Patrick Kennedy

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, the last two days the House has debated for over 10 hours a politically motivated resolution on Iraq. Not one word in this resolution will do anything to bring us one step closer to success in Iraq, or one day closer to bringing our troops home. This resolution is not about the troops. If it were, this resolution would actually do something to hold accountable those responsible for the manipulation of pre-war intelligence, the poor planning, the incompetence, and the mismanagement that has brought us to this point in Iraq. This resolution does nothing to give our troops a real plan that charts a path toward victory and home. Instead what we have is another attempt at re-writing history to buck up fading support for this administration's failed status quo policies. As even Secretary Condoleezza Rice has acknowledged, the administration has made mistake after mistake when it comes to Iraq. It is the military that has saved them, even as civilian policymakers have scorned and marginalized senior combat generals who have criticized them. Last week's elimination of al-Zarqawi was a reminder of the skill and determination of our men and women in uniform. It is our troops and their families who have borne the brunt of sacrifice in this war, and they continue to persevere despite the failures of this administration. For the past 12 years, I have voted for every bill that supports our troops and honors the sacrifices they and their families make in defending our Nation. For every year of this war, I have voted for every appropriations bill funding our troops, fighting to provide them with the bulletproof vests and up-armored Humvees that they were sent into Iraq without. But the administration needs to understand that more of the same P.R., rosier rhetoric, better stagecraft at another rally, or viciously attacking generals who served on the ground in Iraq will not achieve success in Iraq, nor bring us one step closer to bringing our troops home. The administration needs to wake up and stop taking the American people for a spin. Public confidence in this administration's handling of Iraq has plummeted because the American people have seen through the rhetoric to see the reality on the ground in Iraq. No amount of publicity stunts and political posturing can change that. More of the same from the administration will not make our country any safer from terrorists than we were on September 11, 2001. A poll conducted by Foreign Policy magazine of our Nation's top 100 foreign policy minds, liberal and conservative alike, found that 84 percent did not believe that the U.S. was winning the war on terror. Sharing that view was 71 percent of conservatives. The status quo is not acceptable. We need a change. The administration needs to take the ideological blinders off and acknowledge the reality of the facts on the ground. As GEN John Abizaid and Ambassador Khalilzad have stated, the reality is that civil war is now a greater threat than insurgency. Because of the regional destabilization that could follow, I do not believe we can pull out of Iraq precipitously. But I cannot support letting Iraq become an open-ended commitment without limit or end. So instead of occupying themselves with defending their mistakes of the past, the administration should focus instead on achieving real measurable progress on the ground in Iraq so our troops can begin to come home. Miss McMORRIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stress the importance of our country's role in the Global War on Terror and to observe the heroic, enduring efforts of our men and women in uniform who are working to secure freedom and democracy for the people of Iraq. In January, I stood with the Eastern Washington families and colleagues of nearly 100 airmen from Fairchild Air Force Base and said goodbye as they were deployed to Iraq for 4 months. In April, I had the opportunity to travel to Iraq and visit with these members of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing and the 141st Air National Guard Medical Squadron. And in May, I was privileged to welcome them back to Eastern Washington with gratitude for their work on behalf of our Nation and in pursuit of freedom and democracy in Iraq. Troops based at Eastern Washington have long played a central role in the Global War on Terror. In Iraq, they assisted in the rebuilding of airfields and other crucial infrastructure projects. In April 2004, a crew deployed from Fairchild delivered the one-billionth pound of jet fuel in the Iraqi theater from a KC-135 to an F-16CJ Fighting Falcon from the 555th Fighter Squadron. Much deserved attention is given to the combat efforts of our troops serving alongside Iraqi Defense Forces to protect the fragile but promising unity government and the Iraqi people whom it represents. Yet I would draw attention also to the remarkable accomplishments of service men and women who are rapidly restoring the infrastructure-- roads, airports, and utilities--that is critical to Iraq sustaining itself. But even beyond the duty and mission charged to them, many of our troops are volunteering to help out at orphanages and day cares in Iraq. We should be encouraged by the commitment and compassion that these soldiers show to the comprehensive task of restoration in Iraq. Congress must continue to support the unity government of Iraq as it rebuilds its country. Like the generations before them, fighting Nazis and Communists, United States warfighters are today doing a duty for which we can never repay them. I express my undying appreciation for their commitment and their sacrifice. One of the priorities in assisting the Iraqi people is establishing an independent, self-sufficient Iraqi Security Force. Here our progress has been astounding. Today, there are over 264,600 trained and equipped members of the Iraqi Security Force. The ISF is conducting 84 percent of company-level operations independently or along side coalition forces. This will give Iraq the ability to defend itself and participate as allies in the Global War on Terror. On the urgency of the Global War on Terror, there is no debate. And it would be irresponsible for this Congress to deny the fact that Iraq is a front in that war or to abandon our efforts there. The fierceness of the foreign-led insurgency that was drawn to Iraq after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime is evidence that the presence of democracy in Iraq and the United States aggressive pursuit of the roots of terror abroad are deadly threats to al-Qaida and others across the globe. We are fighting this tyrannical and ruthless enemy precisely where we should be--thousands of miles away from American families and American soil. To think that terrorists would confine their attacks to Iraq's borders is to not recognize the reality of the threats we face. We must not abandon the people of Iraq. We must not neglect an opportunity to strike lethal blows to the Islamic extremist network. We must assist the Iraqi people in establishing a free, stable and secure nation and not give up until then. The security of our country and our families depend on it.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I rise today to honor Raymond C. Church, a life-long resident of the great state of Rhode Island, in recognition of his 16 years of service to the accounting profession and the Rhode Island Society of CPAs (RISCPA). Ray has very ably led the RISCPA and its nearly 1,500 CPAs and affiliated professionals throughout Rhode Island, and he is considered a leader among his peers. It is on this day that we thank him for his service to the accounting profession, to the community and to his country, and wish him well in his retirement. Ray has also worked diligently for the citizens of Rhode Island and particularly the residents of Rhode Island House District 48. Ray was elected to the State of Rhode Island's House of Representatives in 2004 and has been serving on the House Committee on Corporations and the Permanent Joint Committee on Economic Development. He also served as the North Smithfield Town Administrator from 1987-1989 and is the former Chairman of the North Smithfield Town Budget Committee. Ray served his country honorably in the U.S. Army, and is a Vietnam War veteran. He attended Bryant College and graduated with a major in Accounting in 1982. Ray is not only dedicated to his profession but to his family as well. He and his wife Carol have been married for 33 years and have one daughter, Jennifer. It is with great pleasure that we honor Raymond C. Church today, and congratulate him and thank him for all he has done for his hometown, the state of Rhode Island, the association community, and the accounting profession.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to myself. Mr. Chairman, Marley Prunty-Lara is here today in the gallery. She is an articulate young woman living with bipolar disorder, and she is a suicide attempt survivor. She is in town because she was here to testify yesterday about her struggle with bipolar disorder, being forced to drop out of school and ultimately attempting to take her own life. Marley's family attempted to find a psychiatrist in South Dakota to treat her, but they were told that they would have to wait over 4 months to get an initial appointment. Because her mother's insurance would not cover residential treatment and they were so desperate to find care, they took out a second mortgage on their house, and they drove over 350 miles to another State to get Marley the life-saving care that she needed. Mr. Chairman, Marley's story is all too common. There are just not enough trained professionals to treat the mental health needs of our children. Surgeon General Carmona has said so. The President's New Freedom Commission has said so. For the past three Congresses, my good friend from Florida Ms. Ros- Lehtinen and I have introduced legislation aimed at alleviating the shortage of child and adolescent mental health providers in this country. While this amendment does not cover everything included in the previous three bills, it is a start. Within the College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005, there is a section that provides student loan forgiveness for service in areas of national need. Mr. Speaker, this is an area of national need. For many families in this Nation, as Marley can readily attest, there is no higher need than the need for urgent mental health care for our children. Our amendment would simply add child and adolescent mental health professionals to the list of high need professionals eligible for loan forgiveness. Millions of American families need hope. Millions of them need help. The number of suicides are twice the rate of homicides in this country; 36,000 people take their lives every year successfully. Every day in this country, 1,385 people attempt suicide. It is the third leading cause of death for young people. Mr. Speaker, this is a problem that needs addressing, and we need the number of providers out there to make sure it gets the attention it deserves. This year alone, 1,400 college students will successfully take their lives. Mr. Speaker, we need to make sure that we have adequate personnel to make sure that the services are delivered, and the services will never be delivered unless there are enough people to deliver them. That is why this legislation is in order. That is why I would ask my colleagues to support it, and I thank you for the time in consideration of this amendment.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Reclaiming my time, I would just like to point out to the gentleman from California, there may be questions, what is this going to cost? The question is, what is it going to cost us not to do this? Let me give you some statistics. Two-thirds of those in juvenile detention facilities are being held there simply because they cannot get a mental health appointment because there is no one to provide an assessment of them, two-thirds. Any of my colleagues that are interested, I encourage them to go out to Oak Hill here in the District of Columbia and see for yourself 11- and 12-year-olds behind bars because their parents cannot handle their mental illness. They have no other choice but to call the police and get their children held in detention because there is nothing else for them to do.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, and I thank Marley for her courage and her witness here today. Announcement by the Acting Chairman

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote to demonstrate this House's support for mental health services in this country.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Madam Speaker, today I rise to acknowledge Brain Awareness Week, which reminds us that neuroscience research is critical to the health of U.S. global competitiveness and much of this research is done by the National Institutes of Health. As Members of Congress, many of us from both sides of the aisle make a commitment to doubling the NIH budget, and many of us now wonder what do we get for what we paid for. Some are asking this and I have asked them to look at www.SFN.org, which stands for the Society of Neuroscience which has produced 24 separate brain research success stories. Behind me here you see some of the incredible technology that is giving rise to research in the brain by helping us through PET scans and FMRIs, looking into the brain as we have never been able to do before. These discoveries have allowed us to develop treatments that reduce the severity of symptoms for those suffering from Parkinson's, those suffering from affective disorders. We have seen a whole new class of anti-depressants that produce fewer sides effects than their predecessors. We have also seen great breakthroughs in the identification of new stroke treatment and prevention methods, and we have seen the creation of ways to help prevent epileptic seizures, as well as expansion of treatments for psychotic symptoms and schizophrenia. Research brings hope and improves the lives of millions of Americans. Madam Speaker, in this country mental illnesses comprise the second leading cause of lost work days in our country. Suicide in this country is twice the rate of homicide. We lose 34,000 people a year to suicide. The fact of the matter is we have 1,300 young people every single day who try to take their lives in this country. And yet we can reach into this brain science, find and discover ways to help reduce the severity of mental illness and address the needs that people have that cause them to suffer so greatly. Madam Speaker, I would just point once again to the fact that we have had technology thanks to the National Institutes of Mental Health, the National Institute of Drug Addiction, the National Institute of Alcoholism that has demonstrated to us that we are going to see great promise. But we need the American people to call their Members of Congress and say to their Members of Congress, we want full funding for mental health research and neuroscience. We have come too far to step back now. Anybody watching this program needs to call their Members of Congress, their Senator and their Representative, and say we do not want to take a step backward in brain research. We want us to go forward to help solve the many mysteries of the brain and the suffering that is going out around this country from those who are suffering from mental illness. Madam Speaker, we also need them to ask for parity for mental health coverage, which means equal insurance coverage for mental illness as every other physical illness. You cannot look at these poster boards and not tell me that mental illness is physical illness. It is not a sign of a character defect if they are depressed, if they are suffering from mental illness. It is a sign that they need the kind of attention to the organ, which is their brain, the organ which is their brain that too often has been associated with stigma and stereotype that has guided our policymaking too much of the time; and as a result we spend less than four of every 100 of your dollars at NIH studying brain diseases even though they comprise the second leading cause of lost days in this country. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing Brain Awareness Week and join me in helping to continue the research, the very promising work that is going on in our institutes of health that help us find the discoveries that we need in order to relieve the suffering of millions of Americans.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 61, I was in a meeting with the Minister of Northern Ireland and missed the 2 minute vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of today, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I am voting in favor of passing H.R. 4472, The Children's Safety and Violent Crime Reduction Act of 2006. However, I want to make clear the serious concerns I have regarding some of the content of this legislation and the manner in which it is being considered by the House of Representatives. I ultimately support this legislation, primarily because it incorporates the core content contained in H.R. 3132, The Children's Safety Act of 2005, which was previously passed by the House of Representatives on September 14, 2005. H.R. 3132--and by extension H.R. 4472--provides for vital improvements to strengthen the ability of our justice system to protect children from sex offenders. This legislation helps to develop a comprehensive national approach to prevent sex offenders from preying on our children, as it creates a national sex offender registry and increases penalties for sex crimes against children. Like everyone else, I have been horrified by the recent cases of abductions and murders of children by sex offenders, and am determined to do everything in my power as a public official to prevent such tragedies from ever occurring again. I am also supportive of the main provisions of H.R. 1751, The Secure Access to Justice and Court Protection Action of 2005, which are included in H.R. 4472. These provisions would increase federal penalties for the assault, murder, or kidnapping of judges and court employees and make it a federal crime to kill or assault public safety officers or other court personnel. However, H.R. 4472 also contains the core content of additional legislation, H.R. 1279, The Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005, which I voted against last year on May 11, 2005. H.R. 1279--and by extension H.R. 4472--creates new federal criminal penalties and mandatory minimums for crimes committed by gang members, yet it loosely defines the definition of gang membership. Further, it redefines ``crimes of violence'' to include drug-trafficking crimes, and authorizes the Attorney General to charge a juvenile as an adult for certain crimes. I believe this aspect of the legislation has many flaws, one of which is the ability to penalize even non-violent drug dealing and some misdemeanors as ``crimes of violence.'' I am opposed to prosecuting youth as adults and imposing mandatory minimum sentences. We already incarcerate two million people, about half for non-violent drug crimes, and I believe that we need to emphasize more prevention and early intervention programs geared towards at-risk youth. This legislation seriously errs in its lack of focus on prevention and early intervention, which time after time has proven to be the most effective way to prevent juvenile, and ultimately, adult crime. I also think it is yet another abuse of the procedures of the House by the majority to bring up this bill on the suspension calendar. The suspension calendar, which does not permit amendments, is intended for non-controversial bills for which there is broad consensus. For the reasons described above and others, many Menibers of this body have reservations about H.R. 4472. Undoubtedly, a number of Members would have offered improving amendments if given the opportunity. Perhaps those amendments would have been rejected by a majority of the House, and would have failed. Perhaps they would have been approved unanimously. Bringing this legislation up on the suspension calendar subverts the democratic process. Particularly given that the House has already passed the entire contents of H.R. 4472, it is patently obvious that the sole purpose of bringing up H.R. 4472 without an ability to amend it is to play politics. In conclusion, my vote in favor of passing H.R. 4472 comes despite my reservations regarding these controversial provisions, and is driven by my overriding concern for the safety of our nation's most valuable asset--our children. I continue to have major concerns about some elements of the legislation, and particularly the manner in which it has been brought up. Protecting our nation's children should be our overriding priority, and worth real debate and attention from the House.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, on February 25, 2006, the citizens of East Providence and the state of Rhode Island lost one of the beloved leaders of all time. A father, husband, grandfather and dear friend, Norman Miranda was a lifelong resident of East Providence. He was the city's longest serving elected and appointed official; 13 years as a councilman and 18 years with the Zoning Board of Review. Thirty-one years as a public servant, Norman was always passionate about the issues facing his community. He was the loving father of Loriann and Norman Jr. and a loving husband to Shirley for 46 years. If you were to meet the two, you could easily sense their marriage was one built on love and faith. They worked together as a team to raise a beautiful family that will now carry on his legacy. Norman's years of dedicated service to his community, speak volumes about his compassion for those in need and his ability to connect with others. He loved Ward 2 like it was an extension of his family and those who lived there loved him back. They knew he could be trusted for he represented the things that mattered most, family and faith. I had the honor of knowing Norman and his family. I remember when I first ran for Congress he offered me his support and that meant I could count on all of East Providence. I can still see him proudly marching along the many parade routes in the city, smiling and waving at the crowd--most he knew by name. It's an image we all can hold onto, a man who left his mark by symbolizing all that is good and decent. He will be forever missed.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, Coretta Scott King's passing is a tremendous loss for our country and for all who have worked to uphold America's promise of equal justice under the law. She led with great passion, integrity and with a spirit that should be a guiding light for all of us. When Americans visit our Nation's Capital, they are overwhelmed with beautiful monuments honoring the great leaders of our country. From the Jefferson Memorial to the Washington Monument to the U.S. Capitol, every building and statue is in place to remind Americans of the legacy left by these leaders and their contributions to the framework of our Nation. There is no monument or building dedicated to the heroic actions that mark Mrs. King's life in the Nation's Capital, but I believe her legacy lives on in ways that cannot be adequately honored with a statue. Mrs. King's legacy is honored when African-American women join their neighbors at the local poll to vote on Election Day. And she is honored when children read for the first time a sign that says ``Whites Only,'' not in their community, but in a museum. Mrs. King, who was faced with the tragic and early loss of her life partner, The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., did not act bitterly towards the violence that interrupted her life, but continued to spread the message of peace and equality to all corners of the world. As founding President, Chair, and Chief Executive Officer of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Mrs. King spent her life furthering the Civil Rights Movement, and later, creating the largest archive of documents from this era. With this collection in place, future generations will have the ability to educate themselves beyond what is read in textbooks, and will have the opportunity to experience firsthand the sacrifices that were made to build the world we live in today. Like all who have sacrificed for the most fundamental American value--that equality and justice are the birthright of everyone in our society--Mrs. King has left us a country that is better today than when she arrived. However, there is still much work that remains to ensure that every American has the opportunity to fulfill their potential and we must uphold her legacy by continuing her work. I hope that all Americans will pause to remember the values for which she stood and to consider how we can work together to make sure the promise of America is enjoyed equally by all.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend the House of Representatives voted to congratulate the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement for their willingness to compromise to end the conflict in Aceh. Indeed, I join with my colleagues in marking this important milestone towards peace. However, at the same time, I must rise to express my grave concerns about the recent Administration decision to waive conditionality pertaining to Foreign Military Financing for Indonesia (FMF). While Indonesia has made great strides in democratization in recent years, it is unfortunate that the Indonesia military (TNI) continues to tarnish that progress. As my colleagues know, the Fiscal Year 2006 Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act that was signed into law on November 14 included certain restrictions upon FMF for Indonesia. The legislation required that the Indonesian Government hold members of their military accountable for gross violations of human rights. Congress held FMF contingent upon the Indonesian military's cooperation with civilian judicial activities and international efforts aimed at bringing perpetrators to justice. Furthermore, Congress demonstrated its support for strengthening democratic governance in Indonesia, and required that improved civilian control of the military be demonstrated before FMF could be provided. Those conditions have not yet been met. However, only two days after the Foreign Operations Appropriation bill was signed into law, and despite the clearly expressed will of Congress on this issue, the Administration unilaterally decided to exercise waiver authority that it was granted in good faith. The evidence does not support this waiver. At least 15 human rights defenders, including Indonesia's foremost human rights advocate Munir, have been murdered since 2000. No perpetrator has been brought to justice for these crimes. No senior Indonesian officer has been held accountable for crimes against humanity in East Timor in 1999 or before. Today, in West Papua, reports continue to come in of the TNI terrorizing the people of West Papua, even as the military restricts access to the area. I am deeply disappointed by this action taken by the Administration. It removes the U.S.'s leverage to press for human rights improvement. It undermines our credibility with those who have suffered and seek justice. And it threatens the democratic advances that have been made by the Indonesian people. I strongly urge the Administration to retract this decision.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me time, and I thank the chairman as well. Mr. Speaker, what we are doing here today is simply renewing an act that will allow mental health insurance to have the same limits in insurance coverage as every other insurance legislation that you would ever have for a physical illness. However, the problem is that we keep doing this each year without addressing the fundamental problem. The fundamental problem is that we have here in the Congress a bill that would require parity in insurance coverage, meaning equal copay, equal deductible, equal premium for those illnesses, for those mental illnesses, when it comes to insurance coverage as there would be for any other physical illness. Mr. Speaker, I have two major illnesses. I have asthma, which is a chronic illness; and I have an EpiPen, and I have prednisone, and I also have bipolar disorder, and I have Prozac and I have lithium. Now, I am fortunate enough to have insurance coverage where when I go to get my coverage for my medications, I do not have to pay a higher copay for my mental health drugs as opposed to my asthma drugs. Do you know why? Because the Congress of the United States has mental health parity. Yes, Members of Congress are not discriminated against when it comes to mental illnesses. However, you in the public out there in America, when you try to go and try to get treatment for bipolar disorder, for schizophrenia, for major depression, for any number of mental illnesses, you are told you have to pay a higher copay, a higher deductible, and you are told that you have to pay a higher premium on top of that, all because this country still treats mental illness as if it is not a physical illness. Mr. Speaker, I have a chart here that shows that mental illness is a physical illness, for those that do not truly believe it. Here we can see in what is an x-ray called a PET scan the difference between two brains, each differentiating from the other based upon a difference in the disorder that the illness represents. In this case, we have bipolar disorder, and you can see that there is greater activity in one part of the brain here for those that do suffer from it, as opposed to this brain. The physical qualities of mental illness are well known, so why do we not have parity in this country? Well, we do not have parity because some think that it is going to cost us more money. Well, the tests are in, the studies have been done, and, quite frankly, to my colleagues who think that this is going to cost the Chamber of Commerce more money, all they need to do is look at The Wall Street Journal for evidence to the fact that it actually saves businesses money. It saves businesses money because it costs us $31 billion a year, $31 billion a year in productivity lost because businesses do not ensure adequate coverage for their employees in mental illness. Just understand this: anyone who has depression, are you truly able to make it at work and focus on what you are doing? That is called presenteeism. That is when you are at work, but you really are not at work because you cannot concentrate. That is called presenteeism. Then, of course, you have absenteeism. Of course, that is easy to measure. The fact, my friends, is that an average person who has depression loses 5 hours a week of productivity compared to one that does not. So would you not think that some mental health coverage for the person suffering from depression might actually improve productivity? Guess what? It does. The studies are in, and, frankly, that is why I cannot understand why the majority of this House has not even brought to the floor of this House a mental health parity bill that will allow us to end the discrimination that currently exists in this country. We are sanctioning discrimination. We are basically saying, like, for example, cancer, well, we are not going to cover cancer because it is costing too much. That is essentially what we are being told by those who do not want to cover mental illness. We are basically being told ``your illness costs money.'' Well, if it is about saving money, why not just cut out cancer coverage, because, you know, that costs us a lot of money. That is a foolish argument. And equally as foolish is the fact that we would cut out from insurance coverage mental illness simply because of stereotypes and because of stigma in this country. This legislation today is simply one part of a farce to make people think that we are actually doing something on mental health parity when, in fact, with this legislation what we are doing today, all it does is allow the insurance companies to play the game where they do not actually have to provide the coverage. They can organize various days that actually can be utilized and the number of appointments that someone can have or the kind of drugs that they are prescribed. This legislation might as well have been written by the insurance industry when it comes to coverage for those with mental illness. So, Mr. Speaker, let me just conclude by stating a few facts. Those who are 65 or older are the highest rate of suicide in this country; 65 and older have the highest rate of suicide in this country. The third leading cause of death for young people is suicide. This year alone we are going to see 1,400 young people take their lives in colleges and universities in this country. We are not taking this issue, this illness, seriously enough. And if it pulls your heart strings and it is simply about whether you think it is going to save money or not, you can see from these charts that even the Surgeon General of the United States has said that mental illnesses comprise the second leading cause of morbidity, meaning the lost days in life, productive life; and the World Health Organization has ranked it number one. So how could we be so blind to look at such a significant part of our health care system and then just look the other way when it comes to insurance coverage? I hope my good friend from California will help me in getting his leadership to help bring to the floor of the House a parity bill that will allow us to finally end the stigma and discrimination that still exists in this country towards those with mental illness. Let me just say, with respect to our veterans coming back and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, when we say that we are not going to cover mental illness, we are making an implicit message out there to America that somehow it is not real, somehow it is not real health care, it is something on the order of cosmetic surgery. You know what that does? That means that there will be fewer veterans coming forward and asking for help. Ninety-six percent of the veterans coming back from Iraq right now are not signing up for any mental health consultation whatsoever. And the reason they are not is because of the stigma. And by not bringing a bill like parity to the floor, another thing that we do that is unjust is we reinforce the image in America that if you are mentally ill there is something wrong with you, that you ought to just get up, pull yourself up by you bootstraps, and you ought to get with the program, and that it is some moral failure of yours as opposed to it actually being a physical disorder with its roots in the biology of the brain. I thank the chairman and my good friend, the ranking member from California, for giving me this time to speak. There is so much here to discuss. I would not have all the time that I would need to discuss it. But hopefully if we do get a parity bill on the floor one of these days, we can have an even fuller discussion of this issue.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, Mr. Obey, and I thank him and applaud him for his steadfast voice on behalf of those who need a voice on the hill, who always speaks up on behalf of those without a voice. And I want to thank the chairman for his steadfast work trying to make the best of a bad situation. You know, Mr. Chairman, I think that when you got on to that Republican bus and you were trying to find a seat up front for the people's bill, a seat up front for education, a seat up front for health care, a seat up front for human services, all the front row seats were already taken. They were taken by the tax cut bill, they were taken by the corporate loophole bill for energy companies, and they were taken by the big pharmaceutical giveaways. I tell the chairman, in many respects, just like Rosa Parks, whose life we celebrated just recently, you were told to take your people's bill to the back of the bus. Right now, Mr. Speaker, that is just where all of our Nation's priorities are, at the back of the bus. These are priorities that ought to be at the front. These are priorities, like education, that are going to lead our country to the future. We are talking about a war now in the Middle East. We are going to have another war on our hands. It is an economic war. We used to use our military for political and military hegemony. Now, for us to have political hegemony, we need intellectual power. Our military analogy is our young people need to have textbooks, not tanks. They need to have pencils. They need to have schools that are not falling down on them. They need to be able to go on to higher education. But, unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, this bill represents the single biggest cut in higher education that we have ever seen in the history of this country. Imagine that at a time when our Nation's economy demands that our soldiers, our men and women who were trying to make a living for themselves, are being taken hostage because they do not have all the protective gear that they need. They do not have an education to wrap themselves around so that they can go out into that economic workforce and be protected and know that they can make a living for themselves in this new-world economy. So I thank the chairman for doing the best job that he could; but I am sure, as he knows, the people's bill, unfortunately, in this budget took a back seat to many other bills that, unfortunately, I do not believe it should have taken a back seat to.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the opportunity to express my enthusiastic support of subsidized guardianship. I understand that many times grandparents or other relatives become the primary caregivers to children who are not able to live with their parents. This can become a significant financial challenge and we must offer these families more resources. In my home state of Rhode Island, 4,176 grandparents were financially responsible for meeting their grandchild's basic needs in 2003. Subsidized guardianship programs, which are increasingly used by states around the country--including Rhode Island--allow children living safely with relatives to exit formal foster care and achieve legal permanence. That is why I am proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 3380, The Guardianship Assistance Promotion and Kinship Support Act, which would allow the use of federal funding to support subsidized guardianship programs. Today I offer my formal acknowledgement and deepest appreciation for the ongoing service of these caregivers to our country and our nation's most valuable asset, our children.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an Icon of American Culture and one of our country's finest citizens, Tony Bennett. Much has already been said and written about the life and work of Tony Bennett, but I am honored to have the opportunity to say a few words about my friend here. Tony has been a part of the experience of being an American for the last six decades. His arrival as a force in our culture was announced nearly seventy years ago at the opening of the Triborough Bridge in New York City. At 10 years old, the son of an Italian immigrant and grocery store operator, Anthony Dominick Benedetto was invited to sing at a ceremony to open the bridge by another famous son of Italy, New York's iconic Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. At the time, our country was in the midst of a staggering Great Depression, President Roosevelt had begun the ``New Deal,'' and that bridge was a concrete symbol that New York City, that America, and that Americans, would persevere. The Bridge stood as the accomplishment of our American ingenuity, our hard work, and our craftsmanship. Looking back, with those values in mind, it is altogether fitting that Tony Bennett was there. The ingenuity of his voice and his style have transcended generations of American music fans. Tony once quipped that he was spoiled because he, ``never had to sing songs [he] didn't like.'' But it is generations of Americans who have been spoiled by a sound that, no matter where or when it is heard, is always fresh, always new, and uniquely American. As Tony approaches his 80th birthday, he has sold more than 50 million records, he has won the praise of musicians across the spectrum, and been acknowledged by his industry for his lifetime of achievement. Yet, he continues to work, bringing enjoyment to thousands of fans each year, and winning new ones each day. His accomplishments are not limited to just music. He is also an accomplished painter in his own right. He is a tireless advocate for Juvenile Diabetes research, and the American Cancer Society--each year he donates one of his paintings for the ACS holiday card. He has been a friend of Presidents and Heads of State, singing at the Inaugural festivities for President John F. Kennedy in 1961 and President Bill Clinton in 1993. Tony has never been afraid to point out injustice and advocate for equality. He marched with the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, Alabama, and was an activist throughout the Civil Rights Movement. Coretta Scott King, bestowing the Martin Luther King Center Award for Excellence upon Mr. Bennett in 2001, said, ``Tony is not only one of America's premier performing artists, but he was a deeply- committed friend and supporter of my husband and the Civil Rights Movement, and he has continued to support the efforts of the King Center to fulfill Martin's dream.'' The list of accomplishments for Tony is innumerable, he has embodied the American spirit and he has lived the American dream. I could not be more pleased that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has chosen to honor Tony Bennett with its highest honors on December 4th, 2005. Tony is truly a credit to his Italian heritage, and to the contributions of millions of immigrant families who have made this country great. His story is that of what is possible in America, what is great about America, and his life is the embodiment of what it means to be an American. In short, Tony Bennett is a national treasure, and it is with great pride that I speak today as his friend to say thank you for his contribution to our Democracy.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to say a few words about why I think this bill is a bill that says that the best days of this country are behind us, not before us. I call attention to some statistics, statistics that say the high school dropout over the course of their life will earn $260,000 less than a graduate. This legislation, I think, does very little to support more students graduating from high school when it cuts after-school programs by 25 percent. If you spread that across 23 million high school dropouts in this country, that adds up to $50 billion a year less in taxes. So if we are really concerned about generating more taxes, we ought to be investing in our people, not taking away the kinds of resources that contribute to their ability to become greater taxpayers in this country. Mr. Speaker, $1 invested in preschool leaves $7 saved in welfare, health care and criminal justice. Let's invest in our people.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to share my concerns on the language in the Budget Reconciliation Act on Medicaid pharmacy dispensing fees. As I understand these provisions, states are required to pay dispensing fees to pharmacies for Medicaid prescriptions. While this might seem like a step forward, all states pay such fees now. Thus, we are really not assuring adequate access to pharmacies by just specifying that states have to pay a dispensing fee. I represent a state with almost 200,000 Medicaid beneficiaries and by the end of this decade, one in five Rhode Islanders will have no choice but to turn to Medicaid for basic health care. As more and more working families are forced to enroll in Medicaid, it is our duty to ensure that they are able to access providers and pharmacies to receive the care they so desperately need. This legislation sets a minimum $8 dispensing fee for generic drugs, however there is no specific minimum fee set forth for brand drug dispensing fees in the bill. Currently, more than half of all prescription drugs dispensed in the Medicaid program are brand name drugs with no generic competition. I am concerned that we are not requiring states to provide a minimum dispensing fee for these drugs. If states do not set appropriate dispensing fees, I am concerned that pharmacies will be paid below their cost to dispense prescription drugs in the Medicaid program. As a result, Medicaid recipients could have difficulty obtaining the prescription drugs that they need from their neighborhood pharmacy, and many pharmacies may have to close or reduce hours. The total payment to pharmacies for the drug product and dispensing fee must be adequate to pay pharmacies to buy the drug, dispense the medication, and have a reasonable return. It is my understanding that if the current proposed reductions to pharmacy reimbursement in Medicaid are enacted, states would have to pay double or triple the dispensing fees currently being paid just so pharmacies can break even. However, states are already faced with limited funds and I am concerned that they will not choose such high dispensing fees without being required to. Community pharmacies play a crucial role in providing Medicaid beneficiaries with lifesaving medications. I hope that my colleagues will take my comments under consideration when moving forward with these reforms in the Medicaid pharmacy payment system in order to provide adequate reimbursements to pharmacies dispensing Medicaid prescriptions.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, as of today, a bipartisan majority of the House has cosponsored the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equity Treatment Act. This marks the fifth year in a row that the majority of our colleagues have supported ending this arbitrary insurance limit on the treatment of a whole category of what this poster makes clear are neurological, physical diseases. In the last 5 years, more than 150,000 Americans have lost their lives to suicide, 90 percent of them with serious mental illness. In the last 5 years, American employers have lost over $150 billion of productivity to depression alone. That is more than the GDP of 28 different States during the same period. In the 5 years, well over 60,000 American families have been broken apart by the absence of insurance because the only way for parents to get treatment for their children is to turn the custody of those children over to the State. And, in those 5 years, Mr. Speaker, the leadership of this House and the committees of jurisdiction have yet to even give this bill an up and down vote. We need a vote on the Paul Wellstone Equity Act for mental health insurance.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, in October 1999, a presidential candidate from Texas said that House Republicans ``shouldn't balance the budget on the backs of the poor.'' He criticized his fellow Republicans for projecting ``pessimism, indifference, and I disdain for government.'' That man was President George W. Bush, and what a sad, tragic difference 6 years in power has made. Today, too many Americans are struggling just to get by, let alone get ahead. They're trying to scratch out a living . . . [pause] . . . and some hope for the future in the face of rising energy prices, higher education costs, stagnant wages, and for some, the complete loss of homes, jobs, and even loved ones to Hurricane Katrina. To them, this reconciliation bill says, ``we need you to sacrifice more so that the energy companies can get their subsidies and the wealthy elite can get their tax breaks.'' Democrats believe that government should reflect the sense of community that Americans demonstrated after Katrina--the sense of community that has defined and united America throughout its history. We believe in some basic human principles--everyone should have the opportunities not just to survive, but to excel with their God-given talents and abilities. Those are the values that should be reflected in our budgets. We could have a budget that brings Americans together. But sadly, instead, we have a budget that will widen the divide in America between those who have plenty, and those who struggle just to have enough.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Carolina. In our pledge every day, we pledge one Nation under God with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Speaker, with this reconciliation package, this is not one Nation, one liberty and justice for all. If you look at those students, this is not liberty and justice for all. For students today, only 10 percent of children from working-class families graduate from college by the age of 24 as compared to 58 percent of upper-middle-class and wealthy families. This is not liberty and justice for all. If you are disabled, mentally retarded, poor, hungry or a foster family, this is not liberty and justice for all. This reconciliation package slams the door on those with disabilities trying to gain a foothold in society. It cuts the Medicaid program, taking away opportunity from those with intellectual difficulties. It takes food out of the mouths of the poorest children in our society. And it goes after those that are trying to make an opportunity for themselves in this society by getting an education when an education is more important than at any other time in American history. Today, our economy is about an economy of ideas. If we do not provide education for every single American, we are consigning those without an education to second-class status. This reconciliation bill consigns millions of Americans to second-class status by cutting aid to education that opens up the doors of opportunity for millions of Americans. Franklin Roosevelt said the test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance to those who have much; it is whether we provide enough to those who have too little. This reconciliation package fails that test as well.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, on the evening of October 17, I missed three Rollcall votes. It was my intention to vote: ``Yes'' on Recorded Vote 521 Journal Vote. ``Yes'' on Recorded Vote 522 H. Res. 457. Recognizing the importance and positive contributions of chemistry to our everyday lives and supporting the goals and ideals of National Chemistry Week (Rep. Holt-- Science). ``Yes'' on Recorded Vote 523 H. Res. 491. Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to raising awareness and enhancing the state of computer security in the United States, and supporting the goals and ideals of National Cyber Security Awareness Month.