Michael Michaud

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4608, a bill introduced by a former member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) to rename the Peoria, Illinois, VA clinic after former Congressman Bob Michel. For 2 decades, Congressman Michel served Peoria as a Member of this body. In the last 6 years of his tenure, he was elected to serve as minority leader, a post he maintained until his retirement in 1995. While I missed the opportunity to work directly with Congressman Michel, I understand he was an effective and highly respected leader who worked well with both sides of the aisle. He is remembered here for expert political insight, a congenial manner and being a true gentleman. I hope all Members will join me in supporting this bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) who has continually fought for veterans' issues.

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

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the chairman of the full committee, and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), our ranking member, as well as our chairman of the Subcommittee on Benefits, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown), for their work in bringing this bill before the House this afternoon. H.R. 3936 will honor our veterans by supporting the establishment of a dedicated courthouse for the United States Courts of Appeal For Veterans Claims in the greater Washington, D.C. area. It is strongly supported by Members from both sides of the aisle. H.R. 3936 shows support for our Nation's veterans, especially those who must avail themselves of a Federal court system in order to obtain the benefits that they have earned by military service. I hope that by establishing a separate, dedicated courthouse for veterans' claims, there will ease any confusion veterans may have about the role of this court as part of the Federal judicial system, and not part of the VA, and that this will streamline and facilitate the adjudication process. The establishment of this courthouse will also improve the security of the court. The events of September 11, 2001, have made clear the need for appropriate security in government buildings. The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is currently located above a parking area which creates a serious security risk. This bill recommends a location for the court on land near the Pentagon. I believe this is an appropriate site. H.R. 3936 is a bill which deserves the support of all Members of this House, and I urge them to do so. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank once again the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith); the ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans); and our chairman of the Subcommittee on Benefits, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown), for their continued efforts to assure that our veterans' purchasing power is not decreased with the passage of time. H.R. 4175, the Veterans Compensation Cost-of-Living Act of 2004, will help our service-disabled veterans and their survivors maintain the value of their compensation benefits despite any increase in the cost of living. Although we will not know the amount of the increase until the consumer price index is computed this fall, I expect this bill will provide an increase in benefits for calendar year 2005. No amount of money can adequately compensate for the loss of life or limb, but it is important that the compensation that is paid does not lose its value as the cost of living rises. This is particularly important in a rural State like Maine. Some labor market areas in my State have experienced double-digit unemployment. In one labor market alone last year, unemployment was as high as 32 percent. Veterans benefits help veterans and their families in these areas make ends meet. I am also happy to note that the bill contains a provision adding osteoarthritis to the list of conditions that are presumptively service-connected for veterans who are former POWs. I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 348, introduced by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), which contains this provision and more. I regret that the full bill cannot be considered because of the fiscal constraints. I believe that when men and women suffer disabilities as a result of confinement as prisoners of war, this Nation should compensate them for all the disabilities that result. These disabilities are another cost of war, and they should be recognized and compensated as such. This provision is another small step in the right direction. H.R. 4175 will receive my full support, and it deserves the support of Members of this House. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez).

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth), who has shown her interest in veterans' issues and is very dedicated and will be a hard fighter for veterans' issues.

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

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 308. This measure recognizes the members of AMVETS for their efforts on behalf of military families and service to our Nation. During and following their military service, members of AMVETS have routinely worked to provide important services to their local communities and to their fellow veterans. They have truly been guided by the AMVETS motto: ``We fought together, now let's build together.'' This motto definitely rings true back in my home State of Maine, which is home to a very active and successful AMVETS chapter. Madam Speaker, AMVETS has designated July 23 as its National Charter Day, with the goal to encourage public awareness of their commitment and service to veterans, their families and our country. I commend and applaud AMVETS for their past, present, and future service. I am pleased to support House Concurrent Resolution 308, and I ask other Members to do the same. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop).

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In closing, I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for his continued fighting for veterans issues. Also, I want to thank staff on both sides of the aisle for bringing these bills before us today. The staff has done a tremendous job in making sure that we have these bills before us in the proper form. Also, I want to thank the veterans and the VSOs for all their work in helping keep Congress's feet to the fire in supporting issues important to our veterans in this country. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing two bills to designate the Edmund S. Muskie Memorial, located in Rumford, Maine, as a national monument. Surely, the incredible accomplishments of this distinguished American deserve national recognition. Edmund S. Muskie was born March 28, 1914, in Rumford, Maine, the second of six children and the son and grandson of Polish immigrants. Ed Muskie attended public schools in Rumford, graduated as valedictorian of his high school and with cum laude honors from Bates College. After Cornell University Law School, he began practicing law in Waterville. In 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as a Lieutenant in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. Ed Muskie began his political career in the Maine House of Representatives, where he served from 1946-1951. Later he went on to be twice elected as Governor of Maine and then to the United States Senate, where he served for twenty-one years. During his tenure in the Senate, Ed Muskie served on the Foreign Relations, Governmental Affairs, and Environmental and Public Works committees, and was the founder and first chair of the Senate Committee on the Budget. Joining Democratic Presidential nominee Hubert H. Humphrey, Ed Muskie ran for Vice President on the Democratic ticket in 1968, and then made his own bid for the Presidential nomination in 1972. After retiring from the Senate in 1980, he was made Secretary of State by President Carter, practiced law in Washington, D.C., and was named to President Reagan's Special Review Board to investigate the Iran-Contra affair. Few people served this nation as long, or as honorably, as Edmund Muskie. His dedication to public service was obvious and his commitment to environmental issues ahead of his time. I have introduced a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resources study to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the memorial to Edmund S. Muskie located in Rumford, Maine, as a unit of the National Park System. I have also introduced a bill to then officially designate the memorial as a national memorial. I am hopeful that these bills can be considered and passed soon so that we can have a fitting, national tribute to Edmund Muskie.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Irvin Hamlin, M.D. of East Millinocket, Maine who is set to retire after practicing medicine for over 48 years in the Katahdin Region. After serving his country as a medic in World War II, Dr. Hamlin returned to the states and attended Colby College in Waterville, Maine and completed his medical training at the Tufts University Medical School. Upon graduation from medical school, Dr. Hamlin had a brief internship in Springfield, Ohio and then moved to East Millinocket in 1955, where he has remained ever since. Dr. Hamlin has always exemplified the qualities of superior citizenship; his dedication to his patients and his community should serve as an example to others. Always one to bring a smile to his patient's faces, Dr. Hamlin's good humor and practical jokes are renowned throughout the region; but his compassion is his most outstanding quality. I have felt this part of his caring in my life when he attended to my own father. It is always with some lingering sadness that I pass along my best wishes for the retirement of an individual like Dr. Hamlin. Though his retirement is well deserved it also signifies that the Katahdin Region is losing one of its most valued and experienced physicians. While his presence as a physician will be sorely missed; the extra time to spend with his family and fishing in area lakes and streams is long over due. I only ask that he leave some fish for the rest of us to catch. The Millinocket Regional Hospital for which he worked for so many years will honor Dr. Hamlin next Thursday, July 1, 2004. I am sure the people of the Katahdin region will turn out in droves to congratulate him and thank this wonderful man who has spent so many years serving them. After 48 outstanding years of dedicated service, it is my great pleasure to congratulate Dr. Hamlin and thank him for his tireless service.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill I authored that will create the Northeast Regional Development Commission. The Commission would be charged with investing federal resources for economic development and job creation in the most distressed areas of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York. This is an idea whose time has come. Its roots can be traced as far back as 1965, when Congress approved the creation of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). This unique Federal-State partnership was charged with promoting development in the depressed Appalachian area through regional planning, technical assistance, and funding of projects aimed at encouraging economic prosperity. It was a bold idea, and it worked. According to the National Association of Development Organizations, since its creation, the ARC has reduced the number of distressed counties in their region from 219 to 100. It has cut the poverty rate from 31 percent to 15 percent, and helped 1,400 businesses create 26,000 new jobs in the region since 1977. With a record like that, other regions began to look at this model, and realize that they needed the same thing in their own area. Over the past decade, this has led to the creation of three additional commissions and proposals for two more. When I arrived in Congress and saw these proposals, it became clear that other regions were catching on to a good idea, but that the Northeast could be missing the boat. There is currently no single body focused on the need for jobs and economic development in the Northeast region. The Northeast has a clear, compelling case for coordinated federal investment. Compared to the counties of some of the other regions that have an existing or proposed commission, a sample of Northeast counties along the Northern border showed higher unemployment, much higher outmigration, and extremely similar, and low, household income. All of these measures were far worse than the national average. Creating a regional commission would give us the chance to look at economic development in a whole new way: as a challenge that we can tackle together as a region. Together we all face declining natural resource industries, aging infrastructure, and youth who are leaving to seek opportunity elsewhere. But together, we also still possess abundant resources, a good geographic location with opportunities to ship our products to the world, and a trained workforce that is ready to take on new challenges. The Commission created in my bill would utilize the successful ARC approach where local development districts and other non-profit organizations bring project ideas and priorities to the Commission from the local level. Because local plans are approved by the state, no state would have mandates thrust upon it from outside. Whether the need is new irrigation systems for agriculture, land and forestry conservation to maintain productive traditional uses, investment in our fishing infrastructure, new roads, or health care facilities--a Federal commission can play a key role in investing in our economy. Our region needs this kind of investment. Already, the interest that this proposal has generated among many diverse groups has been a step in the right direction, as it has helped to bring people together from many different sectors to think creatively, constructively, and cooperatively about our future. We are off to a good start, and now there is a lot more work to be done.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I would like to read an e-mail.

Mr. MICHAUD. No. I would like to read an e-mail I received from a constituent: ``It is the veteran, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion. ``It is the veteran, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. ``It is the veteran, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. ``It is the veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom of assembly. ``It is the veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial. ``It is the veteran, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.'' Mr. Speaker, I think that pretty much sums it up. It is the veterans that made this country what it is today. We should be taking care of our veterans, living up to the commitment, making sure that they get the proper health care that they deserve, and we ought to take care of some of the problems of concurrent receipts and mandatory funding.

Mr. MICHAUD. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Strickland).

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I am not here to put blame on the past Congresses. I am in this Congress, and this is an issue where we have over 380 some odd Members of Congress signing it, and it is disingenuous for those Members of this body who signed it to be cosponsors and refuse to sign the discharge petition, and refuse to bring it out.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I am a freshman Member of Congress. I was not here to deal with this issue in the past. I am here now, and it is an inequity, and I think it should be taken care of.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, what was done 100 years ago is one thing. Veterans want the problem taken care of now.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time. I rise in strong support of H.R. 4345, which provides an increase in the home loan amount for veterans. I want to thank the gentlewoman from California for introducing H.R. 1735, which raised our awareness of this very important issue, and for her bipartisan work on this matter. I am glad that the provisions of H.R. 1735 are included in the bill we are considering today. I also want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida for introducing her bill, H.R. 4065, and for her continued dedication to this issue. H.R. 4345 is a bipartisan compromise bill which includes the best features of H.R. 1735 and H.R. 4065. I appreciate the gentlewoman from Florida's willingness to include the higher amount proposed by the gentlewoman from California's (Mrs. Davis) bill and to limit the loan amount to that provided under Freddie Mac for a single family home. As a result, we obtain maximum savings for the home loan provision without including the higher amounts under the Freddie Mac program for multifamily units which have a significant higher foreclosure rate. By limiting the amount to that for a single family dwelling, the risk of loss to the taxpayer is lessened. In my hometown of East Millinocket, a person can buy a three-bedroom home for $35,000. However, I recognize in other parts of the country, and indeed other parts of the State of Maine, homes are much more costly. This bill would provide necessary home loan benefits to veterans regardless of where they live, whether in East Millinocket or San Diego. Veterans who serve our Nation should be able to obtain homes through the Department of Veterans Affairs anywhere in the United States. I note that a similar provision of H.R. 4345 has been included in section 301 of H.R. 1716, the ``Veterans Earn and Learn Act.'' I would like to thank the chairman, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), and the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) for their leadership on this issue. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I also would like to acknowledge the newest member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth), who will also be speaking on this bill. I look forward to working with the gentlewoman from South Dakota on the committee to improve benefits for our veterans.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 460 and the principles it supports. The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people has been a long and terrible blight in our shared human history. The harm this conflict has caused spreads far beyond the borders of Israel and it is incumbent upon all who support freedom and peace to resolve this situation. I am strongly committed to the security and well-being of a Jewish state, and like President Bush, I do not believe lasting security and peace will come to the region until a two-state solution is achieved and the Palestinian people and surrounding nations actively pursue an end to terrorist organizations. Sadly, currently Israel has no partner for peace within the Palestinian leadership. As a result, both Israel and the Palestinian people are left to suffer. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people from violence and the threat of terrorism. To further the security of Israel, Prime Minister Sharon will initiate a plan to withdraw all Israeli villages and military personnel from the Gaza Strip as well as other villages and military personnel from the West Bank and extend a temporary security fence. Like the resolution we now consider, I fully support ``efforts to continue working with others in the international community to build the capacity and will of the Palestinian institutions to fight terrorism, dismantle terrorist organizations, and prevent the areas from which Israel has withdrawn from posing a threat to the security of Israel.'' Like so many on both sides of this conflict and throughout the international community, I remain hopeful that peace can and will be achieved. My district is home to Seeds of Peace, which brings young Israelis and Palestinians together. I believe this is an extremely important program, and I believe we must continue to support and encourage both diplomatic and personal dialogue between Israel and Palestinians. Mr. Speaker, again I would like to voice my support for H. Con. Res. 460, for lasting security for the state of Israel and for peace in the Middle East.