Bill Pascrell

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today in strong support of H.R. 146, a bipartisan piece of legislation that will do wonders for conservation and historic preservation across the United States. If one, Mr. Speaker, were to add up all the hours that were devoted to each part of this legislation in the House and the Senate, it would minimize basically what I just heard from the other side, over 100 hours of debate on these bills separately. And now we are bringing them together in one omnibus public land management bill. This bill includes the Paterson Great Falls National Park Act. It was originally introduced in the 109th Congress and passed the House in October of 2007, like many of these other bills that are part of this omnibus bill, which is a bipartisan piece of legislation. As a lifelong Paterson resident and the city's former mayor, I have fought for many years to bring recognition to the site that has played such a seminal role in American history. Alexander Hamilton knew what he was doing, because it became the gateway to industry in this country so that immigrants could come here, go to work and build the greatest country in the world. With a National Park designation, the Great Falls will be transformed into an attraction for visitors and Patersonians alike that could lead to the economic revitalization of Paterson, joining together of public and private investment. Isn't that what we are here for? As soon as President Obama signs this bill into law, Federal resources will be leveraged to revitalize the Great Falls area, refurbish the beautiful historic mill buildings, maintain and protect the waterfalls, and create a living reminder of our Nation's rich industrial history. I'm proud and thankful that Congress and the President fully recognize the vision of Hamilton, the design of L'Enfant, and the cultural and historic landmarks that have shaped America's history.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 146, the Omnibus Public Lands Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that will do wonders for conservation and historic preservation across the United States. This bill includes the Paterson Great Falls National Park Act, which I originally introduced in the 109th Congress and passed this House in October of 2007. As a lifelong Paterson resident and the city's former mayor, I have fought for many years to bring recognition to this site that has played such a seminal role in American history. A National Historical Park is the only way to properly showcase the significant cultural and historic landmarks and natural beauty that the Great Falls Historic District has to offer, I am proud and thankful that the Congress will soon pass this legislation and President Obama will sign it into law. Fifteen miles west of New York City, the majestic Great Falls in Paterson, New Jersey was the second largest waterfall in colonial America. No other natural landmark has played such an important role in our nation's quest for freedom and prosperity. Alexander Hamilton recognized the grandeur and unique power of the Great Falls when he founded Paterson in 1792 as America's first planned industrial city. Hamilton was committed to demonstrating the profitability of manufacturing in America rather than depending upon foreign goods. As Paterson rapidly rose into a thriving industrial city, it became the living manifestation of Hamilton's prescient belief in the capitalist revolution. Development of the raceway system to harness the power of the 77-foot Great Falls, the second largest waterfall east of the Mississippi River, created one of the country's first manufacturing centers. Paterson was the site of the first water-powered cotton spinning mill, and the first continuous roll paper mill. It was the site of the manufacture of the Colt Revolver, the Rogers Steam Locomotive, the Wright aeronautic engines and the first practical submarine. Its mills manufactured paper, cotton, and famously, silk, earning Paterson the name of ``Silk City.'' The National Park Service has long been aware of the importance of protecting and preserving the Great Falls district. In 1969, the Great Falls was listed as a National Natural Landmark and the 117 acres surrounding them were entered on the Department of Interior's National Register as a Historic District. In 1976, the Great Falls became a National Landmark. Since 1988, the Interior Department has listed the district as a Priority One threatened National Historic Landmark. In a special Bicentennial speech in Paterson with the spectacular natural beauty of the Great Falls in the background, the late President Gerald R. Ford said, ``We can see the Great Falls as a symbol of the industrial might which helps to make America the most powerful nation in the world.'' With a National Park designation, the Great Falls will be transformed into an attraction for visitors and Patersonians alike that could lead to the economic revitalization of Paterson. As soon as President Obama signs this bill into law, federal resources will be leveraged to revitalize the Great Falls area, refurbish the beautiful, historic mill buildings, maintain and protect the waterfall, and create a living reminder of our nation's rich industrial history. I am proud and thankful that Congress and the President will fully recognize the vision of Hamilton, the design of L'Enfant, and the cultural and historic landmarks that have shaped America's history. After this bill is signed into law I would be honored to have my colleagues visit Paterson and tour the new Great Falls National Historic Park, where they can all see first hand the value that urban parks bring to the National Park System and to their local communities. This has been a long road we have traveled to get to this point. The Great Falls National Historic Park would not be at this point without the work of many dedicated staff members who have worked on this proposal. Obviously the patient staffers working under Chairman Rahall and Chairman Grijalva at the Natural Resources Committee deserve our thanks and appreciation. Since 2001, the many staffers from my office working towards this goal have included Mia Dell, Susan Quatrone, Caley Gray, Stephanie Krenrich and Arthur Mandel. On the other side of the Capitol, Arvin Ganesan with Senator Lautenberg and Hal Connolly with Senator Menendez deserve our appreciation. And let me conclude by extending special thanks to Leonard Zax, a good friend and Paterson native, who has testified in committees, drafted support letters, brought parties together and has basically worked tirelessly to see this bill through from concept to completion. We have a great deal of work left to do, but let us celebrate this important milestone for the City of Paterson and the preservation of the Great Falls on the Passaic River.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I want to state for the record that today, March 24th, I was detained in my district and therefore missed the three rollcall votes of the day. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 147 on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 1617--Department of Homeland Security Component Privacy Act of 2009. Had I been present I would have also voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 148 on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 730--Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act. Lastly, had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 149 on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H. Res. 182--Expressing support for designation of the week of March 1 through March 8, 2009, as School Social Work Week.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Massachusetts, and my good friend Todd Platts who is the co-chair of the Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force. Mr. Speaker, I learned about this injury about 10 years ago when I was approached by one of my constituents, Dennis Benigno, whose son was struck by a car, leaving him with severe cognitive and physical disabilities. In response, former Congressman Jim Greenwood from Pennsylvania and I formed the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force to further education and awareness of brain injuries and support funding for brain injury research. There wasn't too much at that time. In fact, most of the Members of Congress didn't know about the seriousness of the injury and how 1.5 million Americans are affected every year. I think people often wonder why we spend so much time talking about brain injury. Unfortunately, it took the war to crystallize what this entire issue is all about. Someone in America suffers a traumatic brain injury every 21 seconds. At least 1.5 million Americans sustain this injury, as I mentioned. That is more than breast cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injuries combined. Of those, 50,000 will die every year. An estimated 3.22 million Americans are currently living with a long-term disability because of TBI. As many as 20 percent of the 1.8 million deployed troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, that is 360,000 soldiers, have sustained TBIs in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is an astonishing figure. TBI is one of the rare afflictions that is widespread among both the civilian population and among our soldiers. There has been a weakness in the Defense health care system, and many injured soldiers weren't receiving the level of care that they deserved. The military has made great strides in the last several years to better prevent, identify, and treat brain injuries among our brave men and women in uniform, and Congress has been a willing partner in the effort to ensure sustained progress on this front. Mr. Speaker and my good friend from Massachusetts, just today on the USA Today front-page review: GI's at Risk By Fitness Practices. Many of the soldiers are not fit to go to the battlefield. Many of our football players in colleges and in high schools throughout America are not fit to go on to the field. If they are not screened, we are doing an injustice to the cause. Accordingly, the Brain Injury Task Force brought together experts from all over the world at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey, in October for the International Conference on Behavioral Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. These experts generated recommendations that were presented to the Congress 2 weeks ago. We cannot forget that, for these Wounded Warriors and their families, the war will not end when the last shots are fired. Despite the staggering statistics and heart-shattering stories that come to us from Iraq and Afghanistan, public awareness continues to lag and TBI remains a silent epidemic plaguing our Nation. Traumatic brain injury can strike anyone and leave devastating results. We probably all know someone or know the story of someone whose life was irreversibly changed because of a brain injury. Just last week we saw a flurry of media accounts of the tragic death of actress Natasha Richardson, who sustained a brain injury while skiing. If that tragedy taught us anything, it is that, as far as science has come, we still know relatively little about this pervasive injury. The Congressional Brain Injury Task Force continues to seek increased funding for the programs authorized by the Traumatic Brain Injury Act, after an unprecedented amount of congressional support in these recent years. Designating a month to recognize the prevalence and the seriousness of brain injuries among both civilians and military community will bring much needed public attention to this frequently forgotten malady. And I might add, Mr. Speaker, that this Wednesday throughout the day, from 10 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon, in the Rayburn building we will have a fair with twice as many displays, close to 50 displays; and then we will have the leading folks from the military and civilian talk about it in the Cannon Building from 3:30 to 4:30, and then in the evening a reception. We are bringing the military and civilians together in order to help our soldiers and help Americans. This resolution will honor the families who, day in and day out, care for and love their family members who have afflictions, and do so without fanfare, without applause.

Mr. PASCRELL. They do it because they love their sons or daughters or brothers or sisters each day of every month. I invite all Members and the staff to join Wednesday in the Rayburn foyer to meet some of the folks as we recognize Brain Injury Awareness Month here on Capitol Hill. We are hosting a fair with hundreds of individuals from the brain injury community. Let's pass this resolution to confirm congressional commitment to promoting awareness, education, prevention, and research by reminding all Americans of those individuals and families who suffer from a brain injury. We have come a long way, Mr. Speaker, in ten years. We could have fit the amount of people in our caucus in a phone booth. That has all changed. We are now close to 125, 130 Members from both sides of the aisle. We are really seeing results, particularly in the last 3 or 4 years. I want to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts, and I want to thank my friend from Pennsylvania. Of course, this is only the beginning of a fight where we will respond, and our men and women who put their lives on the line will know that we really mean what we say, that we love them and we will do everything we can for them.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. The vast majority of these costs will be borne by local communities, many with fewer than 10,000 people. As a former mayor, I know how difficult it is to keep a town going in tough economic times. These communities are struggling financially. Many are laying off critical personnel, like police officers and firefighters and teachers, because they struggle to provide even the most essential services. During our current economic crisis, upgrading these infrastructures is completely out of reach to most of these towns. H.R. 1262 serves many purposes financially and healthwise. I commend people on both sides of the aisle for making sure this gets done today, and we hope the folks on the other side of the building understand what this is all about. I pray for that.

Mr. PASCRELL. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of H.R. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act. I want to commend Chairman Oberstar and Subcommittee Chairwoman Johnson for bringing this critical legislation to the floor, and it has had bipartisan support for quite a few years. We didn't give up on it, did we? H.R. 1262 makes many crucial investments in our country's water infrastructure system. Section 3 of the bill contains language we originally introduced a few years ago in our Water Quality Investment Act. The language authorizes $1.8 billion in appropriations for grants to municipalities and States to control combined sewer overflows and sanitary sewer overflows. The municipalities just don't have the money to do this, yet we mandate them to do it. Figure that out. Funding for infrastructure projects will help create jobs and spur the economy. For every $1 billion, we create 40,000 jobs. My provision is very important, especially for my colleagues in the Northeast and the Great Lakes area. Many of our older cities have combined sewer systems and suffer from overflows that send sewage and untreated waste flowing into streets, basements, rivers, and lakes. All in all, a total of 772 municipalities have combined sewer systems, serving approximately 40 million people. Problems that arise during wet weather events can be devastating and are one of the most pressing issues facing urban America. Our communities must be given access to the Federal resources necessary to upgrade their systems and to upgrade the Clean Water Act. In its 2004 Clean Water Needs survey, the EPA estimated the cost to communities of addressing these particular problems at almost $55 billion and the cost of the SSO problems to be $88.5 billion; and here we are, $1.8 billion.

Mr. PASCRELL

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

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 201) recognizing Beverly Eckert's service to the Nation and particularly to the survivors and families of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H. Res. 201, which recognizes Beverly Eckert's service to the United States of America, particularly the survivors and the families of the attack on September 11, 2001. Ms. Eckert was the widow of Mr. Sean Rooney, who was killed in the World Trade Center on September 11. For many, the devastating loss of a partner, of a husband, would lead to a state of grief, anger, fear, paralysis. But Beverly Eckert turned the September 11 attacks into a clarion call of government accountability and transparency, Mr. Speaker. When there were questions about what led to the attacks, Beverly Eckert demanded answers. When some tried to dismiss her call for answers, she pressed on and cofounded the ``Voices of September 11,'' an advocacy group for survivors which now claims more than 5,500 members. This led to the creation of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States--or the 9/11 Commission--and we all remember that commission led by former Congressman Lee Hamilton and, of course, Governor Tom Kean of New Jersey. Beverly Eckert did not stop there. She attended the 9/11 Commission hearings and was there when the 9/11 Commission published its findings and recommendations. Mr. Speaker, I want to allow, because of time factors with some of the Members, two young ladies who are Members of this great body, who are always there first to recognize and sensitive to those people, the real heroes of America. I yield 2 minutes first to Ms. Slaughter from the State of New York.

Mr. PASCRELL. I yield the gentlelady an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Instead of letting leaders in Washington pat themselves on the back for the 9/11 Commission, which we are apt to do, Beverly Eckert insisted on the implementation of the Commission's recommendations. When Ms. Eckert was told that the recommendations would be difficult to implement, she was not deterred. Where she saw there were problems, she demanded and worked tirelessly for solutions. She traveled to Washington and pushed for the passage of the implementation of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act, as Mrs. Maloney and Ms. Slaughter pointed out. To sum up, Beverly Eckert was a tenacious citizen who nudged and prodded the leaders of this Nation to look at their mistakes and implement the steps to correct them. Ms. Eckert was not interested in partisanship, fear-mongering or saber rattling. Beverly Eckert was a woman who made sure that the death of her husband and those who died on September 11 would not be in vain. In that process she taught us all why we should not give into the fear of terrorism. I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I move that the message of the President be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered printed.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, in Italian we say ``tutti possible,'' anything is possible on this floor. We passed in 2008, eliminated the AMT tax, but we paid for it. You missed something. You left out a paragraph: We paid for it. And we are going to handle it again. For the last 8 years, we have passed a number of tax cuts for big business and the wealthiest 1 percent of the Americans. We were warned in the summer of 2001, not 2003, 2006; 2001, we were warned what was going to happen. We could not pay for those tax cuts in 2001, 2003, and 2005, and today we are being lectured about deficit. Not only look at the results of November; look at the American people, where they stand today on this tax cut, Democrats, Republicans, Independents across the board. This substitute eliminates the Making Work Pay tax credit, it eliminates the child tax credit, it eliminates the American Opportunity tax credit for more than 4 million students. It eliminates approximately $40 billion in tax benefits to assist State and local governments in financing their infrastructure needs. They can't do it because they don't have the money to do it. This is not make work; this is important work for the American people. This substitute continues the practice of providing tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and it ain't going to happen anymore. There is a new day and a new culture even on this floor. Even though everything and anything is possible here, that ain't possible.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chair, as a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I support the inclusion of the comparative effectiveness provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, such as the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, are already undertaking comparative effectiveness research under a 2003 provision. The Department has worked diligently to conduct research that meets the priorities and requests of the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP programs, but its resources are too limited to conduct the types of comparative clinical effectiveness studies Americans need to improve the quality of health care they receive. This provision would expand on the 2003 directive to move these efforts forward in a way that generates necessary information for health care providers to ensure patients receive the best care possible. This provision could help the United States begin to address significant health problems, such as the type-2 diabetes epidemic. In New Jersey, over 400,000 people have been diagnosed with diabetes. Even more alarming, an additional 178,000 residents have the disease but are unaware of it. It is a sad truth that, in New Jersey, diabetes is no longer a rare condition and indeed has a significant and growing impact on the health of my constituents. Of course, this epidemic is not confined to New Jersey alone. In the United States, there are over 20 million individuals with type-2 diabetes, approximately 6 million of which are over age 65. Between 80 to 90 percent of patients diagnosed with type-2 diabetes are also overweight. This provision would ensure that the Department of Health and Human Services will now have the resources to conduct research comparing treatments that emphasize weight loss and glycemic control to those that emphasize glycemic control alone. Studies like this would generate the information necessary to move the diabetes care paradigm from subjective recommendations to evidence-based medicine that would improve the care of all patients with type-2 diabetes. This is just one example of the promise that comparative effectiveness research holds. Additional studies would help identify the most effective treatments for other serious health conditions. Because of the promise of comparative effectiveness research and the opportunity it holds for improving the health of all Americans, Mr. Chair, I support the provision and the underlying bill.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Many of us in this body, including myself, have been speaking about the perfect storm developing in this economy before 9/ 11. The truth is, we should have taken this aggressive action years ago. Today, we have finally constructed legislation which directly invests in the good people of America. Through middle-class tax cuts, direct aid to State and local governments, and reinvestment in renewable energy, Congress is taking an affirmative step to enable economic recovery. Mr. Chairman, just think of how municipalities will be able to take advantage of tax exempt bonds and tax credit bonds, and I speak as a former mayor, in depressed areas throughout the United States to provide municipalities with the wherewithal to really, really move this economy and provide jobs to our American people. To ensure our children can compete and succeed in the troubling economy, we will renovate and modernize 10,000 schools. Who said it didn't work back in the thirties? Who said it? Through this bill we also make college affordable and provide a $2,500 college tax credit to 4 million students, and triple the number of fellowships in science to help spur the next generation of innovation. This legislation invests American tax dollars in real infrastructure projects that are ready to go. Specifically, this plan allocates money for the repairing and modernizing of thousands of miles of America's roadways and providing new mass transit options for millions of Americans. I want to commend my colleagues for their leadership and commitment to taking an explicit and aggressive lead in the creation of a comprehensive economic recovery and reinvestment package. I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to take swift and decisive action to pass this legislation.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. I want to recognize and pay tribute to a person, Madam Speaker, who has dedicated 30 years of service to his government, John Francis Kelliher, Jr., or Jack, as he is known, Deputy Sergeant at Arms for police services and congressional relations in House offices. How many of you know the true extent of his contribution to our work and the activity that takes place in and around this Chamber? Please allow me to introduce a person who, to most of us, needs no introduction. Newer Members may not be as aware of this very special person that we honor today, a true gentleman the rest of us have come to respect and admire. Jack began his career on the Hill as a member of the Capitol Police force soon after arriving from his native Boston. During his 8\1/2\ years on the force, Jack took part in thwarting two incidents which easily could have escalated into very serious breaches of House security. After leaving the police force, Jack spent the next 12\1/2\ years in Chamber security, a unit under the direction of the House Sergeant at Arms charged with securing access to the House Chamber and the area immediately surrounding it. Most of us have come to know him in that capacity. More recently, Jack has held the titles of Assistant Sergeant at Arms and ``Keeper of the Mace,'' a position of trust he has maintained with honor and with his customary dignity and dependability. His decision to leave us is received with mixed emotions. He is leaving on his own terms. Wouldn't we all want that to happen as well? Jack and his lovely wife, Nancy, have decided to make St. Augustine, Florida, their new home. It is a decision I'm certain their two children, John and Tara, support wholeheartedly. Free vacations in Florida for life. It's always tough to say goodbye, Jack. We know we will miss you, but he has decided to leave, and we all wish him well. His parents, John and Elizabeth, would be so proud of him today, as we are for his embodiment of all that is good in the service of his country. Thank you, personally, Jack. And may God bless you and your family as you embark on this new adventure. Now get out of this cold and run to the sun. Madam Speaker, I yield to my good friend, the Honorable Zach Wamp from Tennessee.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, TARP 2 also clarifies Treasury's authority to provide support to the financing arms of automakers for financing activities to ensure that they can continue to provide needed credit, including through dealer and other financing of consumer and business autos and other vehicle loans. This is 20 percent of our retail economy.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman for all that he's done to make this an accountable piece of legislation. You would think this is a movie out of the 1950s, TARP 2. You know, I can see what's happening. No. This is realistic. We're going to know what's going to be in the bill, in this legislation. But Chairman Frank, sales are down 30 to 50 percent in the automobile industry. States are losing revenue throughout the United States of America, and we know that confidence of the consumer is certainly not where we would want it. So I request and engage in a brief colloquy regarding H.R. 384 with your permission. As you know, Mr. Chairman, the legislation we have before us is not a debate focused on the interest of big business. This legislation is, instead, unmistakably intended to serve Americans across the Nation. I want to commend you personally for your leadership and commitment to providing unambiguous directives on how the TARP funds must be used for ensuring that the funds will provide relief to Main Street. This is the difference between now and a few months ago. I want to commend you for this. It is a fact that the first TARP failed to meet the intent of the Congress. Today is our opportunity to make sure that funds flow directly to Americans. Wouldn't you agree with me, Mr. Chairman?

Mr. PASCRELL. I would agree this is night and day. I testified last month, as you remember, before the Financial Services Committee on the need to open up the credit markets for consumers. That's what we are all about. Title III of TARP will help to open the credit markets for auto loans. Specifically, it clarifies and confirms the Treasury's authorization to provide assistance to automobile manufacturers. We can provide lots of money to the Big Three. If we don't sell cars, if we don't have traffic in those dealers, they not only close, we have an extended recession in the economy. Most importantly, this bill will help those borrowers that have good credit access the necessary financing for auto loans. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Chairman, that's a major problem: those who can't get credit aren't getting it?

Mr. PASCRELL. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, you can't have it both ways. You can't be for it and then you are going to vote against it. I am listening to the many people on the other side. Substance is more important than process. You don't get it. You don't understand it. So I am in strong support as a proud cosponsor of the Children's Health Insurance Program which does reauthorize and is fiscally responsible, reasonable. This is long overdue. Ensuring health coverage for our Nation's children is a critical first step in any health reform effort. In fact, it's the least we can do. If we can't have universal care automatically right now, then we need to at least take care of the children of our country. You say you agree with it, then you ought to vote for it. Taking swift and decisive action on this legislation has become critically important. As unemployment climbs, the ranks of the uninsured swell, and the roles of our safety-net programs grow. I am particularly proud that this bill provides flexibility in determining eligibility criteria that makes sense for individual States. Higher income eligibilities, for example, are common sense in States like New Jersey where a dollar simply doesn't go as far. In New Jersey, we have set out on an ambitious endeavor to cover every child by July of this year, including the 267,000 currently uninsured children in our State. It is estimated that as many as 130,000 of these children are eligible for FamilyCare, New Jersey's CHIP plan, but are not currently enrolled. Passing the important legislation that is before us will help States like mine to take the steps necessary to ensure that every child has access to affordable, quality health care. The stakes are bigger now than ever, so it is time to cast aside political games and pass this bill.