know a little bit about it, but we need to know more. This disease has spread faster across America than anyone could ever, ever have imagined, including the Centers for Disease Control. Their projections were wrong about the spread of this disease. In 1 year the disease has spread all the way, as I mentioned, from the Mississippi River all the way to the Western coast of California and almost every other State in between, and of course, as my visuals show, this is now not just about the mosquito, the breeding States of this country, but it is a national public health threat, and I believe that the Federal Government should get involved and that is what this piece of legislation is all about. The counties and parishes of this country have really surpassed their budgets. Mosquito control abatement programs are all done on the local level. The Federal Government, today, hopefully this bill will change that, but today is only done by parishes in Louisiana and, of course, counties, and they have surpassed their budget with this outbreak by many years in advance. They have spent their budgets last year for the foreseeable future on whatever they had budgeted for mosquito abatement programs. Our public health systems have been strained because of this disease, and those who have been infected have put a real burden on our public health systems. The population that is most at risk is our elderly population. The little research that we have found so far with this disease is that our seniors are most vulnerable. In fact, most of the deaths have occurred from West Nile in our senior population, and I think that that is very unfortunate and, also, young children. In fact, in the State of Louisiana there were concerns about recesses, outdoor activities, soccer fields. The soccer programs that are kicking off I know in my home State and across the country, the parents are very concerned about the spread of this disease because that is where mosquitos are. Aside from some of the human casualties that I have mentioned before, it has become a real problem in Louisiana and other States across the country with cattle. Cattle are very susceptible to this disease, and the horsemen in Louisiana are very concerned about the spread of this. In fact, many of the cattlemen in Louisiana have been instructed to vaccinate their herds, to make sure in the coming mosquito season that they can have the proper vaccine. Currently, there are no human vaccines to help with the spread of West Nile virus. NIH is working to develop this, but frankly, since it is such a new disease the realization is that a final product for vaccinating humans is years away. Therein lies the need for this piece of legislation. Our only tools to fight this disease today are in mosquito abatement through education, and that is what this bill is all about. Currently, the CDC helps to educate the public and local government on disease and prevention, but the CDC also does surveillance to the States to help monitor the progress of the virus. But, Mr. Speaker, I believe, and I beg of this body, that this is not enough. This is not enough. Eradication of mosquitoes is the most effective way today that we can stop the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Abatement programs are handled on a local level, as I had said earlier, but counties are stressed. And the counties and parishes most in need are rural parishes that have a lower tax base and a lower ability to fund a very aggressive mosquito abatement program. H.R. 342 establishes a one-time matching grant program through the CDC to assist parishes and counties with either maintaining a mosquito control program or, frankly, starting one up. It is a two-to-one match not to exceed $100,000 per parish or county. Finally, in order to ensure that our hardest hit areas are addressed, this piece of legislation prioritizes the States and counties and areas of the United States that have more proven cases and a more focal point for the disease in different areas of the State. But I believe we must act now. The 2003 mosquito season, and, frankly, the mosquito season in Louisiana never goes away, but the real aggressive mosquito season is at our doorstep around this country so it is important for us to act. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank again the chairman of our committee, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), and the ranking member for putting this bill through the committee very quickly and getting it on the floor today because it is certainly the time to address the mosquito problem in this country Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I proudly yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from northeast Louisiana (Mr. Alexander). (Mr. ALEXANDER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to thank the chairman once again, and I also would be remiss if I did not thank my senior legislative staff person who worked very hard on this bill, Vera LeBrun.

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHN

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 399, the Organ Donation Improvement Act of 2003. I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), along with the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), and also the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, for introducing the legislation and working to encourage a more efficient and widespread organ donation program and activities. These numbers are staggering. Currently there are 78,000 men, women, and children waiting as we speak today for a kidney, heart, liver, lung or pancreas. Fewer than one-third of the 78,000, however, will receive a transplant this year. An average of 15 people die every day, one every 96 minutes, waiting for an organ that could have saved their life. Sadly, while most Americans indicate that they support organ donation, only 50 percent of the families that are asked to donate an organ do so. This is an important piece of legislation that will work towards reducing the shortage of transplantable organs, tissues, eyes. Grants will be used to assist States in carrying out organ donation awareness, public education, outreach activities, and programs designed to increase the number of organ donors within a State. This is a very important, very good piece of legislation; and I enthusiastically support H.R. 399. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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