Mary Jo Kilroy

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. I appreciate this opportunity and thank you for your leadership in bringing us together tonight to talk about how health care issues affects our districts and what we are going to do about it. I have heard some of my colleagues, Representative Polis, talk about people being concerned that we are rushing this through. I think we have been taking quite a bit of time, dedicating hours and hours of time in committee hearings, in caucus meetings, in markups, on this issue of health care. In my case, in my own district, I have been holding health care meetings, round tables, discussion groups, getting input from my constituents since February. Every time I go back to the district, meeting with doctors, meeting with nurses, other kinds of health care professionals, talking to school nurses, talking to small business and holding the small business round table about what they are going through with respect to health care, and it's very clear to me that this is an issue that needs attention. It's a problem, but it's also a problem we can solve, we can solve working together. I also, listening to Dr. Kagen on the issue of preexisting condition, couldn't agree with him more. Many of the stories that I have heard at those various health care meetings and round tables involve people with preexisting conditions, and there is this misconception that young people don't get sick. It's only the older people who are the ones that really use health care. But I discovered at several of these round table meetings situations where young women, in this case, had received diagnoses of cancer. Because they were self-employed, because they were between jobs, they found that they were excluded from the health care system. As a mother, I can't think of anything more terrifying than to have your daughter come home telling you that and knowing that they didn't have health care and how were you going to make sure that she got the care that she needs. It's a story that I hear time and time again. A small restaurant owner, whose wife has lupus and that the insurance companies have priced their small group out of his ability to pay. As a result he was losing one of his key employees to somebody else who could get health care for her. Another small businessperson who had had a heart attack, this person is a little bit older than the young woman I talked about, but his small business was hurting. Because of that experience they have been rated so high that they are having a harder and harder time paying for health insurance for himself, his family and his employees. It is a critical issue in my community, and we can address this key issue of ending discrimination against people with preexisting conditions. It is not just these stories, these experiences that people have told me about. I have also heard it from our Department of Insurance commissioner. She tells me that in the State of Ohio, she has got a single-spaced list, three columns, three pages long, of various conditions that the insurance companies have used to deny Ohioans coverage based on a preexisting condition. Some of them you have heard from, Dr. Kagen, but some of them are also pretty absurd. For example, acne was on that list. And today, if you saw some of the news on television, you saw a baby that looks like the stereotypical Gerber baby, in the 90th percentile on height and weight, excluded from health care because the insurance company decided that this baby, this perfectly healthy baby, had a preexisting condition. They determined that that baby was, quote-unquote, obese. The absurdities that the health care industry has used to exclude coverage from people who use it, who need it, is why we have health care. This is a very personal issue. If I were to not work here in a situation where there was group coverage that I could buy and pay for on an exchange like we have here in Congress, whether I left this job voluntarily or involuntarily, I don't think I could go into the private market and buy an insurance policy for myself, because I have a preexisting condition called multiple sclerosis. So there are so many people and many women, men also, who are excluded for this problem, and now we find out it is even babies. So we could fix this.

Ms. KILROY. Well, Representative Pingree, I agree with you. And I think what you heard from Representative Tonko and what you've pointed to, but what Representative Tonko was talking about the public relations offensive that the health care insurance industry launched today is another example the kind of fear tactics that have been used all summer long regarding this health care debate. This is the latest example of it, that it's going to cost you more money somehow or other. But we can hold down health care costs with this bill, and I think the best way to do that is to have a robust public option to get competition so the Anthems or the WellPoints or the UnitedHealthcares or whoever have something to compete against and that we, as consumers, have something that we can go to instead of one of the expensive health care plans that use these scare tactics, that raise rates, double-digit inflation year after year after year, while making the kind of profits that you were talking about, and yet millions of people in this country doing without basic medical care, medical needs. We need to stand up to that.

Ms. KILROY. Well, I think this bill is an opportunity for us to make health care affordable for all Americans, including seniors who've been made to fear this bill. As Representative Tonko said earlier, helping them by closing the Medicare doughnut hole, helping them by eliminating copays for preventative services and testing and helping to make sure that there are lots of Medicare providers out there, because we are stabilizing the payment schedule for those providers. This bill will help us by shifting the emphasis more onto prevention and wellness, the way Representative Dahlkemper talked about putting more emphasis on primary care and doing that by shifting the way some of the payments are set up so that primary care doctors are paid for what they do so well, for counseling, for listening, for taking that history and helping keeping us well and treating those concerns that we all have from time to time. This bill will help us contain costs, help small and large business, help people who are without insurance and help people with insurance. And as Americans, this is an American plan. It's very important. It will continue to give us a choice of doctors and plans. So this is a huge achievement if we can get this bill passed. It is a great time to be in Congress, be a part of this wonderful discussion and deliberations and, I hope, eventually final passage of a bill that will do so much for so many people in our country.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. I want to say thank you to both of my colleagues, Representative Myrick, with whom I have the great honor of serving as one of the co-Chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Cancer Caucus, and of course the gentlewoman from Florida for your strength as cancer survivors and for leadership on this issue. I am lucky, Representative Wasserman Schultz, to have you as a friend, and I appreciate very much the kind comments you made just a few minutes ago about me. You have taught me so much about this Chamber and what it means to serve here as a Member of this House. Last weekend, we saw some very interesting things happen on the football fields. We heard earlier from Representative Capps--and I remember those days when breast cancer was something to be whispered, when my mother and her sisters or my father's sisters would whisper in the other room about somebody who had been diagnosed, and things have changed that way. And last weekend we saw some very large athletes who are man enough to wear pink. Hundreds of NFL football players shed their dirty cleats for fresh pink and white athletic shoes to show their support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to show their support for their mothers or sisters or aunts or grandmothers or for the thousands of women diagnosed with breast cancer in this country. Awareness is very important. And I think awareness helps lead to action, the kind of action that we've talked about tonight with our sponsorship of the EARLY Act, the kind of action that dedicates resources to research and to access to health care. The pink wave was a wonderful show of solidarity for cancer survivors and for continued research funding that we in this Chamber have supported. And while professional athletes get a lot of attention, I would like to call your attention to the next generation of athletes, to some women in my district who are also drawing attention to the cause and to the fight for a cure. In fact, they are instead of running for the cure, they are volleying for the cure. And this week I visited Hilliard Bradley High School and presented each member of the Hilliard Bradley volleyball team with a recognition certificate for their service to the community through the Volley for the Cure event that took place at their high school on September 14. The Hilliard Bradley volleyball team and their coach, RyAnne Ufferman, with the support of small businesses and the community of Hilliard, raised $2,300 for the local affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The team had a T-shirt, a bake sale, and a raffle at their match against Fairbanks Local to raise awareness and money for the cause. It's great that these young women recognize an issue that is facing us as women in this country, the need to raise further awareness and further resources so that we have a cure. And I was so pleased with them for their leadership. This is a new high school. These are not the seniors that are looking for something on their resume. These are freshman, sophomores, and juniors in this new high school on this new team stepping out beyond their comfort zone to go out and knock on doors and ask for money to join us in this cause to find the cause and the cure for breast cancer, a disease that affects in one way or another almost every single American. And it can only be eradicated if we all continue our efforts at the Federal level to support and to fund important research and to continue the grassroots support that we see at important organizations like Susan G. Komen. I cannot tell you how proud I am of the 25 young women who put this event together, as well as for their four coaches. These young women and this 25th anniversary of Breast Cancer Awareness Month should serve as a reminder to all of us to take breast cancer screening seriously and to make sure eliminating breast cancer is a priority for our country. We hold the key to this in our incredible doctors, in our scientists; and I hope that they will continue to receive the support they need. People will learn how to be more aware of breast cancer and the need for examinations and prevention and detection, and we'll continue to work so that all of us, all women, have access to the women's health care that they need. Thank you very much for this opportunity.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. KILROY. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent to bring up the amendment as modified by the form placed at the desk.

Ms. KILROY. Thank you, Madam Chair. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. My amendment will help Americans looking for jobs. My amendment will focus on getting the 55,000 unemployed central Ohioans in my district back working and also help veterans get the training that they and millions of unemployed Americans need to get that job, a job that will support a family and increase their wages. My amendment is possible because of the strong work of Chairman Miller and his committee, and I thank him for that. For many, finding a new job will mean enrolling in school at a time when the costs of higher education have been steadily increasing. Community colleges often represent the best and most affordable opportunity for individuals who need to obtain new skills but do not have the means to pay the tuition. Columbus State Community College in my district has been a source of pride because of the outstanding job they have done in these tough economic times to improve workforce training. On their own, they have created a special scholarship program that gives workers over the age of 25 without degrees up to $3,500 for retraining. My amendment would ensure that Columbus State can continue their program and will encourage community colleges across the country to focus on dislocated workers and veterans. My amendment would help all of our out-of-work constituents, like the program at Columbus State has already helped my constituent Ryan. Raising a family of five, he was laid off from his job at a GM auto parts plant. But the scholarship program allowed him to retrain and pursue a passion to become a chef, get a full-time job and support his family. Not only did he receive a full-time job at a local restaurant, but he was also encouraged to open a catering business. His first job was a graduation party this summer that led to 14 new catering opportunities. Madam Chair, this bill will be historic because of the opportunities it creates for education for our children. My amendment will ensure that this historic bill will also assist out-of-work Americans and veterans by getting them out of dead ends and into successful career paths. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time

Ms. KILROY. May I inquire, Madam Chair, how much time I have?

Ms. KILROY. I yield such time as he may consume to Representative Andrews from New Jersey.

Ms. KILROY. Madam Chair, I appreciate the support from my colleagues and my colleagues from across the aisle. It is time that we come together to address this issue of the unemployed in our country. This amendment is about them. It's about getting them the education, the jobs and the training that will help them contribute to our economy and support their families. I thank you very much and ask for support from my colleagues for the amendment and for this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Mr. Speaker, like I've heard from many of my colleagues this afternoon, I also have been listening to constituents in my district throughout the recess and this past weekend about the issue of health care. After church services last Sunday, this is what I heard from one woman who worked for General Motors for 26 years, taking an early retirement a few years ago, thinking she was secure in her retirement: Now she's found that she has lost her investments and her 401(k) because of the GM bankruptcy, and also lost her health care. She is a breast cancer survivor. Now she is not of the means to buy insurance. No insurance company will insure her because of this preexisting condition. Mr. Speaker, there are too many people in my district and across the country who cannot buy insurance because they are barred because of preexisting conditions. This is one of the many reasons why we need to take action on real comprehensive health care reform.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Mr. Speaker, for the last couple of years I have been talking to small businesses in my district, and one of the things that I consistently hear from them that they ask for help with is the issue of the cost of health care for small business. Small business is telling me they can't afford to buy health care or they are precluded from buying it because one of the members in their small group has a pre-existing condition, and insurance companies don't even sell to them. I'm here to tell them that we are listening to them and that, if health care reform passes this House and is signed into law, it can reform dramatically the small business health care costs. It can help small businesses by providing an exchange that they can access which will provide a bigger pool and shared risk and lower health care costs for them. And many small businesses would qualify for substantial tax credits to help small businesses make worker health care costs more affordable. This bill will not cost small business jobs. In fact, it will help save jobs, giving them more opportunities to spend their money to help add to their jobs rather than paying extremely high health care costs.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Madam Speaker, today I introduce legislation, the ``Medical Debt Relief Act of 2009,'' which would protect those hard- working Americans who play by the rules, pay or settle their medical debts, yet find their economic well-being and their credit scores adversely affected for years due to medical debt, large or small, that has gone to collection. The ``Medical Debt Relief Act of 2009'' would prohibit all consumer credit agencies and creditors from using paid off or settled medical debt collection in assessing a consumer's creditworthiness. Medical debt is unique. Americans don't choose when accidents happen or when illness strikes. Medical debt collection issues affect both insured and uninsured. According to credit evaluators, medical debt collections are more likely to be in dispute, inconsistently reported, and of questionable value in predicting future payment performance because it is atypical and non-predictive. Nevertheless, medical debt that has been completely paid off or settled can significantly damage a consumer's credit score for years. As a result, consumers can be denied credit or pay higher interest rates when buying a home or obtaining a credit card. The issue of medical debt affects millions. In fact, according to the Commonwealth Fund, medical bill problems or accrued medical debt affects roughly 72 million working-age adults in American. For 2007, 28 million working-age American adults were contacted by a collection agency for unpaid medical bills.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Mr. Speaker, in my district, as in many districts around the country, medical debt has been a contributing factor in bankruptcies and in foreclosures. In fact, 72 million Americans today are affected by the issue of medical debt. Another more insidious but also serious issue that arises from medical debt, and one that costs our constituents a great deal of money, is the issue of medical debt that is paid late or is settled eventually, but paid nevertheless, but has gone to collections and is reported negatively on a credit report or a score. Twenty-eight million Americans pay their medical debt off over a period of time. Some of those accrue debt only because of a dispute with an insurance company, some of them because of the high cost of medical care and high deductibles or caps that have been exceeded in the course of the year, some because of job loss. But that negative credit score stays with them for years to come.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Madam Speaker, on the legislative day of Monday, July 27, 2009, I was unable to cast votes a number of rollcall votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall votes 647, 648, and 649.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Madam Speaker, this week the House Financial Services Committee is scheduled to markup legislation requiring mandatory ``say on pay'' shareholder votes on executive compensation packages and corporate golden parachutes. Today, I am introducing legislation that will make sure all investors will be able to hold the institutions that cast these votes accountable for their decisions. The ``say on pay'' legislation introduced by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA), H.R. 3269, gives shareholders an important new tool by requiring annual nonbinding shareholder votes on executive compensation and golden parachutes. This legislation is much needed given the abuses that have come to light during the financial crisis, as numerous CEOs have walked away from failing companies with multi-million dollar paydays. The ``say on pay'' votes mandated by H.R. 3269 will be executed through the corporate proxy process where traditionally votes are cast on corporate bylaw changes, director elections, and other matters. Many of these proxy votes are not cast by individual shareholders but rather by institutional investors who own shares on behalf of individuals, such as mutual funds, pension plans and hedge funds. Unfortunately, the only institutional investors currently required to disclose how they vote their proxies, including votes on executive compensation, are mutual funds. Some other institutional investors have voluntarily decided to disclose their proxy votes, but they are not legally required to do so. The legislation I am introducing today will require mandatory disclosure of all institutional investor proxy votes on ``say on pay'' issues and all other matters, including the elections of corporate boards. This bill will bring long overdue disclosure to the proxy voting records of hedge funds and other institutional investors. The need for disclosure of institutional investor proxy votes is a central recommendation of the July 2009 report of the Investors' Working Group (IWG), an independent task force sponsored by the CFA Institute and the Council of Intuitional Investors. The IWG task force is chaired by former SEC Chairmen Arthur Levitt, who was appointed SEC Chairman by President Clinton, and William Donaldson Levitt, who was appointed SEC Chairman by President George W. Bush. This bipartisan report recommends that: Institutional investors-including pension funds, hedge funds and private equity firms--should make timely, public disclosures about their proxy voting guidelines, proxy votes cast, investment guidelines, and members of their governing bodies and report annually on holdings and performance. The IWG task force is one of many voices calling for disclosure of institutional investor proxy votes. Both the AFL-CIO and the Investment Company Institute support their disclosure: The AFL-CIO strongly supports increased transparency in proxy voting by all capital market participants . . . Greater transparency around proxy voting by institutional investors should enhance the quality of the debate concerning how the corporate franchise is used, particularly in the context of ``say on pay'' proposals, where the public disclosure of advisory votes would maximize their influence over management. The legislation I am introducing will make sure all investors can monitor corporate proxy votes cast by institutional investors. It accomplishes this by requiring annual disclosure of proxy votes by any entity that is required to file ownership reports pursuant to Sec. 13(f) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. Today, Sec. 13(f) filers, who by definition invest more than $100 million in equity assets, must report their holdings quarterly. My legislation simply requires that once a year these institutions use their 13F forms to disclose their comprehensive proxy voting records. As Congress works on legislation providing new consumer protections and tougher regulation of Wall Street, I believe we must increase transparency and disclosure throughout the capital markets. This legislation marks an important step in that direction.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Madam Speaker, today I introduce legislation, the ``Investor Advisory Committee Act of 2009,'' which would establish a permanent advisory committee within the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and give investors a greater voice in the Commission's work. One of the most significant contributors to our economic downturn was the unraveling of major financial institutions and the lack of adequate regulatory structures to prevent abuse and excess. Financial innovators produced a huge variety of new and complex financial instruments, but, instead of reducing risk, the markets actually magnified risks that were being taken by ordinary families and large firms alike. Millions of Americans who worked hard and behaved responsibly saw their savings eroded by the irresponsibility of others and by the failure of their government to provide adequate oversight. Reforms are needed to encourage sound risk management, long-term growth and value creation--not only at individual firms, but for our financial system and the economy as a whole. A permanent Investor Advisory Committee will help advance these reforms by providing investors a greater voice within the SEC.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Mr. Speaker, as we have worked these last several months on the issue of health care, I have engaged my community in a variety of townhall meetings, forums and opportunities for them to let me know what they need out of the health care bill, to tell me their stories. I would like to share one of those with you. My constituent writes, This is not my story, but it is the story of a close friend who died last November at the age of 50. During his life, he was afflicted with diabetes and heart disease. He was self-employed and could not get health insurance because of his preexisting conditions. A few months prior to his death, he asked me to review a brochure advertising a plan to get discounts on various things, including medical services and drugs, but clearly stated it was not insurance. I told him the company was not promising anything, only a hope that discounts could be obtained. He was going to pay the $178 per month premium anyway because he couldn't get insurance or any other kind of help. A few months later, he suddenly died. Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity here with H.R. 3200 to pass a bill of historic proportions to address issues such as this constituent and many Americans are facing, to have a health care plan that is affordable and accessible for all Americans, that will lower the cost of health insurance, to provide a public option that gives people a choice of doctors and plans, and puts an emphasis on prevention and wellness. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Madam Speaker, today I introduce legislation, the ``Provide a Return on Financial Investment for the Taxpayer Act of 2009,'' or ``PROFIT Act of 2009,'' which will maximize the American taxpayers' return on its investment in troubled financial institutions through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and make the payback process between Treasury and the banks transparent to the public. During the wake of the economic crisis, American taxpayers assumed an enormous financial risk when they bailed out these institutions. To compensate for this risk, banks that received TARP funds were required to give Treasury warrants for the future purchase of common shares, allowing American taxpayers an opportunity to profit from the possible upside of their investment. However, the Congressional Oversight Panel (COP), in its July 10, 2009, oversight report, found that Treasury would be more likely to maximize taxpayer returns if it sold the warrants through an open, public and transparent auction instead of the current process that allowed 11 banks to repurchase their warrants at just 66 cents on the dollar. In fact, COP found that if Treasury uses this same approach to repurchase all remaining outstanding warrants, estimated at between $8.1 billion to $12.3 billion, American taxpayers would lose out on as much as $2.7 billion. American taxpayers took enormous risks in bailing out Wall Street and should be compensated.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Miller gas station on its 50th anniversary. This family business has been serving the residents of my hometown in Ohio for five decades by offering the personal service and attention that is becoming rare and invaluable in an increasingly automated world. Unlike most other gas stations in Ohio which are purely self-service, the Miller family gas station maintains a full-service pump. The Millers interact with customers on a daily basis, developing relationships that are necessary for the sense of connectedness and goodwill among members of a strong and spirited community. Residents of Upper Arlington return to the Millers' station time and again--some for many years--knowing they will receive exceptional service each time. Eddie and Deanna Miller leased the station in 1959 and worked at the station for almost 25 years before they could own the business outright. The couple has served as an example of the American tradition of hard work and quality service, factors that have kept their business vibrant in instances of harsh economic conditions over the last fifty years. For the Millers, good service is not just a virtue of successful business, it is an enjoyable and fulfilling aspect of their work. Interaction with community members instills within their family a sense of pride in and responsibility toward the people of Upper Arlington. This month as the family business celebrates its 50th anniversary Eddie and Deanna express confidence in their son Mike in carrying their family business forward for decades to come. I thank the Miller family and encourage them to continue their tradition of unique and valued service to the residents of Central Ohio.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Madam Speaker, on the legislative day of Monday, June 15, 2009, I was unavoidably detained and was unable to cast a vote on a number of rollcall votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall votes 336, 337, 338, and 339.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Mr. Speaker, to the grieving family of Stephen Tyrone Johns, I offer my deepest sympathy. You are in our thoughts and prayers. And to the men and women in blue, especially those serving here on Capitol Hill, I offer my condolences at the loss of your brother officer and recognize the courage and devotion to duty he displayed at the cost of his life. I know that our Nation's police forces stand ready each and every day to serve and to protect. This particular outrage is all the more heinous because of the place of the crime, our National Holocaust Memorial Museum, and because its perpetrator had a repeated history of public expressions of racism and anti-Semitism. It is long past time for us to come together as a Nation and put an end to racism, to put an end to anti-Semitism, to put an end to homophobia, and to eliminate hate crimes; to come together and say that hatred and intolerance should not be allowed, that we should be able to end this as a community and come together in a Nation that respects each other for the true gift of the individual that each of us is.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Stan and Gigi Wielezynski on the 65th anniversary of D-Day. Stan, a native of Normandy, France, and his wife Gigi have never forgotten the courage and sacrifice of the Americans who liberated France from Nazi occupation during World War II. They are the owners of several Columbus area restaurants named La Chatelaine. For fifteen years, in order to express their gratitude and to recognize the U.S. Allied Forces involved in the invasion on the shores of Normandy, Stan and Gigi Wielezynski have opened their doors to World War II veterans and offered them a complimentary French meal. The Wielezynskis take great pride in this event by having their employees come to work dressed in military apparel, carrying authentic World War II helmets, and celebrating with flag-shaped cakes and music of the 1940s. Additionally, they decorate the restaurant with jeeps, parachutes, and other World War II memorabilia. Recently, the couple received a letter from Marion Gray, an 83-year- old veteran from the 29th Infantry, stating that his one dream was to say a final goodbye to the friends he lost in Normandy. Marion had been working as a bagger at the local store to save money for his trip. However, upon receipt of the letter, the Wielezynskis generously donated an entire weeklong all-expense paid trip to Normandy for Marion and his wife Ruth. Madam Speaker, on this 65th anniversary of D-Day, I would like to commend Stan and Gigi Wielezynski for their enormous generosity to the Grays as well as the hundreds of other World War II veterans and for their love of their adopted country.

Ms. KILROY

Ms. KILROY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. KILROY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes. I rise today in support of my amendment to raise the profile of dangerous incidents involving smoke in the cockpits of aircraft. Smoke in cockpits is a factor in an unscheduled emergency or emergency landing every single day in North America. This dangerous in-flight occurrence has already claimed over 1,230 lives. In 2007, a top NASCAR official and his pilot were killed after their plane crashed within minutes of radioing an emergency because of smoke cascading into the cockpit. The crash also killed a mother, her 6- month-old infant and a 4-year-old next-door neighbor when the plane struck into the heart of their Florida neighborhood. The National Transportation Safety Board has addressed the issue and considers smoke inside the cockpit and cabins to be a ``serious issue.'' The NTSB has made recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration for decades on this very issue. The FAA does not consider smoke interfering with the pilot's vision as a ``unsafe condition,'' despite more than 70 major events in the last 4 decades and NTSB recommendations. This amendment would gather the data that could prove the need for better equipment and save thousands of lives in the future. Today, I look forward to voting for this important reauthorization of the FAA. I want to thank Chairman Oberstar and Chairman Costello for their excellent work on this bill, including protections and rights guaranteed to the 2 million airline passengers that fly in this country every day. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Aviation Subcommittee have taken historic steps to improve flying experiences for passengers, as well as invest in modernizing critical safety systems like air traffic control. Once a plane has taken off and is in control of the pilot, smoke in the cockpit can be deadly. There will be nothing our safety systems on the ground or air traffic controllers in the tower could do to help. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.