Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I will just read this one section from this report, and then I will yield back to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown). Again, this is the GAO, the Government Accounting Office, nonpartisan; this is not Democrat or Republicans saying this. This is what the report said: ``To draw PPOs,'' which is a form of managed care ``into Medicare,'' the report said, ``the Bush administration offered to pay them more, waive stringent standards for the quality of care, and remove limits on the costs that beneficiaries might be required to pay. As a result,'' the GAO says, ``these plans were subject to no statutory or regulatory limits on cost-sharing for beneficiaries.'' Quality of care, cost, standards, they do not care. They are just giving money to their friends, the insurance companies.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to add a couple of things about price, because I think it was the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Emanuel) who said earlier that what this is all about is price and cost and how much people are paying out of pocket. I mean, the reason that my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), started this Special Order tonight is because of this 17.4 percent premium increase in Medicare part B, but we have already talked about all of the other additional costs. One of the things that I think has not been highlighted, and I am not talking about with us, but just in general, is that when this so-called prescription drug benefit, and I do not even like to use the term, kicks in in a couple of years, all of the information that Republicans are giving out relative to the cost, none of it is true. They act as if there is going to be a set premium, that there is going to be a set deductible, that there is going to be some list or formula that is going to include drugs, certain drugs. None of these things are true. There is absolutely nothing in the bill that sets the premium. The premium for the drugs could be $100 a month. Who knows? The deductible, we are thinking because we think of part B that the deductible is $100, the deductible could be $200, $300. There is absolutely nothing in this bill that dictates in any way what the price is going to be for the premiums, for the deductibles, for anything, or that any particular drugs are going to be included. Everything else is true too. In the interim, we have these so-called drug cards, right? Now, you and I know the seniors are supposed to go on the Internet and figure out whether or not it is worth it to buy one of these drug cards because you look to see whether or not certain drugs that you might want to take are included on these so-called discount drug cards. But we know that that price can change next week. So they could increase the price, and you might find that you sign up and pay for the drug card and then the cost is two or three times. There is nothing here. The idea of not negotiating the price extends not only to the price of the drugs, but to every aspect of this: premium, deductible, you name it.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an individual who I am fortunate enough to call a dear friend, Mr. Michael Cantwell. Mike, who started his career as an Apprentice Steamfitter in 1960, will be retiring this week, leaving behind a legacy of public service and dedication to working families throughout the great State of New Jersey. As a longtime union member and leader, Mike has tirelessly devoted his efforts and time to countless State, county and municipal organizations. For the past 44 years, he has served proudly, as a member of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, Locals 236 and 9. Currently, he serves as Local 9's business manager, financial secretary-treasurer. As a staunch supporter of worker's rights and active union member and leader, Mike currently serves as the vice president of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO and the New Jersey State Building and Construction Trades Council. He is also a member of the New Jersey Joint Labor-Management Committee and the New Jersey Alliance for Action. In addition, Mike is president of the New Jersey State Association of Pipe Trades, and the Mechanical Trades Council of New Jersey. He also chairs the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union No. 9 Joint Apprenticeship Committee, as well as the Trustees of the Education Fund--UA/Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors Association of New Jersey. For the past 17 years, Mike has proudly served on the Mercer County vocational Technical School Board, and his civic responsibilities also include his service on the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission Executive Committee and the Mercer County Planning Board. An avid golfer, and proud father of 4, Michael, Lee, Barbara and Patrick, and grandfather to Luke and Eric, Mike has been married to his wife Lynne for the past 44 years. A true friend, and ardent supporter, Mike has been invaluable to my reelection efforts over the years. I have profound admiration and respect for Mike, and I am certain that his best years have yet to come. I wish Mike and his family the best that retirement has to offer and I extend my heartfelt praise and gratitude for all that he has done.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, earlier today a united Democratic Caucus went to the steps of the U.S. Capitol right outside these doors and unveiled our New Partnership for America's Future. This partnership reaffirms House Democrats' commitment to six core values and serves as a road map of the priorities we would focus on if the American people voted for a Democratic majority in November. The announcement of this new partnership was necessary today because a large majority of Americans have lost faith in Congress. Over the past decade, Republicans have controlled the people's House and have often strayed from these core American values. My Democratic colleagues and I have been fighting for these causes for many years, but this is the first time that we have unveiled a partnership with the American people, a promise, if you will, that if the American people put their trust in us and elect a Democratic majority this November, we will work with them as partners to make their lives and our government better. Mr. Speaker, the House Democrats are united, focused, and totally committed to taking the bold steps needed to strengthen the middle class that is the heart of our democracy. It reaffirms the commitment of House Democrats to six core values: one is prosperity, two is national security, three is fairness, four is opportunity, five is community, and six is accountability. Mr. Speaker, our New Partnership for America's Future begins with our commitment to promoting prosperity for every American, and this poster which I have which I am going to go through essentially outlines each of the six values that are part of the Democrats' New Partnership for America's Future. The first one, prosperity, says ``providing all Americans with the opportunity to succeed and to live a secure and comfortable life, including good jobs here at home, affordable health care, a growing economy with stable prices, investment in new technologies, and fiscal responsibility in government.'' Mr. Speaker, in my home State of New Jersey, over 71,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost over the last 4 years, and more than 214,000 New Jerseyans are still looking for work. Yet House Republicans have missed every opportunity to jump-start our economy. Instead, House Republicans and President Bush continue to insist that our economy has turned the corner. Today, families are being squeezed by falling incomes and rising costs. The typical family's income has fallen more than $1,500 under George Bush and congressional Republicans, and the jobs that the Bush economy is creating are paying low wages, $9,000 less than the old jobs that they have replaced. House Democrats would promote prosperity by creating new jobs, enacting middle-class tax relief, and rewarding companies that create jobs here at home. If Democrats control the House, we promise the American people that we will create 10 million new jobs over the next 4 years. Democrats want to reform the Tax Code to reward companies for creating secure jobs for Americans here in the United States. And Democrats want to assure access to capital for small businesses to create jobs and serve new markets. We also want to support fair wages with good benefits so no one goes to work every day and comes home poor and dependent on public services. And, Mr. Speaker, the second value that House Democrats promise to focus on is our Nation's national security. And again I have the poster here that I would like to put up, Mr. Speaker, on the national security issue. And as we can see, it says, ``Guaranteeing military strength second to none, stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction, building strong diplomatic alliances to protect America's national interests, and collecting timely and reliable intelligence to keep us safe at home by preventing terrorist attacks before they occur.'' Mr. Speaker, all Americans are proud of the more than 138,000 brave men and women who are serving their country in either Afghanistan or Iraq. But President Bush and House Republicans sent them into a war in Iraq without providing them with the resources and equipment they need to complete their mission successfully and come home safe. Despite all the bad news out of Iraq in the last couple of months, it is clear President Bush has no strategy for success in Iraq. Over the past week, some of the Republican Party's most experienced Senators on national security issues, and I mention Senators McCain, Hagel, and Lugar, have come out and told the American people that things are not going well in Iraq. Yet President Bush and Republicans here in the House of Representatives continue with their same old happy talk about how the war is going according to President Bush's plans. The fact is the war in Iraq has made us less safe. The President has ignored more pressing dangers like the nuclear threats that have increased in Iran and North Korea. International terrorist cells expand on a daily basis, and we have divided our friends and united our enemies. Democrats strive to continue to build an American military second to none. Along with nations around the world who are committed to freedom and security, we also guarantee that all of our military forces will possess the most effective equipment available. We will also protect the homeland by making sure that every container and ship is secure before entering an American port, by inspecting all airline cargo, and by preventing the technology of weapons of mass destruction from falling into the hands of terrorists. Unlike House Republicans, we as Democrats also plan to honor every American veteran and their family by keeping our commitments to those who have served and sacrificed for our country. It is not fair that America's veterans put their lives on the line in battle only to return to the United States and realize the same government that sent them off to war now refuses to abide by its commitments. That brings me to my third value. I see some of my colleagues are here, though.

Mr. PALLONE. I yield to the gentleman from Oregon.

Mr. PALLONE. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. PALLONE. I yield to the gentleman from Oregon.

Mr. PALLONE. Reclaiming my time, first let me say the next point we have on our agenda, which is fairness, actually encompasses a lot of the things you mentioned in the last 10 or 15 minutes or so. So I think it is very much on point. The point of fairness, and we have the poster up here, basically says ensuring equal opportunity for all, including affordable health care for everyone, spending Social Security funds only on Social Security, and eliminating tax loopholes so that all Americans pay their fair share. I think the point is, the American people are not looking for special treatment. What they really want is fair treatment. Yet for the past decade, the House Republican majority has focused on the needs of the wealthiest Americans to the detriment of our Nation's middle class. Over the past 4 years, household income has dropped by more than $1,500. Instead of helping middle-class families, Republicans forced through a tax cut that provided the wealthiest 1 percent of families with a tax cut worth almost $100,000 over 4 years. How can congressional Republicans say that is fair? You all talked before about the Republican tax cuts and who they went to. Democrats are saying that we would enact tax relief that is fair to the middle class, make health care affordable for every American, and provide tax incentives to assist employers in offering affordable health insurance to all employees. The preferential treatment Republicans have shown our wealthiest Americans also unfairly affects our Nation's seniors and the millions of baby-boomers that are closing in on the golden years. Four years ago, thanks to the fiscal policies of President Clinton, both Social Security and Medicare were solvent. When Republicans finally grabbed control of the White House and Congress 4 years ago in 2001, they promised to extend the solvency of Social Security and Medicare. But as we know, instead, the Republicans have spent the entire Social Security surplus. Much of this money has gone to tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and also caused the large deficit that you mentioned. If you think of it, Republican policies call for spending the entire Social Security trust fund surplus every year for the next 10 years and beyond. So that is where you get into your deficit. Republicans also were not thinking of fairness when they passed this giant $500 billion Medicare bill last year that provides huge payoffs to HMOs and the pharmaceutical companies, again, the special interests. At the same time, this Congress provided a miniscule prescription drug benefit to our Nation's seniors that forces seniors to go outside of Medicare to get prescription drug assistance. Now we know what happened. We heard within the last few weeks about the Medicare premium is going up 17 percent, the largest increase we have had in the whole history of the Medicare program, and the majority of that is because of the Medicare prescription drug bill, or so-called prescription drug bill, which gives all of this money back to insurers, particularly the HMOs, and also to replenish the Medicare trust fund, which they borrowed from in order to pay for the tax cuts. So Democrats are saying that we maintain an unqualified commitment to the preservation of retirement dignity through Medicare, Social Security and sound pensions. Unlike the Republican Medicare bill, Democrats guarantee a prescription drug benefit within the Medicare system. We would also allow access to lower-cost, reimported prescription drugs and permit the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate on behalf of our Nation's 40 million seniors to substantially reduce the cost of prescription drugs. I know the gentleman has already commented on some of this, and I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. PALLONE. Well, I have to tell the gentleman, he talks about the past on the floor of the House. And I remember when I was first elected back in 1988, and for those first few years, through the late 1980s, early 1990s, the policy or the theme of the Republicans here was to eliminate the deficit. They kept talking about how we needed to eliminate the deficit. There was a group that used to come on the floor, and I have said this before, but I will say it again, there was a group that used to come on the floor during Special Orders every night, just like we do, here we are, and they had a clock, a digital clock that was the whole length of this podium. And they would have the pages bring it out, and they could barely carry the thing. And every night they would say, this is how much higher the Federal deficit went. But, boy, we do not see anybody on the Republican side coming down here now talking about the deficit. It is the largest deficit we have ever had.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to move to the next point, because I know it particularly relates to the 30-plus group. Our colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan), has been basically out front on the issue about how we need to address the concerns of the younger generation. And this one, of course, is the value that talks about opportunity, providing Americans access to the tools to succeed as they choose, vibrant public education system accountable to the highest standards for every school and a chance for all children to reach their potential, including an affordable and accessible college education. Now, since the Republicans have failed to provide promised funding for education reforms, millions of Americans have gone without help in reading and math and without after-school programs that boost academic achievement and keep kids safe. Republicans have underfunded education programs by $27 billion over the past 4 years nationwide. And of course, the President, as we know, several years ago heralded the No Child Left Behind program but never funded it. And unlike Republicans, Democrats would provide opportunity through high-quality, early childhood education, vibrant and accountable public schools and an affordable college education. I have to say that the number-one issue, when I go back to my district, that people are concerned about is health care. That is the one I hear about the most. But the second, the one I hear about second is education, particularly the inability for families to finance their kids' higher education which, whether you are in public or private school, the costs keep coming up. I know that the gentleman from Ohio has talked about this many times in the evening when he talks about the 30-plus, so I will yield to the gentleman.

Mr. PALLONE. I agree with you. It really leads into our next point.

Mr. PALLONE. Both of the gentlemen commented on communities and the concerns that communities have, and that is clearly the next point that we have here, so we can just go right into it. The fifth point of the Democrats' new Partnership for America's Future is community; essentially working together for safe communities, free of crime and drugs, supporting local businesses and groups, to keep our families safe and our neighborhoods strong, and enforcing our anti-pollution laws to keep our air and water clean and healthy with polluters paying for the damage that they cause. Republicans have tried to cut back on support for local police officers, supporting proposals that would slash funding for the COPS program which has put thousands of cops on the street nationwide. As you know, that was a major initiative that President Clinton had, and that put a lot of police on the street in communities throughout the nation 4 or 5 years ago or even longer. But in addition to that, the Republicans have even drained the Superfund program. One of the points that was made today when we had the press conference unveiling the new partnership was that we have about 719 sites that are under the Superfund program, hazardous waste sites that currently have the potential to endanger the families or the health of the families that live nearby. But what the Republicans have done is about 10 years ago when they first came into the majority under Speaker Gingrich, they have decided not to renew the tax on oil and chemical companies that pay for the Superfund. So there is no money left in the Superfund any more to clean up these hazardous waste sites. Democrats would protect the safety of our communities with strong law enforcement and community policing. We would also invest in better transportation choices to fight congestion, create jobs, and improve the quality of life. And we would also restore the Superfund tax legislation that would force polluters to clean up their own mess rather than the American taxpayers. Right now what happens is if a Superfund site needs to be cleaned up, we have to use what we call general revenue funds which are moneys that come from income taxes primarily, so the taxpayers are paying for the clean up. Whereas it used to be before the Republicans came into the majority, the oil and chemical companies would pay that tax into the Superfund and that money would be used to clean up the sites. In addition to that, there has been every effort on the part of Bush and the Republicans to not enforce the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Clean Air Act. We could go on and on about their efforts to basically water down that legislation or those provisions that relate to water and air. I do not know if the gentleman wanted to comment on any of those. I could say myself that the woman that was at our press conference today from Marlboro, New Jersey, that talked about the Superfund program is actually in my district and that was a perfect example. She did not go into the details, but the two Superfund sites she mentioned, one of them is Imperial Oil. What happens now is, because we do not have money in this trust fund from the tax and oil and chemical industries, at the end of the fiscal year which is August, September, right about now, these various States get some kind of notice from the Federal Government saying, we do not have any more money to clean up your site. We are short of money this year. That is what happened to the Imperial Oil site. They got a notice saying they were not going to have enough money, and so we had to go back and try to get the funding and try to scrape around and see if there was money available. That never happened before when the Superfund existed because the money was there, paid for by the very companies that were creating the pollution.

Mr. PALLONE. I have to tell my colleagues that we only have 4 minutes left so I want to get to our last point.

Mr. PALLONE. A lot of this relates to the deficit issue talked about before. Our last point is accountability: holding those in power accountable for their actions, acting responsibly for our children by restoring fiscal discipline and eliminating deficit spending with pay-as-you-go budgets and requiring real consequences for CEOs and corporations who break the law at the expense of those who play by the rules. Again, all the families nationwide have seen their share of the national debt, as my colleagues talked about earlier, increase by $52,000 and face a debt tax of $10,000 over the next 6 years. Unlike Republicans, Democrats will also refuse to cater to the Nation's special interest at the expense of the middle class, will require real consequences for CEOs and corporations that break the law. This is the last part of our new partnership with the American people, our promise to honor these six values and the policies that they represent.

Mr. PALLONE. I think so.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's comments, and I think the thing that you said that I really want to stress the most, because we are almost done here, is the fact that this is an optimistic vision, that we are full of hope, and we have a basic vision that says that we will work with the American people as partners to make their lives and our government better. We are optimistic about what can be done, but we also feel that it can only be done if we change the majority and if the Democrats have the opportunity to implement this partnership with America after November 2. So I thank both gentlemen.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, today House Democrats will announce a new partnership with the American people, a partnership that would strengthen six of our Nation's most important core values. We will put Americans back to work, make health care more affordable, hold polluters responsible for the contamination they cause, give our children the education and development tools they need to have a positive future, and restore fiscal responsibility here in Washington. Democrats' new partnership is necessary today because a large majority of Americans have lost faith in Congress. Over the past decade, Republicans have controlled the people's House and have often strayed from these core American values. My Democratic colleagues and I have been fighting for these causes for many years, but this is the first time we are unveiling a partnership with the American people, a promise, if you will, that if the American people put their trust in us and elect a Democratic majority in November, we will work with them as partners to make their lives and our government better.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, positioned at the base of Capitol Hill, the National Museum of the American Indian rises up out of the ground with its curved limestone walls to celebrate the lives and achievements of our country's first citizens. This museum is a unique addition to our National Mall, in so much as it displays a living history of a vibrant people who exists among us today. Native Americans are not an extinct people to be catalogued. Theirs is not a culture that can be relegated to the confines of a glass display. Accordingly, the new National Museum of the American Indian does not exhibit archaeological artifacts to be surveyed by passersby, but rather offer visitors a glimpse into a lively and vibrant culture that lives on through the customs and traditions practiced by generations of native peoples. Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome the thousands of Native Americans that have come to Washington today to celebrate the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian, and I ask my colleagues to join in the celebration this week and take time to reflect upon the rich culture of Native Americans.

Mr. PALLONE

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

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I do not intend to use all the time, but I do want to speak out about the National Museum of the American Indian. First of all, let me say that 15 years after Congress passed legislation calling for the establishment of a National Museum of the American Indian, we finally arrive today at the day when American Indians have a place to call their own in the Nation's Capital. I had the opportunity today to witness most of the procession that took place beginning at 9 a.m. and then the opening ceremony at 12 noon, and then the opportunity this afternoon to go and visit the museum itself. So I want to talk a little bit about my firsthand experiences today and why I think it is so significant that this museum has finally opened. When I was talking to Native Americans today, some of whom I had met before, some of whom I had not, they all seemed to say the same thing, which is, finally, finally, the day had come when they were going to be recognized in this museum. I asked some of them what they meant by that, and they pretty much said the same thing, which was that for a long time in these United States, Native American culture was not paid attention to. Many people, I would say, particularly on the East Coast, are not even aware of the fact that Native American communities continue to exist. It is almost as if they are something that happened and occurred a long time ago, maybe 100 years ago, and now there is very little knowledge on the part of many Americans about Native Americans or their communities. So the museum seeks to change all that. When I went through the museum today, there was, of course, reference to the genocide that occurred, there was, of course, reference to, I remember one particular place where there is a wall that talks about how so many Native Americans were wiped out through diseases when Europeans arrived. But, generally speaking, it was not so much a museum about the past, it was much more a museum about communities that exist today, the peoples that exist today, the cultures that exist today, and the uniqueness of them and how there is so much variety between the various tribes and Indian nations, not only in the United States, but in all of the Americas. So the museum has become an affirmation of the fact that Native Americans and their communities not only continue to exist, but are growing and are vibrant and are an important part of American culture. I think that is a lesson that is certainly important for nonNative Americans. In the museum today, most of the people seemed to be American Indians, but there were certainly a lot of people who were not, and the museum serves as a way of explaining to them how the Native American culture continues to exist and survive and strive and move forward. I have to also say that looking at the museum, the artwork was just unbelievable, not only in terms of traditional culture, such as baskets, moccasins, clothing, and blankets, but also in terms of modern art, like abstract art and abstract paintings. It truly is a museum that encompasses the entire spectrum of the Native American culture. So I just want to say that when I went down there today and witnessed the museum, I just felt that this was sort of the culmination of the artistic achievement of the Native American culture in the United States. The other thing that was so significant was the opening ceremony today. I think they estimated there were over 10,000 native peoples that participated in the opening ceremony. They were arranged alphabetically by tribe. And when you saw them march, you could see the pride in their faces, you could see the children that were learning from the experience, you could see the elders that were so proud to be there, and the various cultures in just watching that procession with the various tribes. I do not know how many tribes were represented. I am sure there had to be hundreds, not only from the United States, but also throughout the Americas. I saw Incas from Peru, I saw people from the extreme southern part of South America, and I saw Arctic peoples. It was just truly amazing. So I just want to close today, although I do see we have another speaker that I will yield some time to, but I want to close today by saying on my behalf, and also on behalf of the Native American Caucus, of which I am one of the vice chairs, we want to welcome the thousands of Native Americans that came to Washington to celebrate the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian, and certainly ask my colleagues here in the House to join in the celebration this week and take time to reflect now upon the rich culture of Native Americans. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire about the amount of time I have remaining?

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega). (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, Republicans are at it again. President Bush yesterday attacked Senator Kerry's budget plan; yet President Bush has presided over the biggest budget deficit in our Nation's history. Now it appears all the domestic proposals President Bush listed off during his convention acceptance speech will cost $3 trillion over 10 years. That is at least $1 trillion more than the initiatives that Senator Kerry has proposed. And despite this huge price tag, President Bush continues to deceive the American people by telling them that this can all be done without raising taxes on one single American. Over the past 4 years, we have gone from record surpluses to record deficits. It is because we have a man in the White House and leaders here in Congress who simply cannot balance a checkbook. It is time for the President to level with the American people. He simply cannot afford all these new proposals without either raising taxes or increasing the deficit even more.