Jim Langevin

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kathleen Mellor for being named the 2004 National Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Mellor, a resident of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, is the first Rhode Islander and also the first English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher to be honored with such an award. Mrs. Mellor currently teaches at Davisville Middle School and Hamilton Elementary School. She has twenty-three years of experience as a teacher and has worked with the North Kingstown School Department since 1985. She developed an ESL program for the school system that allowed ESL students to remain in mainstream classrooms for the majority of their day. She fostered a community within the school, while encouraging students to share their own cultures and languages with one another. This first-rate program flourished and is still in place today. In addition to her many academic accomplishments, Mrs. Mellor volunteers in her community and started a program called Ladybugs where mothers of ESL students can practice their conversational English, so they can better understand their children's new lives. In recognition of her creation of a warm learning environment, energetic disposition, and determination for her ESL students to succeed, she was nominated for, and won, the 2004 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year Award. Mrs. Mellor was named National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers on April 20th, 2004. Today she will be recognized for her achievements by President Bush in the Rose Garden of the White House. In the next year, 150 national and international groups will have the honor of hearing Mrs. Mellor speak while she travels as the national ambassador for the teaching profession. Mr. Speaker, it is not often enough that the hard work and determination of our educators are acknowledged, so it is with great pride that I recognize an exceptional teacher like Kathleen Mellor for all her accomplishments. I hope our colleagues will join me in congratulating Kathleen Mellor on her award.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise on this, the fifth anniversary of the American Legacy Foundation, to recognize the tremendous strides this organization has made in improving the health of millions of Americans. Through its various programs such as Circle of Friends, Great Start, and Priority Population, as well as its Truth Campaign, the Foundation has played a tremendous role in promoting both the cessation and the prevention of tobacco use in our country. As the largest youth smoking prevention campaign in the United States, the Truth Campaign in particular has been cited as a factor in the current 28-year low in youth smoking rates. Smoking costs our society not only in the lives lost but also in the billions of dollars spent on related health care. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in our country, killing 440,000 people each year, and exposes thousands of children to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. I strongly hope that the American Legacy Foundation will continue to receive the Federal funding it needs in order to carry out its campaign for a tobacco-free nation. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for allowing me to recognize the American Legacy Foundation for its ongoing contributions to the health of our great nation.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, proudly rise today to congratulate Kristin Klenk, a science teacher from South Kingstown High School in the second Congressional District of Rhode Island. Ms. Klenk, a resident of Hope Valley, has been awarded the 2003 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Since 1983, the National Science Foundation has administered this award to exemplary math and science teachers, nominated from all 50 states and four U.S. jurisdictions. Recipients are selected and recognized for leadership in the field of mathematics and science and serve as role models for their colleagues. Ms. Klenk, known for her hands-on teaching of science and active engagement of her South Kingstown High School students, has now been recognized as one of the best teachers in this country. For her dedication to teaching science to America's children and her service to Rhode Island, I thank Kristin Klenk and congratulate her on receiving this prestigious award.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in proud recognition of the 183rd anniversary of Greek Independence. This special day for Greece commemorates the strength and determination of its people to restore their democratic roots and identity. The political philosophies of both the United States and Greece have been challenged by oppressive powers, and both nations have proudly defended their right to self-government and individual freedoms. After showing a desire to be free from the Ottoman Empire in 1821, Greece endured eleven long years of war to succeed in gaining independence. American and Hellenic cultures greatly respect their tradition of independence and recognize the importance of democratic principles. The United States and Greece have always enjoyed a friendship and alliance in international and cultural endeavors. Hellenic principles resonate in our culture and politics, since the United States was founded on the principles of democracy developed thousands of years ago in the city-states of ancient Greece. The beauty of Greek architecture can even be found while taking a walk through our beloved Capitol building. Likewise, our country's influence on Greece can be seen in their first Constitution, which was based on our Declaration of Independence and the principles behind the American Revolution. On a cultural level, I am looking forward to this summer and the homecoming of the Olympic Games to Athens. Since Greece resurrected the Olympics in 1896, they have symbolized peace and excellence for people around the world. The Olympics show that great athletic skill and spirited competition can bring nations together despite their differences. Greece will undoubtedly serve as a gracious host of the Games, and the 25th Summer Olympics will prove again to the world how Hellenic ideals such as equality and friendship have stood the test of time and continue to flourish at a global level. Hellenic culture, whether through its development of democratic government or its espousal of friendly competition, encourages people to come together amicably even during the most difficult of times. Mr. Speaker, it would be hard to imagine a United States of America, or even the world, without the great contributions from Greece. I will continue to work in Congress to support Hellenic causes and our strong and important alliance. I would like to join my colleagues in congratulating Greece on the anniversary of its independence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating this anniversary.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in response to Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's recent remarks about the role of housing-related government-sponsored entities, otherwise known as GSEs, and our economy. A day before Chairman Greenspan's controversial testimony regarding Social Security, his comments on a different issue caught my attention. While testifying before the Senate Banking Committee on February 24, he mentioned that the two largest housing GSEs, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have grown so large that they could threaten the foundation of the entire United States economy if risks are not properly managed. I know that Chairman Greenspan is normally reserved in discussing financial markets because he understands the power that his words hold with investors. Therefore, his assessment of the GSE situation alarmed me. Greenspan's comments brought back painful memories of the 1990 Rhode Island banking crisis when fraud at the private deposit insurer resulted in the temporary closing of 45 financial institutions and the freezing of $1.7 billion in customer deposits. Due to negligence and mismanagement, Rhode Islanders could not touch their assets for up to 36 days before the banks reopened, making it impossible for many families to pay their mortgages or rent, or to even buy food. The thought that more than a decade later, a similar crisis on a much broader scale could occur is cause for great concern. Greenspan fears that many investors are under the false impression that GSEs are backed up by the full faith and credit of the United States. Well, because of this incorrect assumption, investors believe they can accept higher risks because the government will bail out GSEs if they are insolvent or default, as occurred in the 1980s. As Greenspan noted, GSEs now stand behind more than $4 trillion of mortgages, and the government can ill afford such a bailout in the wake of a housing crisis or corporate mismanagement. It appears as though the increased risks the GSEs have been taking on is not related to their primary operation of purchasing affordable housing loans in the secondary market. Rather, much of their risk comes from derivative investments in an effort to maximize profits for shareholders. Now, as we learned from Enron, complex derivative schemes may boost profits in the short term, but the long-run risks can be too difficult to manage. Congress needs to approach this issue very seriously and take appropriate corrective steps before it is too late. It is essential that we ensure that GSEs better manage risks without hampering their mission, which is to expand opportunities for home ownership and affordable rental housing. Among the options being discussed, we should be aware that if Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are privatized or if debt caps limit the amount of mortgages that can be acquired, affordable housing is likely to be hurt the most because it is the least profitable part of the GSE business. Now, in addition, limited mortgage financing for home buyers could negatively affect the housing market by stunning growth. In light of past financial problems and Greenspan's comments, I believe Congress should begin by considering oversight from an independent regulator with housing expertise. A strong regulator with a background in housing will ensure that home ownership opportunities continue to grow, while guarding against the potential of an Enron-like collapse that could devastate the United States' economy. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in Congress to give this issue their immediate attention. We must act prudently and look at a range of options to ensure the solvency of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. We need to guarantee the mission of the GSEs is not compromised but, at the same time, ensure proper oversight and ethical behavior. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac must continue to bring the American dream to as many people as possible while we strive to reduce the risk of fraud of a GSE derailing the United States economy. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with my colleagues to address this important issue before it is too late.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take my Special Order at this time.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. I would like to thank the ranking member for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, like my colleagues on the House Committee on Armed Services, I have been pleased to provide our troops with the support and the equipment that they need to succeed in their mission, and I have had the privilege of traveling to Iraq to meet with some of them personally. I am so proud of the job that they are doing. God bless them. Iraq's transition to democracy and the ongoing war on terrorism will pose new challenges for our men and women in uniform, but they may take comfort in the knowledge that this Congress stands behind them. Yet despite the fact that every Member of this Chamber supports our troops, this resolution was prepared with no input from Democrats. Just as the administration has adopted a ``go it alone'' strategy on numerous foreign policy initiatives, the House leadership has done the exact same thing when drafting legislation. This resolution could have and should have been prepared with bipartisan input. I am disappointed that inappropriate tactics have overshadowed the unanimity we share in support of our Armed Forces.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commemorate March 2, 2004 as National Sportsmanship Day. National Sportsmanship Day is based on the belief that athletic competition will teach students, coaches, and parents valuable lessons that are useful on and off the athletic field. A study conducted by Michigan State University in the 1990s found that 14 million of the 20 million American children who participate in organized sports drop out by age 13, mostly because their parents' attitudes take the fun out of playing the games. Recent news stories of fights among and between officials and parents and the pressure parents place on their young children to ``win at any cost'' highlight the importance of sportsmanship. National Sportsmanship Day serves as an opportunity for athletes and sports fans of all ages to recognize and discuss the need for ethics, fair play and sportsmanship. This year, more than 12,000 elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as colleges and universities in all 50 states and more than 125 countries, are participating in the fourteenth annual celebration of the personal ethics and hard work of athletes. Each year, the Institute for International Sport, based in Rhode Island's Second District, recognizes individuals who exemplify ethics and sportsmanship in both their professional and personal endeavors by naming them as Sports Ethics Fellows on National Sportsmanship Day. The 2004 Sports Ethics Fellows represent a range of athletes, coaches, and administrators as diverse as those who enjoy sports. Each one of the Fellows is a tribute to his or her game, and their skills are only surpassed by their desire to play fairly. Their strong character and great talent make them each a role model to current and future generations of athletes. This year's list of fellows consists of the following athletes, coaches, and administrators: Wayne Bryan--Tennis; Bill Buckner--Professional Baseball; Patti Dillon--Marathon Winner; Chris Drury--Professional Hockey; Jennie Finch--Softball; Karen Finocchio--Head Coach of the Brown University Men's and Women's Ski Teams; Kristine Lilly--Professional Soccer; Chuck Mitrano--Empire 8 Commissioner; Jamie Moyer--Professional Baseball; Michael Phelps--Swimming; Christine Plonsky--Athletics Director, University of Texas; Chanda Rubin--Tennis; and Lynn Schweizer-- Associate Director of Athletics, Denison University. I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating National Sportsmanship Day, and I hope that continued recognition will help our country become more active, ethical, and team-oriented. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the students of Cranston High School West for their incredible devotion to combating hunger in the State of Rhode Island. The Student Council decided this school year to once again participate in ``The Feinstein Youth Hunger Brigade Program.'' This State-wide program encourages school-children to collect non-perishable food items, distribute them to a local agency, and raise awareness of the problem of hunger in their community. The students of Cranston High School West have decided to collect food items for the Comprehensive Community Action Program for the second consecutive year. This worthy program assists between 500 and 600 families in immediate crisis in the Cranston community. The students at Cranston West raised money at football games, held food drives in their homerooms, and bought non-perishable food items. They even started a newsletter to illustrate their efforts and increase awareness of hunger. Their December donation to the Comprehensive Community Action Program, totaling 2,258 items, nearly doubled the largest donation from the previous year. For their dedication to combating hunger in their own community, I commend the students of Cranston High School West and wish them great success in providing an equally impressive donation in April.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) for hosting his important Special Order today. As we mark the 1-year anniversary of the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, it is a time to both recognize successes and acknowledge failures. There is no more important issue facing Congress today and the administration than protecting the freedom and security of the American people. In fact, the preamble to our Constitution makes providing for the common defense the first responsibility of Congress. Improving the safety of our citizens at home must be undertaken just as aggressively as pursuing terrorists abroad. I want to express my deepest appreciation to all those who have taken on this task, from the nearly 200,000 employees of DHS working in every sector in every State, to the dedicated and courageous first responders in all of our communities. We owe you a great debt of thanks and gratitude for your hard work. While it is true there is much still to be done, I know that these great Americans are up to the challenge. Every day we ask our firefighters, police, and other emergency personnel to put their lives on the line; and since September 11, the burdens on these men and women have only grown. They need our support to keep America safe. With dozens of States experiencing their worst fiscal crisis since World War II, combined with the activation of thousands of Guard and Reserve members, first responders are more desperate than ever for Federal assistance. They are short on the most basic needs, including personnel, overtime, and equipment. The Department of Homeland Security needs significantly more resources in order to get state-of-the-art training and equipment to our front line of first responders, along with national standards of future purchases and practices, so that all of our personnel are operating capably and consistently. In addition, we must ensure our law enforcement agencies are properly equipped to share information and coordinate activities so threats that cross jurisdictional lines can be adequately addressed. One critical component of this goal is providing the communications equipment and infrastructure necessary for first responders to take effective and coordinated action. Interoperable telecommunications technology exists today at an affordable price, but we must provide the funding and leadership to ensure it is deployed without delay. Information must also flow more smoothly between Federal agencies and the State and local personnel who are the first to respond to an emergency. Unfortunately, at present, resources are being allocated and priorities are being set in the absence of a reliable threat assessment that can be mapped against existing vulnerabilities. State and local responders are operating without the benefit of current, specific intelligence and most lack the clearance or physical means to receive classified information even when it is available. We need to clarify the information-sharing responsibilities within our Intelligence Community and ensure that those who need this information receive it in a timely and beneficial manner. Furthermore, we continue to face serious vulnerabilities at our ports, borders, and nuclear and chemical facilities and other critical infrastructure. While our airports are significantly safer due to increased passenger and baggage screening, passengers and crew are still at risk from the cargo traveling on these planes. DHS should also deploy technology like remote sensors and unmanned aerial vehicles to secure every mile of our land border. We need to station Customs inspectors at high-risk ports abroad, increase accountability for companies shipping goods to this country, and deploy systems to track every ship and container entering a U.S. port. DHS must ensure the highest levels of security at nuclear and chemical facilities, which means requiring the private sector to act as an equal partner in critical infrastructure security. Finally, as we endeavor to identify threats before they become real dangers, we must be ever vigilant of defending the civil liberties of our citizens. Protecting the homeland does not need to run counter to protecting privacy and freedom. We should make sure that intelligence tools are used judiciously, and we must work always toward a balance that ensures both security and liberty. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner), the ranking member, this week led Democrats on the Select Committee on Homeland Security in unveiling a report entitled America at Risk: Closing the Security Gap, and I was proud to join him in that effort. This important and comprehensive report details many of the remaining shortfalls in our homeland security defense efforts and, more importantly, offers substantive proposals for addressing them. I want to commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner), the ranking member, for his leadership on this report. I hope this report will serve as a catalyst for bipartisan action, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to address this most important issue. Mr. Speaker, our Nation has come a great distance since September 11, but we stop now at our own peril. We must act quickly to address the problems that remain and provide safe and secure communities for all of our citizens.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to express my disappointment with Federal Reserve Chairman Greenspan's remarks to the House Budget Committee regarding Social Security. In his testimony, Chairman Greenspan suggests that possible remedies for the record deficits and $7 trillion debt include increasing the Social Security retirement age and cutting benefits for future recipients. I want my constituents to know that I will not support any proposal to decrease or eliminate Social Security, nor will I support an increase in the retirement age. Social Security is an entitlement--a right--for the millions of Americans who pay into the program with each and every paycheck. The government has made a commitment to seniors and current workers alike that Social Security will be available upon retirement. We cannot go back on our word. In Rhode Island, Social Security provides a vital lifeline for a significant percentage of the population. Rhode Island ranks fifth in the nation for the percentage of residents over 75 and sixth in the nation for those over 65. In my district alone, 110,000 people rely on Social Security for their livelihood, and its importance will continue to grow as the baby boom generation begins to retire. Rhode Islanders spend their lives contributing to the vitality of our communities and our country--and paying into Social Security. They are entitled to the benefits they have earned and should not have to worry about whether Social Security will continue to be there when they need it. Chairman Greenspan is right about one point: this country needs a ``greater discipline'' on budgetary matters. I believe that discipline must come from the White House. Congress can no longer afford runaway tax cuts and corporate welfare while neglecting long-term fiscal solvency and current priorities like health care and education. What Chairman Greenspan neglected to state was that the President's reckless disregard for fiscal responsibility led to a $521 billion deficit in FY 2004. When President Bush took office in 2001, he inherited a projected $5.6 trillion surplus over ten years. Just three short years later, we have a projected $1.9 trillion deficit, a shocking turnaround. While the President was dealt a difficult hand with a recession and the attacks of September 11, many of the fiscal woes are a result of repeated tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans. Our promise to seniors has been bypassed in order to line the pockets of the President's wealthy friends. Every man, woman, and child in Rhode Island and around the country would owe more than $24,000 if we were to erase the national debt today. Due to increasing deficits, this amount is only going to increase until we take serious steps to cut wasteful government spending and collect the revenue to meet America's priorities and promises. Baby boomers will challenge the Social Security system, but through responsible fiscal policy, the government will be able to keep this program afloat. Ensuring the solvency is not the task of one person or one party. Saving Social Security will require difficult decisions, but we cannot play politics with Americans' futures. More than anything, we need an Administration that respects fiscal responsibility and recognizes that in a time of war and recession, we should not be giving trillion-dollar tax cuts to the most privileged Americans. I urge my colleagues to reject Chairman Greenspan's calls to cut benefits to our nation's seniors and instead work to restore fiscal responsibility to our government.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, on February 3 and February 4, I was in Rhode Island performing official duties. I would like the Record to show that, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll Call Nos. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sorrow that I rise to recognize the loss of a soldier in Iraq, a Rhode Island citizen who served with dignity and honor. I join the people of Rhode Island in mourning this great loss. On Tuesday, January 27, U.S. Army Captain Matthew J. August was killed in Khalidiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device exploded next to his convoy. Captain August was commander of B Company, 1st Engineer Battalion out of Fort Riley, Kansas. A resident of North Kingstown, Rhode Island, Capt. August graduated in 1993 from Bishop Hendricken High School--my alma mater--and then further distinguished himself as a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1997. It was at West Point that he met his wife, Captain Maureen August, who also served in Iraq in the 1st Armored Division. Last week, I was honored to join Captain August's wife, his parents, Donna and Richard August, his older brother Mark, his younger sister Melanie, and other family and friends at a memorial service in Rhode Island. Those who knew him well spoke highly of his kindness, his commitment to his wife and family, and his patriotism and love of service. He was described as a natural leader who earned the respect of all those he encountered. This loss causes us to reflect on the bravery demonstrated by our men and women in uniform as they carry out their obligations in the face of danger. When their Nation called them to duty to preserve freedom, liberty and the security of their neighbors, they answered without hesitation. We remember those who have fallen not only as soldiers, but also as patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. May we keep their loved ones in our thoughts and prayers as they struggle to endure this difficult period and mourn the heroes America has lost. We will continue to hope for the safe and speedy return of all of our troops serving throughout the world.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the New England Patriots on their thrilling victory in Super Bowl XXXVIII. In a season of tremendous adversity marked by difficult early-season losses and numerous injuries, this team displayed the values of hardwork and determination that so epitomize the region from which they hail. After beginning their season with a heart-breaking defeat at the hands of the intra-division rival Buffalo Bills, the Patriots went on to win all but one of their next fifteen games, including a franchise-record twelve- game winning streak. Ignoring the seemingly relentless skeptics, the Patriots defeated a hard-nosed Tennessee Titan team and halted the high-octane Indianapolis Colts to gain a spot on the world's biggest stage in Super Bowl XXXVIII. One again relying on the leadership of quarterback Tom Brady and the steady foot of kicker Adam Vinatieri for last-second heroics, the Patriots defeated a stubborn Carolina Panther team to earn their second Super Bowl victory in the past three years. Abiding by the values of teamwork and perseverance instilled by head coach Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots are an example to all Americans of what it means to be a true champion. In addition, I would particularly like to congratulate Mike Cloud, a resident of Rhode Island, on being part of a team that makes all of New England proud. I hope our colleagues will join me in congratulating the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chairman, in my home State of Rhode Island, and throughout the country, Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds play a critical role in food and clothing assistance for low-income families, access to quality child care and other programs to help families and individuals achieve self-sufficiency and find and retain meaningful employment. Support from such programs makes it possible for many adults to overcome the challenges of poverty, return to the workforce, provide for their children, and keep their families together. Because I believe in the mission of the CSBG, to combat poverty in meaningful, measurable ways, I strongly support the amendment offered by Representative George Miller to H.R. 3030. The Miller amendment, which would authorize a 6-month extension of unemployment benefits, promotes the antipoverty mission of the CSBG. Rhode Island's unemployment rate is near a 7-year high, and thousands of jobs have been lost over the last 3 years. I have heard from many of my constituents who have lost their regular unemployment benefits and are on the verge of selling their car or home just to provide food for their families. The President proclaimed that the economy is improving, but the paltry 1,000 jobs created in December 2003 are not nearly enough to keep up with those who wish to enter the job market. Until real job creation occurs, we must help those who wish to enter the job market. Until real job creation occurs, we must help those that are left behind by providing additional unemployment benefits. Finally, I urge my colleagues to preserve these critical programs as we reauthorize the CSBG and to guarantee that employees of CSBG-funded organizations are not subject to employment discrimination. The Woolsey amendment will allow religious organizations to continue to participate equally in CSBG programs, while ensuring that organizations receiving these Federal funds do not engage in employment discrimination based on religion. I urge my colleagues to support the Woolsey amendment and recognize that discrimination in hiring in federal funded programs is fundamentally wrong.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today to congratulate Mr. Bush Chaudhary of Providence, Rhode Island on his receipt of the prestigious Ambassadors for Peace Award. The Ambassadors for Peace Award is bestowed upon 50 outstanding American and other international leaders for exemplary service in the arena of interfaith reconciliation and cooperation amongst Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Mr. Chaudhary will be presented with the award at a ceremony on the 4th of February 2004. As the founding President of the India Museum Heritage Society, Mr. Chaudhary has played a tremendous role in fostering interfaith tolerance in his community. As the past President of both the India Association of Rhode Island and the American Freedom Coalition, Mr. Chaudhary has served as a community leader for over 25 years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I hope our colleagues will join me in congratulating Bush Chaudhary for his achievement, and I wish him great success in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today to congratulate Clifford T. Jackson on his announced appointment to Chief Petty Officer in the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps, which is scheduled to occur on January 9, 2004. Cadet Jackson, of Westerly, Rhode Island, is an honor roll high school senior and has been a member of the Nautilus Division at the Sub Base in New London since March 2001. Cadet Jackson has risen to the rank of Chief Petty Officer faster than any other cadet in the 26 years of the Nautilus Division. This accomplishment is only bestowed upon one half of one percent of approximately ten thousand Naval Sea Cadets in the program and reflects exceptional leadership skills and a masterful grasp of seamanship training. I hope our colleagues will join me in congratulating Clifford Jackson for his achievement, and I wish him great success in his future endeavors.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today gravely disappointed by, and opposed to, the Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act of 2003. The 108th Congress has squandered our best opportunity yet to provide a meaningful prescription drug benefit for our nation's seniors. I am outraged that the republican leadership has taken advantage of the public's cry for medication coverage. They have used the demand to exploit the elderly, funnel money to drug and insurance companies and privatize Medicare. Sadly, this debate is no longer simply about a prescription drug benefit. This debate is about the survival of the health care system that has been serving and protecting our seniors since 1965. In a striking divergence from the universal nature of Medicare, the conference report we are voting on today establishes a system wherein seniors rely on private, drug-only companies to administer their drug coverage. Each of these companies will develop their own rules about premiums, deductibles and what medicines are covered. The standard this bill sets for the companies only offers 75 percent coverage of the costs up to $2,250--and no coverage at all until the expenses then reach $5,100. During that significant gap in coverage, seniors will still be responsible for paying a $35 monthly premium. Even more infuriating, that premium will not count toward their out of pocket expenses, making it take even longer for them to reach the catastrophic level. The Republican conferees claim to offer help for the poor, and indeed, premium subsidies are available to individuals earning less than $6,000 a year or couples earning less than $9,000. But these vulnerable, low-income seniors must first meet a strict assets test, where cars, burial plots and even wedding rights will be counted as assets. Additionally, I remain deeply concerned that the legislation fails to include a meaningful fallback plan seniors can rely on if private companies fail to emerge in their area, an all too likely scenario that it is our duty to protect against. The prescription drug component of this bill contains a particularly troubling provision that strictly forbids the Secretary of Health & Human Services from using the bulk purchasing power of Medicare beneficiaries to negotiate for lower drug prices for senior citizens--a tactic that has proven effective in the state programs, as well as 25 other industrialized nations. America's seniors have made it clear that they want the government to assist them in obtaining their prescription drugs at a fair price. It infuriates me that that we have over 40 million people with a common and basic, need, yet instead of taking advantage of that power to secure lower prices for the most rapidly increasing component of health care, the Federal Government, under the proposal put forward, would outlaw that practice. This tremendous missed opportunity makes it clear to me that this bill was written with the interests of drug companies, not America's seniors, in mind. The problems with this conference report go far beyond the inadequacy of the drug benefit. This bill not only fails to meet the needs of seniors and jeopardizes the retiree coverage used by 12 million Americans, it also lays a strong foundation for the demise of the Medicare program as we know it. Beginning in 2010, this agreement will expose millions of seniors to new cost and benefit uncertainties in as many as six large metropolitan areas, possibly including my home state of Rhode Island and neighboring Massachusetts. This vast demonstration project, which will involve up to 7 million seniors, will subject Medicare to competition with private companies, coercing seniors into HMOs and private plans. These private companies will be given huge financial incentives to offer health coverage for seniors, funneling critical resources away from Medicare and those who rely on it. If a senior wishes to stay in the Medicare program, he or she will be required to pay the difference between the cost of the private plan and the cost of Medicare--which will, no doubt, skyrocket as private plans court the healthier seniors out of Medicare, leaving Medicare the more costly task of providing for a sicker, poorer risk pool. This plan breaks the fundamental promise of Medicare. It replaces a guarantee of quality health care with increased premiums, provides a voucher for health insurance, and leaves seniors and people with disabilities to fend for themselves in a market where they may not be able to find a health care plan that meets their needs. Medicare was created in 1965 because the private industry was unable to provide adequate health coverage for this population. The virtue of the system is that it creates a large risk pool. Injecting private competition, and subsidizing that competition with billions of taxpayer dollars, will leave the healthiest seniors with the ever-changing and unstable options of private plans, and will resign those who are not as fortunate, our most vulnerable population, to an even more uncertain fate. Seniors in Rhode Island, and no doubt the rest of the country, will see through this scheme. My constituents remember the devastating effect of the abrupt departure of Harvard Pilgrim, an HMO that covered over 150,000 Rhode Islanders. The scramble to find a health insurance plan that would allow patients to keep their doctors, and the struggle to understand new sets of benefits that followed Harvard Pilgrim's exit from our state would be replicated on a regular basis in the regions affected by the so-called demonstration project contained in this bill. I must also touch upon the issue of provider relief. I am a strong supporter of doctors and hospitals that serve Medicare beneficiaries, and voted three times this year in favor of striking the premium support provision from this bill and using that money to update provider payments instead of subsidizing private companies. The conferees failed to take this approach, instead providing some temporary relief to providers for the upcoming year, but no long term fix to the systemic problem that plagues doctors and hospitals year after year. Providers are already overburdened by Medicare-related paperwork and receive lower-than-average reimbursement rates for their services. Should the premium support provisions in this conference report become law, providers will be forced to negotiate new terms for payment annually with every private plan that emerges to serve Medicare beneficiaries in a region. This bill signs away the rights and responsibilities Congress currently has to these providers, leaving decisions about provider payments up to the CEOs of insurance companies. The high turnover rate of providers in participating Medicare + Choice plans signals the instability this will cause, for providers and patients alike. In this year's debate over Medicare, once again, Congress has lost sight of what the public has asked for, and what American seniors need. Our seniors are choosing between paying their rent of buying food and obtaining the medication they need to stay alive. They need relief from prescription drug costs. They do not need the additional challenges, burdens and costs of navigating through a system of HMOs, subjected to a different plan, a different doctor and higher premiums each year. Our Medicare providers need a fair payment system over the long term. All Americans need their government to take action against the soaring cost of prescription drugs. Given the opportunity to make a difference in each of these areas, the Republican leadership chose to put their resources and their trust in the hands of insurance companies and drug companies. This Is a matter of priorities and principles. I urge my colleagues to make American seniors our priority, vote no on the conference report and immediately begin to take meaningful steps to solve these problems.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. I rise in strong opposition to the proposed rule to consider the Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act of 2003. We are about to vote on legislation that will have an enormous impact on every single American. While we know very little about the details, since we were only given this bill late last night, what we do know is that it offers a completely inadequate drug benefit, does nothing to contain the rapidly increasing cost of prescription drugs, and takes steps toward privatizing Medicare. When our seniors find out about the truth of what this bill will do to their health plans, they will be outraged. This is shameful, because it does not have to be this way. We are poised to make the most significant changes to Medicare in history, and we are proposing to vote on it while the ink is still drying, a 600-page bill that we have scarcely been able to read. This is no way to make good public policy. Mr. Speaker, as President Woodrow Wilson once said, ``Whenever any business affecting the public is conducted, wherever any plans affecting the public are laid, over that place a voice must speak with the divine prerogative of the people's will the words `let there be light.' '' Mr. Speaker, there is no light in our work here today, and the Members of this House and the people that we represent deserve better. I urge all of my colleagues, regardless of their position on this bill, to vote against this rule.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) in support of this motion to instruct conferees. He has been an outspoken advocate for improving our Nation's election systems and voting administration, and I thank him for his leadership. I also thank my good friends, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for their consistent support and unwaivering dedication to the issue of election reform. Mr. Speaker, just over a year ago, I joined a group of my colleagues as the President signed into law the Help America Vote Act. The result of more than a year of hard work and bipartisan cooperation, the legislation was called the first civil rights legislation of the 21st century because it ensured that all Americans could participate fully in our democracy by being guaranteed the fundamental right to vote. I am particularly pleased that the legislation contained groundbreaking provisions to make our Nation's polling places and voting equipment accessible to people with disabilities. This change will enable millions of Americans to cast a ballot independently for the very first time in their lives. At the signing ceremony, President Bush said that thanks to the reforms contained in HAVA, ``the Federal Government will help State and local officials to conduct elections that have the confidence of all Americans.'' Well, Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, we have yet to reach that level of confidence because we have not provided sufficient resources to implement the law. States are eager to enact HAVA's reforms but they lack the funds promised to them. Congress provided only $1.5 billion of the $2.16 billion authorized in fiscal year 2003, and the House included only $500 million of the $1 billion authorized for fiscal year 2004. The Senate approved $1.5 billion in its version of the Transportation-Treasury bill, which will meet this year's shortfall. I joined the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) in organizing a letter to conferees to endorse the Senate funding levels, an effort that garnered the support of 60 Members, and I am pleased to continue that more here today. In the 1990s, as Secretary of State of Rhode Island, I led the effort to upgrade our State's voting equipment, and I know firsthand the benefits that modernized election systems can have on voter turnout and civic participation. I encourage my colleagues to support this motion to instruct so that we can realize the vision of the Help America Vote Act and restore confidence in our Nation's elections. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, as you may know, November is National Family Caregivers Month, and I rise today to celebrate and honor our nation's caregivers. Nationwide, more than 25 million caregivers annually provide over $200 billion in unpaid care to their loved ones with disabling and chronic conditions. More importantly, this voluntary care allows seniors and others to continue living at home, which improves their spirits and often speeds up recovery. Family caregiving comes in many forms--from the mother raising a child with developmental disabilities and fighting for her child's right to an education, to the wife caring for her husband with Alzheimer's Disease and enduring that anguish. There are as many unique situations as there are family caregivers. But, what these caregivers all have in common is their compassion, their dedication and their selflessness. Family caregiving contributes to family stability, and it often spares families from more costly, out-of-home placements. These people are the quiet heroes of our nation. However, too often, they are also silent sufferers. Most caregivers freely and willingly provide this care out of love and commitment, but often at great cost to themselves physically, emotionally, and financially. Studies show that many caregivers stretch themselves so thin that they jeopardize their own health and ability to provide continued care to their dependent loved ones. In my home state of Rhode Island, Tracey Laranjo is the mother of ten-year-old Tyler. Tyler is bipolar and suffers from Severe Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and certain developmental disabilities. Tyler is also an important member of the Laranjo family--the gifts and the love he brings to his parents and older brother are not really different than any other ten year old. Tyler is a lucky child, with parents who have fought long and hard to get him the mental health services that he needs, while educating themselves about how to take care of their son. But not surprisingly, sometimes Tracey is exhausted. After a long wait, she was fortunate enough to recently access respite care services in Rhode Island and can now take an occasional break, knowing that her son is being properly cared for. She refers to these respite hours, 110 hours per year, as ``gold''--saving them for times she knows she needs them, and grateful for every minute. These hours give Tracey time to recoup without feeling guilty, and let her reflect on the special child she has been blessed with. Just a few hours of respite can go a long way in keeping a family together, keeping a child at home, and turning a situation where a vulnerable person was at risk of abuse into one where that same person feels loved, respected and valued. No family should ever be denied this kind of assistance. However, the vast majority of family caregivers does not have access to respite, cannot afford it, cannot find qualified, trained respite services or providers, or do not qualify for existing respite benefits because they are not Medicaid eligible or do not meet the limited eligibility requirements of other narrowly-targeted state or federal programs. As we celebrate National Family Caregivers Month, we must remember that for a person providing intense and exhausting care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, an occasional short break can literally be a lifesaver. In keeping with the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision requiring states to ensure that individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions are able to live and work in the least restrictive environment, respite provides the support caregivers need to avoid or delay institutional placements. We can recognize and honor the nation's caregivers by passing the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2003, which I introduced this spring. H.R. 1083 would authorize competitive grants to states and other eligible entities to make respite available and accessible to family caregivers, regardless of age or disability. This legislation would help states maximize use of existing resources and leverage new dollars by building on current services and systems that states already have in place. The bill would support planned and emergency respite, respite worker training and recruitment, caregiver training, and program evaluation. The Senate has already passed the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2003. I urge my colleagues to join the 85 bipartisan cosponsors of the House bill and ask that the House take immediate action to pass it in time to honor the nation's caregivers in celebration of National Family Caregivers Month.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am pleased to speak in support of the bill before us. I wish to thank Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Skelton for their leadership in completing action on this legislation, which provides our military--and the men and women who serve in it--the resources they need to keep America strong in the 21st century. The military pay increase and the enhanced benefits for active and reserve personnel recognize the valiant efforts of the men and women who have ably served our Nation, and the development and procurement of state-of-the-art weapons systems will provide them with the tools they need to continue their mission of excellence. I am particularly pleased with provisions in the legislation that demonstrate Congress's commitment to the role of submarines as an essential part of a strong naval fleet. Passage of the conference report today will represent the final step in a historic agreement to permit multi-year procurement for the Virginia-class submarine. This agreement will encourage more rapid and cost-effective production of this important system--saving the U.S. taxpayer an estimated $115 million per submarine--while giving the United States Navy new capabilities to respond to future threats. Multi-year procurement will also provide greater stability in southeastern New England's defense industry, and I know that the people of Rhode Island are proud to have a role in this important aspect of military transformation. I wish to convey my deepest gratitude to Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Skelton of the Armed Services Committee, as well as Chairman Jerry Lewis and Ranking Member Jack Murtha of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, for their work to help this effort reach fruition. This legislation takes another step toward providing concurrent receipt to our Nation's disabled military retirees, though the language falls short of our obligations. As a cosponsor of H.R. 303, I believe we must fulfill our promises to our Nation's veterans by allowing them total access to both their retirement pay and disability benefits. Next Tuesday, our Nation honors those Americans that have protected our Nation, and we must honor their service by providing them with the benefits they have earned. Unfortunately, today's agreement contains language that may undermine important civil service safeguards for civilians within the Department of Defense, as well as existing environmental protections. I urge Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Skelton to schedule hearings on these topics in the coming months so that our committee may exercise appropriate oversight authority and ensure that the implementation of these new policies does not undermine decades of efforts by Congress to protect our environment and federal workforce. Overall, this legislation represents an important investment in the defense of our Nation, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I want to say that I rise in strong support of the Bell motion to instruct conferees on the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill to increase funding for the National Institutes of Health to the highest level possible. Mr. Speaker, I was proud to be a part of the Congress that worked together with Presidents Clinton and Bush to double the budget of the NIH between 1998 and 2003. I want to especially commend the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Regula) and the ranking member for their leadership on this issue. The growth during those years has already yielded amazing results, and we are just beginning to see the fruits of that landmark achievement. Everyone agrees this investment in the future of medicine was the right decision to make for America and, indeed, for the world. The outcomes of these cutting-edge projects are opportunities for us to understand diseases, improve health, and open the doors to future progress through the application of scientific research. We are on the road to obtaining the knowledge we need to more fully understand and ultimately control or defeat cancer, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, paralysis, and many other diseases and conditions. These projects also play a key role in preparing the Nation for incidents of bioterrorism. Given how far we have come in this remarkable bipartisan effort, I am extremely disappointed that the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill by the House this year contained a margin of increase that inconsistent with all that we have accomplished in recent years. The House-passed increase of 2.5 percent would be the smallest percentage increase in 18 years, as aptly pointed out by my colleague, and would fail to sustain these projects that have only just begun. In fact, 2.5 percent falls far short of what is needed merely to keep up with inflation, again, pointed out by my colleague. Experts in the research field have made it clear to me that they need an estimated 8 to 10 percent increase in funding to renew the many ongoing multi-year research projects, while encouraging new research projects and exploring new ideas and avenues of inquiry. Mr. Speaker, we must do all we can to encourage younger physicians and scientists interested in medical research careers to use their talents for the greater good. Millions of Americans now suffering with diseases and illnesses deserve our continued commitment to new research and ultimately to a cure. To that end, Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of the Bell motion to instruct. I commend my colleague for offering the motion.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, today I am joined by three of my colleagues in introducing the ``Foam Fire Safety Act'' to reduce the injuries, deaths, and property damage that result from polyurethane foam fires. This sensible legislation directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to implement a rule within one year that ensures that polyurethane foam products meet a new open flame standard. The new level of protection will decrease the destructiveness of fires in homes and buildings around the country and prevent unnecessary tragedies. Polyurethane foam is found in mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpet padding, soundproofing insulation, and many other common objects. It is also one of the most flammable consumer products, and firefighters refer to polyurethane foam as ``solid gasoline.'' Between 1980 and 1998, mattress, bedding, and upholstered furniture fires killed almost 30,000 people in the United States. During the same period, these fires injured more than 95,000 people. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) first began looking into creating stricter flame retardancy standards for foam in 1993. Ten years later, the process continues without results, and Americans are left without common sense standards similar to those already in place in California and Great Britain. My legislation requires foam to meet a new ``open flame'' test, which is equivalent to having a candle right next to the foam. Currently mattresses and furniture must only be able to withstand the equivalent of a lit cigarette. Polyurethane foam serves as kindling for fires, and a stricter standard would prevent deaths and property damage. In my district, polyurethane soundproofing foam contributed to the deaths of 100 people at the Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island, on February 20, 2003. Because of the abundance of foam, the building was engulfed in flames within 3 minutes, and firefighters who were located just down the street could not arrive in time to save everyone. I urge my colleagues to join me and the other co-sponsors of this bill to reduce the risk of polyurethane foam fires. Please co-sponsor this responsible measure, and help make American homes and workplaces safer.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 94, which expresses the sense of the Congress that community inclusion and enhanced lives for the 8 million Americans who have mental retardation or other developmental disabilities is at serious risk due to a professional shortage of direct support professionals. I was proud to join Mr. Sessions and Ms. Capps in introducing the Direct Support Professional Recognition Resolution earlier this year, because I know the impact that the work of direct support professionals has on the families of people with developmental disabilities. America has come a long way from the days when warehousing of people with mental retardation and other disabilities was painfully routine. Today, seasoned professionals and families alike are deeply grateful for the advances of self-determination that many Americans with developmental disabilities enjoy through living and working within their communities. Unfortunately, this progress is jeopardized by a real and immediate workforce shortage. As the demand for community supports and services has grown, so has the demand for Direct Support Professionals, people who devote their lives and careers to providing the day-to-day supports necessary for individuals with mental retardation or developmental disabilities to live and work in their communities. This support is crucial for people with disabilities to enjoy the daily freedoms and rights the rest of us take for granted. The current workforce shortage, reflected in high turnover and vacancies, will only worsen with an increased demand for long-term supports as family caregivers age, individuals with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities live longer, waiting lists grow, and services expand. Mr. Speaker, we must make it a national priority to ensure a quality, stable direct support workforce that advances this Nation's commitment to community integration and personal security for people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities, and their families. The recruitment and retention of quality, trained direct support workers is essential to providing quality supports and services to people with disabilities. I hear far too often from parents in Rhode Island who fear there will be no one available to take care of their sons and daughters with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities as they grow older--and I know their situations represent so many more across the country. While this resolution takes a small step in recognizing a professional shortage in the field, it is my sincere hope that it represents a commitment on the part of every Member of the House of Representatives to take bigger steps toward realizing the goal of community inclusion. We must do all we can to support the quiet heroes that choose this noble line of work.