Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans aren't kidding anyone tonight. They have the ability this evening to take up the continuing resolution that was passed in the Senate. If they passed it here tonight, it would go to the President, we would have a budget, the President would sign it, and the government would not shut down. The government is going to shut down because they refuse to do that. They are the ones that are shutting the government down because they want to debate again the Affordable Care Act. Now, this is the 45th time. I've come to the floor almost every time on these votes to try to repeal the Affordable Care Act. It is a farce. What is the debate? We had an election last November. The President campaigned on the Affordable Care Act. His Republican opponent said he would repeal it. The President won. Now I hear my colleague from Texas come here and say: oh, I've got a poll that says that people don't like the Affordable Care Act. Well, I can come up with any poll you want. I can bring you a poll down here that shows people like it or don't. Then he says: well, I've got all my constituents, they don't like it, and they're suffering this way, that. I can bring all my constituents that are waiting for October 1 so they can sign up because they don't have health insurance. Why are we debating this tonight? We should not be debating the Affordable Care Act for the 45th time. It is the obligation of those who are in the majority to govern, not to shut the government down. That is what they want to do--shut the government down. Then he goes on to say: oh, that's okay, we are going to pay the military. Well, I'm glad that we are going to pay the military, but what about all the other functions that are involved with the armed services? What about the support services? What about everything else that goes on with the military? That's all going to shut down. So don't give me this argument about how we are going to pay the military. The bottom line is he knows, and they all know on the Republican side of the aisle, that by taking this vote tonight they are forcing or they are getting closer and closer to a shutdown that they are responsible for because they refuse to accept the reality that the Affordable Care Act is law. I am not going to debate the Affordable Care Act anymore tonight. I know it's a good law; I know my constituents want it. But that's not the issue. The issue is that you are going to risk the full faith and credit of this government. That's what the issue is.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Thank you, Mr. Waxman. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Drug Quality and Security Act. This bill represents a bipartisan, bicameral effort to clarify current pharmaceutical compounding laws and secure our Nation's pharmaceutical drug supply chain. It's the culmination of several months of hard work and tireless negotiations between our committee and the Senate Health Committee. As a result of the terrible tragedy in Massachusetts, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held hearings and engaged with stakeholders and the FDA in order to understand the existing problems and the best options for addressing them. What became clear was a need for patients and providers to have access to safe compounded drugs. This legislation helps ensure that quality compounded drugs are available to patients who need them. This effort also makes clear that FDA's authorities over compounding pharmacies needed to be fixed. A court split decision over the statute had hampered FDA's ability to effectively enforce their authority over compounding pharmacies and ensure the safety and effectiveness of compounded medications. The bill before us will fix this constitutional flaw by deleting the provisions that were deemed unconstitutional by the courts. The bill will permit compounders who wish to practice outside the scope of traditional pharmacy to register as outsourcing facilities, but those who choose to remain traditional pharmacies will continue to be regulated as they are under current law. This gives doctors and hospitals the ability to purchase compounded drugs for their patients made in a facility that is subject to stringent FDA quality standards and oversight. In addition, the legislation offers providers and patients better information about compounded drugs by directing FDA to make a list of FDA-regulated outsourcing facilities available and requiring detailed labeling on compounded drugs. It will also improve communications and coordination with FDA and State authorities. The second title of the bill establishes a uniform, national drug- tracing framework to track prescription drugs from the manufacturer to the pharmacy, and raises the standards for prescription drug wholesalers and third-party logistic providers across the U.S. This is the result of several years of work to address the growing problems of pharmaceutical theft, counterfeiting, and diversion. The bill before us today makes significant improvements from the bill that passed the House earlier this year. Most notably, it develops a workable pathway to unit-level, interoperable tracing in a decade. I think we should all be proud of the work our staffs have done. I would like to thank again Mr. Waxman, Mr. Upton, as well as Chairman Pitts, Mr. Dingell, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Green, Mr. Matheson, Mr. Latta, and Mr. Griffith for their work on this bill. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve the peace of mind to know that the medicines they take are safe and effective. The Drug Quality and Security Act is a critically important step in protecting the public's health, and I urge Members to support this bipartisan, bicameral legislation.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I heard the same thing on the Republican side of the aisle: Why doesn't the President compromise? The bottom line is that the President is always willing to negotiate on the issues of the budget, as are the House Democrats. But what we are seeing from the GOP is that they just want to kill the Affordable Care Act. That's what this is all about. They do not want the Affordable Care Act to proceed. I know for myself that in my district there are plenty of people who just can't wait until October 1. They don't have insurance, they want a good benefit package. It makes absolutely no sense to link the budget, which has nothing to do with the Affordable Care Act or ObamaCare, and say, Well, we want to kill that because we don't like it. We had an election last November. Less than a year ago, President Obama said he was going to continue with the Affordable Care Act, and his opponent said, no, he would repeal it, and the President won. This is over. The Republicans should not continue to come back and insist that there be changes, repeal, defunding of the Affordable Care Act. That's not the way this government operates. No one on the Republican side of the aisle has asked to sit down with the Democrats, and no one on the Republican side of the aisle has suggested they'll do anything, but they have to repeal the Affordable Care Act. That's what this is all about, and it should not be, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. I want to thank the gentleman from California and all of my colleagues who came to the floor in the aftermath of that hour from the GOP side of basically criticizing, on the Republican side, the health care reform--the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare. Sometimes, when I listen to what the Republicans say about ObamaCare, I am shocked because I don't think they understand how many people are out there who have already benefited from it and who are really looking forward to October 1 because they can sign up for the first time for health insurance. Let me tell you that, in my own district, I have had so many inquiries from people who are uninsured or underinsured or who can't afford the health insurance they have now. I just want to say that I agree with the gentleman from California in that this was basically resolved last November. It couldn't have been clearer that the President, for whom ObamaCare is now known, was out there in the Presidential election, saying that the Affordable Care Act was a great accomplishment on his part and that he was going to continue with it. Then you had Mitt Romney on the other side, saying that, if he were elected, he was going to repeal it. So my colleague from California is right--that was resolved in the election. So why is it that our colleagues on the Republican side are trying to hold the health care reform hostage by saying that, if we don't repeal it or delay it or defund it or whatever--we've had so many votes on this, over 40 now--that they're going to shut the government down? One has nothing to do with the other. I just want to talk about those three groups of people who will be the most positively impacted by ObamaCare beginning October 1. First of all, we know we have about 40 million Americans who are uninsured. Many of them are from New Jersey. They don't have health insurance options right now. This is going to be the first time, on October 1, that they will actually have a rational, legitimate option to get health insurance, and they are waiting for October 1 to come around. Secondly, we have just as many people--maybe 80 million people--who may have health insurance, but it's very skeletal. It doesn't provide much in the way of benefits, and they have to pay a lot of money out- of-pocket if they get sick or if they have to go to the hospital or whatever. Those people will also benefit because every health insurance policy that's offered under the health exchange, as the gentleman from California talked about, will be a good benefit package, at least as good as what we know as, say, Blue Cross-Blue Shield. Then you have the third group of people who may have health insurance, but they're spending so much money in order to make sure that they have health insurance that they can't pay for their rent or they can't pay for their mortgage or they can't put food on the table. All of these people are going to benefit come October 1, when they can sign up for a good package and an affordable package. One of the main reasons it's affordable is that the Federal Government is helping pay the premium--is helping subsidize the premium--with tax credits but not with tax credits that you have to pay up front and then get a refund for when you file next April 15, but a tax credit like a subsidy that goes directly to pay for the premium. We are already hearing--and I've said this to my colleagues in New Jersey--that the average health insurance policy is going to be about $350 a month. Some people say, ``Oh, $350 a month,'' but that is incredibly affordable for a lot of people in New Jersey who are paying a lot more right now, and that's without the subsidy. With the subsidy, that can go down to $100 a month depending upon your income. So I can't stress enough how important this is, and for the Republicans to try to hold this hostage, no one on our side of the aisle is going to give up on the Affordable Care Act, because we know people need it. We are going to move forward, and, hopefully, they come to their senses and don't keep trying to shut this government down. I want to commend the gentleman again. Thank you.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize two notable New Jersey families, the Wilfs and the Pantirers, as they are honored by the Anti-Defamation League at their Centennial Celebration. Both of these families have survived significant hardships and have made impressive contributions to their communities. They continue to embody the mission of the Anti-Defamation League and are truly deserving of this body's recognition. Enduring much loss and suffering in Poland before and during the Holocaust, the Wilfs experienced firsthand the effects of anti-Semitism and they have dedicated their lives to fighting religious intolerance. Since immigrating to the United States in 1954, the Wilf family has been a prominent business and philanthropic leader in New Jersey. Each successive generation has continued the commitment to improving the lives of Jewish people begun by Harry, Joseph and Oscar. For nearly 50 years, the Wilf Family Foundation has provided more than $100 million to support various institutions. The family also continues to be a major contributor of the Holocaust History Museum and Yeshiva University in New York. After losing his parents and siblings to the war, Murray Pantirer attributed his survival to Schindler's List, never learning how or why his name was included. In 1949, he emigrated to the United States with his wife Lushka ``Lucy'' Lorber Pantirer, who also endured suffering and loss along with her family in labor camps during the Holocaust. The Pantirers found business success in America with their real-estate development firm, which is still family owned three generations later. Throughout their successes, the Pantirers have remained committed to serving their community. Murray in particular was especially active in preserving the memory of Holocaust victims and inspiring younger generations to continue Jewish traditions and legacy. Mr. Speaker, once again, please join me in honoring the Wilf family and the Pantirer family for their immeasurable contributions to the community and congratulating them on their recognition by the Anti- Defamation League. For 100 years, the Anti-Defamation League has been a leader in the fight against discrimination and continues to work toward a fair and just world for all.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 22nd anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia. On September 21, 1991, Armenia gained its independence from the Soviet Union and the Caucasus region saw new opportunities, as well as new challenges. I'm proud to say that the Republic of Armenia has taken on those opportunities and challenges with great success and now is an important democratic ally of the United States. Eighteen years ago, I helped found the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and have served as a cochair of the caucus since that time. Together, our two countries continue to work towards developing greater economic ties, including trade and investment, and seek to build regional stability. Here in Congress, the Armenia Caucus is working towards those ends. I ask my colleagues in Congress to join me, along with the Armenian people and Armenian Americans across the country, in celebrating 22 years of Armenian independence.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The bill before us today is nothing more than another page out of the Republican playbook to delay, derail, and otherwise repeal the Affordable Care Act. Rather than a productive, bipartisan effort to ensure successful implementation, Republicans will instead waste more precious floor time to take their 41st vote that undermines and repeals the Affordable Care Act. H.R. 2775 is based on a flawed premise that HHS does not have the verifications in place to ensure that families who are getting financial help are eligible for that help. But my Republican friends, that's simply not true, and your bill will do nothing but prevent millions of hardworking American families from gaining Affordable Care Act coverage. First and foremost, this bill is totally unnecessary. HHS already has stated in regulations that they will check and verify income on 100 percent of the applications. If someone receives payments that they determine aren't substantiated, those payments will have to be paid back--100 percent verified and reconciled. Here is how it works. To get subsidies to make their health insurance affordable, hardworking Americans and families will submit their projected annual household income through the marketplaces. The data will then be checked against IRS data, Social Security data, and current wage information. If there is an inconsistency, the marketplaces will require additional documentation from applicants. In addition, marketplaces will check employer coverage information from the applicant and their employer against data from a number of employer data sources approved by HHS to verify eligibility for the subsidies. If applicant information and other data do not match, the marketplaces will ask for further supporting documentation. And lastly, all payments of premium tax credits are reconciled by IRS the following year. The income data submitted to the marketplaces are reconciled against the actual wages and health-covered information on the individual's income tax return. If there is an inconsistency, the applicant pays back the excess. Let me repeat that part, that last part, Madam Speaker, because it is the most critical. Even after HHS has verified wage information on each individual situation that arises before tax credits are sent out, the income information will still be doublechecked again against actual wages on the individual's income tax return the following year. So if there is an inconsistency, the applicant pays back the excess. There is, again, 100 percent income verification and reconciliation on the back end. Madam Speaker, both CBO and JCT, the Joint Committee on Taxation, confirmed this, stating that the program HHS has in place satisfies the certification requirements under section 1411 of the law--proving, again, that this bill is simply irrelevant. But, of course, in light of this report, our Republicans at the twelfth hour have hastily amended the bill. The new language will basically ask the IG of HHS to formally certify these verification systems, which does nothing but delay the start of the law and deny millions of hardworking Americans from getting the tax credits they're clearly eligible for. I maintained in Rules last night, and I'll maintain again, this is not the responsibility of the inspector general. The inspector general doesn't do this. They probably can't do this. The IG's office has confirmed these implications by stating that this new language places unworkable requirements on their office and that it has no resources to perform this and that it is outside of its traditional role. The Republicans know very well all of this, and that's the exact reason they made this change. It's simply a delay tactic. Again, the IG won't be able to do this. This is not its traditional role. So the only thing that happens here, Madam Speaker, is that this is a legislation which, of course, will never pass; but if it did pass and got signed by the President, which would never happen, it would simply delay the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and that's what the Republicans want. Repeal, delay, defund--this is what they're all about. It's the 41st vote, again, to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Madam Speaker, we are 20 days away from October 1, when millions of uninsured Americans will finally get access to quality, affordable health care. No longer will hardworking families worry about getting sick or injured or losing coverage because of the loss of a job, because the Affordable Care Act gives health security and peace of mind. For those hardworking families who need additional tools to help them afford their health coverage, the ACA will help make coverage a reality. So despite the delay tactics in this bill and the millions of hours and dollars spent to derail the ACA, the law is moving forward. Organizations across this country, including labor, small businesses, employers, health care providers, advocates, religious leaders, and others, will continue to focus on helping uninsured Americans gain access to health care. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill. It is, again, an unnecessary delay; but I at least am optimistic in knowing that the ACA will move forward and that the Republicans will not have success. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield the remaining 30 seconds to our Ways and Means Committee time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews). (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request. (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. PALLONE. I now yield 3 minutes to the chairman emeritus of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Dingell. (Mr. DINGELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask how much time remains on both sides.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps), who is a long-time supporter and person in the mix on health care, certainly as a nurse and as a health care professional.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield), a member of our committee.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Rev. Dr. Dwight C. Northington on his retirement as Senior Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Red Bank, New Jersey. Dr. Northington has led Calvary Baptist Church for over 21 years and his dedication is truly deserving of this body's recognition. Before entering the ministry, Dr. Northington worked as an executive for Travelers Insurance Company. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He is married to his wife Rebecca and together they have two daughters, Bianca and Alisha, a granddaughter Aniya and grandson Nukeil. In addition to his 21 years of service to Calvary Baptist Church, Dr. Northington is an active member of the community. He has served as the past moderator of the Seacoast Missionary Baptist Association, past member of the Red Bank Board of Education and past president of the Westside Ministerial Alliance. Dr. Northington is committed to learning and teaching. He graduated from Morgan State University, Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Drew University and has taught homiletics at New Brunswick Theological Seminary and worked as an Adjunct Professor of the Brookdale Community College Psychology Department. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Dr. Northington on his pastoral retirement and thanking him for his many years of dedicated service and leadership to the Calvary Baptist Church congregation and the greater community.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I have to say that I am so sick and tired of the time that the House Republicans continue to waste on their anti- ObamaCare message--repeal, defund, obstruct. You pick the tactic. Our country has some pressing issues that we should be addressing here today, like rising student loan rates, immigration reform, budget issues, or a jobs bill. Yet the Republicans insist on focusing on politicizing this health care fight over and over again. ObamaCare is here to stay. Let's face it. If you have to make some improvements at some point after it's fully implemented, we'll look at them but not now before it has even taken place. Let me talk to you about this individual mandate. The requirement that individuals obtain coverage is the most critical part of the law. In order for our health care system to operate in a sustainable and cost-effective way, we have to get Americans covered so the insurance marketplace must include both sick and healthy individuals in order to ensure that the system is sustainable. Repealing the individual responsibility provision will only raise health insurance premiums and increase the number of uninsured Americans. That's why that New York State report says that premiums for those in the individual market have gone down 50 percent. It's because you do have the individual requirement now and because everybody sick and healthy is part of a much larger pool. Now, as to this other issue of the employer-reporting requirements, that has already been delayed by the administration. It's a done deal. Nothing that we're going to do here today in the House is going to change that. Also, the effect of that is minimal because the vast majority of large employers already provide health coverage. I think less than 4 percent do not. If someone is not covered, he can go into the exchange, and he can probably qualify for tax credits and get affordable coverage. As Mr. Levin has said, this has already had a major impact on providing health coverage for individuals. Whether they're children, students, seniors, families, small business owners, so many have already gotten affordable coverage. Once this kicks in in October, you'll be able to go into an exchange; and by next year, the vast majority--almost every American--will have affordable coverage with good benefits, and what people pay will not be based on preexisting conditions. Leave it alone. This is the law and it's a good law.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Rev. Dr. Henry P. Davis, Jr. on his 40th Pastoral Anniversary and his retirement as Pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. Dr. Davis has dedicated 40 years to leading the church and serving the community and his contributions are truly deserving of this body's recognition. Dr. Davis began serving as Pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church in 1973. Since that time, twelve individuals entered the ministry, eight of which now serve as pastors, including his son, Dr. Henry P. Davis, III of the First Baptist Church of Highland Park, New Jersey. He has provided outstanding mentorship and spiritual guidance to his congregation. He has also served as the Secretary of the Moderator's Auxiliary of the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. for 13 years. Dr. Davis earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew University and his Master of Divinity degree from New Brunswick Theological Seminary. In addition, Dr. Davis also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Huston-Tillotson College in Houston, Texas and a Master of Education degree from Prairie View A&M University. In addition to his service to St. Paul Baptist Church, Dr. Davis is an active member of his community. He serves as President of the Greater Red Bank Chapter of the NAACP; Dean of Education of the Monmouth Bible Institute in Farmingdale, New Jersey; and moderator of the Seacoast Missionary Baptist Association. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Dr. Davis on his pastoral anniversary and retirement and thanking him for his many years of dedicated service and leadership to the St. Paul Baptist Church congregation.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize The Monmouth Museum as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year. Founded in 1963 as a ``Museum of Ideas,'' The Monmouth Museum continues to bring art, culture and vitality to the community it serves. The Monmouth Museum has grown immensely since its founding. Originally housing exhibits in storefronts and temporary spaces, the museum is now one of the largest private museums in New Jersey, boasting an annual attendance of over 50,000 visitors. It has been housed in its permanent location on the Brookdale Community College campus in Lincroft since 1974. It is one of only 778 nationwide museums to earn the American Association of Museums accreditation, the highest honor a museum can receive. Today, The Monmouth Museum maintains four galleries that host changing exhibitions and programs. In addition to serving as an outlet for the arts, the museum also offers programs on science and history. Its broad collections present educational and cultural experiences for the diverse community to enjoy and provide a means for local creative expression. The Monmouth Museum reaches audiences young and old and of varying backgrounds with its extensive program offerings. It has also recently hosted my district office's judging night for the Congressional Art Competition and provides a wonderful atmosphere to display the students' artwork. The Monmouth Museum is a valuable addition to the community and I commend them for the work they do in promoting artistic, historic and scientific appreciation. Once again, please join me in congratulating The Monmouth Museum on its 50th Anniversary. The museum enriches the quality of life of Monmouth County and brings new visitors and economic development to the community.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Chair, I oppose H.R. 2231, the Offshore Energy and Jobs Act. By requiring offshore oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic Ocean, this bill threatens New Jersey's coastal environment, fishing, tourism and the associated jobs and economic activity. This bill is the same old failed attempt by the Republican majority to give away public resources to wealthy, multi-national corporations at the cost of American taxpayers and our environment. In New Jersey, tourism is a top industry, and we rely on our beaches, fisheries and clean ocean to attract that tourism. In 2011, the commercial fishing industry in New Jersey generated $6.6 billion in sales and contributed $2.4 billion to gross state product, while supporting 44,000 jobs. At the same time, New Jersey's recreational fisheries generated $1.7 billion in sales and contributed $871 million to gross state product, while supporting 10,000 jobs. I made an effort to give a voice to those Americans living on the Atlantic Coast who want to protect their livelihoods, who want to preserve a clean ocean and who want to ensure the health of marine life. I proposed an amendment to the bill which would have given the House of Representatives an opportunity to vote on whether we should force drilling in the Atlantic Ocean. However, my amendment was not allowed to even come to a full vote because of Republican opposition. At a time when domestic energy production is booming under President Obama, this rushed expansion of unsafe drilling into environmentally sensitive areas is completely unwarranted. This legislation unnecessarily rewards wealthy, multi-national who are sitting on 30 million acres worth of approved leases, waiting to drill until prices are even higher. Energy independence is a matter of smart economic progress and national security and the American people deserve real proposals that will move our country forward. The American people deserve better than this same old bill that is sure to go nowhere once again.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Peter J. Barnes, Jr. as he is recognized for his tenure as Middlesex County Democratic Organization Chairman at a reception in his honor. Chairman Barnes has been a dedicated public servant for over 15 years and is truly deserving of this body's recognition. Chairman Barnes has a distinguished career in public service. In addition to his tenure as Middlesex County Democratic Organization Chairman, he also serves as Chairman of the New Jersey State Parole Board, a position he has held since 2007. Previously, he represented New Jersey's 18th legislative district as an Assemblyman. Throughout his public service career, Chairman Barnes has made significant contributions to Middlesex County and the State of New Jersey. As an Assemblyman, Chairman Barnes saw 62 bills that he sponsored signed into law. He also served as the Majority Whip from 2002 to 2007. In addition, Chairman Barnes served his community and country prior to beginning his public service career. He was a Military Police Private First Class in the United States Army from 1946-1948 and then served as a Special Agent for the FBI for over 25 years. Chairman Barnes later served as the Director of Public Safety in Edison and East Brunswick, where he was able to use his FBI training to help maintain safety and order in each municipality. Chairman Barnes earned his B.A. in Political Science from Providence College and has continued his education with post-baccalaureate studies in Public Administration at Kean University. In addition, he graduated from the FBI Crime Resistance and Hostage Negotiating Schools as well as the FBI Management Training Prop-am. Once again, please join me in honoring Peter J. Barnes, Jr. for his outstanding accomplishments and thanking him for his years of service as Middlesex County Democratic Organization Chairman.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life and accomplishments of Senator Frank Lautenberg. I have known Senator Lautenberg for decades and I have been honored to call him a colleague and friend. My heart and thoughts go out to his wife Bonnie, his children and grandchildren. Senator Lautenberg always believed that the Congress should be there for people in need and that there were a lot of problems out there, but Congress needed to work together on a bipartisan basis to solve those problems. In this era of partisanship, it was always refreshing to have Senator Lautenberg there to bridge gaps and get things done. Over the years I had the pleasure of working with him on a number of critical issues that helped people in New Jersey and across the country. For example, when I first came to Congress in 1988, Senator Lautenberg and I worked together to close ocean dumping sites off the Jersey coast so the water millions of people swim in would be cleaner. We also worked together on Superfund and Brownfields issues. The Senator always fought to ensure that polluters, and not taxpayers, would foot the bill when it came to cleaning up toxic waste sites in New Jersey. Through his advocacy, numerous toxic sites in New Jersey have been cleaned up and redeveloped, creating jobs and cleaning the environment. I always admired Senator Lautenberg's commitment to helping 'the little guy' and the way he fought to make sure all Americans were on an equal ground to work toward the kind of success he achieved in his life. I particularly respected his tireless efforts to improve the safety and security of all Americans by working to end gun violence. I was proud to stand with him in that effort and supported his initiative to keep our communities safe. I enjoyed working with him to provide health care for 9/11 first responders. We both worked hard to pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, which pays for the monitoring and treatment of health conditions that resulted from the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks for first responders and community residents. And most recently, he worked tirelessly to advocate for rebuilding our state after the devastation of Superstorm Sandy. He fought hard to make sure New Jersey got the disaster relief funding it deserved so that we could rebuild and recover. He was able to accomplish all of these things because of the hard work that he put into everything he did. Like all New Jerseyans, I am grateful for Senator Lautenberg's service to our state and our nation. I will miss him dearly and will do my best to continue working on the issues that were so important to both of us.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Avenel Fire Company No. 1 on its 100th Anniversary. The volunteer fire company continues to provide exemplary service to the residents of Woodbridge Township's Fire District #5 and is truly deserving of this body's recognition. Organized and chartered as Avenel Chemical Company No. 1, it legally changed its name to Avenel Fire Company No. 1 on July 12, 1913. There were 12 charter members, with Joseph Szabo serving as the first Fire Chief (a position he held through 1915) and Edward Moran serving as the first President. The first firefighting equipment purchased for the company was kept in a shed owned by member Joseph Praver. Over the years, the company was housed at different locations, finally settling at its current property on Avenel Street in 1929. It was renovated in 1995 to update and expand the structure. Avenel Fire Company No. 1 continues to ensure the safety of its residents by replacing outdated equipment and adding new tools and apparatus to its fleet, including a ladder truck and zodiac boat. In its 100 year history, it has seen the installation of emergency response apparatus throughout the district, including fire hydrants, fire alarm systems and fire alarm boxes. Today, its 42 volunteer members answer approximately 600 alarms each year and service over 5000 addresses. Mr. Speaker, once again, please join me in recognizing the 100th anniversary of Avenel Fire Company No. 1. Since its inception, Avenel Fire Company No. 1 upheld its duty to serve and protect the community and its dedication is to be celebrated.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, drug distribution security is critical to public health and safety, and I strongly support taking steps to ensure that the final pharmaceutical products patients receive are safe and effective. Although the bill before us today, H.R. 1919, the ``Safeguarding America's Pharmaceuticals Act,'' is well-intentioned, I have a number of concerns and believe the bill must be strengthened before it becomes law in order to truly protect the American people. There is widespread agreement that the best way to protect the supply chain is to establish a unit-level, interoperable system that involves all members of the supply chain. However, under H.R. 1919, there is no assurance that an effective system for tracking and tracing drugs will ultimately be put into place. The bill only calls on FDA to issue proposed regulations--there is no requirement for final regulations. In order to protect the drug supply chain, it is also important to ensure that unused drugs that are returned to the previous supplier and then re-enter the supply chain are just as safe as drugs going through the chain for the first time. I am concerned that the provisions in H.R. 1919, which allow the wholesaler to begin a new transaction history when it sells a returned product, create the potential for entry of illegitimate product into the system. While I am pleased that H.R. 1919 sets national standards for the licensing of wholesale distributors, I am concerned that these standards preempt all state laws, effectively preventing states from having stronger licensing standards if they deem it necessary in their unique circumstance. National licensing standards should act as a floor defining what states must require, not as a floor and a ceiling. I am also concerned that if H.R. 1919 becomes law, there will be a significant gap in the current level of information about a drug's path through the supply chain. H.R. 1919 preempts all state requirements regarding drug tracing on the date of enactment, but the new federal standards do not go into effect until 2015. This leaves a potentially- long window open for counterfeit or substandard products to enter the supply chain and reach customers. It is crucial that if we are going to preempt state efforts, we must have a strong federal standard. This standard should serve as a true building block to tracking drugs at the unit level, so that each and every product is authenticated at the lowest unit of sale before they reach patients, and counterfeit or contaminated products are kept out of the drug supply chain or quickly eliminated from it. Unfortunately, H.R. 1919 does not meet these goals. While I do not want to stop this process from moving forward, I remain concerned about the provisions in H.R. 1919 and look forward to conference with the Senate to strengthen the bill and, ultimately, enacting legislation that will truly protect the nation's drug supply.