Michael Michaud

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, now I would like to yield to the good gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich), a gentleman who has fought for the environment and who has fought for working-family issues.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) for his leadership on this issue and look forward to working with him on this issue. Mr. Speaker, as a co-founder of the House Labor and Working Families Caucus, I am privileged to be here with my colleagues to discuss the devastating impact that Central America Free Trade Agreement will have on our economy here in the United States. This so-called free trade deal promises to cripple our industries, both in my home State of Maine and throughout the Nation. Before coming to Congress I worked over 29 years at Great Northern Paper Company in East Millinocket. I have seen first-hand the devastation of the so-called free trade on Maine's economy, and I know what it means to working families. I could see in 1994, with NAFTA, which has been nothing but a disaster, costing people of the State of Maine over 24,000 manufacturing jobs. In some parts of my Congressional district, unemployment has reached over 30 percent in different labor market areas over the last 2 years. Over 30 percent. And often when jobs go, so do people, taking the heart and soul of what once was prosperous communities with them. Today, the threat of job loss is not for blue collar workers alone. Even high-tech companies like IBM, Boeing, General Electric are taking their computer and engineering jobs to China, India, and the Far East, while leaving behind a long trail of pink slips. As a Member of Congress, I have had the opportunity to meet with several prominent free traders, like the trade Ambassador, Bob Zoellick. They like to talk about how free trade is good for everyone and creates jobs. But when I share the story of what happened and is happening in the State of Maine, of the many jobs lost and the lives that are devastated by those jobs lost, they admit to me, well, there will be winners and there will be losers, and that is just the price of doing business. This is not a game. These are real people who lose jobs every day. They are the ones who lose the jobs who can no longer afford to send their kids to college and who can no longer afford even basic health care for their families. Now, do not get me wrong. I am glad that there are a lot of Federal program benefits available to help dislocated workers. And I have devoted myself in advocating and fighting for Federal resources to help laid off workers. But, working people do not want a program and handout created by Congress to clean up the mess from these so-called free trade agreements. They just want their jobs. Each and every Mainer, each and every American worker, should be asking, can we afford to lose another job? Can we afford the Central American and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreements? The job loss numbers show that we simply cannot afford that. From 1998 to 2004 alone, 11,724 workers in Maine were certified for trade- related adjustment assistance. Companies like C.F. Hathaway Company in Waterville, Gerber Childrenswear in Fort Kent, were among the hardest hit by NAFTA. The company that I worked for for over 29 years, Great Northern Paper Company, announced only 2 days after I was sworn in as a Member of Congress in 2003, they were filing bankruptcy. My coworkers, my family, my community was devastated. And the culprit was the so-called free trade agreements. These agreements have created nothing but stagnant economies and rising inequality. And CAFTA is based on the same NAFTA model. You will hear from me and other Members this evening about the specifics of its devastating effects tonight. This agreement will serve to push ahead the corporate globalization trend that has caused a race to the bottom in labor and environmental standards. American companies are often forced to compete with foreign corporations who are not held to the same labor or environmental standards. This creates an unfair balance. I have long advocated for fair trade, not just free trade. The fight ahead is to ensure that these trade agreements are fair for our workers, our businesses, our States. We must ensure that all trade agreements respect workers rights to the environment, health and human rights. And I know Members on both sides of the aisle are committed to stopping this flawed agreement that we currently will be voting on in the months ahead. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) who is also a co-founder of the House Labor and Working Family Caucus.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, an all-out attack on workers' rights is happening in Brewer, Maine; and I come to the House floor today to tell DHL that it is time for them to stop their assault. These Brewer workers have borne the brunt of these union-busting practices, and they are paying the price. For many, the price of their jobs has been too much for them and their families to bear. Workers have been fired. Many were put on the street with no severance pay, no insurance, and no assistance to make ends meet. Management has reverted to using interrogation and coercion to keep workers in line. This is simply outrageous. I know as a union member how important unions are to ensure better jobs and basic protection of rights. I will do all I can to assure that their rights are protected.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, this week a tripartisan group of original cosponsors has joined together to reintroduce our bill to create a Northeast Regional Economic Development Commission to invest in the most distressed areas of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. Economic development commissions are now in existence in Alaska; Mississippi; the Midwest; and, of course, Appalachia; among other places. These bodies have a proven track record of success. For example, since its creation, the ARC has cut the number of distressed counties in their region in half. Today, when one looks at the statistics, the border region of the Northeast has just as strong a need as the other areas. We need direct Federal investments to turn our economies around. Our bill does that and ensures both local planning and the advancement of regional goals like sustainable land use. We are proud to have such a strong tripartisan group working together to promote economic development in the Northeast. We look forward to advancing our bill and working with other regions who want to grow their economies and bring prosperity back.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, today, along my with my good friend Tom Allen, I am introducing the Commercial Truck Highway Safety Demonstration Program Act of 2005. This bill would allow Maine to increase the weight limits for trucks on interstate highways, by granting a three-year waiver of federal rules. It mandates a study process that will help demonstrate the positive safety effects of this change, and permit the waiver to be extended pending these safety determinations. This bill is important both for public safety and economic reasons. The administration of the current 80,000 pound federal weight limit law in Maine has forced heavy tractor-trailer and tractor-semitrailer combination vehicles, traveling into Maine from neighboring States and Canada, to divert onto small State and local roads where higher vehicle weight limits apply under Maine law. The diversion of those vehicles onto such roads causes significant economic hardships and safety challenges for small communities located along those roads. Permitting heavy commercial vehicles to travel on Interstate System highways in Maine would enhance public safety by reducing the number of heavy vehicles that use town and city streets, and as a result, the number of dangerous interactions between those heavy vehicles and other vehicles such as school buses and private cars. It would also reduce the net highway maintenance costs in Maine because the Interstate System highways, unlike the secondary roads of Maine, are built to accommodate heavy vehicles and are, therefore, more durable. Finally, this bill would ensure that Maine can remain competitive in the transportation and manufacturing sectors, and that our neighbors do not pass us by in development. This change is fair, and will promote parity in transportation throughout New England. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, which will enhance safety, lower maintenance costs, and promote economic development.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work of Mr. Perley Beane, Maine's Director of Economic and Community Development, for more than 40 years in public service at the federal, state and local level. A graduate of Waterville High School and Thomas College, Perley's first job was as a teacher in Jackman. After working as a business manager, Perley was appointed as the first director of the Waterville Public Housing Authority. He also served as director of the Maine Affordable Housing Alliance at the Department of Economic and Community Development before being appointed to his present position in Madison, Maine. Perley has dedicated his life to bettering his community. He has served as a board member for such organizations as The Salvation Army, the Waterville Housing Authority, the Somerset County Jail Committee, the Somerset County Rural Housing Replacement Committee, the Somerset County Economic Development Corporation, the Waterville Zoning Board and the Kennebec Valley Community Action Program. Though Perley's retirement is well deserved and begins a new and exciting chapter in his life, it also signifies that Maine is losing one of its most valued service providers. His dedication to the people of Maine has been a blessing for our State, and has improved the lives of countless Mainers. I am both honored and privileged to pay tribute to Perley for his hard work and commitment to the people of Maine. I offer my sincere appreciation on behalf of the entire State.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters). (Ms. WATERS asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker I rise in strong support of S. 2486, the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004. I would like to thank the ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for their leadership on this legislation and my good friend and colleague on the Subcommittee on Benefits, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown). I have enjoyed working with him during this Congress. I was proud to join Members on both sides of the aisle in introducing provisions to help our veterans and servicemembers and their families. It is good to see that work contained in this final bill. This legislation demonstrates the bipartisan nature of the Committee on Veterans Affairs and our ability to work together for the good of our Nation's veterans. The Members and staff of both sides of the aisle also should be recognized for their efforts in putting legislation together. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the good work done by the other body. Senator Specter and Senator Graham and their staffs worked diligently to bring this bill forward. It has been a bipartisan and bicameral effort. Our Nation's veterans and their families would be better off with this legislation. S. 2486 is a comprehensive bill drawn from a number of provisions that came before our committee. I would like to take a moment to point out just a few. Many of the provisions in Title I, the Veterans Earn and Learn Act of S. 2486, are drawn from H.R. 1716. Title I will provide improved benefits and job assistance for future skilled workers as they leave military service. The gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) introduced and I was happy to support a provision to extend eligibility of employer-sponsored health care coverage to Reservists who have been activated for up to 24 months of active service. This provision is found in section 201 of the bill. Section 2111 drawn from a bipartisan H.R. 4173 provides for a report of employment placement, retention and advancement of recently separated servicemembers. I am also pleased that the other body included provisions similar to H.R. 1750 to increase by $250 the amount of dependency and indemnity compensation benefits received by surviving spouses with children under age 18 for the first 2 years of eligibility. The ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), has been a long-time advocate for our Nation's disabled veterans and their families. S. 2486 contains provisions drawn from the Evans bill, H.R. 4172, to codify certain disabilities as presumptive disabilities for atomic veterans and to provide an offset rather than a bar to benefits when an atomic veteran or survivor receives benefits under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. I would like to thank the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bradley) for the opportunity to join with him in introducing H.R. 2163 to equalize the position of surviving spouses who receive death pension benefits and who are also the beneficiaries of veterans' life insurance. The provisions of H.R. 2163 are contained in section 303 and 305 of this bill. The Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004 includes a provision that is drawn from my bill, H.R. 2612, to allow veterans who have lost or lost the use of both arms at or above the elbow due to a service- connected disability to receive a special adaptive housing grant. This will provide needed assistance to those veterans currently being disabled in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as veterans of former wars, such as James Moore of Lincoln, Nebraska, who contacted the committee concerning this issue. The gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) has been a leader on our committee for veterans' housing issues, and her work is reflected in S. 2486. Section 103 is drawn from her bill, H.R. 4616, and provisions from the Senate to extend the authority for hybrid adjustable mortgages. S. 2486 will also benefit Native American veterans in my State and across the country. The Pleasant Point and Indian Township Passamoquody Tribe of Maine has entered into a memorandum of understanding to participate in the VA's Native America Home Loan pilot project. The newest member of our committee, the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth), introduced H.R. 5153 to extend this program. That provision is included as section 406 of this bill. The gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) has also been a leader in working to protect our most vulnerable veterans, and I was pleased to join her in introducing H.R. 4032 to improve protection and remedies in the event of fiduciary misuse. Many of the provisions of H.R. 4032 are included in Title V of the Veterans Benefit Improvement Act of 2004. Mr. Speaker, as you can see, there has been a great deal of bipartisan support put together in this bill. S. 2486 will improve the lives of veterans of today and provide a sense of security for those servicemembers who are risking their lives all around the world. I urge all Members to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez).

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis).

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth).

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), the ranking member of the committee.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, before yielding to my last speaker, to thank our chairman, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith); the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown); and our ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), as well as the committee staff on both sides of the aisle for all the hard work that they have done in the Committee on Veterans' Affairs over the last 2 years. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I do want once again want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), the ranking member, and the gentleman from New Jersey (Chairman Smith) for all that they have done for the veterans of our country.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is with great reverence that I support this concurrent resolution for a minute of silence at 11 a.m. on Veterans Day. On Veterans Day we recognize the over 26 million veterans in our country. We remember those who have passed away, and we honor those who currently wear the uniform. They are inspiring stories of shared sacrifice that come out of every battle in every war and conflict, none more telling than the one of ``the four chaplains'' of World War II. These four chaplains shall not be forgotten nor will the many veterans who go unlisted by name on Veterans Day. These stories will be remembered as just one example of all historic service members who have fought and died for the United States. November 11 has been set aside as the day of tribute to these men and women who have answered the call to service for our Nation. A minute of silence at 11 a.m. on Veterans Day will give all Americans the opportunity to pause and remember all veterans of the United States who have given so much in service to our country.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure that I rise in support of this joint resolution to congratulate and commend the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 105 years of dedicated service. These congratulations extend not only to the current members of the more than 9,000 VFW posts worldwide but to all members since the beginning of this accomplished veterans service organization who served in wartime overseas. I would also like to recognize the contributions the VFW has made in my State of Maine. From Fort Kent in the north to Kittery in the south, the 13,500 members of the VFW located in 83 individual posts have always worked to improve the lives of veterans and our communities and I am honored to call many of them my friends. The VFW's origins extend back to 1899 with the founding of the American Veterans of Foreign Service and the National Society of the Army of the Philippines, which merged in 1914 to form the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Originally the organization was created to help secure rights and benefits for veterans of the Spanish- American War and the Philippines War. They succeeded then as they do now, speaking with a loud and clear collective voice to serve veterans. This organization is to be congratulated and commended. The authors of this joint resolution are also to be commended for their efforts to recognize this great service organization. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez).

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4658, the Servicemembers and Veterans Legal Protections Act of 2004. I want to thank our ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), and our chairman, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for their leadership on this legislation, as well as my good friend and colleague on the Subcommittee on Benefits, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown). I have enjoyed working with them during this Congress. Additionally, I would like to thank Members and staffs on both sides of the aisle who have contributed to this bill. H.R. 4658 contains a number of provisions aimed at enhancing and improving the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act and other matters which will improve the quality of life of our troops, veterans and military families. Today, men and women who make up the Armed Forces and their families are under tremendous strain. Laws concerning reemployment rights and legal and financial protections for our service members help them to focus on serving the country. When these laws are effectively administered and vigorously enforced, they help our service members and their families and assist in recruitment and retention efforts. Mr. Speaker, I am particularly pleased that we have included measures to improve certain sections of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. These measures were brought to our attention by service members and military lawyers who experienced problems we had not anticipated when the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act was passed last year. H.R. 4658 solved these identified problems. H.R. 4658 also makes improvements to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. I am particularly pleased that this bill includes measures to protect our most vulnerable veterans from financial abuse by those VA has authorized to handle their cash benefits. These provisions are drawn from H.R. 4032 which I joined the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) in introducing. Veterans and other VA beneficiaries who have their benefits paid to fiduciaries will have protections similar to those Congress recently afforded to Social Security beneficiaries. Finally, I must express my deep regret that the majority leadership has rejected a provision in this bill supported by our committee. In response to a problem identified by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the administration proposed to permit VA to provide limited transitional care for newborns of veterans receiving maternity care from VA. Currently, VA is being charged high rates by hospitals who agree to provide contract maternity care to eligible veterans. Rates are excessive because under current law VA has no authority to pay for care of the newborn child after delivery. VA requested the authority to pay for newborn care for a maximum of 14 days in order to allow time to make other arrangements for newborns who would need ongoing care. The committee recognized that alternate payment sources such as private medical insurance may be available to pay for newborn care and therefore would have limited VA's liability to those situations where no other payment source was available. These provisions were rejected by the Republican leadership. VA will continue to have difficulty arranging for contract maternity care and will continue to be charged higher amounts. As a Blue Dog, I find this fiscally irresponsible. I also believe we are sending the wrong message to servicewomen injured in Iraq or Afghanistan or otherwise disabled by military service. VA's failure to provide newborn care associated with maternity care is likely to alienate the increasing number of young women in our military. I will continue to push for reconsideration of this provision in the 109th Congress. Mr. Speaker, the provisions in H.R. 4658 are of the utmost importance. We have an obligation to do all we can to ensure that service members and their families have peace of mind. Passing this legislation would be a strong step in the right direction. I urge all Members to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez).

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Cary Medical Center not only for 80 years of community health care services to Aroostook County but for receiving the National Job Corps Association's 2004 Alpha Award in the Community Category. The Cary Medical Center has played a unique and integral role in providing health services to the communities in Northern Maine. The Cary Medical Center offers a variety of excellent services to the people of Aroostook County. Its dietary department is one of the best in the country. Cary also has established itself as a leader in Community Health Education and Disease Prevention programs. The Cary Medical Center also has superior veterans' services. The VA outpatient clinic was the first facility of its type in the nation, providing outpatient medical care for Aroostook veterans since 1987. It has over 6,000 patient visits per year. The Cary Medical Center has been recognized by many organizations for its excellent service. In 1998, Cary Medical Center earned Accreditation with Commendation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, the highest rating attainable, placing Cary among the top 15 percent of hospitals in the nation in reference to nationally established guidelines on quality patient care. More recently, the Center received the National Job Corps Association's 2004 Alpha Award in the Community Category. This is an extraordinary achievement: Cary Medical Center will be one of 6 winners out of 107 national nominations. The Alfa Award is given to individuals, organizations and employers who are dedicated to helping Job Corps students. CMC manages the Certified Nurses Assistant program for the Loring Job Corps. The hospital provides both classroom and clinical instruction for students who select the vocation. Beyond excellent programs and the highest honors, perhaps the greatest achievement of all is the duration of service CMC has given to the community of Aroostook County. 80 years is a very long time to be serving people, and Northern Maine is surely a better place because of their contributions. I thank them for their dedication and service to the people of Maine, and commend them for this most recent award.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the first annual Tribute to Seniors Day to be hosted by the Waldo County YMCA in the City of Belfast, Maine. The focus of this important day is to honor the seniors of Waldo County and their dedication to their community and their families. This event will give important recognition to our seniors, and will include a health fair and other events and activities that will provide useful social services information. Tribute to Seniors Day will be a fitting salute to a group that over the years has persevered and seen our country through hard and trying times, including those of the Greatest Generation who lived through the Great Depression and a World War. They were forged in the toughest trials of this century, and they remain community leaders to this day. While the struggles this generation has faced over the years have changed, today the important fight is for affordable heath care and prescription drugs, and our seniors are leading the charge. There is no greater gift of gratitude that we can give to our seniors than to join them in this fight and improve Medicare in order to make prescription drugs affordable for all. I am certain that this event will be a resounding success for years to come and will provide other areas with a model through which to recognize the lifelong dedication and service provided by local seniors. I encourage everyone in Waldo County to attend this important event and lend their support for their friends and family as we celebrate Tribute to Seniors Day. To our seniors who have lived through and experienced so much, and who still remain pillars of our community, I salute you.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), the ranking member of the committee.