Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of today, I call up the bill (H.R. 847) to amend the Public Health Service Act to extend and improve protections and services to individuals directly impacted by the terrorist attack in New York City on September 11, 2001, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. PALLONE. I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request. (Ms. SLAUGHTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request. (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Chairman Dingell, I want to thank you for all the hard work you have put in on this bill, and also Chairman Waxman. We worked on a bipartisan basis. I rise today in strong support of the Food Safety Modernization Act. After 2 years of hard work, we're finally on the cusp of enacting landmark comprehensive food safety legislation. The modernization of our food safety system is desperately needed. The current food regulatory regime was established in 1938 and hasn't been overhauled in 70 years. Since this time, the U.S. food supply has evolved into a global network made up of foreign products, processors, and growers over whom the U.S. has little or no control. Think about what a different world it was in 1938. That alone should be reason enough to update our food safety laws today. Every time we have a food safety crisis, be it eggs or spinach or peppers or peanuts, we shake our heads at the vulnerability of our food supply and bemoan the fact that we don't have the tools to protect it. And these aren't isolated instances. Each year, 48 million Americans are sickened from consuming contaminated food, and as many as 3,000 to 5,000 of these people die. The Food Safety Modernization Act will give the FDA the ability, the authority, and the resources to protect American consumers from contaminated food domestically and abroad. FDA will now better ensure food safety through more frequent inspections of food processing facilities, the development of a food trace-back system to pinpoint the source of food-borne illnesses, and enhanced powers to ensure that imported foods are safe. Perhaps most notably, the bill emphasizes prevention and safety that helps ensure that food is safe before it's distributed, before it reaches store shelves, before it reaches the kitchens of American families. We have the most productive and most efficient food distribution system in the world, but we need to make sure that we have the safest food supply. American families need to know the food they select from grocery stores and the meals they put on their kitchen tables are safe. Now, I'll say the bill before us isn't perfect, but it is a good bill, and it's backed by a diverse coalition that includes food producers, grocery manufacturers, and consumers. It has strong bipartisan support. Last year, the House passed its version by a vote of 283-142. The Senate passed a bill nearly identical to the one before us today by a vote of 73-25. And this is an overwhelming show of support for legislation which will significantly protect the public health. I'm proud we're passing this bill one more time. Today, of course, it will go to the President for his signature. He has said he would sign it. And I urge my colleagues to support this landmark legislation.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, last night, the House finally passed on a bipartisan basis and sent to the President a middle class tax relief package which also included extended unemployment insurance. For the middle class, it provides tax relief of $1,500 for a typical working family with income up to $75,000; $1,000 for income at $50,000; and $500 for incomes of $25,000. It also includes extended unemployment insurance, a 13-month extension of Federal support for 99 weeks of unemployment insurance for laid-off workers. The package also includes the child tax credit, extends the child tax credit for 2 years. It's worth about $1,000, doubled from $500 for qualifying children under the age of 17. And a payroll tax cut creates a $120 billion payroll tax cut that's worth about $1,400 for the average New Jersey household of $71,000 in average income. Alternative minimum tax relief, earned income tax credit, higher education tax credit to help afford sending your children to college, and also tax cuts for business investment, basically allowing businesses to expense all of their qualified investments in 2011. I think it was very important that we passed this, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad it's now going to the President.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Second Baptist Church of Matawan, New Jersey as the parishioners gather to celebrate the church's 120th anniversary. Members of the congregation enthusiastically dedicate their time to religious service in Matawan and its surrounding community. Their actions are undoubtedly deserving of this body's recognition. The Second Baptist Church of Matawan was founded in 1890 and continues to build upon its rich history. Under the leadership of Reverend Stephen Moore, Reverend Jeffrey Gray, Deacon Willie Kiah and the Church Board of Officers, the Second Baptist Church of Matawan provides a harmonious environment for members of the congregation and the community to build upon their faith. Faithfully serving the members of its congregation, the Second Baptist Church of Matawan adheres to their principles of individual freedom in matters of faith. They continue to welcome new members to their congregation. They have implemented numerous ministries and continue to assist ailing members of the community. Their humble actions and service to the community are commendable. Madam Speaker, please join me in leading this body in acknowledging the Second Baptist Church of Matawan, as the parishioners celebrate their 120th anniversary. The Second Baptist Church of Matawan community is tremendously valued in my district and the State of New Jersey.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just wanted to mention that the three bills today are just a small representation of many bipartisan public health bills that the majority and minority worked on together in the Health Subcommittee over the past 2 years. And I wanted to thank the ranking member of the Health Subcommittee, Mr. Shimkus, for his hard work and cooperation in these efforts. In the summer and fall alone, the House passed 25 bipartisan health bills that came from our Health Subcommittee. And I also want to thank the staff that worked on these public health bills this past Congress. From the majority is Ruth Katz, Steve Cha, Sarah Despres, Emily, who's here with me, Emily Gibbons, Tiffany Guarascio, Anne Morris, Camille Sealy, Naomi Seiler, Tim Westmoreland, and Karen Nelson, of course. And from the minority, Ryan Long, Clay Alspach, Peter Kielty, and Chris Sarley. Madam Speaker, I ask for passage of the legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes now to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey).

Mr. PALLONE. I now yield 3 minutes to the sponsor of the legislation, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just wanted to address the gentleman's point with regard to the underlying bill containing the language ``such sums.'' I mean, the bill doesn't change anything from the current law. The 2002 Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act, which we are reauthorizing, had that language in it, and we are simply updating the authorization here. It is not changing the language. And the same is true for the bill that passed the House last year. There was a House version, sponsored by Mrs. Capps, and that didn't make any change either. So I just want to remind my colleagues that, you know, again, we passed this bill in March 2009 and then again on the floor I guess later that month, and there wasn't any issue raised by the Republicans at that time. So I just think to raise it now really makes no sense, and we should simply move to pass this. It is very commonsense legislation. It simply reauthorizes the current law. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of S. 3199, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act. Last year, the House passed the companion measure to this bill, and we are pleased to pass it again with minor modifications. Every year, more than 12,000 babies are born with hearing loss. Often their condition goes undetected for years, and many of these children end up experiencing delays in speech, language, and cognitive development. However, if the hearing loss is detected early, many of these delays can be mitigated or even prevented, and for that reason, early detection is critical to improving outcomes for these children. The bill, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act, would improve services for screening, diagnosing, and treating hearing loss in children by reauthorizing the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program, which was first enacted in 2000. The program provides grants and cooperative agreements for statewide newborn and infant hearing services. These programs focus on screening evaluation, diagnosis, and early intervention. I want to particularly thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from California, Representative Capps, who is the vice chair of the Health Subcommittee, for her hard work on this issue and so many issues. She is a nurse by profession. I am sure you have noticed that many of the health care bills that have come out of the last 4 years during the Democratic majority have been from Mrs. Capps, and she is always, in particular, looking out for children and senior citizens. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3199) to amend the Public Health Service Act regarding early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of S. 3036, and I also yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Loebsack).

Mr. PALLONE. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. PALLONE. I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) who has been very much involved with this issue and who is also a physician.

Mr. PALLONE. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 3036, the National Alzheimer's Project Act, as amended. Last week, the Subcommittee on Health in the Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on Alzheimer's disease and the many challenges associated with it. Alzheimer's is an irreversible progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. Alzheimer's can affect every part of the brain and rob its victims of their very lives and dignity, and it is fatal. Alzheimer's is estimated to be the sixth leading cause of death in our country. The disease, which is estimated to affect as many as 5.1 million Americans, has a devastating impact, not just on families but on our national economy. It is projected that the national costs associated with caring for those with Alzheimer's exceeds $172 billion each year, with the figure expected to rise to $1 trillion by 2050. These costs represent the burden on Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, caregiving, and out-of-pocket costs for families. Of this figure, $123 billion can be attributed to Medicare and Medicaid alone. The National Alzheimer's Project Act will require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create and maintain a national plan to overcome Alzheimer's disease. It will also create an advisory council on Alzheimer's research, care, and services. I want to thank the sponsor of this legislation, Representative Markey, for his tireless leadership on this bill. He is also the co- chair of the congressional task force on Alzheimer's disease, and he works hard on all aspects of trying to find a cure and to do research with regard to Alzheimer's. I urge my colleagues to support the National Alzheimer's Project Act today. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3036) to establish the Office of the National Alzheimer's Project.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the Congresswoman from Minnesota who is the sponsor of the bill, Ms. Betty McCollum.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, House Resolution 1600 recognizes the critical role of physician assistants in our health care system by designating October 6-12 of 2010 as National Physician Assistant Week. Physician assistants, or PAs, practice in a collaborative setting with physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals to extend the reach of medical care to more patients. Their role helps patients have better access to high-quality medical care, particularly for underserved populations. Throughout the Nation, approximately 75,000 PAs provide high-quality and cost-effective care in various health settings. With the passage of health reform, millions of Americans will enter our health care system, and PAs will play a vital role in helping our healthcare workforce meet this challenge. I want to applaud the leadership of Representative McCollum on this issue, and I would urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of the resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.