Dennis Kucinich

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Captain Roland Salcer, the longest working policeman in Ohio's history. Captain Salcer retired on January 1, 2011 from the Cleveland Heights Police Department after 60 years of dedicated service. Born on December 27, 1924, Captain Roland Salcer was raised in East Cleveland and knew at an early age that he wanted to work as a policeman. Before achieving his goal of becoming a police officer, Captain Salcer served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army's tank corps for three years during World War II. During his stint in the Army he fought in the historic Battle of the Bulge. On January 1, 1951 Captain Salcer began his career with the Cleveland Heights Police Department as a third-class patrolman. For the past 33 years he has served as a captain. During his tenure with the Cleveland Heights Police Department, Captain Salcer formed Ohio's first suburban police narcotics unit, played an integral role in a 1971 drug bust, and only used his firearm once. He has a stellar reputation as a reliable officer who has always treated people with dignity, fairness and respect. Not only is Captain Salcer the oldest and longest working police officer in Ohio's history, he is also the second longest working officer in the country's history. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of Captain Roland Salcer. At the age of 86, Captain Salcer has served and protected the people of Cleveland Heights with courage for 60 years.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Judge Jean Murrell Capers, a courageous woman whose very productive life serves as example of what can be accomplished through determination and dedication. Judge Capers will celebrate her 98th birthday on January 11, 2011. Her 98 years have been filled with selfless service to others. From 1949 to 1956 she served on the Cleveland City Council, becoming the first African-American women elected to the city council of a major city. Between 1960 and 1964 she worked as assistant attorney general and from 1964 to 1966 she was special counsel to the Ohio Attorney General. In 1977, she was appointed as an Ohio Municipal Judge and was subsequently reelected to a 6 year term. Judge Capers fulfilled her campaign promises by assisting many black Clevelanders in finding positions with the city and by speaking out against injustice, including segregation in the local taxi cab industry. She continues today to work as an attorney with a special focus on elder law, advocating for victims of social injustice. Judge Capers is one of the original members of the Women's Advisory Council of the Women's Division previously known as the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services, now the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. In 1941, she won Cleveland's tennis championship which was organized by the city recreation department. She went on to teach health and physical education at Central High School and has worked throughout her life to support youth, encouraging them to strive to achieve academic and social success. She was elected to the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2010, she received a Cleveland Marshall College of Law honorary doctorate of laws degree, 64 years after graduating from that institution. That same year, she was named one of Cleveland's ``Most Interesting People.'' Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Judge Jean Murrell Capers.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. We are one as we pay tribute to Congresswoman Giffords and all the other victims of violence in Tucson. Our gathering reflects the truth of America's first motto, which is above this Chamber, E Pluribus Unum--Out of Many, We Are One. It is vital that we acknowledge our oneness, not just as a Congress, but as a Nation and as a world. In that appreciation for oneness, we find human sympathy, compassion, and love. It is an awareness of the imperative of human unity which can bring us to the threshold of understanding our power to bring an end to the violence which is consuming our loved ones. It is an awareness of the imperative of human unity which can help us to create a new America where the omnipresence of violence is understood as a challenge to be met, not as an unyielding truth of the human condition to be accepted. Our hearts are open now as we recognize the victims. So let us be open to a new direction, where we in this Nation can take an organized approach to deal with the causes of violence, not just the effects. We are one with our sister, Congresswoman Giffords, and all the other victims. Let us continue to be one with each other as we struggle to bring light to this moment of darkness.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following stories, collected by Dr. Ogan Gurel. ``Jean doesn't want socialized medicine. But she also adds that the current system doesn't pay (or reward) for preventative care. But it wasn't clear to her how either the free-market or government could change that. `People have to take responsibility for their health,' she told me.'' Jean-- Van Wert, 7/4/2009 ``Todd recently lost his job as a machinist. His wife gets health coverage as a school teacher but `It's not good insurance,' he tells me. `The out-of-pocket payments are ridiculous,' he added. They have two kids--two and four years old--and he wonders what will happen if they get sick. `It's a great thing you're doing,' he said, as I shook his hand, thanking him, too, in return.'' Todd--Van Wert, 7/4/2009 ``Mike, in the middle, shared with me his father's situation. `He's 52 years-old, a retired GM, Delphi employee, salaried, he was.' Mike looked at me to make sure I understood. `He was a salaried worker,' he repeated. `Which means they took away all his health benefits last April. Wage-earners got to keep their benefits, you know.' I nodded in acknowledgment. `So, he's too young for Medicare, and now has a bad, bad situation.' '' Mike--Van Wert, 7/4/2009 ``John, on the right, told me `I have good insurance but premiums have gone up 30% in the last year.' He took me in to his garage, out from drizzle, to meet his family and friends. `I'm not happy with the healthcare situation,' he told me.'' John--Van Wert, 7/4/2009 ``Serving up a cup of coffee, Holly, at the Rooster coffee shop, told me she doesn't have health insurance. `I hope basically not to get sick,' she said with a serious look beyond her youth. `Pretty much that's it.' '' Holly--Middle Point, 7/4/2009 ``Tara, the cook at the Rooster truck stop near Middle Point, Ohio, has no insurance. `It's just too much . . . that's the situation.' '' Tara--Middle Point, 7/4/2009 ``Dee told me the story of her uncle. He had a heart attack a few years back resulting in cardiac surgery and a bill for $145,000. `Dee, I'm dying,' he said, not clear, as Dee told me, whether he was referring to his health troubles or the financial burdens. Dee told her uncle to change his diet, do yoga, lots of walking, and other things to improve his lifestyle and health. And so he heeded her advice and actually, to do these things, went back to India. Returning some months later, he proudly called Dee telling her that he was healthier, no longer had diabetes, and no hypertension. But, he lamented, `I still owe $145,000.' '' Dee--Van Wert, 7/5/2009 ``Jim drove out from Ft. Wayne (after hearing the news) and met up with me near Middle Point on his bike. We walked together for seven miles talking healthcare and healthcare reform along with many other topics. He's a Yale grad, which goes to show that even traditional rivalries can walk together towards a common goal. He believes in basic care for all but, as he told me, `the definition of what is basic becomes problematic. And those that can afford more than the basic,' he added, `should be able to get it.' '' Jim--Gomer, 7/5/2009 ``Nancy is 60, without work and without health insurance. She has recently moved in with her mother. She has two prescriptions which cost her $140 a month and works odd jobs to pay for one of these. She lives one day at a time and hopes that there'll be healthcare reform, `So people like me can get the prescriptions we need.' We met on a porch in Gomer (she was helping to clean up someone's home) where she brought me some juice. Here she is on the roadside near Lima, later that afternoon, bringing me a glass of water as she was driving to her mother's place.'' Nancy--Gomer, 7/5/2009 ``Gloria's husband died three years ago. She now has $1,600 a month between Social Security and the Ford pension. `It's a good plan,' with prescriptions at $2 each, she told me. Her other story, which bothered her deeply, was about her son. He had retired after 22 years of distinguished service in the Navy--the highly stressful submarine service once dueling daily, in secret, with the Soviet Navy. He had a quadruple bypass and also an abdominal aneurysm operation. `All that went well,' she said, `but he had a very tough time getting reimbursed, especially since his operations left him very sick and weak.' He had to fight to reimbursed while lying in bed recovering. `I've seen other veteran's have the same struggles,' Gloria told me. `And it's a real shame we treat our heroes this way.' '' Gloria--Lima, 7/5/2009 ``Grace, the youngest, hasn't had any healthcare troubles and is hoping to get insurance as a student when she enrolls in college. She does believe that some sort of healthcare reform is necessary.'' Grace--Lima, 7/5/2009 ``Kimberly has a brain aneurysm, which, she told me, `they are watching.' She's also had a falling bladder problem, which they are not doing surgery on. In terms of insurance, she's on Medicaid and Medicare but told me, `I can't afford the medicines'. Otherwise, it's not been a problem. Everybody,' she added smiling with a serious look, `should have insurance.' Her effervescent daughter, Tiffany, gave her mother a hug.'' Kimberly--Lima, 7/5/2009 ``Steve, a financial consultant, wants the government out of healthcare. He believes that health insurance should be private (and through the employer). `Government messes everything up,' he tells me. `Actually, I make my living fixing up government accounting troubles,' he added. But he does believe that the healthcare system could be much more efficient.'' Steve--Lima, 7/6/2009 ``Brad, the manager at the Lima Holiday Inn, was enormously helpful and supportive of the Walk. When I met him, he agreed that it's important to get the story out and told me, `it is really terrible with all the uninsured. Even if you have insurance,' he added, `I've seen how difficult it is dealing with the insurance companies.' '' Brad--Lima, 7/6/2009 ``With an angry look on his face, Roger told me very clearly that does not like the Obama plan at all. But he also doesn't like corporate interests driving reform. `We do need some change--it's incredibly expensive,' he told me further, citing his father's case. He had gotten a pacemaker and defibrillator and, `Everything cost more than $200,000!' '' Roger--New Stark, 7/6/2009 ``Kara's 19 years old and had most recently been just under her parent's health coverage. `But after nineteen, they take you off,' she told me, and she's now in the process of re- enrolling in her own plan. During this switch, she's actually without coverage. She sighed, `My current job doesn't pay enough to afford insurance and then, when I'm in college, two years from now, I'll have to re-apply.' She's got asthma and fibromyalgia. It's a real problem, she told me as she's `really worried' about pre-existing conditions disqualifying her or making her insurance too expensive.'' Kara--Lima, 7/6/ 2009 ``Kate's insurance costs her $200/month. She threw her hands up and exclaimed, `That's a car payment!' She looked me in the eye and continued. `So, I'm 55 and no business not having insurance but I can't afford it.' She told me about her carpal tunnel syndrome, that she had had a mild stroke and a nagging rotator cuff injury. For the rotator cuff, she can't afford the MRI. `Actually,' she added, `HCAP, a state program, can take care of the actual MRI but not the reading. So,' she said with a sigh, `I can't afford it.' Her husband doesn't have health insurance either. `He's got two bulging discs in his spine but can't do anything about it. So he can't work and spends the day reclining on the couch.' '' Kate--Lima, 7/6/2009 ``Heather (on the right) is 23 and recently divorced. She had good insurance through the marriage and actually had significant gastrointestinal problems for which she had four surgeries. She had a gall bladder operation, colonoscopies, `they looked down my stomach too,' and also sinus surgery. She now works two jobs (the one at Applebee's provides insurance but takes up the entire paycheck). `It's so strange,' she adds, `I have to get a money order to actually cover it and send it to the health insurance company headquarters--$120/month. But I went to the dentist and still paid $30. But without insurance it cost $40, the dentist told me.' She looked over at her friend, who nodded in sympathy. `I don't think insurance makes sense at all.' '' Heather-- Lima, 7/6/2009 ``Joe, the flagger at the construction site, believes in individual responsibility and accountability. `The government always messes things up,' he said, but he likes the Walk-- `you're doing a good thing,' and concluded by saying, `some change is definitely needed.' '' Joe--New Stark, 7/7/2009 ``I met John, a traveling salesman, at dinner. He's got coverage, for which he is grateful for. He's been pretty healthy but feels that `it is important that all people have health insurance.' '' John--Lima, 7/7/2009 ``Reuben actually stopped by the roadside to walk with me. He told me the story of his nephew, who's an Ob-Gyn doctor in Maryland. `His entire paycheck nearly all goes to malpractice insurance,' Reuben told me. `Insurance companies are trying to get everyone who can pay, even by coercion.' He told me he thinks it's important to keep the profit mongering out of the health insurance business. `It's devastating,' he added. In terms of his own health insurance, as a child he survived Hodgkin's disease but has recently been diagnosed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. `It's a risk factor of childhood Hodgkin's disease,' I told him. `Yes, I know.' Though his insurance was `80/20,' as he put it, he did pretty well. `That's good,' I said as we took a rest by the roadside.'' Reuben--Upper Sandusky, 7/8/2009 ``Donna is the director of the Lighthouse homeless shelter (where I had stayed, while in Bucyrus). It was a nice, clean place which, as she told me, `helps people when their most in need. The men here have gotta be clean of drugs, no criminal history, but they're otherwise down-and-out.' Her husband, 73 years old, is now on Medicare/SSI and had a complicated cardiac condition. He suffered a heart attack during a cath procedure and was taken by air ambulance to Columbus. He had a quadruple bypass and they ended up with $250,000 in medical bills. Medicare went to 80%. They lost all their retirement in the stock market and now survive only on Social Security. They are filing for bankruptcy. `The angel of the poor has, apparently, become poor herself because of our healthcare system.' In terms of herself, Donna has no health insurance. She's got atrial fibrillation (a heart rhythm abnormality) as well as diabetes and she pays for medicines out-of-pocket. But, thinking always of those less fortunate than her, she knows of many people all around who do without their medications because they can't afford them.'' Donna--Bucyrus, 7/8/2009 ``Gary thinks we're way over-prescribed. As he put it, `Too much medicines and pharmaceutical costs are skyrocketing.' He's been a retiree for the past eleven years and initially his health coverage was good. But premiums have steadily increased over the years so that by now more than two-thirds of his retirement income goes towards health insurance. I asked Gary if I could take his picture, to which he replied, `Sure, why not? They can't punish me anymore.' '' Gary-- Bucyrus, 7/8/2009 ``Todd's a forklift operator and has generally been very healthy. He once had foot surgery but had insurance. He believes that hospitals gouge people because there's, `No healthcare system in place, no choice, and so they can overcharge those who pay, especially if out-of-pocket.' I observed an interesting story with the cat, a metaphorical commentary on how our healthcare system treats people. It turns out the cat is near death with a urinary tract infection. He could not urinate for days and the vet told them that the pet, quiet hiding the entire time I was there, could die any day now. As I got ready to leave, I suddenly heard some desperate moaning, followed by a piercing yelp. I turned around to see the cat urinating right on the floor in front of his food. `Looks like he'll live another day,' said Todd, standing over the now exhausted cat. Todd looked over at me and added, `If he wasn't so sick, I'd slap him for peeing on the floor.' It's tragically ironic that with people, so many stories play out exactly the opposite: people get slapped around precisely because they ARE sick.'' Todd-- Bucyrus, 7/8/2009 `` `As a single mom, healthcare has always been a struggle for me and my children,' Kim tells me. `I have worked many jobs, as a social worker, in a hospital, and now as a reporter. These are good jobs but with the pay, healthcare premiums are just too expensive.' Her daughter has both bipolar disorder and ADHD and she was on her father's insurance until January. But as Kim can't her own coverage, her daughter must do with Medicaid. `Easier said than done,' Kim said. It took two months for her to get approved and in the meantime, Kim paid out-of-pocket over $400 for her daughter's various medications. `It put us in a real financial hardship with the house payment, utilities, and all that.' '' Kim--Bucyrus, 7/9/2009 ``According to George, `public delivery of health care sounds like a good but it could go bad.' He added that, `Our system is way over priced but if you're on a plan, you're golden.' '' George--Mansfield, 7/9/2009 ``This gentleman had Stage IV melanoma with metastases to the brain. He had extensive treatments and his life was saved but the biggest problem, he told me, `Was the clerical and billing side. The paperwork and scheduling was horrible.' He summarized his very complicated tour through the healthcare system as follows: `the clinical side was wonderful, the administrative a disaster.' '' Mansfield, 7/9/2009 ``I met Linda at the drugstore during one of my regular visits for antibiotic ointment. People often wonder why I buy five or six tubes at a time. She told me she's OK now but previously had Aetna as her health insurance carrier. `It was a real problem,' she said, as no providers in her vicinity were covered: 'There was no choice, I had to go all the way to Columbus for my care.' '' Mansfield, 7/10/2009 ``I stopped at Mr. T's coffee shop on the eastside of Mansfield. `I have no healthcare,' Richard told me. `My doctor bills are $60 and they, Medicare, pays $15. We definitely need some healthcare reform.' '' Richard-- Mansfield, 7/10/2009 ``Glendale's a World War II vet (Coast Guard). He tells me that being in the VA system, he's had no problems with health care. He had a heart attack six years ago with a quadruple bypass but, `now,' he said, `I'm doing fine.' He's been retired for 23 years, gets his medications from the VA and also receives Medicare and retirement benefits. `I hope they get that healthcare in this country worked out, there's so many people without it,' he said. This is a man who fought for freedom; has his fight been in vain?'' Glendale-- Mansfield, 7/10/2009 ``On a hot afternoon, Jane's store, Munchies, was a godsend. After downing water and ice cream, I asked her if she had any healthcare stories. She didn't offer any, but did say, `I hope something gets done for everyone to have some health care insurance without hardship . . . especially for our seniors.' '' Jane--Mansfield, 7/10/2009 ``On this hot afternoon, along the long road east of Mifflin, I began getting desperately thirsty. A generous family answered my knock and I spoke with three generations of whom the oldest, Clara, told me her story. She described a situation with Aetna (Medicare supplemental plan) where her husband had gotten an infection and required a ten-day course of antibiotics--ten pills. `But Aetna would only authorize four pills at a time,' she told me. This meant that for each time, in order to fulfill the full ten-day course, they had to drive forty minutes. That made three round-trips in total. Such a `ridiculous expense and hassle,' she said.'' Clara-- Ashland, 7/10/2009 ``I had just entered Mifflin, when a woman sitting on her porch waved and asked, `Are you the doctor in the newspaper?' She stood up holding the newspaper in her hand as I answered, yes, and approached the steps to her home. She offered me water. `That's incredible, I was just reading about you--what karma.' And we talked about healthcare. `The high deductibles in health insurance are ridiculous,' she said. `There's a lack of coverage, and you need to keep changing plans to get a decent rate.' '' Sharon--Mifflin, 7/10/2009 ``Dave has Type I diabetes (insulin-dependent) after suffering a bout of pancreatitis a few years ago. `Coverage keeps dropping and the cost keeps going up,' he said.'' Dave--Mifflin, 7/10/2009 ``Danelle (pictured here with her two lovely children) described a situation with her cousin, Barbara. She had a hysterectomy which turned out to be a very bloody operation and lasted over four hours. The insurance only allowed a 36- hour hospital stay and the doctor said that she needed more. `But,' Danelle told me wistfully, `she was kicked out anyway.' '' Danelle--Mansfield, 7/10/2009 `` `I've had no insurance most of the last year,' said Ida. She herself has diabetes and her husband has a spinal problems. `They were very fortunate,' she told me, because her husband `got his surgery at the Cleveland Clinic under a special program.' It had been an extensive operation involving multiple spinal levels as well as titanium rods being inserted. `But,' she said, `all medical expenses were covered.' That's great, I said. `Well, otherwise, healthcare has been a disaster.' '' Ida--Orrville, 7/11/2009 ``I met Kenneth at McDonald's over breakfast. A retiree, he told me he's been generally pretty healthy. Except for last year when, `He came down with a serious case of pneumonia.' How'd that go, I asked. `Not good. I don't feel as strong as before. And, when I returned home, there was a stack of bills waiting for me.' Did you have insurance? `Yes. But, the insurance pays only what they think is necessary. All sorts of specialists came to see me, and how would I know if it was necessary or not? I ended up owing $1,800.' He hasn't declared bankruptcy quite yet but, `I'm getting a lawyer,' he told me. `And I'm not fully recovered!' '' Kenneth--Canton, 7/12/2009 ``I met Andrew and his family at the Dairy Queen in Minerva. They have a complicated story. First, there are four members of the family. The youngest daughter who was too shy to get her picture taken (even with her parents and older sister holding the camera) is hidden behind the three. So she's in the picture, but invisible (a parable for the uninsured). Her story will come soon enough. First, Andrew. He's a trucker, worked for CR England for four years and during his employment (when he had health insurance) he had an operation for a total hip replacement. `I've had this problem for years,' he told me. `Pain in the hip--both hips actually--and it became dangerous to use pain-killers for a long time. So, I was glad to have the operation.' But the company laid him off ten days after the surgery and he lost his insurance. The complained for wrongful termination and he was actually offered a job to return (Andrew knew the company was at fault) but this new job did not offer any healthcare insurance. So he had to quit. `My recovery is still slow,' and with such a complicated surgery, follow-up is necessary. But Andrew can't afford the $300 fee for any of the appointments with the surgeon. Now the story of the little girl. I didn't get her name--let's call her Jane Doe. Her mother told me, `She's got a terrible problem with her teeth, the dentist said bacteria is eating at her teeth and it could go to her brain.' But because the family lost their coverage, `We've had to cancel the operation.' So, why is Jane Doe hiding from the camera? Is it because she's a shy four year- old? Or because she's already old enough to be embarrassed about her teeth? Or perhaps she's traumatized by the whole situation, even if she doesn't fully understand it. Or is she simply invisible much like many of the other uninsured.'' Andrew--Minerva, 7/12/2009 ``Joyce shared this story about her ex-husband. He had recently had an accident at work. This was covered by Workmen's Compensation. The emergency visit went fine but he needed two heparin shots in follow-up visits to the doctor. The doctor wanted $1,000 up-front even though they knew that Workmen's Comp would cover it (although the receiving the reimbursement often took months). `They wouldn't give him the shots without the up-front payment,' and it ended up that his boss loaned him the money. `See,' Joyce added, `even when you do have insurance sometimes it doesn't mean nothing.' '' Joyce--Lisbon, 7/13/2009 ``For the past eleven years, Gary has had Type I diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes). Up until recently, he has never had insurance. But thankfully, `the doctors have taken care of me,' he said. He did tell me about a knee operation that cost him about $10,000. `But now,' he said, 'his wife has a job, which comes with insurance, and so I'm covered.' '' Gary--Lisbon, 7/13/2009

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. ``With respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed and shall commission all the officers of the United States.''

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following stories, collected by Dr. Ogan Gurel. ``Martha finds it shameful that America can't provide basic health care for its citizens, like any other developed country does. `Civilized nations care for those in need,' she said. She especially noted that the connection of health care insurance to employment status was a big problem. `It doesn't make sense. If you get sick, you have a greater chance of being unemployed.' '' Martha--Chicago, 6/27/2009 ``Addison, on the right, is Martha's older son. He's a student in college who, with evident pride, told me that in the past election he had just voted for the first time. As he embarks on study abroad in Italy this coming fall, he is, despite his glowing patriotism, embarrassed that health care for all, as he has learned is the case in Italy, doesn't exist here in America.'' Addison--Chicago, 6/27/2009 ``I met Ron along Martin Luther King Drive. He was working at painting a fence. He waved his hand towards the south side streets beyond and said, `Yes, there's many people here without health insurance.' With a serious look, he turned back towards me. `Yes, without health care.' He shared a story of an old lady from the neighborhood. She had a change in coverage that now made it too expensive to get her insulin for her diabetes. `It was all very fishy business,' Ron told me. This lady, on Medicare, was in the hospital for some time. An insurance salesman came to her hospital bed and convinced her to change her coverage (Ron couldn't recall the exact name but he told me it sounded, `Something like Well Care'). What happened was that this `new' plan didn't cover the old lady's particular type of insulin so, with her `brand-new' private supplemental insurance plan in place, she ended up now spending $129 a month, out-of-pocket, for her medication. The insurance salesman is gone and now she's struggling, Ron tells me, on top of her fight to stay well, to piece together her wrecked insurance and financial situation.'' Ron--Chicago, 6/27/2009 ``Stopping by the Chicago Baptist Institute, I met Rev. Joseph Felker, the Chairman of that organization. A crowd was gathered and they were hosting an outdoor event--a `Healthy Walk' event actually. He told me, `We should have had health care for the uninsured years ago. It is a travesty, a true travesty, but hopefully the change we are seeing is a start.' '' Joseph--Chicago, 6/27/2009 ``Sitting next to Rev. Felker was Rev. Dr. Tyler. He concurred, saying that, `Health care reform is long overdue. With the wealth of this country, it's a shame that people don't have health care.' They, and the others, were all very nice. They passed me a couple bottles of water and many best wishes (and prayers) for the journey onward to Washington, DC.'' Clifford--Chicago, 6/27/2009 ``Roderick from the hotel told me, `Everyone should have health care and it should be provided by the government, not by for-profit companies.' I asked him if he thinks the current reform proposals are enough. He shook his head, `No.' '' Roderick--Hammond, 6/28/2009 ``As I walked along 25th Avenue (on the way to Gary), I heard a honk from the road. They stopped, I looked over. `Hey, Doc--weren't you on TV last night?' And so I headed over to say hello and get the next story of the day. With traffic zooming on by, we didn't have much time for chitchat. But he, Chris was his name, told me, `We need help, it's rough out here for everybody--not just the elderly. There's drugs and alcohol problems, no treatment and the price of medications is too much.' I asked if he could share a specific example. `Sure,' he replied, while the older gentleman in the passenger seat with him nodded in acknowledgement. `My mother's got Alzheimer's and her medications are $500 to $600 dollars a month. It's impossible . . .' '' Chris--Hammond, 6/28/2009 ``Eric shared his brother's story. He had had an eye accident, lost his job on account of that and being without health insurance had to file for bankruptcy. `That about tells it all,' he said.'' Eric--Wheeler, 6/28/2009 ``With parched throat, I stopped into the Indiana University police station hoping to find a water fountain. John, the officer-on-duty at the front desk, greeted me. `It's a critical situation,' he told me. `Especially now that people are losing jobs. But keeping prices down is important. Even with the insured, prices are inflated, they're sky- high.' I nodded in reply. `So, it's hard to stay healthy if you can't afford health care.' '' John--Gary, 6/28/2009 ``Six miles later, now in Hobart, I stopped into United States Security (a private security service) for some water. I talked with Ed, the Director. `Definitely things need to change,' he said. `But it's more like tweaking. I'm 100% against something like the Canadian system.' I asked what he thought of the health care reform debate in Washington. `Well, I don't like the idea of the upper brass fat-cats reaping rewards. They need to be dissolved or at least held accountable . . . and take another bottle for the road,' he added.'' Ed--Hobart, 6/28/2009 ``Kyle's story is a bit complicated. He's a senior in college (at Purdue in Hammond) but he started college a couple years after graduating from high school. Because of this unusual transition, it ended up that he had missed the deadline for getting insurance through his mother's policy. `I was working to put myself through college with a bunch of part-time jobs. None of them, though, provided insurance . . . then I got sick--very sick.' He was bedridden for several days with fatigue and fever. He finally went to his family doctor who took a blood test. Two days later, his mother received an urgent call from the doctor saying, demanding almost, that Kyle go to the emergency room immediately. Kyle told me, `it was the highest white blood count he had ever seen,' and he was concerned Kyle had leukemia. So, at the behest of the doctor, and actually feeling better by this time, they went the emergency room. It turned out, thankfully, not to be leukemia, but Kyle ended up with a $9,000 emergency room bill (he was never even admitted to the hospital). `My mother and I spent months fighting and negotiating,' he told me. `Luckily the Church organization affiliated with St. Mary's finally--yes, finally--helped take care of the bill.' Shaking his head in disbelief at the Kafkaesque ordeal, Kyle concluded, `It was something--and I'm not talking about the illness--I never, ever want to go through again.' '' Kyle--Valparaiso, 6/28/2009 ``John actually had two stories. First, his wife has diabetes, lupus, and fibromyalgia and he feels that the drug companies are just pushing drugs . . . through the doctors. `The drugs don't work,' he told me. `She doesn't seem to get better and all that seems to happen is that she gains weight.' He then shared his second health care story which happened after his first son was born. The $11,000 dollar bill forced his family into bankruptcy, again, soon after his wife gave birth. `It was like the bill was padded but there was nothing I could do about it.' '' John--Wheeler, 6/28/2009 ``Erin's mother (Dianne) has multiple sclerosis but doesn't qualify for SSI (Social Security disability) or Medicare. Her medication costs are so high that there's no money left for anything else. Her symptoms involve significant diplopia (double vision) and she can't work. Erin shook her head, `It's a difficult situation and I don't really know what to do.' '' Erin--Valparaiso, 6/29/2009 ``Jack has good insurance. But his story starts with unexplained pain in both of his feet. He went to dozens of doctors, podiatrists, and other specialists but nothing seemed to help except painkillers and these were prescribed only sparingly. It was a terrible problem and he could barely walk and was at risk of losing his job. `Then there was this neurologist who gave me two injections in the back--L4, L5, I think it was--and that worked!' I nodded, realizing that his foot pain was clearly related to the back (perhaps spinal stenosis or a herniated disc) rather than the feet. `But, guess what, the insurance company wouldn't pay for the one thing that worked and now I owe $6,000!' I grimaced at the story. `Oh yes,' he added, `before, several years ago, I didn't have insurance and I had to declare bankruptcy.' '' Jack--Wheeler, 6/28/2009 ``Michael told me he had no insurance. `Do you get sick?' I asked. `Well, I try not to,' he answered. `If I must, I go to these clinics, but the appointments are way off, there are long waits, and sometimes it's impossible. I mean I can't miss much work, either . . . And dental is really expensive. I could have gotten a job that provided insurance but I'd actually end up making much less.' '' Michael--Wanatah, 6/29/ 2009 ``A few years back Keith had lost his job at the yogurt factory in town. This provided health insurance but now as an owner of a three taxi cab small business, he doesn't have health insurance. He has significant heart disease and has had six heart attacks, the first one at age 32. For this he's gotten seven stents (a device placed in the coronary arteries that keeps them open). The first two were covered by insurance but since then he's racked up $56,000 in bills which he has paid down to $12,000. [Interpretative note: I know a bit about stents and I was surprised to hear he had so many. But he did tell me that they continually get blocked up and he takes Plavix--a form of `blood thinner'--to prevent further blockage. I didn't ask him but perhaps he has the less-expensive, bare-metal stents as compared to the much more expensive drug-eluting stents which are designed to reduce the possibility of blockage, or restenosis. While only speculative, I would not be surprised if bare metal stents were to be preferentially used for patients without insurance. Unfortunately that might mean less cost per operation but it typically results in more operations, ending up in even greater cost.] Keith--Hanna, 6/29/2009 ``Ginny lost work and took early retirement at 62 but, she told me, `The bad thing about that is that there's no health insurance.' I nodded. `I make too much for the Indiana health care program, but not enough to pay for medical insurance. It costs at least $300 a month. I've got diabetes and high blood pressure and five grandchildren that live with me. My daughter is legally blind so if something happens to me, I don't know what will happen, who will care for, the children.' Perhaps that explains why I look pretty grim in the picture. I'm inspired, and humbled, by the bravery of regular, hardworking Americans.'' Ginny--Plymouth, 6/30/2009 ``Jay is the manager of the Days Inn in Plymouth. He told me the story of his uncle (a U.S. citizen by the way) who had a heart attack and required a triple bypass operation. `He didn't have insurance, though and the operation would cost about $118,000.' There was no way that he could pay that money--the money that would save (or at least extend) his life. And so he ended up having the operation in India which, with airfare, cost about $35,000. Jay shook his head. `It doesn't make sense how America can't take care of Americans.' '' Jay--Plymouth, 6/30/2009 ``Mike's the fiancee of the front desk attendant. He doesn't have insurance having recently lost his job. `I still owe a bunch of doctor's bills,' he told me. `I broke my hand and right now it's better but I owe $12,000.' '' Mike-- Plymouth, 6/30/2009 ``Val is 58. She told me, `My husband and I have worked all our lives, had insurance all our lives and we were both laid off in November. We're looking for jobs and this is the first time we've had no health insurance.' She looked at me with unbelieving eyes. `We're hard-working people, too young for Medicare. We just don't know what we'll do.' '' Val-- Plymouth, 6/30/2009 `` `I believe government should not be in health care,' Brian told me, though he added that he'd like to see some regulatory changes to actually increase competition, ensure personal responsibility and decrease prices. `The system is sure not working,' he told me.'' Brian--Etna Green, 7/1/2009 ``Gruff but friendly, and with a face that oozed sincerity, Harold answered, `the insurance--80/20, but my wife is totally disabled so she's on the Medicaid . . . and I got a $5,000 deductible! Every year, it just tears me up. We get good care over there at Lutheran in Ft. Wayne but it's outrageous. When the doctor gives a regular prescription--not the generic stuff, and the pharmacist automatically gives you the generic, makes you sick and then you have to go back to the doctor to get the right stuff to send to the pharmacist, that don't make no sense.' I asked Harold if he had any choice of coverage or if this was the only insurance offered. `There's no choice,' he told me. Indeed . . .'' Harold-- Warsaw, 7/1/2009 ``Scott told me that, `There should be less government involvement. I really think it should be left in the hands of the people.' He added that he used to work in the orthopedic device industry (there are many in Warsaw). `What I feel that would do, if health care was nationalized, is that it would undervalue the products they are making. In the end, I think it would work out as what they would lose in sales, they would get in volume, but I really feel that the health care scenario needs to be left to people, not the government.' '' Scott--Warsaw, 7/1/2009 ``Meeting Krystal in front of the Courthouse on Center Street, I explained my walk, its purpose. Krystal asked how many pairs of shoes I have and so I showed her the extra pair strapped in a bag to my backpack and told her of the several more in the luggage at the hotel. And with that, we began talking about health care. `Insurance rates are sky high,' she told me, lamented further that, `like I was talking with my doctor, you almost have to call the insurance companies to get the approval for what drugs you can prescribe--insurance companies are driving the show . . . they give the discounts or I think they're in the cahoots with some of the drug companies. They say `Oh, we're having a special on Lipitor' and so they push Lipitor.' We talked about the pharmaceutical companies and that drug costs just seemed to be too high.'' Krystal--Warsaw, 7/1/2009 ``Being self-employed, and that business was not so good this year, Uprendra cannot afford health coverage. He is not insured, nor is any of the staff. He has diabetes and gets his insulin, when he can, as free drug samples from his brother, who is a retired doctor. I was humbled by his generosity, the complimentary room and the $20 donation, his wife (and hotel co-operator) Sheila, gave me when I checked out the following morning.'' Uprendra--Warsaw, 7/1/2009 ``Brittany, on the left, told me she has no insurance. She said, `I think everybody should have insurance. You never know what will happen. I've been sick and had to pay cash and it's not cheery.' '' Brittany--Warsaw, 7/1/2009 ``Amanda, like Brittany on the left, also has no insurance and now has `tons of medical bills.' She told me she is slowly--`very slowly,' she put it--paying for them.'' Amanda--Warsaw, 7/1/2009 ``Ed was in the service, in the Philippines during World War II. He was later an electrician at the Harvard Cyclotron in Cambridge (on Oxford Street). He has had many medical problems but hasn't had any difficulties being on Medicare. Some things are not paid for but by-and-large, he's happy. He has often thought that universal health care insurance should be provided by the government and that higher taxes were likely necessary. `If the government managed its budget better, there'd be money to pay for it,' he added. He also said, `People without health care insurance live under handicapped conditions. With insurance, a wage-earner can be free to concentrate on his family, his education, and think more clearly.' He was very happy I met with him and concluded, `I'm so surprised at the opportunity to talk.' '' Ed--Warsaw, 7/1/2009 ``The most telling story came to us in a Mexican store down the street. I spoke with one of the counter people, who wished not to be identified. She told us that she did have insurance (through her husband) and that she was happy with the system and that she would not change anything. Then, next to the register, I noticed a posted sign with a picture of a young boy in a hospital bed pleading for $100,000 to help with a kidney transplant. Doesn't that tell it all?'' Warsaw, 7/1/2009 I'm unemployed,' Scott told me, `and don't have no insurance. But, I've been pretty healthy, 'cept my teeth here--gotta work on that sometime.' I nodded. `The difficult story is with my girlfriend. She works part-time and also no insurance. She makes too much for HIP (Indiana public assistance program) so that's that. A few months ago, she had a kidney stone and the local hospital wouldn't take care of her so they sent her to Indianapolis. The pain was so bad and she ended up having some operation there.' He said that there was no way they could pay any of the bills being that they were barely making ends meet. We drove by the trailer park that was their home and he told me how they were lucky, that the next trailer park up in Columbia City had been recently hit by a tornado and a few homes destroyed. Throughout the trip Scott was glowingly optimistic. But as he was about to drop me off, his face turned sour. `Tell those knuckleheads in Washington to get with it out here.' '' Scott--Columbia City, 7/2/2009 ``Last December Trushar had fallen down in an ice storm, breaking his left wrist. He was without health insurance and making do with the pain, waited a week--by this time it had become considerably swollen--to have it eventually seen by a family friend, who happened to be a doctor. The family ended up spending about $500 for various x-rays, the visit to the doctor was free, but he was told that if it had gotten worse, the surgery for it would cost about $25,000. If that came to pass, they decided that Trushar (who is a U.S. citizen) would go back to India to have the surgery.'' Trushar--Ft. Wayne, 7/2/2009 ``Hina's one of the workers at the hotel--doubles up as back-up front desk and housekeeping. In fact, it seemed like everyone had a hand in all aspects of the operation. Hina's had what she called a `muscle lock' in her neck, which sounded to me like a cervical muscle spasm, perhaps even a herniated cervical disk--hard to tell. In any case, she's had no insurance and hasn't seen a doctor or been to a hospital for it. She remains in pain, housekeeping work is hard, and this is making it harder. She looks warily around. I know that this hotel staff is like family, and they likely wouldn't fire her for a situation that is undoubtedly compromising her productivity. But in a crueler world (which is quite common), she'd be out, replaced by someone else healthier, but also without insurance. Hina, in a way, is lucky.'' Hina--Ft. Wayne, 7/2/2009 ``It was back in 2002 that Bonnie lost her job of 22 years. At that time, she had been on COBRA though, `it was incredibly expensive,' she recalled. She has insulin- dependent diabetes, high blood pressure, and `Charcot joints.' Her insurance and medications cost $1,500 a month. `When you don't have insurance you don't have any choices,' she said.'' Bonnie--Ft. Wayne, 7/3/2009 ``Pat shared with me a friend's story. Her daughter, diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 26 had been suffering for many years. A six-week course of Remicade cost her $7,200 and, as Pat told me, `Her mother has cashed in her 401K,' to pay for that. `Nothing should cost $7,200.' '' Pat--Ft. Wayne, 7/3/2009 ``Nate's a young and relatively healthy guy. `Last year, in December, I came down with pneumonia,' he told me. He's a diabetic and so his illness was complicated by diabetic ketoacidosis, acute kidney failure, staph infections, and `cardiac issues.' `I was in the ICU for twelve days, unconscious for a week,' he told me. Even though he just been laid off from his job, he told me, 'he was lucky in the timing of things . . . like a `roll-of-the-dice,' that he happened to have insurance just when he had gotten deathly ill. And hopefully he won't get so sick again, since COBRA, which he cannot now afford, costs $800/month especially with his pre-existing conditions . . . and especially being unemployed.'' Nate--Ft. Wayne, 7/3/2009 ``Jessica and her husband were laid off from their RV company (based in Elkhart, Indiana) this past August. They have four kids under the age of 10. They lost all their health coverage and cannot afford COBRA which cost $1,200/ month. The kids are now on Medicaid but they, the parents, are uninsured. `If something happens to them,' she asked, `how'll the kids be taken care of?' This is Noah and Chris in the picture also. Today was Noah's birthday too and thanks to the Ft. Wayne rally, he had a big turnout for his party!'' Jessica--Ft. Wayne, 7/3/2009 ``Cameron's a 4th year medical student but on a leave of absence to pursue a law degree. He's planning for a career in health advocacy--at the intersection of health and law. As a student, however, he cannot afford, at $220/month, the health insurance offered to him. But he's lucky because he gets coverage through his wife who's a resident. In his medical school experiences, he's come across many patients who have foregone medical care because of a lack of health insurance and this has inspired him to help to solve this problem.'' Cameron--Ft. Wayne, 7/3/2009 ``Terri--`an older member of the workforce,' as she put it--is currently unemployed. She has no health insurance and with several chronic conditions, chronic sinusitis and hypertension included, she's `in a difficult situation,' Terri tells me. Her prescriptions have `ran out' and without insurance, her doctor won't see her. Even though she asked about a payment plan, `They told me, they take payment in full.' Terri's an informed person. 'High blood pressure is a silent killer,' she adds, and 'I don't want to be silently killed because I can't get the treatment.' She reminded me that she's certainly not the only one in such a predicament, but told me, `I'm just speaking out, because everybody has to speak. If you don't speak on it, no one would ever know.' '' Terri--Ft. Wayne, 7/3/2009 ``Deb works at the Subway in New Haven, just east of Ft. Wayne. Her health coverage costs $600/month through her husband's union plan (he's a carpenter). `If I got the insurance on my own,' she told me, `it'd cost $850 a month.' She shook her head and said, `Even though I consider myself lucky, this is crazy!' '' Deb--New Haven, 7/3/2009

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following stories, collected by Dr. Ogan Gurel. ``Tom described a situation in which he was buying two batteries for a scooter. Since he was paying out-of-pocket, they discounted the price $30 below the price they charged Medicare. `Something fishy is going on,' he said.'' Tom-- Chester, 7/14/2009 ``I met Sharyn at the DaVinci salon. No, I wasn't going in for a pedicure, which, with the condition my feet were in wouldn't have been easy anyway. Actually, she peeked out the door and asked, `Are you that doctor walking from Chicago to DC?' and invited me in for a glass of water. Being busy with clients, there was no opportunity to get any stories. But they all were supportive of the Walk. `We sure need healthcare reform,' Sharyn said, as her co-workers gathered about along with the clients reclining in their chairs nodded in agreement.'' Sharyn--Chester, 7/14/2009 ``Gayla told me that she and her husband have been `very lucky.' They've had employer-provided insurance through Verizon--`pretty good insurance,' she told me. But Frontier is buying the West Virginia assets of the company, so in the transition, as she put it, they have no idea what it'll mean for them. This is important because her stepson has cystic fibrosis (CF). At age 23 he's a real survivor. He's done well but lately, from an insurance standpoint, it's gotten very complicated. Based on doctor's orders, he's strictly limited to very light work, at a maximum of 30 hours a week. So essentially, as Gayla told me, `He's stuck with a part-time employment status. Insurance on his own is not a possibility,' she added. `And he can't get SSI because he actually can work a little.' And while Verizon promised to cover him (as part of their employer-based coverage) even into adulthood, Gayla and her husband don't know if that agreement will be honored by the new company. She doubts that it will be. It sounds like there are so many cracks in the system, I said. `Yes. It's a real problem. And it's not abstract--my son's life depends on it.' '' Gayla--Hagerstown, 7/22/2009 `` `I've got no money for insurance,' Shirley, working behind the counter at Reeve's marketplace, told me. `Just Medicare, pretty healthy, I'm lucky.' She told me how she didn't sign up for the AARP prescription medication plan. `It didn't make sense,' she said. `AARP wasn't really paying and they seemed to be getting the higher priced drugs anyway.' '' Shirley--Hookstown, 7/14/2009 ``As I entered Pittsburgh, Deb, working the counter at the Miley's BP convenience store, told me she has no insurance. She'll only go to the doctor if absolutely necessary. `Basically,' she told me, `healthcare is just not available.' '' Deb--Pittsburgh, 7/15/2009 ``Robin, whose smile brightened up my day after a long day walking, told me the story about her girlfriend in Chicago. `She was doing well, but then lost her job. She lost her health insurance and last year, at age 50, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.' So how did she deal with that? `Well, she had to come up with $689/month for her insurance, the hospital would not provide healthcare otherwise.' As her condition got even more serious, all of their mutual friends and sorority sisters (Delta Sigma Phi) have been raising funds and sending her money for her care. `I guess,' Robin told me, `if it wasn't for us, she could be dead.' She said it without ego or braggadocio but rather out of sadness (even with our bright smile) that it had to be that way.'' Robin-- Pittsburgh, 7/15/2009 ``Rhonda returned to Pennsylvania to take care of her elderly family. She's had self-pay insurance via Highmark, the major insurer in the Pittsburgh market. `It's alright so long as you don't get sick.' Regarding the recent debates in Congress, she also added, `If you believe anything those execs put out, then you're a fool.' She had a situation last year of right upper-quadrant abdominal pain. She went to the ER, which was an ordeal. They started the work-up, a GI consult, surgical consult, ultrasound, HIDA scan were ordered and was admitted for overnight observation. She told me all the tests returned negative. And then, Highmark ended up denying the $7,000 for the hospital stay and all the radiology consults deeming that it was all medically unnecessary. `There was no way for me to know they wouldn't cover it.' The hospital called for pre-approval, but the insurance company still had denied it. But Rhonda fought it, saying either the hospital was practicing fraudulent medicine or the company was wrong. `They finally backed-off and paid.' Rhonda also described a story from a friend of hers who worked as a dental assistant. She had attended a conference on billing which the whole point of which was how to bill so the insurance company could deny the claim: what diagnostic categories to use, etc. The percentage of people who would not fight was estimated at 70%.'' Rhonda--Pittsburgh, 7/16/ 2009 ``As an ambulance driver, John definitely notes that, `the uninsured come to us in a more severe state. They don't have a family doctor and so in the ER people end up having to wait more because these critically ill patients come in.' He told me it was not uncommon for them to wait six months to a year before seeking any medical attention.'' John--Braddock, 7/16/ 2009 ``As an EMT, Christina's seen diabetics without medications coming into the ER two to three times a week because their sugar gets out of whack. They really don't have any health care access otherwise.'' Christina--Braddock, 7/16/2009 ``Zenobia has to see a doctor regularly for her prescriptions. `It's really hard, because I have no insurance,' she said. `And I work hard. But since I'm part- time, Medicaid says I'm not eligible.' But since she's working only 25 hours a week, she doesn't apparently qualify for insurance through her employer either. `According to Medicaid, you're working,' she said. But according to her employer, `You're not working.' The cracks in the system she was facing, seemed, from her expression, to be more like gaping chasms, with no way out. When she heard public assistance was no longer available for her, she called them, crying, `Why have I been dropped?' To which they answered, `You make more than $200 a month.' So she makes do with a hodge-podge of different programs and deals. She's able to keep her medication bill down to $60 a month because the pharmacy has a special plan but her various other medical bills have accumulated to close to $6,000. `It's all a mess, all so complicated,' she told me. 'And if I really get hurt, I'm pretty much screwed.' '' Zenobia--North Braddock, 7/16/ 2009 ``At the tail end of a monstrous thunderstorm, seeking some shelter, even though I was soaking wet anyway, I met Mary at the Wendy's just west of Greensburg. She was there with her daughter and grandson. We talked about the Walk and about health care reform. Mary shared with me the story of her son, Jim. `He works in a plant nursery. He's got no insurance but suffers from sympathetic dystrophy, you know what that is, right?' Yes, I replied. `He's self-pay but basically he just suffers in pain. It breaks my heart.' '' Mary--Greensburg, 7/ 17/2009 `` `You can reach out for help, but if you have no health insurance you're nobody.' That's how Rebecca concluded the story she told me about the death of her boyfriend. It's a complicated story but basically the 24-year-old was off and on in a Methadone rehab program. He was doing well in rehab when his treatment was about 1/2 done, his insurance ran out. Because of this, `The rehab facility, kicked him out,' Rebecca told me. She explained how, with withdrawal symptoms kicking in, he arrived home very sick. Two days later, near- comatose he was taken to the hospital where he was admitted to the ICU with liver failure but, according to Rebecca, they, `really didn't do anything.' At the time of his death, she said, with incredulity, that the staff was joking in front of her, laughing even. The trauma continued, even after his death. She described how the coroner came in and started accusing people. `Then a doctor arrived, and asked if the decedent had insurance.' Rebecca shook her head. `No, I answered. And the doctor asked if I wanted to see the body. I said, yes, but he told me that they had taken it away to make room for the next body.' Rebecca told me it was all very sarcastic and cruel. But the nightmare was not over. Then the bills started arriving. They were not married but the rehab center (which kicked him out) and the hospital demanded payment. `They fraudulently indicated that I signed the bills,' said Rebecca. `It's been two years now and they're still sending bills. Between the doctor and the financial games, I never had a chance to grieve over his death.' Rebecca's eyes saddened as I asked her to sign for her consent. `You can reach out for help, but if you have no health insurance you're nobody.' '' Rebecca--Greensburg, 7/ 17/2009 ``Ryan is a young American. 24 years old, sporting an unassuming t-shirt and buzz cut, he exudes a personality simultaneously reserved and forthright. He has a gracious smile, offered with a twist of the head but then when he looks at you, with a piercing gaze, his face turns serious. As a writer, he seeks to deeply understand people, yet some things, like healthcare insurance, elude even his keen comprehension. Brought up in a family who never had health insurance, Ryan is, nevertheless, a man with energetic ambitions. After an early honorable discharge from the Army-- for medical reasons--and a fruitless search for a job, he is working to finish his first novel, Ever Street Road, a parable, as he calls it, for the choices in life that one makes. Yet, in this great country, bursting with infinite possibility, Ryan has few, if any, choices. Infinitude meets finitude--this is America. The future is but an illusion. Not knowing whether there will be healthcare for all or only healthcare for some, Ryan and I, sharing dinner, are focused on the present and the past. This is the only thing we truly know. The future, a future where the young ambitions of earnest, yet thwarted souls, might reach their full potential, is only a dream. Reality is how I met Ryan and what brought him to run up the hill to meet me on US 30 as 18-wheelers thundered past. Just east of North Versailles, about 25 miles beyond my initial walking point, the last few miles trundled on through with pain. My feet--a jumble of collapsing arches, exploding blisters, and hemorrhaging nail beds--were beyond rebellion. I would have ordinarily arranged a pick-up to take me to the next hotel--now about eight miles east--but this had not materialized. And the transport for the bag--the 70 pound suitcased monstrosity--from which I live, had not been arranged. And despite the physical tribulations of walking nearly 24 miles a day, the most challenging part of the Walk has been the logistics. Lodging, pick-up (often the bunk down place is not necessarily on my walking route), and bag transport had all to be arranged. If any one of these elements fell through, the Walk would come to a standstill. At this point, I was not worried so much about that. With the sun now setting, knowing that I would soon be walking in the dark--the time when sounds become more important than sights--I was worried about my survival, concerned about arriving at the motel--if I made it at all-- well after midnight. At the bottom of the hill, I had stopped at a McDonald's to replenish myself with water and recharge my phone batteries. I slipped on my safety vest and grimly headed up the hill. A young man, gasping for breath, came up beside me. Cars rushed by and instinctively motioned him towards the narrow shoulder. `Are . . . are you Doctor Gurel?' he asked, wide-eyed, disbelieving. I was on the phone, still working feverishly to arrange transport of my bag. Too tired to be surprised, I smiled at him, and nodded. `I was following you on Twitter and . . . and I just had to come and meet you.' I hung up the phone, and out of habit continued on forward, as the young man joined me. `I'm Ryan, Ryan Trump,' he added. Oh yes! From Facebook! `Yes,' he said, his face twisting, searching for words to describe a situation for which there was no precedent. `Wow, I can't believe this.' What? `That I met you here.' I chuckled. `Crazy, isn't it?' Ryan and I had exchanged some e-mails during the past few weeks on Facebook, and it was strange indeed that an entirely electronic friendship had materialized here on the not-so-isolated Lincoln Highway east of Pittsburgh. And so we talked--talked with amazement about the GPS tracking technology that had brought Ryan to my very spot. We talked about healthcare. But I had to interrupt him. Ryan, I have a problem. `What's that?' My motel is about seven miles up, in Irwin. I have no pick-up to get there. Could you help out? `That's the least I can do!' I smiled weakly. Deliverance, in the form of Ryan Trump, shy but forthright, gracious but ambitious, had arrived. I was grateful for the wonders of technology and even more for the grace of initiative and real, not electronic, fellowship. And so, after a couple of hours of back-and-forth driving, Ryan and I delivered the suitcase and myself to the motel in Irwin. But that was the present. The following evening I had dinner with Ryan and we talked about the past. The present and the past: while this is what we know, we spoke out of hope for the future. A future with healthcare for all, and not just for some. A future where the imagined infinitude of possibilities cross with the crushing reality of no possibility. `My family has never had health insurance,' Ryan told me. `My father worked in maintenance at the hospital for 36 years. And we never had health insurance but we could get care through the hospital.' That's good, I replied. `Then the hospital closed, back in 2006, and he got laid off . . . but he was close to retirement anyway.' So what do you do now? `It's difficult. My mom's got a heart condition, had a heart attack back in 2000. You know it could always happen again. She's got four types of drugs.' How do you pay for it? `It's all out-of- pocket.' But you told me that you had troubles with the bank. `That's just the way it goes--you pay for the medications when you can.' I shook my head. And how about for you? What's it like to not have insurance? Ryan, who would usually look straight at me with those forthright, almost aggressive eyes, glanced down. `Well, you got aches and pains, but you think, do I deal with the pain or do I go to the hospital and suffer accumulated debt? I'm 24 years old and my credit score is probably garbage. Can't do anything in life with that, you know.' I figured, listening between the lines, that Ryan had, in fact, gotten some healthcare, and the `accumulated debt' he had referred to was real. How's the asthma? I asked. (This was the reason for the honorable, medical discharge from the service.) `Oh, that's not too bad. But there was this other situation.' What was that? Ryan thought for a moment, then looked up. `Well, I had a lump,' he said, pointing below the table. 24 year old young man, I realized that he was likely referring to testicular cancer--a condition made widely known by Lance Armstrong's experience, and survival. Did you get it checked out? `Well, I was holding off for the longest time. But it was quickly getting bigger.' My heart sank, but the fact of the rapid enlargement, encouragingly suggested to me that it wasn't cancer. And? `So I did go to the doctor eventually.' Ryan smiled and sighed. `He said it was some sort of hydrocele.' Oh yes, that's good news. `They did an ultrasound . . . and, of course, I got all the bills. There was no way I could pay for them so I didn't even open them up.' An odd mix, a contradiction even, that with the wonderful news--namely that one did not have cancer--there came delivered a message of debt peonage that inspired even more despair than the dreaded diagnosis itself. It was almost as if the healthcare system itself was the cancer.'' Ryan-- Greensburg, 7/17/2009 ``Bob has worked for the government for 44 years. He told me that he's always had health insurance (BC/BS via the government plan). `Why is it not possible to make that available to all?' he wondered. `It's the same plan as that for Congressmen and Senators.' He added that it was a big pool and that `it would bring in younger people, make the insurance for all more affordable.' But, he explained, `It's different with corporate America. I'm retired now but I still get the same coverage as those who are still employed in government.' '' Bob--Greensburg, 7/18/2009 ``Terry's here in Greensburg visiting from Philadelphia. She shared with me the story of her mother's untimely death, which resulted, in her estimation, from a nightmarish confluence of administrative barriers and inhumane insurance policies. The story goes as follows. Her mother underwent a liver biopsy. This was on a Friday. As Terry explained to me, 'She was done as an outpatient, but even though the surgeon said it was complicated, with bleeders, she was not permitted by her insurance to stay overnight.' She returned home for the weekend. On Sunday, she went to the emergency room with escalating pain but was sent home again being told it was a gallbladder problem. The pain still unbearable, she returned to the ER within three hours. `From what we learned,' Terry said, `there was a blood clot pressing on the bile duct.' She progressed rapidly downhill from there ending up three-and-a- half weeks in the ICU (battling sepsis). Six weeks after the biopsy she died. Terry finished the story. `If only the insurance had been more flexible, had considered true medical necessity, in observing my mother the first night after her procedure, perhaps she would still be with us now.' '' Terry--Greensburg, 7/19/2009 `` `I haven't had health insurance since '92,' Ed told me, when I asked him if he had any healthcare stories. `That's when Bethlehem Steel closed down--so, no insurance, for me.' I nodded. I can understand. I don't have insurance either. I don't think Ed really heard me as he continued, `I'm glad I'm healthy because if not, I'd be dead.' Ed plays quite a bit of soccer (he's wearing his soccer t-shirt now) and he told me of an injury he had a few years back. He got hit pretty hard at a soccer game at the Y. `Got myself a gash on my head and some sort of shoulder injury.' And so he went to the emergency room. When he told them he lacked insurance, Ed told me that the doctor basically said, `Stitch him up and send him home.' Ed had an angry look on his face. `I got 27 stitches but they did nothing about my shoulder.' I suppose I could understand his displeasure as with all that he got a bill for $2,300. `I still haven't paid it, and I never will be able to,' he said. Despite these distressing stories, Ed was not really as sour as his tale would make him to be. We talked about quite a few other topics and he wished me well on my journey, closing in now, on Washington, DC.'' Ed-- Stoystown, 7/19/2009 ``Karl, a volunteer Ambassador at the Flight 93 Memorial, told me he doesn't believe in a government-run system. According to him, the free-market is the best though he acknowledged that having insurance linked to employment was a problem. `Empower the individual,' Karl explained to me. So how about your own situation, I asked. `We're not well-to- do,' he said. `I get my health insurance from the state, a plan called Special Care which is in between Medicaid and private insurance.' And how's it going with that? `Very well actually,' he answered. `It's not connected to employment status so I have the freedom to change jobs without changing my health coverage.' [On a side note, Karl, in his presentation to the thirty some-odd gathered visitors at the memorial explained how about $40 million more was needed to complete the permanent Flight 93 Memorial. I recalled how anti-reform industry groups were spending (as reported by the Wall Street Journal) about $1.4 million a day in their selfish and grasping efforts to thwart (or worse manipulate) healthcare reform. That means that about a month of that spending (the time it took for me to walk from Chicago to DC) would cover the remaining cost of the Memorial--a tribute, as most know, to Americans who gave the last full measure of sacrifice for their fellow citizens.]'' Karl--Shanksville, 7/ 19/2009 ``Kay's a part-owner of a small business--all of three people. Because of the high cost of health insurance, the deductibles, and all that, 'they've got no discretionary income,' she told me. They're with Highmark and the premium went up $100 a month within the past few months alone. Her husband has had two heart surgeries (done at the Cleveland Clinic). The cost was $4,000 a day but they ended up paying $700. `That was a relief,' she said. `But we're lucky. We can afford healthcare insurance--barely--but that leaves us with no extra money.' Clearly up-to-date on various health reform proposals, she added, `It would be nice if I could deduct it as a tax credit. But here's the real problem,' Kay continued. `If my husband--or I--couldn't work then we wouldn't be able to maintain the income to pay for any insurance. How will we be able to pay for health insurance when we actually need it most? That's what doesn't make sense.' I was readying to leave when Kay interrupted. `One more thing. I think much of these premium monies are being wasted.' How so? I asked. `I went to a Pirates game and they were giving out free bobblehead dolls. Guess who sponsored all that?' Who? `Highmark. That's where health insurance premiums go--to advertising.' And so my experience came full circle as I recalled the giant Highmark billboards scattered among Pittsburgh's downtown when I had been there four days earlier.'' Kay--Bedford, 7/20/2009 ``I met with Eric in Jim's living room (at the home where I stayed that night). Jim had invited several neighbors to stop by for a discussion of healthcare reform and Eric was gracious enough to share his story with me. First, he does not have health insurance. He looked into it, reviewed the policies from three companies and saw that there was essentially no difference among them. `It was 80/20 coverage and no doctors were covered,' he told me. The premiums started off at $300 a month and went up to $900 a month within a year. `Worse than the cable company!' And so he dropped the coverage. As it turns out, Eric did have a serious health issue last year--a pituitary adenoma (a form of benign, but still very dangerous, brain tumor). One morning he woke up nearly blind--all he could see was a tiny pin-prick of light (an extreme form of a condition called `tunnel vision'). He had himself taken to the emergency room. To make a long story short, he was treated at UPMC. He told me `Hershey refused to talk because he had no insurance.' Being without insurance, he now, after all was said and done, owed $160,000. He was able to make deals with the doctors but the hospital, he told me, `was never cooperative--a monster to deal with. And there was no negotiation.' He told me about his ongoing struggles with the hospital. `And the billing was so strange,' he added. As someone who checks things out carefully, he told me how an MRI at UPMC cost $7,000 but the same scan, on the same machine, cost $2,000 in the nearby town of Altoona. `And a single Tylenol pill cost $10! It's a crazy system.' '' Eric--Bedford, 7/20/2009 ``Gloria is the owner of Hollinshead grocery. She told me how the grocery, a family business, has been in Harrisonville for over a hundred years. Being self-employed, she hasn't had health coverage for more than twenty years, ever since her husband's company went out of business. `It's just too expensive to get insurance being self-employed,' she told me. Three years ago, her husband had a heart attack and died. She explained that paying for his care, even in the midst of grieving, was not easy. `A Harrisburg doctor accepted a payment plan,' and she also applied for Hill-Burton funds to pay for testing and other hospital costs. `Things were not easy,' she added, with a touch of melancholy.'' Gloria-- Harrisonville, 7/21/2009 ``Mike, a customer at Hollinshead's Grocery, lost his job at Caterpillar in February and is now without insurance. `COBRA was much too expensive,' he said. His unemployment check was $325 a week and health coverage cost over $400 a month. His children, `fortunately,' he told me, are covered through the state (ACCESS program). He seemed calm as he explained this predicament. `My wife just got diagnosed with Lyme disease, though--a tick-bite right here in our back yard.' Eyes perked up among the others sitting about the grocery. He told me, `We're paying cash for the lab bill.' It had originally been $307 but they were able to get it discounted to $187. `The doctor's bill was $80--and that's just for the diagnosis,' he added. `For the actual treatment, we're dependin' on free samples.' '' Mike--Harrisonville, 7/21/2009 ``Martin has been out-of-work since last year. `Obviously I have no insurance,' he said. He has insulin-dependent diabetes and gets some healthcare through the Pennsylvania ACCESS card. He explained that, `If I go back to work, however, I'll lose my medical care.' That's a disincentive to work, I said. `Sure is . . . I need to stay under twenty hours a week to get medical care. If I work more, there's no job, no way I could pay for the healthcare and medicines. I can't just drop the insulin.' '' Martin--Harrisonville, 7/21/ 2009 `` `I would call myself a fiscal conservative,' Jim told me as we sat together discussing healthcare in his living room. `I believe that health savings accounts, HSAs, and patient involvement in the decisions will be important to bring costs under control.' He added that in his experience, once health benefits are provided, it's `very difficult to backtrack.' He's worked in government for 32 years and is currently retired. `Personally, I think the government plan, if made available to all, would work well. I think that would be easy to implement. It allows choice, there's already a mechanism to collect premiums and there could be some income tiering.' '' Jim--Bedford, 7/21/2009 `` `I think that it's possible to have a very basic plan as a public good.' Jo told me she's seen examples of that and she `believes it's a good use of taxpayer money.' But she also realizes how it could get out-of-hand. `It all depends on how and what ``basic'' is defined as,' she said. `Sometimes that's too abstract.' '' Jo.--Bedford, 7/21/2009

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following stories, collected by Dr. Ogan Gurel. ``Tamara told me, `She was lucky having health insurance.' Knowing generally that lack of insurance was a problem, she didn't have any particular personal stories to share. But when I asked about health reform, she said, simply enough, that, `More should be done.' '' Tamara--Hagerstown, 7/22/2009 ``Patrick has been on and off insurance all his life. `More off than on,' he further clarified for me. `My credit rating is trashed because of medical stuff.' And in the 80s he had a skull injury. `I actually had insurance but not everything was covered so I just couldn't pay.' He seemed relaxed for someone for whom the system seemed not to work--forced into debt, even with insurance, and now suffering the consequence of ruined credit. But perhaps one gets used to such predicament.'' Patrick--Hagerstown, 7/22/2009 ``Tiffany doesn't have a job, nor does she have health insurance. As a single mom, her daughter gets assistance through the state. For herself, she did have to go to the emergency room one time last year but as she didn't fill out the form for medical assistance in time (there was a three- month time limit), she ended up owing $4,000. Now she's being taken to court by the hospital, Washington County. `I get phone calls every day from the bill collectors,' she tells me. `And I'm scared to go back to the doctor for anything including my frozen shoulder.' With some trepidation, she told me she knew somebody who was threatened with jail for not responding to court summons for a medical bill. `It's not a good situation to be in,' she told me. Despite her unhappy troubles, Tiffany insisted on smiling when I took her picture.'' Tiffany--Hagerstown, 7/23/2009 ``I met Terry at the Oriole Club, a local bar where I stopped in during a ferocious thunderstorm to take a water break. Terry believes in preventative medicine, eating right, exercising--being positive. She doesn't have insurance and with two kids, she's busy providing them with a home and feeding them right. Last year she got very sick but nobody would take her. Because she has no primary care doctor, it costs $250 just to get in the door. The others seated along the bar gave knowing looks. She told me she prayed a lot, especially when her temperature hit 104. `But I survived,' she said with a smile. `But, if you don't have insurance,' she told me, `you're treated different.' '' Terry-- Middletown, 7/23/2009 ``Sonny told me the story of a girl in town. Many of the others seated at the bar recognized her plight. `She's worked for ten years, without insurance,' Sonny told me. And she got sick with a gallbladder problem and, `probably because she couldn't work on account of her illness,' she was laid off. She needs a gallbladder removal but the doctor keeps putting her off. `Nobody wants to treat her,' he added. `And she went to see the specialist but he wanted $300 up front.' Karen, sitting alongside, squirmed in disapproval. `Everyone's giving her the run-around . . . And there seems to be no way out of her situation.' '' Sonny--Middletown, 7/23/2009 ``Chris works at the Days Inn in Frederick. He's an insulin-dependent diabetic (that's his supplies he's proudly showing me). He has insurance but `it sucks, only covers so much,' he told me. `They don't cover even the supplies I have here. And if you go to the hospital for low blood sugar, or see a specialist, it costs several hundred dollars.' He was previously under his parent's coverage but now his own insurance, which `bad as it is,' he added, has been further downgraded because of the economy. `But,' he said, `I don't have much choice unless I get another job, and that's not at all easy these days.' '' Chris--Frederick, 7/23/2009 ``Frank's story centers around his fiancee. She's a breast cancer survivor. The chemotherapy, according to Frank, `cured the cancer but devastated her body. She continues to have health problems,' he told me. These include diabetes and psoriatic arthritis for which she is treated with methotrexate and Enbril injections. She had been getting her medications through PAC (Physicians Assistance Care of Maryland) but, as Frank explained to me, `Only the diabetes medicines qualified and those she got through this program were less effective than what she was previously taking.' Now that she is working, she is no longer eligible for the program (which requires an income of less than $1,400 a month). Her new job offers health insurance but, `the premiums are so high that if she gets the policy, there'd be no money for anything else.' Getting health insurance, would `make it impossible for her to live,' Frank told me. `And, even with the policy, the medications would be too expensive. Basically,' Frank summarized for me, `without healthcare, she has pain and suffering, can't get out of bed and so could lose the job.' That's terrible, I said. `Oh, it could be worse I guess,' he replied, shaking his head.'' Frank-- Frederick, 7/23/2009 ``I met Howard and Tauyna over breakfast at the Days Inn. Howard told me that they've generally been OK, but even with insurance, `deductibles have been increasing and out-of- pocket expenses also going up.' But Howard wished to share a story from twenty years ago. `It actually relates to what's happening today,' he told me. He was between jobs, he explained, having left a position with health insurance for a higher-paying job that did not, however, offer health benefits. Soon after, his wife had a tubal pregnancy and with the hospital bills he ended up having to taking out a loan for $8,000 (`a huge chunk of change in those days,' he added). The doctor forgave his fee and he was able to negotiate a half-price with the anesthesiologist. `I sure don't know what would happen if it were today.' '' Howard-- Frederick, 7/24/2009 ``Brenda's story is about her father who died two months ago. She told her story with a mix of disbelief and quiet anger though she was heartened to be able to share with others what she felt was a true health insurance horror story. Her late father had diabetes since 1995. His illness was complicated by neuropathy and multiple foot infections resulting in an amputation of one great toe. Earlier this year, his insurance company, Group Health, told him that they were dropping him for medical noncompliance although Brenda, who's a nurse, said this was patently a lie and they had medical proof, including doctor's attestations, that he was in compliance. And then he had a stroke, which was compounded with multiple complications. He came down with sepsis, had to have another amputation, this time below-the-knee. Though the MD said everything was OK, the operation was, in fact, a `was a disaster,' Brenda told me. It turned out he was left unattended in the hallway, coded in recovery, had a head bleed, was given CPR, put on a ventilator and admitted to the ICU. He never regained consciousness. He was taken to a Palliative Care unit and though he was put on a morphine drip, he survived for two more tortuous months. All during this time, people from the hospital kept coming by telling his already grieving wife that she would be responsible for the bill. `The total bill is $69,000 and still going up,' she said.'' Brenda--Gaithersburg, 7/24/2009 ``Shayla's been newly enrolled in a PPO. Supposedly better than an HMO, she had high expectations. `But,' she told me, `I don't understand why it's so good. First, you pay more,' she explained, `and second, you still get a bill AFTER the co-pay.' And then she told me about the prescription plan, which requires you to mail away for the medications and it often takes 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. She shook her head. `That just doesn't make sense!' '' Shayla--Gaithersburg, 7/ 25/2009 ``Keith is one of the founders of the ubiquitous Food Not Bombs organization. His organization has protested around the world and now he's in front of the White House delivering his message to all those gathered. His story is simple: he's got fibromyalgia, which he says he acquired after being tortured by the CIA during one of his several incarcerations for illegally delivering free food. With his income and this sort of pre-existing condition, he can never get health insurance.'' Keith--Washington, 7/26/2009 ``Doris, from New York, is here in DC visiting. `No insurance, can't afford it.' She said, `and doesn't ever go to a doctor. I'm otherwise lucky,' she said, with a smile and went off with her friends.'' Doris--Washington, 7/26/2009

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Dr. Ogan Gurel, M.D., for the Walk for Healthcare, in which he walked from Chicago, Illinois to Washington, D.C., in June and July of 2009. Dr. Gurel received his M.D. from Columbia University, where he started his career in health care. He has held a variety of jobs in the industry, including positions in medical research, media, and consulting. During his 700-mile, month-long journey, he spoke with ordinary people, many of whom were uninsured and struggling to pay for their health care, about what they thought of health care reform. He collected their stories and took their pictures. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Dr. Ogan Gurel for the dedication and persistence he demonstrated in his Walk for Healthcare. Regardless of party or position on health care policy, Dr. Gurel's trek of over 700 miles in one month is admirable, and the lives of the people he met along the way will be remembered forever through his monumental effort.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honor and memory of Van R. Richmond, a giant in the Greater Cleveland Community. Although his name rarely appeared in print, his work as Page 1 editor for the Cleveland Plain Dealer meant that he had a hand in shaping almost every major story affecting residents of Northeast Ohio during his tenure until his retirement in 1994. Van Richmond grew up in Chicago, Wisconsin and New York before joining the service in 1943. After serving in the Army, Mr. Richmond attended Villanova University and majored in engineering. Ultimately, Mr. Richmond found his true calling and transferred to the University of Iowa to study journalism. Mr. Richmond put his first marks on the field of journalism at Rockford Register Republic in Rockford, Illinois, where he worked for ten years before taking a job at the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 1960. He worked in several jobs as an editor before rising to become the Page 1 editor. Known to his friends and colleagues as an opinionated, hard working man, Mr. Richmond became a legend in the newsroom. He left a reputation for his quick wit and his dedication to the job. Mr. Richmond will be loved and remembered by many, especially his widow, Elizabeth; his son and daughter, Jerome and Anne; his stepchildren, Michelle Miller, James Anderson and Kathryn Harttrup; and eight grandchildren. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and memory of a man who, through his work, helped the residents of Northeast Ohio learn the events of the world and our place in them. He was a man who was driven not by fame or accolades, but the sense of hard work and a job well done. He will be missed by his friends, colleagues and all who knew him. I wish peace and happiness to his family.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an outstanding public servant, Dr. Dean Wyatt. For 18 years, Dr. Wyatt worked as a public health veterinarian with the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. At great risk to his own career, Dr. Wyatt distinguished himself as an advocate of improved federal oversight of food safety and humane handling rules at regulated slaughter plants. His tragic death from a brain tumor is a terrible loss to the country. I had the honor of receiving Dr. Wyatt's testimony before the House Oversight Committee's Subcommittee on Domestic Policy in March of last year. He stepped forward to call attention to animal cruelties that he had observed at federally regulated slaughter facilities and to deep- seated problems in USDA's enforcement of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. Even after he was diagnosed with his fatal illness, Dr. Wyatt continued to advocate for reform. His proposal to establish an ombudsman at the agency, which USDA is now implementing, is just one of many ways he has made a lasting impact. Dr. Wyatt's truth-telling did not make him popular with his agency superiors. Indeed, over the years he endured their disapproval and condemnation. Yet he spoke up: not just for animals but also for fellow inspectors and veterinarians in USDA. He spoke up for all of those who are dedicated to ensuring meaningful compliance with the law, over the resistance of corporate interests and, at times, the agency itself. He remained true to his mission until his death. He will be deeply missed, and his spirit will live on as an inspiration to those whose lives he graced.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 4853, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 for one simple reason. It includes an extension of federally- subsidized unemployment compensation benefits for thirteen additional months. The importance of extending unemployment benefits for my constituents back home cannot be overstated: these benefits are a critical lifeline for many in my district, as they are for millions of other Americans and their families. In October, the latest month for which data is available, there were 588,000 individuals in the State of Ohio who relied on this benefit to keep their heads and their families' heads above water. The Department of Labor reports that nearly 8.3 million Americans were receiving unemployment compensation as of early November. Extending federal support for unemployment benefits is the least that we can do on behalf of the estimated 1.2 million people nationwide whose unemployment insurance either recently expired or will expire as they reach the last weeks of their available benefits. Cutting off unemployment benefits only adds to the shame and humiliation that people feel upon losing gainful employment through no fault of their own. For the residents of Ohio, this cutoff has been especially painful as the unemployment rate in Ohio is currently 9.9 percent. Through 2009, of those who were unemployed in my state, nearly a third had been unemployed for 26 weeks or longer. This is the highest rate of long- term unemployment seen in over 15 years. Ohio's economy was already struggling long before the current recession hit. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Ohio lost approximately 430,000 manufacturing jobs from 1990 through July of 2010. These staggering job losses have a spillover effect, touching every county and city in Ohio, as foreclosure rates have risen to a devastating level. Each year since 1995, the rate of new foreclosure filings in Ohio has grown, and from 1995 to 2009, the rate quadrupled. In 2009, there were a record 89,053 foreclosure filings--that is one foreclosure filing for every 56 housing units in the State of Ohio. In the City of Cleveland alone, there have been more than 38,000 new foreclosure filings since 2005. Because this crisis spread steadily to more middle-class and high-income suburban areas, non-urban areas now have the highest foreclosure rates in the state. The ripple effects continue. Ohioans are forced to live with others due to foreclosure. They face communities marked with vacant and abandoned properties. The State of Ohio tells us that there are around 58,000 Ohioans who have exhausted the assistance they were getting from the state or federal government. But there are no official counts of the number of underemployed individuals, who are thankful for what they do have but cannot find opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. It is for these people that I cast a ``yea'' vote on this bill. The bill contains much more than the unemployment benefits. It provides for a two-year extension of the tax cut provisions passed in 2001 and 2003 for individuals and couples at all income levels and extends the 10 percent, 25 percent, 28 percent, 33 percent and 35 percent marginal tax brackets for two years. It temporarily repeals, for two years, the personal exemption phaseout, ``PEP'', as well as the itemized deduction limitation that taxpayers may claim on their income tax filings. It also continues enhanced child tax credits, and the maximum 15 percent rate on capital gains and dividends for taxpayers in the 25 percent tax bracket and above. It reduces the tax known as the ``marriage penalty'' and it includes a two-year ``patch'' intended to prevent more than 25 million Americans from being subject to the alternative minimum tax, otherwise scheduled to take effect in the next calendar year. It also extends expensing rules for small businesses. However, I am gravely concerned that the inclusion of a provision to lower the employee portion of the payroll tax by two percentage points for one year threatens to reduce Social Security to a bargaining chip. This provision significantly weakens Social Security's revenue stream and makes it more vulnerable to the calls for cuts and privatization the program has faced for years. Advocates of this provision point out that Americans may use the money that will not be deducted from their paychecks to pay down the crushing level of personal debt that many are struggling with. But the cost to the Social Security trust fund of $112 billion is dangerous because it cuts one-third of Social Security's funding this year alone. Worse, the act of temporarily lowering this contribution--normally an accepted deduction from every working American's paycheck--may become a political issue when time comes for this provision to sunset and the payroll tax to be reinstated. Social Security is a vital lifeline for our nation's seniors, and we tread into perilous waters when we tinker with its funding mechanism. Mr. Chair, this bill contains many provisions about which I have strong reservations, including the payroll tax ``holiday,'' the gutting of the estate tax, subsidies for ethanol and liquid coal, and the extension of low tax rates for the wealthiest Americans. But this bill contains a crucial provision--an extension of unemployment benefits which are critical for millions of Americans. I cannot in good conscience vote against it.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the contributions of television and radio host Larry King. Over the course of his forty-three-year career, Mr. King has brought learning, laughter and inspiration to millions of Americans with his no-nonsense reporting. Mr. King was not born into fame or fortune. The son of a bar owner and a seamstress, he and his younger brother grew up relying on public assistance after the untimely death of their father. After his graduation from high school, Mr. King's dreams of working as a radio broadcaster took him from New York to Miami, where he found a job performing administrative tasks for a local radio station. Soon he had his own small show, which grew quickly in popularity and opened the door to bigger opportunities. In the following years, Mr. King has published a column for USA Today, hosted his own show on CNN, released a widely read autobiography and appeared in several blockbuster movies including Shrek 2 and Ghostbusters. He has received countless honors, including an Emmy Award, two Peabody Awards and ten Cable ACE Awards. Mr. King does not present himself as a humanitarian, but he has contributed millions of dollars to charity through his fundraising efforts and his personal donations. He played a crucial role in securing support for victims after natural disasters devastated New Orleans and Haiti. He established the Larry King Cardiac Foundation in an effort to eradicate the illness that claimed his father's life and seriously threatened his own. Mr. King also sits on the board of the Police Athletic League of New York City, a nonprofit organization serving disadvantaged children and youth, and has established a scholarship program at George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs. Madam Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honoring Larry King for his remarkable contributions to American culture. His life is a testament to the power of hard work and big dreams.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor and remembrance of Henrietta King, a devoted mother, wife and friend. Henrietta dedicated her life to cultivating potential in others, whether that meant teaching her children to work the family farm or supporting her husband in his extraordinary career. Henrietta, or ``Henri'' as her loved ones knew her, married future boxing promoter Don King in her thirties. The couple's early years in Cleveland, Ohio were a far cry from the life they would build for themselves in years to come. Henrietta stayed by Don's side through his struggles, helping him to become the promoting sensation that he is today. Friends also knew her for her lighthearted side. She had a penchant for gardening, decorating, and collecting extravagant shoes. Even in times of prosperity, the couple did not forget those who were less fortunate. They were generous but soft spoken philanthropists, donating, among other things, fire engines to a local fire department and to New York City after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of Mrs. Henrietta King. I offer my condolences to her husband Donald; her children Deborah, Carl, and Eric; her niece Jean King-Battle; her five grandchildren; and her many friends and extended family members. She will always be remembered for her steadfast and nurturing spirit.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Res. 1765, a resolution supporting a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and condemning unilateral declarations of a Palestinian state. It is a one-sided resolution that advocates for an approach that would prevent the very two-state solution it advocates. H. Res. 1765 rightly expresses support for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As a strong proponent of peace and reconciliation, I believe that true long-term stability and security for Israel depends upon peaceful coexistence with its Palestinian neighbors. Indeed, an imposed solution will not bring either side closer to the security, peace and coexistence that have been elusive for the last sixty-plus years. This resolution condemns the unilateral actions recently taken by the Palestinian Authority to seek recognition of a Palestinian state within 1967 borders. Yet it mentions nothing of the continued settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem that led to the breakdown in negotiations. While I do not support the actions taken by the Palestinian Authority, their efforts are a direct result of failed negotiations and continued settlement building that threaten the two- state solution. If we only hold one side accountable, good faith negotiations cannot proceed. A just solution to this conflict requires recognition that negotiations will not be successful as long as the United States allows settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to continue. We cannot claim to be acting in Israel's best interest while turning a blind eye to actions that actively undermine its security. Mr. Speaker, I have been to the region. I have spoken to Israelis and Palestinians. Most of them want peace and they have been waiting too long for it. The political process and realities on the ground do not create conditions that are conducive to making peace a reality. True support of a just, negotiated solution requires us to hold both sides accountable. This resolution fails to do that. I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Res. 1540, a resolution supporting the goal of eradicating illicit marijuana cultivation on Federal lands and calling on the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to develop a coordinated strategy to dismantle Mexican drug trafficking organizations and other criminal groups operating on Federal lands. H. Res. 1540 is an unnecessary statement that continues the Bush administration's failed approach to United States drug policy by overemphasizing military and law enforcement as the primary instruments of U.S. drug policy and its focus on marijuana to the exclusion of other more harmful drugs. If the approach recommended in this resolution were enacted, it would require the diversion of valuable resources from an effective policy already in place. There is no doubt that the problem identified in the resolution, illicit marijuana cultivation on Federal lands, is real and harmful. Mexican drug trafficking organizations' (``DTOs'' ') use of national forests and parks for illicit marijuana cultivation imperils visitors and damages pristine national resources. However, contrary to the implication of the resolution, ONDCP already has a coordinated strategy to address this problem. ONDCP's 2010 National Drug Control Strategy outlines how it has worked on a coordinated effort to combat the DTOs' illegal cultivation via its High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program in conjunction with the Department of Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Guard, the Department of Justice's Drug Enforcement Agency, the Department of Justice's National Drug Intelligence Center, and state and local law enforcement agencies. In some of these initiatives, such as the Domestic Marijuana Eradication and Investigation Project, ONDCP has provided funding through HIDTA for these efforts. ONDCP has also coordinated a strategy to combat the DTO cultivation of marijuana on Native American reservations. Moreover, while disrupting organized criminal groups is critical to successfully reducing the violent drug trade in Mexico, there are far more cost-effective ways to undermine the efforts of DTOs than combing the vast public territories in the U.S. for marijuana. U.S. counternarcotics policy must be both evidence- based and cost-effective, especially in the current fiscal environment. The immense public territory on which this cultivation could occur makes aerial surveillance akin to finding a needle in a haystack: it would involve great expense and a militaristic approach to policing vast public lands. Given the practical challenges and enormous resources that would be required to make a sizable dent in eradicating marijuana cultivation on public lands, the policy proposed by H. Res. 1540 is neither evidence-based nor cost-effective. If we are to devote more resources to reducing the supply of illegal drugs in the United States, domestic eradication programs are not the best use of taxpayer dollars. As the Chair of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, with oversight jurisdiction over the Office of National Drug Control Policy, I have held several hearings in the past year which have established that science and research support focusing our counterdrug dollars on drug treatment and evidence-based drug prevention programs. These hearings have also demonstrated that it is a more effective use of our resources to reduce and prevent the public health consequences of drug use such as HIV transmission and overdose deaths. As Secretary of State Clinton has acknowledged, reducing U.S. consumption of drugs is one of the most effective ways we can help Mexico combat its drug trade. I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5987, the Seniors Protection Act of 2010. Earlier this year, the Social Security Administration announced that for the second year in a row, Social Security beneficiaries would not be receiving a Cost of Living Adjustment, COLA, increase for the second year in a row. This legislation provides seniors with an additional $250 payment, equivalent to about a 2 percent COLA, to Social Security beneficiaries next year. A COLA increase is imperative for seniors who rely on their benefits to support themselves and their families. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 3.5 million seniors are below the poverty level. The Department of Labor estimates that almost half of the 2 million workers over the age of 55 have been unemployed for 6 months or longer. Yet as more seniors experience poverty as a result of the economic downturn, the calls for privatizing and cutting Social Security in the name of fiscal responsibility have grown louder. Privatizing Social Security will hurt the most vulnerable Americans such as women, minority communities and children--those Americans that are currently experiencing disproportionately the effects of the recession. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the program is fiscally sound for another 40 plus years. It is our responsibility to guarantee seniors an adequate income after a lifetime of paying into Social Security. We must shift the focus from cutting vital programs such as Social Security to reviving our domestic manufacturing sector as a means to put Americans back to work. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3082, Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2011 and the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2010. I support the underlying purpose of this bill: to keep the government running through September 30, 2011 and I support a number of provisions in it. H.R. 3082 contains the Food Safety Enhancement Act, a bill that would greatly strengthen the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) ability to demand recalls of tainted foods, increase inspections on domestic food facilities, and secure accountability from food companies. It also allows the FDA to create new regulations governing the sanitary transportation of food. I applaud the inclusion of a program to develop a nationwide food emergency response laboratory network to better monitor dangers to our Nation's food supply. While I regret that this bill has been weakened relative to the version that passed the House earlier this year, I welcome the overall improvements to the FDA's authority to protect public health. I strongly support the funding included for the National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA). I am concerned, however, about the possible neglect of NASA's research centers, such as the NASA Glenn Research Center (NASA Glenn) located in my congressional district, as a result of the distribution of funds under this bill. The allocation of funding reflects the significant changes made to NASA's programs as requested by the President. The language in this bill makes vulnerable funds for in-house research and development (R&D) programs such as the Life Science, Human Research and Exploration Technology Development under the Technology Demonstration and Space Technology Missions. Ensuring NASA Glenn's health is vital to the workers at NASA I represent, as well as to the economic health of the State of Ohio. Adequate support of the agency's research centers is key to protecting NASA's legacy as the premier aeronautics R&D agency in the world. However, I cannot support the $159 billion contained in this legislation to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have heard about fake negotiations between the Karzai government that we prop up and a fake Taliban leader; this, while we conduct a record number of airstrikes to wipe out Taliban leadership. We know that millions of dollars--some believed to be U.S. taxpayer money--have gone and are going unaccounted for as Karzai and his cronies purchase villas in Dubai. We also know that our night raids and airstrikes only foment hatred toward the U.S. and our presence in the country, further endangering our troops and allies. And yet as reasons to get out of Afghanistan continue to mount, so do the calls for a prolonged presence in the country beyond the initial proposed 2011 withdrawal date. The war in Afghanistan, like the war in Iraq, is taking place in a world where facts and common sense seem to have no place. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of John Lennon, a musician, songwriter, entertainer, international icon, and father, who will be remembered as one quarter of The Beatles--on the 30th Anniversary of his death. His contributions as a songwriter, musician, and artist span every facet of the musical industry and his work is beloved around the world. John Lennon was born on December 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England and was killed on December 8, 1980 outside of his apartment in New York City. During his lifetime, John was passionate about making the world a better, safer place. He had strong convictions that war was always wrong and that peace was achievable. The ideals he held still resonate today. His music, whether produced alone, with the Beatles, or with Yoko Ono continues to be played on the radio. John Lennon was a passionate man whom millions of people have come to admire. His death still weighs deeply in the hearts of millions of those who loved his music. He has been the recipient of many awards and honors, including an appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) with the other Beatles in 1965. Numerous albums that he had a hand in crafting have been listed on Billboard charts. They have helped put him on lists of the greatest musicians and songwriters of all time. John Lennon was posthumously inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Madam Speaker, please join me in honor and recognition of John Lennon. Mr. Lennon's brilliant artistry, unwavering activism and spirit continue to lighten hearts and enlighten minds by bringing enjoyment and hope to millions. His influence spans continents and generations. Thirty years after his death, his fans are still grieving. John Lennon and his legacy have made and continues to make our Nation and our world a better place.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Rafael Reyez Davila of Cleveland, Ohio, on the occasion of his being honored by the American Nationalities Movement, and for his lifetime of service and commitment to his community. Mr. Davila attended local elementary and high school and graduated from Cuyahoga Community College in 1965 with an associate's degree in accounting. He worked at the Lowe Marschalk Advertising Agency, where he rose to the position of Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration before leaving in 1986. By the end of his fifteen-year career with Marschalk, Mr. Davila was directly supervising fifteen staff members and was instrumental in hiring the entire office staff of about 100. In 1989, Mr. Davila founded Davila and Associates Advertising Agency. His experience and knowledge of the Latino community gave him the expertise to start Ohio's first advertising agency with a specialty in the Latino market. Davila and Associates has been very active in the Cleveland community since its founding, hosting its First Annual Latino Business Seminar in 1992, first publishing its monthly Hispanic Entrepreneur Bulletin the same year, and currently working to publish ``The Latino Entrepreneur Business Directory of Ohio'' in 2011. Mr. Davila has held many positions in Cleveland's Latino community; some of the local organizations in which he has served include the Hispanic AIDS Task Force, Esperanza, Image, the Hispanic Business Association, the Cleveland Hispanic Republican Party, Latino Entrepreneur International, and the Ohio Bicentennial Advisory Council. He has also been a member of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from 1988 to the present, the president of the Hispanic Athletes Network, which he founded in 1991, and founder and current president of Latinos Unidos. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Rafael Reyez Davila for his lifetime accomplishments and service. His commitment to the Latino community and the greater Cleveland area shows in his clear dedication to helping others, and his leadership in community organizations has changed the lives of countless people in a positive way.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Alex Machaskee of Warren, Ohio on the occasion of his being honored by the American Nationalities Movement, and for his lifetime of service, commitment, and dedication to the greater Cleveland community. Mr. Machaskee graduated from Cleveland State University with a bachelor's degree in marketing. He worked at the Warren Tribune before joining the Plain Dealer in 1960. He moved up the ranks, becoming Publisher and President in 1990. In this position he initiated a large expansion program, in which the Plain Dealer improved the quality of its service by investing in a new facility, a redesigned distribution system, and expanded coverage of local news. He retired in 2006, capping a 46-year career at the Plain Dealer. As a result of his prolific career in journalism, Mr. Machaskee has been recognized by many local organizations and institutions. He has received honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Cleveland State University, the University of Akron, and Heidelberg College. Some of his honors and awards include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition Organization, the Whitney M. Young Humanitarian Award from the Urban League of Cleveland, and the Nonprofit Board Executive of the Year Award from the World Trade Center Cleveland. He has also been inducted into the Northeast Ohio Business and Cleveland Journalism Halls of Fame. In a further demonstration of his dedication and commitment to the Cleveland community, Mr. Machaskee has been welcomed into the boards of many local nonprofit organizations. Some of the cultural institutions whose boards he joined include the Musical Arts Association of the Cleveland Orchestra, the International Orthodox Christian Charities, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, the Cleveland Opera, and United Way Services. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of Alex Machaskee for his decades of commitment and service to the greater Cleveland area. His leadership of the Plain Dealer and his efforts in greater Cleveland area nonprofit organizations demonstrate the strength of his character and the dedication he feels to his community. I commend Mr. Machaskee and wish him success in his future efforts.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I am saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Edward G. Keshock. Dr. Keshock was Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Cleveland State University. He was also Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic for the State of Ohio since his appointment in 1999. Ed Keshock received his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Detroit in 1958 and began his career in July of that year with the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland. There, he worked as a research engineer in the Heat Transfer Branch of the Nuclear Reactor Division. He participated in some of the earliest studies dealing with boiling heat transfer processes in low- or fractional-gravity fields, relating to applications in the newly emerging field of space exploration. In 1964, Ed began his studies at Oklahoma State University where he earned his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering in 1966 and 1968, respectively. After a distinguished career as professor at Old Dominion University, the University of Tennessee, and the Air Force Institute of Technology, Dr. Keshock returned to Cleveland in 1990. He was appointed Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Cleveland State University where he served until his death. Throughout his academic career, Dr. Keshock focused on research while teaching graduate and undergraduate classes in Mechanical Engineering. His research on the effects of microgravity on heat transfer processes spanned his career of more than 50 years. Dr. Keshock was actively involved with the Slovak-American communities of the State of Ohio and the country of Slovakia. Dr. Keshock served as President of the Cleveland Bratislava International Sister Cities organization for most of its existence. In 1995, Dr. Keshock was appointed to be co-host to a 35-member delegation from the Slovak Republic at the White House Conference on Trade and Investment, attended and sponsored by the U.S. Government, including President Clinton and members of his White House staff. In 1999, Dr. Keshock was appointed the Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic for the State of Ohio. In this capacity, he not only represented the country of Slovakia in all official matters in the State of Ohio, but was involved in extensive community and international cultural programs that contribute to the improvement in the quality of life for citizens throughout the State of Ohio and Slovakia. He is also a member of the City of Cleveland Consular Corps, thus interacting with many ethnic and nationality communities. Madam Speaker and respected colleagues, please join me in mourning the loss of a deeply respected scholar and statesman, Dr. Edward Keshock. Our condolences go out to his wife Mary Jo, their three children Kathleen of Knoxville, Tennessee; Carolyn of London, England; and Michael of Mobile, Alabama; and their three grandchildren. He leaves behind a significant and memorable personal and professional legacy.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, this prose by Laurel Krause is entered into the Congressional Record at the request of Laurel Krause, whose sister Allison Krause was shot and killed as she protested the Vietnam War at Kent State University on May 4, 1970. Laurel is the co-founder and director of the Kent State Truth Tribunal. Truth Emerging in the Kent State Cold Case Homicide The government crossed the line in the killing of four young people in the killing of our Allison as she rallied against the war on May 4, 1970 A civil rights battle on U.S. soil in our times Kent State is personal for us yet important for all Arthur Krause knew the importance of the Kent State Tape My dad knew it held the truth of what happened at Kent State even though back in 1970 and until just recently truth from the Kent State Tape was locked up in a jumbled maze of analog antiquity Dad passed away over 20 years ago He knew the truth in the Kent State Tape A patriot and WWII soldier Dad believed the American dream When Allison his firstborn a freshman at Kent State University was protesting the Vietnam war on her campus He never anticipated the American apocalypse our family would endure at the hands of our government Like Sandy, Jeff and Bill our Allison was shot dead at Kent State Homicide by national guard gunfire Dad knew they got away with murder at Kent State University just after noon on May 4, 1970 Over the next ten years Dad sought truth and justice at Kent State demanding to know what happened to our Allison Taking it to the courts yielded only road blocks, cover-ups and threats Every effort to uncover and face the deadly inhumanity of Kent State was completely thwarted A series of seamless stonewalls Never examining the wrongs of Kent State No accountability for the killings of Kent State Not one person or group ever held responsible Not one apology uttered Yet governmental claims were consistent: There was no order to fire The Guard reacted to sniper fire The Guard felt under attack from the students A government-fabricated pack of lies that has now transformed into the recorded history of the killings of Kent State That is . . . until 2010 and the examination of the Kent State Tape 40 years after the shootings the Kent State Tape that Dad held so dear that was evidence in his court cases finally examined using tools of state-of-the-art audio technology unlocking the true record of what occurred at Kent State on May 4, 1970 Sounds expertly analyzed by world-class forensic scientist Stuart Allen commissioned by the Cleveland Plain Dealer to explore the Kent State Tape for the very first time Whether copy or original is moot Truth is recorded in the Kent State Tape A tape does not remember, forget or change its story The Kent State Tape does not lie At the Kent State Truth Tribunal in NYC October 2010 with Stuart Allen examining Hearing and unraveling the labyrinth of deadly sounds including shots and national guard commands and a violent altercation with FBI-paid Terry Norman all contributing to the shootings at Kent State 1970 The government denied orders to fire were isolated, heard and verified orders of Guard, Prepare to Fire orders of Alright, Guard, Fiii- with the last word of the deadly order stepped on by a barrage of 67 shots over 13 seconds At unarmed students changing classes at noon At unarmed students more than a football field away At unarmed students rallying against the Vietnam War At unarmed students rallying against the military occupation of their campus in a battle where American dissent was also slaughtered

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the developers and sponsors of ClevelandPeople.com on their recognition at the American Nationalities Movement's Christmas Luncheon. ClevelandPeople.com was selected for this honor because of the website's crucial role in supporting the social life and cultural richness of the city. Founded in 1959 by Ralph Perk, the American Nationalities Movement consists of representatives of over 50 nationalities in the Cleveland area that come together to celebrate their unique heritages. Each year during its Christmas Luncheon, it recognizes individuals and groups that have contributed to supporting ethnic groups and celebrating diversity. Debbie, Dan, and Pat Hanson formed ClevelandPeople.com in 2001 when they decided to condense information about local cultural events and support services onto a few web pages. Over the past nine years, it has grown into a social hub connecting 64 different groups and receiving thousands of views each day. The website's developers explain that supporting Cleveland's distinct ethnic communities is important not only for maintaining the cultural wealth of the city, but for ensuring its economic prosperity. Cleveland has always been strengthened by its diversity. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in congratulating ClevelandPeople.com on their recognition at the American Nationalities Movement's Christmas Luncheon. Their creative and spirit and their devotion for their community continues to support for the cultural diversity that makes this city great.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4853, the Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010. This legislation permanently extends the tax cut provisions passed in 2001 and 2003 for individuals with incomes below $200,000 and $250,000 for couples. It would permanently extend the 10%, 23% and 28% marginal tax brackets, as well as the 33% bracket as it applies to income of less than $250,000. It would also continue the maximum $1,000 child tax credit and the maximum 15% rate on capital gains and dividends where income is less than $250,000. It would permanently reduce the tax known as the ``marriage penalty,'' and it includes a 2-year ``patch'' intended to prevent more than 25 million Americans from being subject to the alternative minimum tax over the next two years. It also permanently extends expensing rules for small businesses. I am glad to see so much focus on the unemployed and underemployed during debate on the potential extension of the tax cuts. However, the myth that we must pass tax cuts to the wealthy in order to help those without jobs has been disproven several times over. If the concern is about the plight of the 15 million unemployed Americans, the estimated 12 million underemployed, and the estimated 6 million long-term unemployed, we should do the humane and economically efficient thing: extend and expand unemployment assistance. Instead, the debate is about whether to extend tax cuts to the wealthy. Nearly a quarter of all the income in America today goes to the top 1% of Americans. In recent years, the highest-income Americans have received by far the largest pre-tax raises of any group. They have also had their tax rates drop by far more. Americans have said in polls that they want to see the Bush tax cuts on households making more than $250,000 per year expire. For the wealthiest 3% of Americans, expiration would simply mean a return to 1990's tax rates if that were to happen. Yet, many of the same advocates for passing a massive tax cut for the wealthy are bemoaning a growing budget deficit. We must not ask the middle class, the working class, those who are not fortunate enough to make $200,000 or $100,000 or even $20,000 a year, to pay so that the wealthiest Americans can enjoy the lowest income tax rates that any wealthy American has had since the 1960s. We must not tell the poor, the unemployed, and the underemployed, that we cannot help you, because we have decided that the wealthiest Americans need a tax cut more than you need a lift to get you through these brutal times. Those that need our help must not hear from Congress: go and figure it out for yourselves.