Sander Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, under H.R. 3590, as passed by the Senate, individuals are responsible for obtaining minimum essential health care or pay a small penalty. The Senate bill states that anyone with eligible employer coverage meets this requirement. The coverage that is provided today for the members of our armed services and their families and for military retirees and their families satisfies this requirement. In an abundance of caution, H.R. 4887 was introduced by our distinguished chairman, Mr. Skelton, to reaffirm this result. I now reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN. It's now my privilege to yield 2 minutes to someone who has worked so hard for so many years on behalf of the veterans of this country, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton).

Mr. LEVIN. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Shea-Porter).

Mr. LEVIN. Would the gentleman yield?

Mr. LEVIN. I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis).

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. LEVIN. Look, the Senate bill, we wanted to be 100 percent sure that nobody would misstate its impact. So don't misstate it. That's the purpose of this. Instead, after you talk about veterans' health, you begin to talk about the reconciliation bill. Now we will debate that tomorrow, but we should not use any question about coverage for veterans as a reason to attack the reconciliation bill. I support it. I think it will have a major positive impact. You used all kinds of words about a different Nation, about rushing headlong. That has nothing to do with this bill. I think you are completely wrong about this being a different Nation. You raised it, so I will say a few words. What this is going to do is continue the path of this Nation, to make sure that health care can be afforded, to make sure that health care is spread to everybody. It is not a different Nation; it is continuing the best in our Nation. And so we are not rushing headlong. We have been talking about health care for a century in this country. I said at the Rules Committee, my first political experience as I remember it was as a kid passing out leaflets for the dad of John Dingell. His father had introduced a health care bill how many decades ago, and before him, others. Going back to Teddy Roosevelt, no huge radical. So now decades later we come to a moment when we can step up to the plate, and you call it a different Nation. No, I say it is in the best traditions of the United States of America. And so this is simply a bill to reassure; don't use it as an opportunity to talk about something else. We want to say clearly to the veterans of this country and to the families of those veterans, to everybody who is part of that family, that their health care is going to be protected. That is the purpose of this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN. I am not sure that I want to carry on much longer a debate over the health care bill, but sure.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I want to make two points clearly and very forcefully: veterans and veterans' health are protected and will be protected. We are glad to bring our record before the world where this party that I belong to has been in terms of protecting veterans and veterans' health. I just want to say a word about that because I have been here now for some years; and a few years ago the party that I belong to, when we had the power, took the steps to make sure that the health of veterans was protected, indeed, enhanced. What we did was to pass billions of dollars' worth in programs to make sure that veterans in this country were protected as to their health care needs. That is absolutely clear. No veterans need to be worried about their health care. No one covered by TRICARE needs to be worried about whether that will be in effect. No one. This is done simply to reassure in terms of the language. It is not to fix a flaw. It is to reassure. Indeed, it is being brought for the very reason that we feared that some people might decide to misstate what the reality was. The reality is that we are simply reassuring. There is no flaw to fix, period. So no one in any place, any veteran or anybody and their family needs to worry about our dedication or the impact of this legislation. That is point one. Number two, I think what is being done here, what is being said here is pretty clear. The argument isn't really over veterans' health. We are all dedicated to sustaining that. It isn't over TRICARE. We are dedicated to improving TRICARE wherever possible. What we hear on the other side instead are speeches and words about the reconciliation bill. You don't like it.

Mr. LEVIN. I reserve the balance of my time. Do I have the right to close?

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN. Let me suggest this: The provision that is in question here or is before us doesn't take effect--the overall provision--until 2014. What our purpose is here today is not to correct a flaw but to reaffirm so there could be zero questions. I would suggest this: That we proceed--and I want to assure you, I think I can on behalf of everyone concerned--that we will look at your bill, and we will work with you, and if there's agreement, we will proceed expeditiously. So I would hope that would work for you. I just wanted to assure you of our good will on this. And if there is an issue that has to be considered, we'll do that. The problem right now is, it's impossible--we just received this--to understand whether or not it might have an impact in terms of the overall bill. The overall bill has to be scored. As you know, Mr. Buyer, it's very technical. So again, let me suggest that we proceed and give you the assurance that we will look at this and proceed expeditiously.

Mr. LEVIN. Let me suggest the reason why I think we need to proceed with this bill. We can accomplish what you want to accomplish by taking up your bill separately. The purpose of this bill is not to correct a flaw. The purpose of it simply is to reaffirm what should already be clear. I don't think in this period of time that we could look at your bill and be sure that it would have no impact in terms of the overall legislation. I know that this bill will have no such effect. I'm not sure of yours because we've just received it. So let me just offer again in the best of good faith that we will take a note that the---- Announcement by the Speaker pro tempore

Mr. LEVIN. I don't think it's a question of correcting an error.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise today to honor my friend Robert Larson and pay tribute to his life and legacy. Robert Larson was a real estate executive, philanthropist, community leader, and dear friend. His keen knowledge and distinguished career positioned him as one of the industry's most respected executives. He was chairman of the Larson Realty Group, a family-owned real estate investment company; chairman of Lazard Real Estate Partners LLC, a merchant banking business; and chairman of the board of UDR, Inc., one of the country's largest real estate companies. He spent 26 years with the prestigious Taubman Company, where he was elevated to chief operating officer, chief executive officer, vice chairman of Taubman Centers, Inc., and chairman of the Taubman Realty Group during the course of his tenure. The knowledge and insight Mr. Larson provided the Federal Government in the wake of the Savings and Loan crisis of the 1980s were integral to successfully restructuring our savings institutions and recovering from the crisis. President Bush and President Clinton appointed Mr. Larson to the Thrift Depositor Protection Oversight Board, where he served from 1990 to 1995 and was made chairman of the Board's Audit Committee. The Board was established by Congress to provide direction, oversight, and funding to the Resolution Trust Corporation. Throughout his life, Mr. Larson's commitment to southeast Michigan was unyielding and he worked to bring new investment and opportunity to Michigan's economy. His contributions to Michigan extended far beyond the real estate industry: he served as the director and chairman of the ULI Foundation, a trustee of the Children's Hospital of Michigan, director of the Detroit Zoological Society, chairman of the Cranbrook Educational Community, chairman of the Greening of Detroit, and trustee of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, among many other boards and causes. Unquestionably, though, Mr. Larson's most durable impact was on his family, his colleagues, and those of us who knew him. We remember him for his profound intellect, his endless energy, and his tremendous warmth. He is survived by his beloved wife, Bonnie, their six children, and eleven grandchildren. I extend my deepest condolences to them on their loss.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4783) to accelerate the income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for the relief of victims of the earthquake in Chile, and to extend the period from which such contributions for the relief of victims of the earthquake in Haiti may be accelerated.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Ranking Member David Camp is not here today because of a death in his family. The distinguished gentleman from Illinois is going to be handling the time on the minority side. On behalf of my colleague and friend Mr. Camp and the gentleman from Illinois, I ask that the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation be asked to make available to the public a technical explanation of the bill. The technical explanation expresses the committee's understanding and legislative intent behind this important bill. It is available on the joint committee's Web site at www.jct.gov, and it is listed under document No. JCX-08-10. Mr. Speaker, we rise today on this very important bill. It would allow for charitable contributions paid to victims of the Chilean earthquake on or before April 15 of this year, which is the tax return deadline, to be claimed as deductions on taxpayers' 2009 tax returns. Of course, absent this change, taxpayers would need to wait until next year to claim deductions for these contributions. In addition--and this is very important--the bill would provide taxpayers with a little more time relating to the victims of the Haitian earthquake so that they could make charitable contributions through April 15, extending it beyond March 1. So let me, if I might, say just a few words. I think all of us know graphically what is involved here. I checked, and the catastrophe in Haiti is the largest of its kind on record in the Western Hemisphere. We have also seen the catastrophe in Chile. I think all of us want to be sure that the American people can join together to express their alliances with the people of Chile and with the people of Haiti. Like lots of families, our family has had a connection with both countries. My son Andy has been to Haiti many times. He was there as a monitor for one of the elections when there was immense violence, and I was concerned for his safety. He is able to speak Creole to express his interest in Haiti. So that's one way, in addition to my service in the Foreign Aid Agency, that our family has had contact with the people of Haiti. Yet I think all of us have had that contact with the people of Haiti since the catastrophe, the worst of its kind on record in the Western Hemisphere, and I think all of us very much want to be sure that we can express our support, our alliance and can give our charitable contributions. As to Chile, we could see the immense devastation. That country was prepared for an earthquake of virtually any magnitude; but this magnitude, one of the very worst in the history of the country, shook up the country. It shook up its foundations in many places, and it led to the loss of many, many lives. So I come here today on behalf of the committee and, I think, on behalf of all of us in this Congress. I believe the gentleman from Illinois and I come here today on behalf of all of the American people, and we ask that we have unanimous consent for this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to a distinguished member of the committee, my good friend and pal, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), and I ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control that time.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. I thank my friend for yielding. Madam Speaker, the theme of this bill is very clear: Back to work. I would think that would unite us and not divide us. Recently, we have seen economic growth. What we have not seen enough of at all is growth in jobs, and that's what this is really all about. There is no easy or perfect way to bring this about. It takes a number of steps. The tax credit in this bill is one approach. We are going to need additional steps. Another way that it relates to economic growth and jobs is through infrastructure. We can argue about how many jobs and about what the estimates are as to how many millions will be created, but it's clear. The Secretary of Transportation has said that he can verify $60 billion to $70 billion in infrastructure--roads, bridges--ready to go this spring and this summer. We should be united in providing the authorization for this to happen. It should not divide us. There is money also, as has been said, for school construction bonds and energy bonds. Also, very importantly, it relates to the expensing by small business, which is very much within the jurisdiction of the Ways and Means Committee. That also should unite us and not divide us, and it is critical that we expend that provision. So, for all of these reasons, I urge that we join together, rather than divide, and pass this bill.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 944, which recognizes the persecution and displacement of ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq. This resolution calls on the Iraqi and United States governments to better protect the rights of persons of all ethnicities and religions. This resolution comes as the Chaldean community mourns the two-year anniversary of the murder of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho. Archbishop Rahho dedicated his life to the Chaldean Church in Mosul and sought to build interfaith relationships while advocating for the inclusion of Chaldeans and other vulnerable populations in the new Iraqi state. These vulnerable populations include Chaldeans, Assyrians, Turkmen, Sabean Mandeans, Yazidis, and Syriacs. Their unique languages and histories are among the oldest of the Mesopotamian region. Together, they represent the richly diverse heritage of Iraq. Since 2003, however, members of their communities have suffered marginalization, harassment, and violence. Many have been forced to seek safety away from their homes, often outside the country's borders. Ethno-religious minorities formerly comprised approximately five percent of Iraq's population; today, they comprise almost twenty percent of all Iraqi refugees registered with the United Nations Refugee Agency. Minorities fear such rates of displacement threaten the very future of their communities. Continued sectarian violence prevents the free exercise of religion, cultural expression, and political participation that are fundamental to democracy. This resolution underscores the importance that Iraq's upcoming elections be free, fair, and safe, and that the rights of its minority populations be protected. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 944 and in urging meaningful support for Iraq's ethnic and religious minorities.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Well, what we face is the highest number of long-term unemployed for over 60 years, 6.3 million people, long-term unemployed. We have 15 million people looking for work. I came in just in the middle of the statement from my friend from California. I don't think this is the time for us to be arguing over past programs. I have never understood what the minority was thinking about in terms of job creation. They have voted against Recovery Act bills. But this isn't the time to be using the plight of the unemployed to try to make points about previous actions. This is the time for us to once again face up to the fact that we have huge numbers of people who are looking for work and can't find it. This is the time for us to understand the pain for individuals in this circumstance. We passed a jobs bill here some months ago, unfortunately, without bipartisan support. But I don't want to argue about that. We should be talking about providing. It's really not a safety net; it's a subsistence issue. It's people who have been laid off through no fault of their own who need a continuation of unemployment compensation. If we do not do this, the estimate is that over 1 million people nationally will lose their unemployment benefits in March. That's 1 month alone, 1.2 million people. If that isn't sobering enough to get us to focus on an extension of unemployment compensation and health benefits for these people, I don't know what else we will do. So I hope we will come here and pass this bill and not use it as a vehicle to be talking about something other than the plight of the unemployed of this country who can't find a job, 6 or 7 people looking for a job for every job that might open up. I urge that we pass this overwhelmingly.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the provisions in the bill before the House that restore the pay-as-you-go budget rules. The PAYGO rules simply require that new entitlement spending and new tax cut proposals be fully paid for with offsetting savings. Failure to do so would result in mandatory spending cuts. These rules were instrumental to the successful effort to rein in soaring deficits in the 1990s and resulted in balanced budgets during the final years of the Clinton administration. Unfortunately, the pay-as-you-go rules expired in 2002 and the Bush administration and the then Republican majority in Congress refused to renew them. Our nation's fiscal health has paid a heavy price for that refusal. Yesterday, the House Ways and Means Committee heard testimony from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Specifically, Dr. Orszag testified that the large deficits we confront today in large measure reflect the failure to pay for policies in the past. Dr. Orszag said, ``More than half of these deficits can be linked to the previous administration's failure to pay for the 2001/2003 tax cuts and the prescription drug bill. Over the next ten years, these two unpaid-for policies are slated to add $5.8 trillion to the deficit, including interest expense on the additional associated debt.'' Returning to the budget discipline of the pay-as-you-go rules is common sense and will help ensure that we don't repeat the reckless tax and spending mistakes of the past.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a leader in the field of public health, Tom Kalkofen, who has been instrumental in water quality, pollution reduction, and individualized healthcare initiatives in Macomb County. Mr. Kalkofen graduated from Ferris State University in 1971 and began working as a sanitarian for the Macomb County Health Department. He earned his Masters of Public Health from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 1977 and continued to rise through the ranks of the Health Department, holding various positions, until he became director in February of 1996. Under Mr. Kalkofen's leadership the Health Department established effective community coalitions, such as the Tobacco Prevention Coalition and Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures Coalition and a minority health outreach office. Mr. Kalkofen also fought for the continuation of one of the few remaining public health dental programs in the State of Michigan. He worked successfully to leverage Emergency Preparedness funds making it possible for the county to build a new Medical Examiner Office and Morgue, both of which were sorely outdated. In addition to his many accomplishments in the public health sector, he was passionate about fighting to ensure that recreational and drinking water quality was safe for the residents of the County. Fifteen years ago, Macomb County's beaches and lakeshore waters were closed by the Health Department due to the rapid seaweed growth and excessive E. coli levels. The Blue Ribbon Commission was founded to address the aforementioned concerns of Lake St. Clair, and Mr. Kalkofen acted to provide full administrative support for its activities. Mr. Kalkofen has also been an advocate for an array of county- and grant-funded pollution prevention activities over the years. In 2004 and 2005, he secured $2.5 million from the Department of Environmental Quality to perform an unprecedented comprehensive water quality assessment of watersheds of Lakes St. Clair, and Belle, Pine, and Black Rivers which stretch across four counties. Most recently, he worked as a member of the Macomb Water Quality Board to spearhead the acquisition of State and Federal funds to build a system of real-time water quality monitors at the intakes of all water treatment plants on the United States side of Lake Huron to Lake Erie Corridor. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Tom Kalkofen, who has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of living for the people of Macomb County for nearly 40 years. I am confident he will continue to play an important role in the community where he is highly thought of, in addition to enjoying a bit of retirement with his wife Marge, their twin sons and five grandchildren.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. It's now my privilege to yield 3 minutes to my very distinguished colleague and member of the Ways and Means Committee from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. LEVIN. I now am privileged to yield 3 minutes to the very distinguished member of the committee and my colleague, Jim McDermott of Washington. (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)