Betty McCollum

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 49, a resolution that establishes National Letter Carriers Appreciation Day. Letter carriers are vital to the United States economy and help keep families and friends in touch with one another. They provide mail service 6 days a week, in good and bad weather, to more than 144 million households. The United States Postal Service employs more than 705,000 letter carriers who deliver more than 43 tons of mail each year. This averages to approximately 2,300 letters, cards, magazines, and circulars per carrier per day. In addition, I would like to specifically honor Perry Bennet Schmitt, who has delivered mail to my District Office since I was first elected to Congress in 2000. My staff and I look forward to his daily visits where he brightens our day with jokes and stories. Perry has served the people of Saint Paul as a letter carrier for 28 years and has delivered mail on his current route for over twenty. It takes him six hours to deliver mail each day to over 350 stops. Perry is a designated letter carrier trainer and during his time with the Post Office has trained over a hundred carriers. He is also an active member of Local 28 of the National Association of Letter Carriers, which represents over 1,000 members. I want to thank Perry and all letter carriers for their dedication and urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5522, the Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act. This legislation would require the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue rules regulating combustible industrial dusts, like sugar dust, that can build up to hazardous levels and explode. Working families are the backbone of Minnesota and our Nation, and it is critical that all Americans to have a safe and healthy workplace. Unfortunately, due to the Bush Administration's failure in leaving worker safety in the hands of industry, OSHA has issued only one major safety standard, the fewest in its history, and killed and delayed dozens of existing and proposed regulations since President Bush took office. In 2005, over 5,700 workers were killed on the job and another 4.2 million workers were injured. It is clear that there is still a need for greater workplace protections. A tragic example of this need occurred in early February when the Imperial Sugar refinery in Savannah, Georgia, exploded, killing thirteen people and injuring many others. When dust builds up to dangerous levels in industrial worksites, it can become fuel for fires and explosions. Combustible dust can come from many sources, such as sugar, wood, furniture, textiles, and metals, and therefore poses a risk across a number of different industries throughout the United States. There have been 281 combustible dust incidents between 1980 and 2005 that killed 119 workers and injured several others. Despite this, OSHA has failed to act to provide the necessary safety regulations. The Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act (H.R. 5522) recognizes the serious hazard presented by combustible dust in American industry, and requires OSHA to issue rules regulating combustible industrial dusts. This bill sets a timeline for OSHA to respond, and requires workers to receive information and training about the hazards of combustible dusts. OSHA has known about these dangers for years, but has failed to act. Since 2001, in case after case and industry after industry, OSHA has chosen to emphasize voluntary compliance over setting strong rules and enforcing them. Workers cannot be asked to wait any longer for these basic worker protections. The tragedy at Imperial Sugar shows that the threat of dust explosions is very real at industrial worksites across America and needs to be addressed immediately. Methods to control combustible dust hazards are well known. However, as we have tragically seen, voluntary standards are not enough. Without an OSHA standard, many employers are unaware of the hazards of combustible dusts, while others have chosen not to adopt voluntary standards. It is time for Congress to take action to protect American workers, because OSHA did not. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act to save American workers from harm.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support Concurrent Resolution 330, supporting the goals and ideals of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this resolution, which urges national and community organizations, private businesses, colleges and universities to promote awareness of sexual violence and encourage strategies to decrease the incidence of sexual assault. We have heard the frightening statistics too many times: 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men have been victims of rape or attempted rape; a person in the United States is sexually assaulted every two-and-a-half minutes; one in four college-aged women has been sexually assaulted. These numbers do not even take into account the assaults that go unreported by victims too scared to notify law enforcement or too far from sexual assault victim centers. National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month is a time to educate the American public about the unacceptable extent to which this form of violence has become common in the United States. But this month must also be a time to focus on the solutions so that come next April we can instead announce statistics measuring the progress we have made in bringing an end to sexual violence. In communities throughout the United States, women and men are working tirelessly to develop and implement innovative programs critical to the prevention and treatment of sexual assault. In Minnesota's Fourth District, Ramsey County developed the Runaway Intervention Project, which provides counseling and support for girls who have run away--or are at risk of running away--to reduce their danger of being sexual victimized. The County also reached out to men by creating the Men's Line hotline for men to call and receive guidance on practicing healthy, peaceful relationships. According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, in one day, over 53,000 American men, women and children use sexual assault services like these and others. During Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, I encourage my colleagues to learn about and promote organizations in their Districts that work to prevent sexual assault, treat its survivors and prosecute its perpetrators to bring an end to this violent crisis. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution and honoring those working across the country to bring an end to violence in our communities.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 892, a resolution that designates March 11 as ``National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day.'' Funeral directors and morticians are vitally important in helping families mourn death, celebrate a life, and begin the process of closure. They also give advice on the decisions one needs to make as a caretaker and as a provider of a funeral service. According to the Minnesota Funeral Directors Association, ``The funeral ritual is helpful and valuable for all who feel the loss of the deceased. It validates life and allows us to go on living. The ritual aspect is important for closure and social reasons. Attending the funeral allows us to deal with the loss, says goodbye, and reaffirms the importance of living.'' Mayor Bill Sandberg of North Saint Paul, who died on April 20, 2007, was one of my mentors. He spent his career as a funeral director in the St. Paul area and was active in the Minnesota Funeral Directors Association and a Heritage Club member of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). NFDA was established in 1882 in order to better serve the public and its members. Today, it is the oldest and largest national funeral service organization in the world. I want to thank funeral directors and morticians for their dedication to this profession and urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise to remember and honor the life and courage of U.S. Army Specialist Jacob J. Fairbanks. This 22-year-old native of St. Paul, Minnesota, died in Baghdad on April 9, 2008. Specialist Fairbanks joined the Army in 2004 after graduating from Johnson High School, where he was a member of the Junior ROTC. His second deployment to Iraq began last October for a tour of duty as a field artilleryman. He was assigned to B Battery, 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Fairbanks served his nation and his fellow soldiers with honor and courage. His commitment to this noble service earned him the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon. He was a proud member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and will be remembered as an outgoing man, dedicated to his family. Madam Speaker, please join me in paying tribute to Specialist Fairbanks. He is a Minnesotan and American hero. His desire to serve his nation is an inspiration to his community. Specialist Fairbanks' wife Dwan, daughter Kayla, stepchildren Alexander, Katelin, and David, his mother Janette, father Steve, stepfather Jeff, his many friends, and his comrades in Iraq have my deepest sympathies for their profound loss.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act (H.R. 5719). I want to thank Chairman Rangel and Subcommittee Chairman Lewis for bringing this legislation to the floor which modernizes IRS functions by responding to recommendations by the Taxpayer Advocate. The Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act helps to simplify the tax process and protect taxpayers from abuses. It strengthens protection from identity theft and tax fraud by requiring the IRS to notify taxpayers if it suspects identity theft. H.R. 5719 also makes the tax process simpler by eliminating an outdated requirement for detailed records of calls made on employer-provided cell phones. It strengthens outreach to ensure that working families entitled to the Earned Income Tax Credit receive the refund they have earned and provides protections from predators. H.R. 5719 helps to ensure tax fairness by closing an offshore loophole that allows government contractors, who receive millions or billions in taxpayers' dollars, to set up companies in foreign countries to avoid paying Social Security and Medicare taxes. For example, defense contractor KBR, has reportedly avoided paying over $100 million in Social Security and Medicare taxes by creating shell companies in the Cayman Islands. This important bill also puts an end to the use of private debt collection agencies to collect Federal income taxes and ensure that this critical government function is performed by public servants on behalf of American taxpayers. Despite aggressive tactics, contractors only brought in a little more that half of what it cost the IRS to implement the program. IRS agents can do this more efficiently and ending this program prevents the possible misuse of confidential taxpayer information. Our constituents deserve to know that the person contacting them on behalf of the Federal Government is a public- servant, who is held to the highest standards of accountability and confidentiality, not a person whose paycheck depends solely on the number of collections they make. I urge my colleagues to support the Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize Bethesda Hospital on its 125th anniversary in Saint Paul, MN. Since its founding in 1883, this hospital has been a leader in our community in providing quality health care services through a compassionate and holistic framework. Bethesda Hospital is now the largest long-term acute care hospital in the region and has earned a national reputation for excellence and innovation in health care. In 1883, Bethesda Hospital was established by Reverend A. P. Monten, D.D., pastor of the first Swedish Lutheran Church in Saint Paul, along with the sponsorship of the Tabitha Society of the Swedish Lutheran Minnesota Conference. Rev. Monten and his fellow Swedish Lutherans converted a single family home near Lake Como in Saint Paul into a hospital with 20 beds to serve individuals who were impoverished and sick. Today, Bethesda Hospital stays true to its deep roots, still helping those with illnesses recover, regardless of their ability to pay. Bethesda Hospital has also remained in Saint Paul these past 125 years. It has expanded its capacity since its modest origins, now providing 262 beds for patients, employing 740 staff, and treating about 1400 patients on an annual basis. Bethesda Hospital has grown greatly throughout its history. In 1892, Bethesda moved from its Lake Como neighborhood to downtown Saint Paul at 9th and Wacouta Streets, near the Union Depot. This new facility featured two operating rooms on the third floor which were known to be the best operating rooms in the whole state. Despite additions to Bethesda's facility at 9th and Wacouta, it eventually outgrew that location. By 1932, after an intense fundraising campaign to construct a new hospital, it reopened at what is still its current home, just steps away from the State Capitol. As Saint Paul and its surrounding area has changed over the years, Bethesda Hospital has also adapted to meet the community's developing needs. During the closing and consolidation of hospitals in 1986, Bethesda joined together with St. John's and St. Joseph's Hospitals to merge under the newly created HealthEast Care system. Three years later, Bethesda was officially designated as a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital to focus on treating patients who require extensive and rigorous therapy to recuperate. Bethesda Hospital is now a specialty hospital serving a wide-range of patients of all ages and illnesses, such as student football players with concussions, car accident survivors, and patients dealing with multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Bethesda Hospital's inter-disciplinary teams of trained professionals develop individualized treatment plans for patients that may not only include behavioral, cognitive, occupational, physical, respiratory, and speech therapies, but also a variety of recreational therapies such as art therapy, pet therapy, and virtual therapy. Bethesda Hospital has been widely acclaimed for its award-winning programs and services. In particular, the Brain Injury of Minnesota as well as The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities have paid tribute to the hospital's outstanding service in the area of brain injury. Building on its specialty in treating brain injuries, Bethesda Hospital continues to respond to the serious health care needs we face. Currently, Bethesda Hospital is collaborating with the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, Minnesota National Guard, the Department of Defense, and the Veterans Affairs Central Office in Washington, DC to identify ways that Bethesda Hospital can serve the veterans and injured soldiers across our nation who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. I am so pleased that Bethesda Hospital plans to answer the call and serve our troops and veterans who have served us so honorably. Bethesda Hospital has the expertise to conduct critical predeployment baseline cognitive skills testing and follow-up post deployment testing to evaluate our veterans' health conditions and track their recovery. Madam Speaker, in honor of the legacy of caring that the dedicated donors, staff, patients, and volunteers at Bethesda Hospital have created, I am pleased to submit this statement for the Congressional Record recognizing the 125th anniversary of Bethesda Hospital.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I come to the floor to speak about my dear friend, my mentor, and a tremendous Minnesota civic leader, Mayor Bill Sandberg of North Saint Paul. Mayor Sandberg passed away earlier this week to the great sadness to all who loved him and worked with him. For 30 years Bill served as North Saint Paul's mayor and his extraordinary leadership, warm smile and soft laugh will be missed. Mayor Sandberg was profoundly committed to his family, our community, and his country. Having lived in North Saint Paul and raised my children there, I can say the success and well-being of our city was in large part due to Bill's hard work and his pride in serving his neighbors. Bill loved North Saint Paul and his constituents loved him. All of us who worked with Bill Sandberg over the years were fortunate and blessed. We are all better for his friendship. In the mid 1980s it was Mayor Sandberg who encouraged me to stay involved in politics after I lost my first election and he created the opportunity for me to enter public life with an appointment to a city committee. Even though he was a Republican and I am Democrat, it didn't matter to Bill who always put public service and common sense first. He went out of his way to work with me and I am a better public official because of him. In 1987, I was elected to the North Saint Paul City Council where I served with Mayor Sandberg for the next four years. After that, in the Minnesota State House and in Congress, I have had the honor of representing North Saint Paul and working closely with the mayor to keep the city strong and vibrant. Bill Sandberg was also a devoted family man. His love and lifelong companion, Dolores, was a wonderful person who Bill cared for throughout her life. Bill was also blessed by a loving daughter, Karen, and son-in-law, Jack, have two wonderful children who also loved their grandfather very much. Madam Speaker, I personally feel a great personal loss with Bill's death and I will miss him profoundly. He was a kind, loving man who was a blessing in my life and the lives of the many who he served over the years.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, 1 year ago, I rose to congratulate the 2007 St. Paul Central High School Minutemen girls basketball champions. Today, I have the privilege again-- congratulations to the 2008 St. Paul Central High School Minutemen girls basketball team for winning the State championship! The Minutemen girls team successfully defended their title by defeating the same team, the number one top-seeded Minneapolis South Tigers, in the final State championship class 4A on Saturday, March 15, 2008, at the Target Center. Although the St. Paul Central High School girls basketball Minutemen were trailing by 9 points at half-time, they fought back hard and overpowered their opponents in the second half with their outstanding talent, power, speed and resiliency. The Minutemen went on to beat their opponents with the final scores of 49-44 over the Tigers. I am so proud of these fine young athletes and wish to extend my heartfelt congratulations to them and the entire Central High School community. These back-to-back championship titles bring the school's record to four State championship titles, including 1976 and 1979. Last year, the Minutemen had a perfect season record of 32-0 and set a new record in post-season of Minnesota girls basketball championship history with the final score of 81-63 over the Minneapolis South Tigers. This year, the Minutemen are ranked third in the conference and were defeated by the Tigers once during the regular season, but in the post-season the Minutemen once again proved that they are the champions. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the students, teachers and staff of Central High School as well as the entire St. Paul Public Schools District, please join me in honoring the 2008 St. Paul Central Minutemen girls basketball State champions.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Earth Day. On Earth Day, we celebrate the limitless gifts of our natural world-- the incredible life-giving forces that sustain us through every single day of the year. It is all too easy to take the air we breathe, the water we drink, the earth we walk for granted. Today, we pause to recognize what precious gifts these are. We need this reminder now more than ever. Our environment is fragile, threatened by global climate change, exploding demand for resources, and other serious challenges. Our future depends upon how we respond. Congress, the President, and every nation on the globe must commit to charting a new course toward sustainable and earth-renewing lives. Earth Day reminds us that we must act to protect our environment not just out of obligation or self-preservation, but because it is simply the right thing to do for the next generation. We owe our children and grandchildren our strongest efforts to clean up pollution, preserve our wild spaces, and reduce the human footprint on our globe. As Americans, we also owe a unique debt to Planet Earth. Our nation is responsible for 25% of the world's energy consumption--far more than our fair share. If we continue consuming at this rate as nations like India and China increase their resource demands, our planet will change forever in ways that will seriously impact all of our lives. The United States must lead the urgent effort to find a different path. We must find ways to responsibly use the resources of our earth while simultaneously renewing our environment and making it stronger. We are more than up to the task--Americans have always been pioneers and innovators, and nature has always played a vital role in that frontier spirit. Our ancestors tamed the wilderness; now it is our challenge to sustain and preserve it. In the 110th Congress, the House has passed historic legislation to protect our planet. We have acted to improve vehicle fuel efficiency, promote renewable sources of energy and invest in new energy-efficient technologies. In addition, we have proposed legislation to slow, stabilize and ultimately reverse greenhouse gas emissions. I urge the Bush Administration to partner with Congress and the American people to enact these bold proposals. One of the greatest joys of my life has been sharing in the wonder of the natural world with my family, my friends, and especially my children. Whether a simple walk outside or a trek to the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, these experiences have renewed my spirit. Future generations deserve the same opportunity. This will only be possible if we fully embrace Earth Day's challenge to recognize the immense value of our environment and our planet. As we celebrate sprouting leaves, sunlight, spring, and all the splendor of nature, we also commit to ensuring that we can enthusiastically enjoy every Earth Day to come.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Tilsner Carton Company of St. Paul, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. For such a long-lasting business, Tilsner Carton Company's beginnings were decidedly modest. Isadore Tilsener started collecting and reselling used boxes from liquor stores around St. Paul in 1918 to earn a living. As time passed, Tilsner Carton Company began manufacturing its own boxes with a same day delivery that became its trademark. Tilsner's son, Mike, took over Tilsner Carton Company as his son Joel Tilsner would do in 1986. Joel continues to operate the business and owns 100 percent of the company. The corrugated box business has changed radically since Isadore Tilsner opened his warehouse in a garage 90 years ago. A few large manufacturers dominate today's market, but Tilsner Carton Company has continued to prosper through its responsive customer service, speedy production, and diversity of products. The company pays good jobs in our community as its customer base has grown both in size and geographic reach--today the business ships product displays all the way to Puerto Rico. Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize Tilsner Carton Company and its three generations of family ownership, and it is my honor to submit this statement for the official Congressional Record.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 886 which expresses sympathy to the victims and families of the tragic acts of violence in Colorado Springs, CO and Arvada, CO. The events last year in Colorado Springs, CO and Arvada, CO were another sad example of gun violence in this country. The nation is still mouming the loss of life at Northem Illinois University, Virginia Tech, the mall in St. Lake City, the Red Lake Indian Reservation, and in countless other communities. On December 9, 2007, Tiffany Johnson, Philip Crouse, Stephanie Works, and Rachel Works were tragically killed and David Works, Judy Purcell, Larry Bourbannais, Dan Griebenow, and Charlie Blanch injured by bullets fired from an assault rifle and one of two handguns wielded by the assailant. Expressing sympathy to the victims and families of this tragedy is not enough. Far too many people are the victims of gun violence in our nation, including the hundreds who are killed and thousands injured in unintentional shootings. The Federal Govemment has an obligation and moral responsibility to prevent this type of violence, including mandatory background checks at gun stores and gun shows and requiring safety devices that prevent guns from being used by someone other than the owner. Congress must reinstate the ban on assault style weapons and broaden it to include enhanced restrictions on many different assault-style guns that were not previously covered. A new ban should also direct the Attomey General to maintain a weapon database system of guns that have been used in violent crimes and submit the record to Congress each year. This is a necessary public safety measure that will allow law enforcement to do their job and combat crime. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the victims of gun violence in Colorado Springs, CO and Arvada, CO and working together on common-sense gun laws that help to prevent tragedies like these from reoccurring.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise to remember and honor the life and courage of U.S. Army Specialist Gregory B. Rundell. The 21-year-old, a native of North St. Paul, MN, was killed by hostile fire on March 26, 2008 while guarding a U.S. military base in Taji, north of Baghdad. Specialist Rundell joined the Army in 2005 after graduating from North St. Paul High School in 2004. His expected year-long deployment to Iraq began last December for a tour of duty as a member of a Stryker armored vehicle unit. He was assigned to B Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Rundell served his nation and his fellow soldiers with honor and with courage. His commitment to this noble service earned him the Bronze Star for meritorious service in Iraq, a Good Conduct Medal, a Combat Infantry Badge, and the infantry blue cord. Rundell's desire to serve his nation and his State is an inspiration to his community. After his career in the U.S. Army, he planned to become a police officer because he wanted to help people. His mother, Joanne, describes her son standing ``tall and brave'' for others, and his sacrifice exemplifies his family's remarkable commitment to military service. His grandfather, uncle, and brother have all worn the uniform in service to our nation. Madam Speaker, please join me in paying the highest respect to Specialist Rundell and his family. He is a Minnesotan and American hero. His courage and sacrifice honors our nation. Specialist Rundell's parents as well as his brothers and sisters, Kyle, Wayne, Desiree, Andria, his many friends, and his comrades in Iraq have my deepest sympathies for their profound loss.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, had I been present for the vote on H.R. 5472 to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2650 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, as the ``Julia M. Carson Post Office Building,'' I would have voted in the affirmative.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5472 which designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2650 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Indianapolis, IN, as the ``Julia M. Carson Post Office Building.'' Congresswoman Carson was the first and only African-American and woman in Indiana's congressional delegation. An exceptionally courageous and strong woman, she looked a childhood of poverty and segregation in the eye and rose above it to represent Indiana for over 35 years, first as an Indiana State representative and then as State senator before being elected to the United States Congress in 1996. Julia was able to use her life experiences to help others also overcome poverty, discrimination and illness. I had the honor of being part of the Congresswoman's initiative to raise awareness of hypertension and stroke. I will always remember her unrelenting advocacy of women's rights, children's health, affordable housing, and equality. She stood up for unpopular, but critical issues including expanding SCHIP in the late 1990s and, most recently, voting against the war in Iraq. It is thus not surprising that Ms. Carson was the only person to ever be named Woman of the Year by The Indianapolis Star on two different occasions. My strongest memory, however, is how Congresswoman Carson was a special and warm-hearted woman. She was one of the first to go out of her way to introduce herself to me when I first arrived at Congress in 2001. With our birthdays just a few days apart in July, she always took time to greet me with a special tenderness. Her determination on policy issues was matched by a stylish flair and humor that consistently brought a smile to the faces of all in the room. Mr. Speaker, today I have the privilege in joining my colleagues in honoring this distinguished woman, good friend, and tireless advocate of the poor and working families by designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2650 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Indianapolis, IN, as the ``Julia M. Carson Post Office Building.''

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the FISA Amendments Act, H.R. 3773. This bill updates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, FISA, by providing the Intelligence Community the ability to conduct surveillance of foreign targets outside the U.S. while protecting the civil liberties of Americans, and restoring constitutional checks and balances. As Americans, our Constitution provides us with freedoms and liberties that, as a Member of Congress, I swore an oath to uphold and defend. Since September 11, 2001, President Bush has sought to expand executive power with the claim of securing our Nation, but all too often this promise of security has been at the expense of constitutionally protected civil liberties. The American people and the world have witnessed a list of serious abuses sanctioned by the Bush administration. There have been detainees tortured, the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, and wiretapping of phone calls and reading of the private emails of our citizens without a warrant. These of course are only the abuses we know of in large part because we live in a society with a free press that can expose these abuses. To my dismay, Congress failed the American people last year when it passed the so-called Protect America Act, S. 1927, which updated FISA but allowed for the wiretapping of American citizens without a court issued warrant. The 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act required the Government to obtain a warrant before eavesdropping on Americans. Judicial discretion was incorporated into this security procedure to ensure the rights of Americans were not violated. This system worked and, with minor adjustments, could be made to ensure national security and the protection of our civil liberties. Unfortunately, this White House and a majority in Congress sacrificed our civil liberties while adding no additional security benefits. In order to facilitate its spying on American citizens, the Bush administration elicited the assistance of some of America's largest telecommunications companies. There is a call by the administration and some Members of Congress to allow retroactive immunity for companies that broke the law by acting as co-conspirators in domestic spying on our citizens. I am strongly opposed to any retroactive immunity for those corporate conspirators who participated in violating Americans' civil liberties. Not all telecommunications companies complied with the administration's request to spy on Americans. Qwest, which serves Minnesota, refused to participate because the company felt uncomfortable with the legality of the request. I applaud Qwest's ethical and appropriate action on behalf of their customers and the rule of law. Finally, I want to thank the leadership, Chairman Conyers, and Chairman Reyes for their work in bringing this piece of legislation to the floor. I urge my colleagues to support the FISA Amendments Act because with it Congress can safeguard both the security of our nation and civil liberties.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of overriding the President's veto of the Intelligence Authorization bill (H.R. 2082). President Bush vetoed this important bill because of a clause that holds the intelligence community to the same standard as military personnel by banning the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques that are prohibited in the Army Field Manual. While announcing his veto, the President stated that ``this is no time for Congress to abandon practices that have a proven track record of keeping America safe.'' President Bush is misguided: the use of waterboarding and other tactics neither strengthens our national security nor improves our intelligence capabilities. The United States does not need to disregard human rights in order to keep our country safe. There is no doubt in my mind and I want to make it clear, waterboarding is torture. Some call this practice ``simulated drowning.'' In reality, waterboarding is drowning. The victim experiences the same struggle, panic, swallowing, vomiting, taking water into the lungs, and inability to breathe. This inhumane practice can cause severe psychological trauma for years. After World War II, the United States convicted Japanese soldiers of war crimes for waterboarding American and Allied prisoners of war. This method is also banned by the Geneva Convention, which was signed by the United States. The CIA recently admitted to using waterboarding and the Bush Administration has refused to ban intelligence personnel from using this technique in the future. It is abhorrent that this White House would soil the reputation of this great Nation as a beacon of freedom and a champion of human rights by allowing the use of torture in the same manner as brutal dictatorships. The Army Field Manual interrogation techniques produce dependable intelligence without resorting to torture. General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, wrote: ``Some may argue that we would be more effective if we sanctioned torture or other expedient methods to obtain information from the enemy. That would be wrong. Beyond the basic fact that such actions are illegal, history shows that they also are frequently neither useful nor necessary.'' Torture is ineffective and inhumane and it is time that the intelligence community put an end to the use of barbaric practices. If the United States continues to condone torture, we put our men and women in uniform at risk of having the same interrogation practices inflicted upon them. Torture is a crime against humanity and unacceptable under any circumstances. Any nation that tortures or tolerates torture is not truly free. My State of Minnesota has a proud tradition of fighting for victims of torture both at home and abroad. Former Governor Rudy Perpich helped to found the Center for Victims of Torture--a world renowned center for the treatment and healing of torture victims. When the Center opened in 1985, it became the first of its kind in the United States and only the third treatment center in the entire world. Today. with centers in the Twin Cities. Sierra Leone and Liberia, CVT is helping thousands of torture survivors from 60 countries. Madam Speaker, the reputation of the United States has been profoundly damaged in the eyes of the world as a result of the failed policies of the Bush Administration. First the world saw photographs of Abu Ghraib, then discovered that the U.S. practices extraordinary rendition, and now knows the President of the United States approves the use of torture. Torture will be a stain on President Bush's legacy and his presidency will be a dark shadow in our country's history. I strongly encourage my colleagues to overturn the Presidents veto and begin restoring the United States' moral standing in the world.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Chairman, the amendment offered by Mr. Jackson of Illinois and myself would add three Southern African countries, Malawi, Swaziland, and Lesotho, to the lists of countries that will be a part of the focus countries in the reauthorization of this Global HIV/AIDS legislation. In 2003, the original PEPFAR legislation designated 14 focus countries. These countries were prioritized for intensive investment of resources and technical expertise as provided through PEPFAR. The bill on the floor today adds focus countries by designating Vietnam and 14 Caribbean basic countries with PEPFAR focus status. Unfortunately, these three countries in Southern Africa, each confronting devastation as a result of HIV/AIDS, have not been granted priority status in PEPFAR. The crisis of HIV/AIDS confronting Malawi, Swaziland, and Lesotho is real and in some cases worse than the existing focus countries. Malawi is a country of 13 million people, with 900,000 children orphaned by AIDS and nearly 1 million of its adults living with HIV, a 14 percent infection rate. Swaziland, with a population of only 1.1 million people, has over 200,000 adults living with HIV, one in three adults, or a 33 percent adult infection rate. Lesotho has a population of 2 million people, and an HIV infection rate among its adults of 23 percent. These three countries are not only confronting HIV and AIDS, but they are also among the poorest countries on the planet, which makes their challenge so much greater. Malawi, for example, is 164th out of 177 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index. Also, each country is geographically surrounded by countries that were designated focus countries in the original PEPFAR legislation, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, which are presently receiving massive investments to confront their epidemics. Malawi, Swaziland and Lesotho are working bilaterally with the United States; but by not being granted PEPFAR's focus country status, the gap that they face between the needs and available resources means that too many people will continue to be infected, too many people will continue to die needlessly, and too many orphans will be left to fend for themselves. This amendment has the support of the governments of Malawi, Swaziland and Lesotho. I submit for the Record a letter of support from the three governments. Embassy of the Republic of Malawi, Washington, DC, March 28, 2008. Hon. Betty McCollum, House of Representatives, Washington DC. Dear Honourable McCollum, we are writing to follow up on our recent meeting during which we discussed, among other things, the re-authorization of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). We are deeply concerned that the three countries that have been heavily impacted by the HIV/AIDS virus in Southern Africa, and whose prevalence rates are above 14% have been left out from the new list of focus countries as reflected in H.R. 5501. Our countries have become islands amidst countries that are receiving tremendous resources from PEPFAR within the region. The AIDS epidemic in our countries has brought additional pressure to bear on the health sector. We are failing to train adequate number of health workers to provide services to those living with HIV and suffering from AIDS. The few that we have trained have died from the virus while others have left the continent for greener pastures in the western countries. Although the recent increase in the provision of ARV has brought hope to many, it has also put increased strain on the remaining healthcare workers. In addition, there are many more people living with the HIV virus who are not receiving treatment due to lack of resources to purchase drugs and to train personnel to administer treatment. The presence of AIDS has also affected many households. Many children have lost one or both parents due to HIV/AIDS. At the same time, we have a large number of children who were born with the virus because the risk of mother-to-child transmission remains very high. Although we have put in place orphan care programs, the need for more resources to provide comprehensive care cannot be overemphasized. The pandemic has also added strain to the food insecurity in many areas because agricultural work has been neglected or abandoned due to household illness. The labor force, in general, has also been affected by HIV/AIDS, setting back economic and social progress. Our leadership is highly committed to the fight against HIV/AIDS. Our governments have provided enough domestic resources within their means and are receiving external funding for HIV/AIDS programs. However, there is a wide funding gap between planned programs and resources required for implementation. It is for this reason that we humbly request you to introduce an amendment to H.R. 5501, to include Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland as focus countries. Your assistance on this matter will be greatly appreciated. Yours sincerely, Hawa Olga Ndilowe, Ambassador of Malawi to the U.S. Ephraim Mandlenkosi M. Hope, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Swaziland to the U.S. Mabasia Ntsoaki Mohobane, Charge d'Affaires, Embassy of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Chairman, I would like to thank the chairman, the ranking member, and the distinguished Chair of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health for their kind words, and urge all of my colleagues to support the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment made in order under the rule.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 310, expressing support for a national day of remembrance for Harriet Ross Tubman. I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this resolution which recognizes the courage and sacrifice with which Harriet Tubman led slaves out of bondage and into freedom. Her work was an important part of moving the U.S. toward a more perfect Union. As an African-American woman who had been emotionally and physically abused by her owners, Harriet Tubman did the near impossible by freeing herself from a life of slavery. She also had the courage to continue on and help others, guiding hundreds of slaves out of abuse and fear and into freedom and respectful employment. Harriet Tubman not only fought against the most immediate inequalities experienced by African-American slaves, but reached out further, becoming active in the women's suffrage movement. While the Civil War has long since ended and slavery been abolished, many Americans continue to be enslaved by new forms of abuse and discrimination. Domestic violence and economic inequality imprison many today in fear and submission. Thankfully, Harriet Tubman's actions continue to inspire Americans to find the courage to help each other. In Minnesota, her legacy is alive in the activities of the Tubman Family Alliance agency, which provides safe passage from violence for women and children, and helps them achieve their own freedom, just as Harriet Tubman helped so many people achieve freedom. It is critical that we remember the courage with which this woman selflessly strove to help others despite the risk of enslavement and death. We must recognize and strive to emulate such bravery not just once a year, but all year. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important resolution.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the GIVE Act and congratulate Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Miller in bringing this important reauthorization to the floor. National service builds character and communities. Volunteers in our communities help children succeed in schools, assist in providing social services, green our communities and rebuild after disasters. And the volunteers gain valuable experience and the satisfaction of having made a real difference. H.R. 5563 strengthens national service opportunities by recruiting 25,000 more volunteers through a new Office of Outreach and Recruitment. This office will promote the recruitment of babyboomers and veterans. The bill also provides a new focus on youth opportunities. Too many youth in our communities are without positive activities during the summer. H.R. 5563 offers summer service opportunities, including a $500 educational award for college expenses. Volunteerism is also an important part of emergency preparedness efforts. This bill encourages more collaboration with national, state, and local units of government and creates a ``Reserve Corps'' of Americorps alumni for times of national need. With the many challenges facing the United States--both at home and abroad--it is more important than ever that we provide incentives and opportunities for Americans to give back. We saw the best of ourselves in the outpouring of volunteers after 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Reauthorization of the Corporation of National Service will provide that kind of help for families and communities on an ongoing basis in a very cost-effective way. This is a bipartisan, widely supported bill. I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. This legislation is named in tribute to Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone, whose work on behalf of the vulnerable was well known and well respected. I also rise to thank my colleague from Minnesota, Congressman Jim Ramstad, for continuing Senator Wellstone's fight on behalf of those who the stigma too often attached to the issues of mental health and substance abuse has left voiceless. Mr. Ramstad's courage in sharing his experience with substance abuse and his dedication to passage of this legislation is the reason we are here today. This bill will help end the pattern of senseless and immoral discrimination against those suffering from mental illness and put to rest the outdated notion that these challenges are less legitimate or severe than physical ailments. Mental illness left untreated affects all facets of our society and costs our economy over $150 billion annually. Mental illness affects 50 percent of the homeless population in Minnesota, 70 percent of those in our juvenile justice system, and those with the highest unemployment rates. Health care costs double when diabetes and heart disease patients have co-morbid depression, and patients with mental illness and substance abuse disorders are often less responsive to treatment. In addition, the burden that mental illness places upon the health and productivity of our Nation has long been underestimated. One in five adults and one in ten children have a mental illness. And over one-third of our returning servicemembers from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from mental health problems. The costs of untreated substance abuse are also high for families and our health care system. Studies have shown that 1 in every 5 Medicaid dollars spent on hospital care is related to substance abuse; health care costs for those dependent on drugs or alcohol is 100 percent higher than those without an addiction; and the costs to law enforcement and to employers are significant. Treatment makes a difference. A recent study showed that after treatment, family health care costs dropped 50 percent. H.R. 1424 requires parity with co-payments, deductibles, and out-of- pocket expenses, and requires that limits on mental health and addiction care are no more restrictive than those on physical health. This legislation requires equality in out-of-network care and ensures coverage for mental illness and substance related disorders included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM. It is time to pass this bill. We have all been affected in some way-- ourselves, a family member, a friend, or colleague--by mental health or substance abuse. As we look to reform our health care system, mental health and physical care can no longer be looked at as separate entities. It is morally right and good for both our economy and our health care system. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this important bill.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve elected Members of the House of Representatives who will perform their duties with the highest standards of decorum and ethical conduct. When a Member of this body fails to follow the rules of the House, violates ethical standards, or brings dishonor upon this House, it is our duty and our responsibility to act. The people we serve expect no less. The ethics process needs improvement, so let us act to ensure the integrity of this House. I was appointed by Speaker Pelosi to serve as a member of the Special Task Force on Ethics Enforcement, and I would like to commend Chairman Capuano for his forthright leadership, his patience, and his respect for this institution. It was also a pleasure working with Ranking Member Lamar Smith and all my Democratic and Republican colleagues on the task force. Today I rise in strong support of this resolution to establish an Office of Congressional Ethics. I commend Speaker Pelosi for her courage to take on this challenge for the well-being of this House. With the passage of this resolution, we will create an independent Office of Congressional Ethics. This office will be separate from the Ethics Committee. It will have an appointed board comprised of distinguished Americans who are not Members of this House. This independent board will review ethics complaints and make formal recommendations to the Ethics Committee for dismissal or for further investigation. This resolution leaves the power of all final decisions to the Ethics Committee. The resolution also establishes time lines for the Ethics Committee to act on referred investigations and requires that the committee make public statements about actions or inactions on these matters. I believe that improving this process will benefit the Members and reassure the public that ethics is a priority of this Congress. Clearly this proposal is not perfect. It is a compromise, and it commences an ongoing effort to ensure that ethics remain at the forefront of this Congress. Even while preparing for floor action, Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Capuano made significant changes in order to address this concern. I support the resolution and urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the long overdue Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act. The American people have demanded that Congress change our national energy policy; we must prioritize clean energy over greenhouse gas emitting fuels, and support entrepreneurial American energy producers over oil companies posting record profits. H.R. 5351 extends tax credits for renewable energy production and pays for them by repealing large subsidies for oil and gas corporations. The domestic green energy sector creates thousands of high-paying jobs each year and has seen tremendous growth recently except when Congress has let these incentives expire. Congress must provide this industry the support and consistency it needs to become a major supplier of both energy and jobs. This legislation also gives a tax break to consumers who purchase a hybrid vehicle and ends the perverse incentive to purchase gas-guzzling SUVs. If our Nation's automakers are to remain competitive, we must end the policies that encourage production of the cars of yesterday--cars that cost more to own and take a higher toll on our planet. Many on the other side of the aisle have decried this legislation under the false assumption that it will raise gas prices at the pump, that it will discourage domestic exploration and production. They say this even though President Bush--at a time when the cost of oil was half of what it is today--asserted that such subsidies were not necessary to spur domestic oil and gas exploration and production. The record oil prices of over $100 per barrel--leading to gas prices headed toward $4 per gallon--are more than enough of an incentive. In fact, these tax breaks for big-oil take money, even failed to lower gas prices when they were implemented, and today serve only to redistribute billions of dollars from hard-working American families to literally five corporations, including Exxon, which recently reported higher profits than any other company in history. In a time of an uncertain economic outlook, it is more critical than ever that we invest in the energy sources and industries of tomorrow, and address the realities of climate change, rather than continue down the misguided path of President Bush and the previous Republican Congresses--a path that has led us to an unprecedented dependence on foreign oil, skyrocketing gas prices, and economic recession. Once again, I urge passage of this legislation--legislation with broad support from industry, the environmental community, and even power companies--and I thank Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Rangel for making energy security a priority for the 110th Congress.