Nancy Pelosi

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the chairman for yielding and for giving us this opportunity to honor the life, legacy, and contributions of the godmother of the civil rights movement and a champion of social justice, Dr. Dorothy Height. Her loss is felt by all of us who knew her, respected her, and followed in her footsteps; but it is also felt by people who may never know her name, but for whom she worked, for whom she led, and for whom she made a difference. The Nation mourns the passing of this giant of American history; and our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and the loved ones of this extraordinary woman. Men and women of every race and faith are heirs to the work, passion, and legacy of Dorothy Height. From her earliest days as an activist, she fought for equality under the law for every American, recognizing that the battle for civil rights extended to African American women and anyone denied the chance to succeed because of who they are. For four decades, she stood at the helm of the National Council of Negro Women, continuing the struggle for an America that lived up to the ideals of liberty and opportunity for all. In every fight, Dorothy Height turned the tides of history toward progress. Because of what she achieved, schools are no longer separate and unequal, and the voting booth is open to all striving to participate in our democracy. Because of what she did, a steady job and a decent home are not limited to a person based on their background, color of their skin, or means. Today, we live in an America Dorothy Height helped to build, a Nation defined by equality, shaped by civil rights, and driven by the pursuit of justice for all. The pledge we take every day, ``liberty and justice for all,'' that is what Dorothy Height was about. I was very proud to join President Bush and the House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans, in 2004 when we presented the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow, on Dr. Dorothy Height. At that time, President George W. Bush said, ``In the presence of Dorothy Height, you realize you're in the presence of grace. But you've got to realize that behind that grace there is a will of steel and absolute determination.'' The President later quoted from her book, but then he went on to say how Dorothy Height ``always stressed the importance of institutions closest to us: our families, our churches and our neighborhoods.'' He said: ``She understands that those institutions are important in shaping the character of an individual, and therefore the character of the Nation.'' President Bush--President of the United States, imagine--even quoted Dorothy Height's memoir where she wrote: ``It is in the neighborhood and communities where the world begins. That is where children grow and families are developed, where people exercise the power to change their lives,'' President of the United States quoting Dorothy Height as we presented her with a Congressional Gold Medal. It is important to note that with all of those honors, it was also a pleasure for us to hear from Dr. Alexis Herman; she was the Secretary of Labor. Secretary Herman was very, very close personally and professionally, in every way, to Dorothy Height. And at that time she sang her praises and talked about what she did in the civil rights movement and what she did to advance women and young girls and the rest, but she also talked about how she made the best sweet potato pie. So personally, professionally, patriotically, Dorothy Height was all systems go. I have been passed a note because I was asking about a film that I recently saw on TV that I hope can be available now again. It is called, ``The Life and Surprising Times of Dorothy Height.'' It is an inspirational presentation of the life of a person, a person who was instilled by her own mother with the idea that she could do whatever she set out to do and had a responsibility to do so. Over Dorothy Height's lifetime in the trenches for social justice, human rights, and equality, Dorothy Height advocated on behalf of our neighborhoods and our communities. She stood tall for our children and families. She truly exercised her power to change lives. As we state in our resolution today: ``Dr. Height was a tenacious and zealous civil rights activist, social worker, advocate, educator, and organizer in the quest for equality.'' And I join my colleague, Congresswoman Edwards, in focusing on that equality for women as well. I last saw Dorothy Height about a month ago at the 70th birthday party for John Lewis, our colleague. As others regaled us about stories of the civil rights movement, there she sat, as dignified as a queen reigning over the proceedings, one who had seen it all, seen the struggle, seen the change, and now recognized then by the Congress of the United States and now in her passing by the entire Nation. Our country is better off because of Dorothy Height's commitment, compassion, grace and patriotism. We will miss her tenacity and zeal for the fight for equality--our Nation's heritage and our hope. We will each take inspiration from the story of progress and her countless victories for the American people.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, earlier today in the House, a resolution was brought onto the floor honoring the 10 years that Father Coughlin has served us as the Chaplain of the House of Representatives. We recognize that 10 years ago under the leadership of then-Speaker Dennis Hastert, he reached back to Illinois and named a parish priest, Father Coughlin, as the Chaplain of the House of Representatives. For those of us who are Roman Catholic, it was an honor because it was the first time a Catholic was the Chaplain of the House. Five years after that, Father Coughlin took us to Rome for the funeral for Pope John Paul II, and in doing so, he was visiting Vatican City where he had participated in his priesthood. Before he came here, he was a parish priest. Before he came here, he had lived in a Trappist monastery in Kentucky and deepened his faith there. Before he came here, he had served the poor in Calcutta, India. My own patron saint of the City of San Francisco, as I said earlier, he used to say, Preach the gospel; sometimes use words. That is what Father Coughlin did. He preached the gospel by ministering to the needs of the poor following the message of the gospel, and he also then served as a parish priest and came here to this House of Representatives. In the meantime, last Sunday, as these two events converged--it's quite a coincidence--in Chicago, he was honored at a celebration of the 50th anniversary of his becoming a priest. The 50th anniversary. We all know Father Coughlin as a modest man, but in a moment of immodesty he told me earlier that 35 priests concelebrated the mass, the celebration of his ordination. And there in the church to see was his mother, Lucille, 95 years old. Mr. Lipinski, the presenter of the resolution, was there as well, as well as Mr. Sensenbrenner and his wife, Cheryl. And I'm almost jealous of them for having that opportunity to be at that church to see that celebration, because every single day here we see his holiness, his goodness. We see him lead us in prayer at the beginning of the day under the engraving ``In God We Trust.'' When he is not presenting that inspiration to us, he has invited other faith leaders to present at the invitation of Members of Congress. But his goodness shines through. His inspiration to us is endless. The debt of gratitude that we have to him and to Lucille for what he has brought to us is endless. His service here has indeed been a blessing to this House of Representatives, and I am so pleased that we are all going to unanimously support the resolution honoring his 10 years of service here and recognizing his 50 years as a priest. Thank you, Father Coughlin, for serving us so well. I am pleased to yield to Leader Boehner.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the chairman for yielding. I thank him for his leadership on this important issue and the attention that he has called to it over time and the focus that he has had since day one when we learned of this tragedy. I want to join our colleagues, Chairman Rahall, in whose district this tragedy occurred, Mr. Mollohan and Mrs. Capito to extend condolences to them. Because while this occurred in Mr. Rahall's district, I know the grief is felt throughout the State of West Virginia as it is being felt throughout our country. Mr. Speaker, today in towns across Raleigh County, West Virginia, flags are flying at half staff. Their residents are mourning the loss of their fathers, brothers, and sons in last week's deadly mine explosion in Montcoal. Since then, people across our country have cried for them, have joined in the mourning; and today in the Congress we officially join these proud Americans in expressing our deepest condolences for the loss of 29 coal miners, 29 coal miners, in the worst mining accident in four decades. We do so led by Chairman Nick Rahall, who has been on the scene of this catastrophe the last 1\1/2\ weeks. Congressman Rahall has prayed with his constituents, and he has consoled them. He has committed to work for better conditions, vigorous oversight of the mining industry, and rigorous enforcement of safety standards for America's mines. In doing so, he has worked with our chairman, Mr. Miller, in this regard. As Congressman Rahall and other West Virginia leaders, including Congressman Mollohan and Congresswoman Capito, often remind us, this Nation is indebted to our coal miners for the difficult and dangerous work they do. Their contributions are a rich part of our Nation's history. Their labor makes our way of life possible. But, last week, 29 families received a phone call that every coal miner's family fears; and as the communities of West Virginia grieved, the Nation grieved with them. Now, with this tragedy first in our minds, we must redouble our efforts to minimize the risks to our mine workers and to ensure that they can do their jobs without a threat to their well-being. When this tragedy occurred, I called Mr. Rahall, and his concerns were very personal about the families who were affected. I called the President of the United Mine Workers, Cecil Roberts, a visionary leader in our country, and his concerns were about the families. But as we move away from that tragedy, our concern for the families must be reflected in our decisions here and the insistence that we have on upholding standards. We must, as I say, redouble our efforts to minimize the risk to those workers. Today we acknowledge the brave efforts of their fellow coal miners who were part of the response team and other first responders who worked tirelessly in the hope of rescue and bravely on behalf of recovery. Mr. Speaker, many of the families who lost miners this week have spoken of their deep faith and how that has comforted them. On this House floor this morning, we were led in prayer by Bishop Simms from West Virginia, Mr. Rahall's constituent, and he shared with us how faith can see us all through, especially these families. On this House floor today we join them knowing that 29 brave souls are now in a better place. Again, our condolences to every member of those families. To the communities, as Mr. Cecil Roberts said to us, we are all one family here in the mining community. I know Mr. Rahall expressed that sentiment to me as well. Well, at a time like this it's important for the families of West Virginia and the coal mining community to know that, as a Nation, we are one family with them as well. I hope it is a comfort to them that so many people in our country mourn their loss and are praying for them at this sad time.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank Mr. Delahunt and Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen for giving us this opportunity to come to the floor to express our sympathy to the people of Poland. Our country is blessed with many Polish Americans. It is a blessing to our country. They are mourning this loss, and all Americans join them. And today, Congress officially joins in that mourning. The United States and, indeed, the entire world mourn the loss of President Kaczynski and First Lady Maria Kaczynski and all who perished in last weekend's tragic crash. The United States stands with our friend and ally and the people of Poland as they grieve the loss of their President and First Lady, the Chiefs of the Army and Navy, the President of the National Bank, the Deputy Foreign Minister, and dozens of other Cabinet officials and members of Parliament. The scope of this tragedy is indescribable, the pain of the loss is unimaginable, and our thoughts and prayers rest with the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims. Their loss strikes a blow to the hearts of Polish citizens, all Polish Americans--my nieces are Polish American--and all who believe in a future of peace and prosperity for Poland and for every nation. I would like to talk about the President. Few leaders have proven greater champions of progress in human dignity than President Kaczynski. He was a true advocate of liberty for Poland, for Poland's families, workers, and citizens. His life was defined by a long struggle for freedom and by the ultimate victory of democracy and human rights. As a leader in the Solidarity movement, he helped turn the tides of history against the tyranny and oppression of communist rule. As Mayor of Warsaw and as President of Poland, he worked to make the promise of a more just future a reality for the Polish nation. Together with so many who lost their lives in the tragedy, President Kaczynski sought to rebuild Poland, to make his country safer and more secure, and to write a new chapter for future generations. Again, as I say, we have been blessed in our country with a strong Polish American community, and I know all of them join us in this resolution which remembers the lives lost in this horrible tragedy: the President; so many Polish military and political leaders, past and present; and distinguished citizens. It recalls the life of Poland's final President in exile who led the charge to close the doors of political oppression and open an age of democratic freedom. This resolution honors the life of a former dock worker whose actions ignited the Solidarity movement that changed the course of Polish history. The resolution reminds us of a Polish American artist from Chicago who just finished a memorial to the victims of the Katyn massacre, where his own father had perished. The United States Congress joins Poland and countries across the globe in mourning the death of such extraordinary leaders. In the words of this resolution, we express strong and continued solidarity with the people of Poland and all persons of Polish descent. And we are so blessed that the dean of our delegation in the Congress, Mr. Dingell, shares that honor and brings luster to his Polish heritage, as well as other Members of our Congress as well. And the resolution offers our unwavering support for the Polish Government as it works to overcome the loss of many key officials. Let us strive to live up to their legacy of hope for a brighter future for Poland, Europe, and all humanity. This morning, I had the privilege of joining Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur--and Congressman Mike Quigley was there before us--and other Members who have gone to the Polish Embassy to sign the book of condolences. We are very proud that in doing so we joined President Barack Obama, who had earlier, a few days ago, signed that book. I know it is a comfort to the people of Poland. Ambassador Kupiecki, who may be with us here or shortly will join us in the gallery, told us how the people of Poland were so pleased and comforted by the fact that President Obama would be attending the funeral in Poland on Sunday. He will bring with him all the sympathy of the American people and all of the prayers to help mourn the loss that the people have suffered. Thank you again, Mr. Chairman and Madam Ros-Lehtinen, for giving us the opportunity to share our grief over this terrible loss.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Thank you, my colleagues. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank all of you for bringing us to this moment. Mr. Speaker, it is with great humility and with great pride that tonight we will make history for our country and progress for the American people. Just think, we will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare, and now tonight health care for all Americans. In doing so, we will honor the vows of our Founders, who, in the Declaration of Independence, said that we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This legislation will lead to healthier lives, more liberty to pursue hopes and dreams and happiness for the American people. This is an American proposal that honors the traditions of our country. We would not be here tonight for sure without the extraordinary leadership and vision of President Barack Obama. We thank him for his unwavering commitment to health care for all Americans. This began over a year ago under his leadership in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act where we had very significant investments in science, technology, and innovation for health care reform. It continued in the President's budget a few months later, a budget which was a statement of our national values, which allocated resources that were part of our value system and in a way that stabilized our economy, created jobs, lowered taxes for the middle class and did so and reduced the deficit and did so in a way that had pillars of investment, including education and health care reform. Health care reform and education equal opportunity for the American people. This legislation tonight, if I had one word to describe it, would be opportunity with its investments in education and health care as a continuation of the President's budget. We all know, and it's been said over and over again, that our economy needs something new, a jolt, and I believe that this legislation will unleash tremendous entrepreneurial power into our economy. Imagine a society and an economy where a person could change jobs without losing health insurance, where they could be self-employed or start a small business. Imagine an economy where people could follow their passions and their talent without having to worry that their children would not have health insurance, that if they had a child with diabetes who was bipolar or preexisting medical condition in their family, that they would be job locked. Under this bill, their entrepreneurial spirit will be unleashed. We all know that the present health care system and health insurance system in our country is unsustainable. We simply cannot afford it. It doesn't work for enough people in terms of delivery of service, and it is bankrupting the country with the upward spiral of increasing medical cost. The best action that we can take on behalf of America's family budgets and on behalf of the Federal budget is to pass health care reform. The best action we can take to strengthen Medicare and improve care and benefits for our seniors is to pass this legislation tonight, pass health care reform. The best action we can do to create jobs and strengthen our economic security is pass health care reform. The best action we can take to keep America competitive, ignite innovation, again, unleash entrepreneurial spirit is to pass health care reform. With this action tonight, with this health care reform, 32 million more Americans will have health care insurance and those who have insurance now will be spared of being at the mercy of the health insurance industry with their obscene increases in premiums, their rescinding of policies at the time of illness, their cutting off of policies even if you have been fully paying but become sick. The list goes on and on about the health care reforms that are in this legislation: insure 32 million more people, make it more affordable for the middle class, end insurance company discrimination on preexisting conditions, improve care and benefits under Medicare and extending Medicare solvency for almost a decade, creating a healthier America through prevention, through wellness and innovation, create 4 million jobs in the life of the bill and doing all of that by saving the taxpayer $1.3 trillion. Another Speaker, Tip O'Neill, once said, All politics is local. I say tonight that when it comes to health care for all Americans, all politics is personal. It's personal for the family that wrote to me, who had to choose between buying groceries and seeing a doctor. It's personal to the family that was refused coverage because their child had a preexisting condition, no coverage, the child got worse, sicker. It's personal for women. After we pass this bill, being a woman will no longer be a preexisting medical condition. It's personal for the senior gentleman whom I met in Michigan who told me about his wife who had been bedridden for 16 years. He told me he didn't know how he was going to be able to pay his medical bills. As I said to you before, I saw a grown man cry. He was worried that he might lose his home, that they might lose their home because of his medical bills and he didn't know how he was going to pay them and, most of all, he was too embarrassed to tell his children and ask them for help. How many times have you heard a story like that? It's personal for millions of families who have gone into bankruptcy under the weight of rising health care costs, and so many, many, many-- a high percentage of the bankruptcy in our country--are caused by medical bills that people cannot pay. It's personal for 45,000 Americans and families who have lost a loved one each year because they didn't and couldn't get health insurance. That is why we are proud and also humble today to act with the support of millions of Americans who recognize the urgency of passing health care reform and more than 350 organizations representing Americans of every age, every background, every part of the country who have endorsed this legislation. Our coalition ranges from AARP who said that our legislation ``improves efforts to crack down on fraud and waste in Medicare, strengthening the program for today's seniors and future generations.'' I repeat: ``improves efforts to crack down on fraud and waste in Medicare, strengthening the program for today's seniors and future generations.'' To the American Medical Association, the Catholic Health Association, the United Methodist Church and Voices for America's Children, from A to Z, they are sending a clear message to Members of Congress, say ``yes'' to health care reform. We have also reached this historic moment because of the extraordinary leadership and hard work and dedication of all of the Members of Congress, but I want to especially recognize our esteemed Chairs, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Levin, Mr. Miller, Mr. Spratt, Ms. Slaughter, for bringing this bill to the floor today. Let us acknowledge them. I want to acknowledge the staff of the committees and of the leadership. They have done a remarkable job, dazzling us with their knowledge and their know-how. I would like to thank on my own staff Amy Rosenbaum, Wendell Primus and Arshi Siddiqui. Now I will close by saying it wouldn't be possible to talk about health care without acknowledging the great leadership of Senator Edward Kennedy, who made health care his life's work. In a letter to President Obama before he passed away--he left a letter to be read after he died--Senator Kennedy wrote that access to health care was ``the great unfinished business of our society.'' That is, until today. After more than a year of debate and, by the way, the legislation that will go forth from here has over 200 Republican amendments, and while it may not get Republican votes and be bipartisan in that respect, it is bipartisan in having over 200 Republican amendments. After a year of debate and hearing the calls of millions of Americans, we have come to this historic moment. Today we have the opportunity to complete the great unfinished business of our society and pass health insurance reform for all Americans. That is a right and not a privilege. In that same letter to the President, Senator Kennedy wrote, What is at stake? He said at stake are not just the details of policy, but the character of our country. Americans will look back on this day as one in which we honored the character of our country and honored our commitment to our Nation's Founders for a commitment to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As our colleague, John Lewis, has said, we may not have chosen the time, but the time has chosen us. We have been given this country, an opportunity to stay right up there with, again, Social Security, Medicare, health care for all Americans. I urge my colleagues to join together in passing health insurance reform, making history and restoring the American Dream. I urge an ``aye'' vote. Announcement By the Speaker Pro Tempore

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. George W. Davis, a highly esteemed and beloved community leader and senior advocate who passed away on March 8 after a long illness. His legacy of service will endure for many generations. Dr. Davis was a compassionate leader, always working on behalf of the San Francisco community. He worked tirelessly, as a gerontologist and community activist, to make life better for the underserved, especially elderly African Americans in San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood. For 32 years, Dr. Davis served as Executive Director of Bayview Hunters Point Multipurpose Senior Center. He made it a welcoming gathering place and a compassionate environment where seniors could receive the therapeutic, social, recreational and health services that are so vital to their well-being. The programs and services provide the quality health care seniors need, as well as support their independence and preserve their dignity. In 1999 Dr. Davis launched the first initiative in the United States to help formerly incarcerated seniors re-enter the community. His program provides transitional support and health care, including mental health and addiction counseling, and a myriad of services to ensure a successful new start. Thirty years ago Dr. Davis founded the Black Cuisine Cook-Off, to be celebrated in conjunction with Black History Month every March. This soul food festival encourages a strong sense of community, bridges generations, and reminds us of the richness that is the diversity of our city and our nation. Dr. Davis attended his final cook-off this year, just a few days before he died. Dr. Davis was sustained by his faith, and in 2000 Dr. Davis was ordained as a minister. He served as Associate Pastor of the Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church in San Francisco. Above all, Dr. Davis loved his family. His wife and partner Cathy is the beneficiary of his extraordinary legacy and will carry on his work as Executive Director of the Multipurpose Center. I extend my deepest condolences to Cathy and to his brother Wesley Davis, his children LolaGerine Allen, William George Davis II, Tonya Davis, Kristy Davis, Matthew Davis, Teri Jordan and his grandchildren, nieces and nephews. I hope it is a comfort to his loved ones that many mourn his passing and are praying for them at this sad time.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I appreciate his leadership and his intensive knowledge of this legislation and how important it is for us to proceed. Madam Speaker, I will not speak long because, the sooner we finish debate on this bill, the sooner it goes back to the Senate, the sooner it goes to the White House for signature, and the sooner jobs are created in our country. I agree with much of what the distinguished ranking member on the committee said about wanting a 6-year bill. Our chairman, Mr. Oberstar, has been advocating for that, and I agree. I also agree that the language has to be changed, and we have the commitment to do that as we go forward, but that doesn't mean that Americans are not suffering, that they do not need jobs. We should act, and we should act today to bring them closer. I want to remind our colleagues of places and times. Just over a year ago, this Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. As a result of that, more than 2 million jobs were saved or created. Very important. All over the country, as Members go home to their districts, they see evidence of investments in the future: Clean energy jobs for the future, the education of our children, the safety of our neighborhoods, the creation of jobs, the stabilization of our economy, the stabilization of State and local budgets. As a result of that, just think of what has happened in this one year. In January 2009, the last year of the Bush administration, America lost 779,000 jobs. This January, we lost 20,000 jobs. We don't want to lose any jobs. We want to be on the upside. We want to be creating jobs. The point is that, following the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and other initiatives taken by the Obama administration and this Congress, there has been a difference of over three-quarters of a million jobs in 1 month--779,000 in January, 2009, and 20,000 in January, 2010. In the final quarter of 2008, before President Obama took office, America's GDP shrank by 6.2 percent. For that quarter, the GDP was a negative 6.2 percent. Just 1 year later, the GDP grew in the same period by 5.9 percent, over a 12 percent change in the rate of growth of the GDP thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and to, again, other actions taken by Congress. You know, when we were debating the Recovery bill last year at around this time, earlier in January and in February, the stock market was around 6,500-7,000. It's over 10,000 now, an increase of over 3,000 points. Yesterday, we learned that America's manufacturing base grew for the seventh straight month, and it is now at its highest level in 5 years. Still, we must be unrelenting in our efforts to create more jobs. Too many Americans are unable to find work. In some cases, we are talking about putting people back to work. In some cases, people haven't had opportunities coming out of school. They've not been able to enter the workforce. So it is not just about putting people back to work. It is about creating a broader universe of jobs to have many more Americans participate in the economic prosperity that we hope for our country. Today, we are taking another step in creating jobs and in laying the foundation for long-term growth and prosperity. With $15 billion in critical investments, this bill includes a payroll tax holiday for businesses that hire unemployed workers, creating some 300,000 new jobs with that provision alone, and an income tax credit of $1,000 for businesses that retain employees. There is specific support to small businesses with tax credits and accelerated writeoffs. There is the extension of the Highway Trust Fund--this is very, very important--allowing tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure investment. This is a $15 billion bill, but it triggers tens of billions of dollars more by eliminating a recision of last year, by restoring the interest to the trust fund it was deprived of and by triggering further contracting, tens of billions of dollars and probably 1 million jobs in this bill alone. In December, the House passed our Jobs for Main Street Act, a broader measure for creating good-paying American jobs paid for by redirecting TARP funds from Wall Street to Main Street. Today's legislation is one key element of that legislation, one key element of our agenda to get Americans back to work and to strengthen our economy. Madam Speaker, I believe that every Member of Congress on both sides of the aisle understands the urgent need to create jobs for our country, and today we have an opportunity to do so. I know that some people have some concerns on one side of the aisle or the other about this provision or that provision, but the fact is that 1 million jobs will be created by this legislation. Vote for jobs, vote ``aye'' on this legislation. I thank Mr. Etheridge and all concerned, Mr. Oberstar, the distinguished chairman of the Transportation Committee, and so many others, for making this important legislation possible. It is difficult, it is challenging, and more is yet to be done, but I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote for jobs. Vote ``aye'' on this legislation.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the chairman for his generous remarks and for his tremendous leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor. Mr. Conyers is well known as a champion of the people, and today he demonstrates that once again. This House of Representatives, Mr. Chairman, is called the people's House, and you are a leader in the people's House. Today we live up to that name by passing legislation that increases leverage for people. By changing the playing field, a playing field that has been dominated by the insurance industry for over 65 years. And now it's the people's turn. The insurance companies will now be playing on the people's field. Mr. Conyers, thank you for your ongoing leadership, for fairness, for competition, for a better deal for the American people. I also want to commend chairwoman of the Rules Committee, Louise Slaughter, for her ongoing and persistent insistence that this legislation come to the floor. When she served in the State legislature in New York, she was fighting this fight. This antitrust exemption was passed, again, over 60 years ago and it was supposed to last 3 years. Sixty-five years later we are on the floor of the House to finally repeal the special exemption that insurance companies have that no other industry, except Major League Baseball, has in our country. I also want to commend Mr. DeFazio, who has been a champion on this issue, Congressman DeFazio from Oregon. He has worked with our new Members of Congress, and they have been a source of energy to move this legislation: Congresswoman Betsy Markey of Colorado; Congressman Tom Perriello of Virginia, the author of this bill. We're grateful to them for their courage and their leadership, because the insurance companies don't want this bill but the American people do, and I commend those who have worked so hard. Another new Member of Congress, Congressman Garamendi, a former insurance commissioner of the State of California, played a role effective from the start as soon as he arrived to get this legislation to the floor. And, again, I believe that the legislation has many Republican supporters as well. So that, of course, is really a source of confidence to us as we go forward into the health care debate. One year ago, we began this debate on health care, quality, affordable health care for all Americans. We got a running start on it in the recovery package with big investments in basic biomedical research and health information technology, so we were on the cutting edge of science and technology for this. We had a running start on it by passing the SCHIP in a bipartisan way, State Children's Health Insurance Program, insuring 11 million children in America. And then the debate has gone on from the summit the President had a year ago in a bipartisan way to a summit he will have tomorrow as well. But in the meantime, this very important piece of legislation is before us today. I have always said that any health care reform had to make the AAA test. It had to have affordability for the middle class, accessibility for many more people, and accountability for the insurance companies. Accountability for the insurance companies. No longer would they have it all their way. And that's what this legislation does. We had this on the agenda, and then the snows came and we had to put it off. And in between the time when we all got snowed out or snowed in, Anthem in California announced that it was going to raise its rates 39 percent: 39 percent, Anthem Insurance Company; 39 percent for health insurance. Over the past decade, insurance rates have gone up over 150 percent. And this continues in Michigan, Kansas, other places in the country these insurance rates have gone up because the insurance companies simply have not been accountable. And this has worked to the disadvantage of the American people. So again, I commend all of those who played a part in bringing this to the floor, to the bipartisan discussion that took place in committee that has been mentioned, and for hopefully the strong bipartisan support we will see today. But again I want to come back to Chairman Conyers, because he is the person when it comes to speaking out for the people, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, a very prestigious position, one with a great deal of responsibility to make sure that the pledge we take each day, with liberty and justice for all, is lived up to. And today we are providing much more competition, much more freedom for the American people by expanding their choices with this important legislation. I urge our colleagues to support the legislation, once again salute all those who made it possible to bring this before the people's House today. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues to sing the praises of a great man, Jack Murtha. Many of us had the honor of calling him colleague in this Chamber, and some of us here had the privilege of calling him friend. And when he was your friend, you had a true friend. Last week, many of us traveled to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to see Jack put to rest. It was wonderful to hear the stories of the thousands of people who showed up to pay their last respects to him in Johnstown, the people he knew so well, cared about so much, fought for in this Chamber. His family was gathered and surrounded by their loved ones and people. The former President of the United States, Bill Clinton, was there, the Secretary of Defense was there, the chairman of the National Security Council was there, representatives of the President's cabinet, and planeloads of his colleagues who came from Washington or drove from home. At that time we laughed and we cried, and we tried to understand why this had happened. Jack's wife Joyce, who is very strong, said to me, ``Jack would have wanted it this way. He went out at the top of his game.'' Joyce is very strong. We went there to console, and we came back consoled by Jack's strong family. I told them in my remarks about Jack holding court in the Pennsylvania Corner in this Chamber. There isn't another corner that I know of that has its own name and its own presiding officer. But Jack held court there, and Members from across the country and across the aisle came to visit him, to ask his blessing on their endeavors, and to just be encouraged, and sometimes supported by him. The cluster around him were Pennsylvanians and others, but he was never alone. He was a magnet, a personal magnet. People were drawn to him. He had this wonderful smile and cheerful, twinkling eyes. To see him operate in the Appropriations Committee, many of us served there, was to see a master at work. But really to understand his character, it was more important to see him with our troops, whether it was just off the battlefield or in a military hospital, Bethesda Naval Medical Center, Walter Reed, Germany, Afghanistan, Iraq, in the hospitals where our troops were taken. From his own military experience, he would ask them questions very knowledgeably about their unit and what they had encountered and what they had seen. And they all loved seeing him. They knew he was their friend. And so to visit, on the occasions when I had the privilege of visiting with Jack Murtha, was to receive a special welcome from the troops and their families. One time I remember in particular was we were visiting this young man, it was a second visit, and he managed somehow, when he knew Jack was coming, to get out of his bed. And as we went in the door, there he was standing at attention saluting Jack Murtha in a Steelers jersey. Pennsylvania, how he loved that State, how he worked for it, how we will miss him here. He had a special way about him, as I have said, by dint of his knowledge, his courage. Imagine the courage it took for Jack Murtha to come to our caucus, to come to the Leader's office and tell me that day, ``We have to begin removing our troops from Iraq.'' He went alone to the press to tell them that. It was like an earthquake in terms of opinion. People who had questions about the war felt validated. People who respected Jack began to question. One thing was for sure. He was respected by the military. And when he spoke, they knew it was with no agenda except the national security of our country and the safety of our men and women in uniform. Force protection. He was always talking about that. When we would travel to the war zones, whether it was the seats in the trucks, or the better radios, or whatever, up-armored cars, body armor, you name it, as soon as he saw the need he came back and delivered. So when he did speak out against the war in Iraq, it was really quite a stunning thing for our country. I think it was really historic. It wasn't just that episode, it was that event of national significance, historic significance. He received, as has been mentioned, the John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage award. Can you imagine for people of our generation, someone to receive the John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage award? I will never forget that night. The Kennedy Library, he and Joyce, black tie, beautiful Joyce, proud Jack standing tall like a Marine coming down those steps, being cheered by Democrats and Republicans alike. It wasn't about any partisanship. It was about patriotism. He was a proud Marine, as we all know. Semper fi was their motto. Semper fidelis. Always faithful. And that was the motto of his life, faithful to God, faithful to country, faithful to his family, faithful to his district. I can't talk about Jack, just one more moment, if I may, Madam Speaker, without talking about the funny stories he always told us about Tip O'Neill. Tip was his mentor. As he mentored so many of us, Tip was his mentor. And he loved Tip O'Neill. And he would tell us the stories of how it was to go to a baseball game with Tip, and this and that and the rest. I won't go into the stories now about peer review, Mr. Obey, and those kind of appropriations matters. But Tip instilled in him, perhaps he had it innately, but still Tip strengthened in him a pride in this institution that he took very seriously. And he, in mentoring others, passed that pride on to others as well. He loved this Congress, he loved this institution. He left us at the top of his game. We will miss you, Jack Murtha. Next week we will gather in Statuary Hall with many more friends who can join in, not as we are on the floor of the House, to once again pay tribute to this man. It is hard to believe he is gone. But as he said, ``Soldiers can't speak for themselves. We sent them to war, and, by God, we are the ones that have to speak out.'' His wife Joyce wants us to have the music God Bless America at the closing of his ceremony next week. God truly blessed America with the life, leadership, and service of Jack Murtha. I hope it is a comfort to Joyce and to the children and grandchildren, of whom he was so proud, that so many people mourn their loss and are praying for them at this sad time.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Walter Shorenstein--a prominent San Franciscan, a great American and a dear friend. He is a man of extraordinary vision and leadership, of generosity and wise counsel. And today, it is my distinct honor and privilege to mark his 95th birthday on the floor of the House of Representatives. Along with his late wife, Phyllis, Walter used the tools of philanthropy and civic activism to build a better San Francisco. Their gifts to the Bay Area's academic and cultural institutions have been an example to all who wish to leave a mark on our city's future. Their willingness to give--to donate their time, hospitality, and passion to others--has touched and influenced many lives. One of San Francisco's most distinguished business leaders, Walter Shorenstein is a true pioneer, a visionary who helped shape our city's magnificent skyline and who worked to make San Francisco into the global economic and commercial center it is today. His leadership has been recognized by presidents and other world leaders, as well as the people of San Francisco. After serving in World War II, Walter arrived in San Francisco in 1946 and began work in commercial real estate with the brokerage firm Milton Meyer & Company. By 1960, he had become President and sole owner of Milton Meyer, renamed it the Shorenstein Company, and transformed it into the largest owner and operator of commercial real estate in San Francisco and one of the largest privately owned real estate firms in the nation. As firm believers in the power and promise of a strong education--and in memory of their beloved daughter Joan--Walter and Phyllis founded the Joan Shorenstein Center on Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. He also sponsors the Shorenstein Initiative at Stanford University's Asia/Pacific Research Center, as well as programs at UC Berkeley's Institute of East Asian Studies. He is the single largest donor in the U.S. to the United Way. For Giants fans, Walter was a leader in keeping our beloved baseball team in San Francisco, galvanizing investors, local businesses, and the team's faithful fans to take action and preserve our national pastime in our city. Walter and Phyllis proudly and lovingly raised three children: Joan, Carole and Doug. Doug Shorenstein became Chairman and CEO of the Shorenstein Company in 1995. Carole Shorenstein Hays is a Tony Award- winning Broadway producer and President of SHN, a theatrical entertainment company in San Francisco. Joan, a political journalist and producer at CBS News, died in 1985. I join Walter's children Doug and Carole, his grandchildren Brandon, Sandra, Danielle, Wally, and Grace, and family, friends and colleagues in wishing Walter a happy 95th birthday.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I am pleased to have this opportunity to come to the floor today to support Mr. Abercrombie's initiative on behalf of Native Hawaiians. It is a pursuit that he has followed in all of his years in the Congress of the United States. Aside from the considerable merit of his important legislation, which I fully support his amendment and his substitute and salute the work of Congresswoman Hirono, too, on behalf of Native Hawaiians and our colleagues gathered here, it is with mixed emotions that I come. I know you will be successful, as you always have been, in looking out for Native Hawaiians. For over 200 years, my colleagues, Congress, the executive branch, and the Supreme Court have recognized certain legal rights and protections for America's indigenous people. Congress' constitutional authority over indigenous affairs is premised upon their status as the original inhabitants of this Nation. It is the most moral and legal responsibility of Congress to reaffirm a political relationship with the native people of Hawaii. H.R. 2314 will achieve this purpose. The Native American interim governing congress will be established to develop elements of the organic documents and other criteria for the Native Hawaiian governing entity. You all know, the debate has been going on, what this legislation is about in its specifics, but what it is about in its vision and its values for our country is something that I wanted to join in recognizing. I also come here to salute Mr. Abercrombie. This is probably--but you never know, Mr. Abercrombie--the last bill he will be part of managing on the floor of the House. Thank you, Chairman Rahall, for bringing this important legislation to the floor before Mr. Abercrombie left us. As if we had a choice. His persistence, his determination, his courage on behalf of the people of Hawaii is well known to us, but the recognition that I want to give him goes beyond the State of Hawaii, the State he proudly represents, because his service to our country is about our entire country. Whether it is the national security of our country, which he serves to strengthen on the Armed Services Committee, whether it is the beautiful natural patrimony, the beautiful gift that God has given our country in our natural resources that he serves on the Natural Resources Committee, or the rights of indigenous people that he serves on the Natural Resources Committee, Neil Abercrombie is a true patriot looking out for the people, the values, the beautiful land, and the security of America. His service in Congress has been marked with great passion for ideas, but also with great intellect, always passionate about his beliefs, always dispassionate about the solutions that make sense for the American people. And what we are talking about here tonight is common sense for the Native Hawaiian people. So, Mr. Abercrombie, it is bittersweet, quite frankly, to come to the floor to commend you on your leadership on this, probably your last week in the Congress. I wish you well in your pursuits in Hawaii. Perhaps next time we will be calling you Governor Abercrombie, we hope, but also the gratitude of all who served here proud to call you colleague, privileged to call you friend, grateful for your leadership to our country. And I know you are very proud of your service to the great State of Hawaii.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, since 1983, the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag and Bundesrat have conducted an annual exchange program for staff members from both countries. The program gives professional staff the opportunity to observe and learn about each other's political institutions and interact on issues of mutual interest. A staff delegation from the U.S. Congress will be selected to visit Germany from July 3-11 of this year. During this 10 day exchange, the delegation will attend meetings with Bundestag/Bundesrat Members, Bundestag and Bundesrat party staff members, and representatives of numerous political, business, academic, and media agencies. Participants also will be hosted by a Bundestag Member during a district visit. A comparable delegation of German staff members will visit the United States for 10 days April 24-May 2 of this year. They will attend similar meetings here in Washington and visit the districts of Members of Congress. The U.S. delegation is expected to facilitate these meetings. The Congress-Bundestag/Bundesrat Exchange is highly regarded in Germany and the United States, and is one of several exchange programs sponsored by public and private institutions in the United States and Germany to foster better understanding of the politics and policies of both countries. This exchange is funded by the U.S. Department of States' Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The U.S. delegation should consist of experienced and accomplished Hill staff who can contribute to the success of the exchange on both sides of the Atlantic. The Bundestag reciprocates by sending senior staff professionals to the United States. Applicants should have a demonstrable interest in events in Europe. Applicants need not be working in the field of foreign affairs, although such a background can be helpful. The composite U.S. delegation should exhibit a range of expertise in issues of mutual concern to the United States and Germany such as, but not limited to, trade, security, the environment, economic development, health care, and other social policy issues. This year's delegation should be familiar with transatlantic relations within the context of recent world events. In addition, U.S. participants are expected to help plan and implement the program for the Bundestag/Bundesrat staff members when they visit the United States. Participants are expected to assist in planning topical meetings in Washington, and are encouraged to host one or two staffers in their Member's district in July, or to arrange for such a visit to another Member's district. Participants are selected by a committee composed of personnel from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State and past participants of the exchange. Members of the House and Senate who would like a member of their staff to apply for participation in this year's program should direct them to submit a resume and cover letter in which they state their qualifications, the contributions they can make to a successful program and some assurances of their ability to participate during the time stated. Applications may be sent to the Office of Interparliamentary Affairs, HB-28, the Capitol, by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 9, 2010.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank him for his extraordinary leadership on this important issue, an issue of importance to our country, to our economic stability, to our fiscal soundness, and to our children and our grandchildren. This is an issue, pay-as-you-go, who could oppose this great idea? It has a provenance in the Democratic Party that goes back over 30 years, but it has been in practice in a bipartisan way over time. To my progressive friends, I say that Congressman George Miller of California introduced a resolution in 1982 at the Democratic convention, mid term convention in Philadelphia, calling for pay-as-you-go. It was passed and adopted as part of the Democratic platform, a measure for fiscal soundness, recognizing that even those of us who see a role in government, a limited role in government and investments in our children's future know that it must be paid for or else we are heaping debt onto our children. That was in '82. It wasn't until later, with a Republican President, President Bush, and a Democratic Congress, that PAYGO was implemented. Then later, under a Democratic President, President Clinton, and a Republican Congress, PAYGO was implemented. All of those times it brought down the deficit and, in the case of President Clinton, it led to a path, a trajectory of $5.6 trillion in surplus. It hit, I wouldn't say a bump in the road, I would say a giant mogul when President Bush came in with a Republican Congress and the Republican President abandoned PAYGO. And now for the past 8 years, up until 2009, January, we have had these growing deficits. Here we are again sweeping up behind to get rid of the trajectory that we are on of increasing the deficit. So here it is. It is an historic day. I am so very happy. When I became Speaker of the House, the very first day we passed legislation that made PAYGO the rule of the House. Today we will make it the law of the land. I talked about the progressive provenance of this idea, but because of the extraordinary leadership of the Blue Dog coalition in the Congress, this pay-as-you-go is part of a blueprint for fiscal responsibility that has been their mantra and which they have made the mantra of the House Democrats, and I hope today in a bipartisan way of the House of Representatives. I commend Mr. Boyd for his relentless leadership on this subject; Baron Hill, author of the legislation; Jim Matheson, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, the leadership of the Blue Dog coalition; and a person who has been a relentless and articulate spokesperson on this issue, John Tanner, zwhom I had the honor of following in this debate. As I say, the Blue Dogs have made this a priority. But it is out there also with subjecting spending to the harshest scrutiny. Every Federal dollar that is spent must be subjected to scrutiny to make sure the taxpayer gets his or her money's worth. Subject the spending to scrutiny. And that is what President Obama is proposing with his freeze and cuts. Pay-as-you-go. This largely applies to the entitlements, which are the largest part, biggest increases in the deficit. And third, the commission to review the entitlements and how we can control cost. This is an obligation that we have to our children. It is an important part of the work that we do, to be able to make difficult, difficult choices on how we make investments, understanding that they must be paid for. So the luxury of just heaping bills with projects or whatever, or in terms of new entitlements especially in terms of PAYGO, that day is over unless it is paid for. So how is it a reflection of the values of our country; how important it is to meeting the needs of the American people. Would we put it before something else? That is what this is about, about prioritizing so that we can get on a path of deficit reduction, reducing the national debt, reducing the debt service, hundreds of billions of dollars of interest on the debt, which gets us really nothing in return. So the time is long overdue for this to be taken for granted that the Federal Government will pay as it goes, that we will be on a path of deficit reduction, and that every action that we take in any bill that we take will have to meet the test. Does this reduce the deficit? Does this create jobs? Does this grow our economy? Does this stabilize our economy well into the future? Central to all of that, and a very strong pillar of fiscal responsibility, is this PAYGO legislation that we have here today. I couldn't be more thrilled for what this means about the fundamentals of how we govern, how we choose, and how we honor our responsibility to future generations to reduce the deficit. With all the respect and admiration and gratitude to our Blue Dog coalition for being so persistent in passing this, and my congratulations, if I may, to the Senate for passing the bill. It has taken a while, but they are there, and now after this and it goes to the President, it will be the law of the land. I think this is cause for celebration.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, on January 21, 2010, we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the United States Immigration Station, Angel Island. This national historic landmark, designated as one of America's most endangered historic sites, served as a processing center for immigrants coming across the Pacific from 1910 to 1940. More than one million immigrants, including those from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and Central and South America were processed at the station. This ``Ellis Island of the West,'' also known as ``The Guardian of the Western Gate,'' was designed to control the flow of immigration, especially from China. While many immigrants passed through, many were detained here for lengthy periods of time. Inscribed on the walls of the barracks are their voices of hope, fear and despair. The facility was used by the U.S. Army during World War II, then abandoned, and became part of the California State Park system in 1963. I was proud to have helped secure federal funding to rebuild the dilapidated barracks which enabled the facility to reopen to the public in February 2009. I will continue my commitment to restoring not just an historic landmark but a symbol of the struggles and courage of people from around the globe who look to America as the land of possibility. In addition to its unique history, Angel Island is a place of great beauty and breathtaking views. It is imperative that we as San Franciscans and Americans preserve and enhance what Angel Island represents culturally, educationally, recreationally and environmentally for present and future generations.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank him for giving us the privilege to come to the floor to honor the lives, the leadership, the service and sacrifice of the seven CIA officers killed, and those who were wounded in Afghanistan on December 30, 2009. For those of us who have worked closely with members of the intelligence community, visited them and their stations around the world, some undercover, some not, we know the sacrifice that they make. Like so many of the dedicated men and women in the intelligence community, these officers worked far from home, close to the enemy, and on the front lines of the fight for freedom and security around the world. They were mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, friends and loved ones. They never asked for recognition or credit, for medals or awards. They simply sought to fulfill their duty to protect our Nation, to secure the blessings of a brighter future for our people, to bear any burden, as President Kennedy said, in the name of our safety, our shared values, and our common ideals. Go back a number of years before terrorism became such an important part of our intelligence gathering, go back a couple of decades, force protection was one of the primary responsibilities of the intelligence community. When they were sent into harm's way or in anticipation of that, the intelligence community was the advance team and the ongoing force protector. And so as we honor on every occasion, and we will later today, our men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan, we know that there are people taking risks to protect them as we talk about honoring them. These are the members of the intelligence community in their various manifestations. The stories of these intelligence officers, theirs were stories of sacrifice, tales of bravery in the face of danger, and valor in the face of great peril. In carrying out their mission, they gave hope to children, families, and complete strangers. We are the land of the free and the home of the brave because of them. In performing acts of extraordinary courage, they advanced the cause of peace. In answering the calls of service, they became heroes. These officers knew we live in a time of peril at home and around the world. As the attack on them in Afghanistan, the failed plot on Christmas Day, and the shootings at Fort Hood remind us, intelligence must remain the first line of defense against terrorism and other threats to global security and peace. We must continue to support those still in the field, the men and women who, taking inspiration from their fallen colleagues, keep pursuing their mission on every front. In the words of this resolution, the entire Nation owes an enormous debt of gratitude to these proud Americans, their families, and their loved ones for the quiet, dedicated, and vital services offered to the United States. May their proud and selfless acts be a source of strength and inspiration to all Americans. May those so painfully touched by this event find comfort in knowing the thoughts and prayers of our entire Nation are with them at this very sad and difficult time.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentlewoman, Congresswoman Lee, for her leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and as a leader on this issue as well. To Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, ranking member on the Foreign Relations Committee, once again, thank you for your leadership. Donald Payne, our leader--my goodness, what a conscience he is and has been on this subject for a very long time and, really, for the alleviation of poverty and the eradication of disease throughout the world. Madam Speaker, obviously the thoughts and prayers of this entire Congress are with the people of Haiti, who are suffering from a devastating earthquake that hit their country on January 12. Members of Congress are committed to helping the Haitian people recover from this tragedy and to rebuild their homes, communities and lives in the days, weeks and years to come. Again, I thank Congresswoman Lee, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, and Congressman Payne for their leadership today and throughout the years in support of the people of Haiti. It is a source of pride to the Americans that when President Obama spoke about this subject, he said to the Haitian people, ``You will not be forsaken. You will not be forgotten.'' What a beautiful sentiment reflecting the values of our country, the concern of the President, personally, that he had for the people of Haiti, the leadership he provided as Commander in Chief to deploy the forces necessary to help bring order there, and as President of the United States to speak with heads of state from other countries to coordinate the effort of relief for Haiti. We are still learning the staggering extent of the devastation. The Government of Haiti estimates the death toll is close to 200,000 souls--200,000 people made in the image and likeness of God, 200,000 people whose families have been devastated by this loss. It's just such a staggering snuffing out of life, and more than 1.5 million people homeless. Anyone who has ever visited Haiti has seen the extreme poverty there, the poorest country in this hemisphere; but with the poverty that they have economically and with the hope that they have otherwise, anyone who has visited there can testify to the fact that the sparkle in their eyes and their hopes for the future and their love of their children and their love of life is very special. It stands out. I've been to many countries to visit the poor and to see what our efforts nationally and globally are to alleviate poverty and eradicate disease; and in Haiti you see a sparkle that is so special, and that's why this seems so very, very sad. We know for certain that too many Haitians are suffering right now. Far too many are injured and hungry. Far too many grieve the loss of loved ones. Again, I am proud of the swift coordinated response that the President had. He extended TPS, at long last, temporary protection status. We've been asking for that for a long time, long before President Obama was President, for Haitians living in the U.S., and it ensures that no one will be sent back against their will to the devastation. I talked earlier about the President's leadership in this regard. At this tragic time, we can take steps right away to ensure a brighter future for Haiti. I do believe, as one who comes from earthquake country--California, where we've experienced earthquakes; right, Congresswoman?--that there is a possibility that Haiti can leapfrog over all the physical devastation there to an economy and a future that is so very bright that this can create a boom economy for the people there and make a big difference in their lives. This can only happen if we all help. Already today, the House has passed bipartisan charitable tax deduction legislation to encourage and incentivize assistance from the American people to the people of Haiti. I hope the Senate will soon follow and send this bill to the President's desk. Next, the International Development Bank should move forward with full debt cancellation for Haiti. International institutions should be removing obstacles to Haiti's enormous long-term reconstruction challenges, including providing the new assistance in the form of grants and not loans. Third, I will be asking the appropriate committees to work together with the administration and the Haitian Government to see how Congress can support long-term sustainable development plans for Haiti; and aren't we fortunate that Congresswoman Lee serves on one of those appropriate committees, and the chairwoman is here, Congresswoman Lowey, of the subcommittee that is so important to this. A compassionate and generous response from the United States is essential to stabilizing Haiti. While there has been a strong initial response to the crisis, there must be an initiative to provide sustainable assistance that empowers Haiti's institutions and the Haitian people to build a future that is better than the past. We value the strong relationship between Haiti and the United States. Our countries share a long and difficult history in some respects, but that binds us together. Wherever Haiti immigrants have settled, they have thrived, and they have contributed to the welfare and the well- being of their new home country, never forgetting their Haitian legacy. We know about the artistic genius and entrepreneurial spirit of the Haitian people--Michael Jong, are you listening?--as so many others. They will succeed if they are only given the opportunity. Today, with this resolution, we are saying to the Haitian people: In your hour of greatest need, America stands with you. Again, I thank Congresswoman Lee for her leadership on this important issue and Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen as well.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman, the distinguished leader, for yielding, and express to him on behalf of all Members of the House of Representatives, indeed, the Congress, the condolences that we all feel. We extend them to you on Paula's passing. As the leader has said, we all were aware of her brilliance and her effectiveness when the leader was chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee. Mr. Miller, that is why he is presiding in the chair, became a fan of Paula, as did John Lawrence, her counterpart, as well. This is a very special person, a devoted conservative as the leader has said. She loved Ronald Reagan and John Paul, II. She had a strong perspective, was very innovative in her orientation in terms of solutions and had a beautiful, beautiful smile. It is with great sadness that all of us received the news of her passing. And, to her mother, I say, we were shocked by it, in a state of disbelief, and especially for someone so vibrant, so full of life, with this brilliant intellect again, and this strong personality to leave us so young. She left us, but she has made her mark. She is a person we will never forget because of her leadership skills and because of her friendship. So it is with great respect, admiration, sadness, and affection that I extend to Paula's family the sympathy and condolences of the Congress as I join the distinguished leader in doing so. I extend those condolences to you, Mr. Leader, because I know what a great partner she was to you as you lead the Republicans in the Congress. But she was here for everyone because, as the leader said, she loved this institution. So we are all shocked by her loss. Her belief in John Paul, II, enables the rest of us to be comforted by the fact that now she has joined him and so many others in heaven; and just to express the gratitude of a grateful Congress to all who knew her, to her family--to Michael, to her mother--to all of you, I hope it is a comfort to you that, with the greatest sadness, so many people mourn your loss and are praying for your family at this very, very difficult time. With that, I--and in sorrow--yield back to the distinguished leader.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of an extraordinary wife, mother, grandmother, and artist, Rose Kaufman. The Pelosi family was blessed to be forever joined to the Kaufman family when our daughter Christine married Rose and Phil's son, Peter. Their wedding brought us all closer together and made us a single family and dear friends. Rose was a beautiful person inside and out. I enjoyed listening to her warm, witty insights about people and her career in the arts. She was an actor and a screenwriter; a creative force and an active member of the San Francisco community. She was full of passion and spirit, brimming with ideas, committed to artistic excellence and the rich culture of our City and our nation. Her remarkable story brought her together with Philip, her husband of 51 years. They shared a love of film and art in all forms. They collaborated on screenplays and build a warm, welcoming home for friends and family. Their partnership began as filmmakers, as professional peers; it transformed into a love story--one that stretched from their work on Phil's first film through her courageous battle with cancer in recent years. The memories of Rose Kaufman will be ones of joy, happiness, optimism and creativity. Our whole family mourns Rose's passing, and will be reminded of her fun-loving spirit in the laughter of Octavio and Isabella. We will long remember her warmth, her vibrant personality, her commitment to those she loved, and her enduring contributions to those who loved her.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman for yielding, for his unyielding work on behalf of America's working families, and in this case today for the creation of jobs, to grow our economy and to help those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. I am grateful to the distinguished ranking member, Mr. Lewis, for his courtesy. Yes, my apology. I didn't realize the debate would go to this point. But I did want to take the opportunity to talk about jobs to our colleagues and to this Congress in general. Just to put it in perspective, 1 year ago, in January, the job loss was 740,000 jobs for that 1 month alone. Fast forward to now, and the job loss for November is 11,000 jobs. Seven hundred forty thousand 10 months ago; 11,000 jobs this month. We don't want to lose any jobs. But we are on the road to recovery, and we are there because this Congress made some very important and difficult decisions to take us there. We are on the road to recovery because of the leadership of President Barack Obama, who stood on the steps of the Capitol on his inauguration and asked for swift, bold action now so that we could take the country in a new direction and create jobs and grow our economy. One week and 1 day from the President's inaugural address, this House of Representatives passed the Recovery Act. We were able to do so because we were ready. We had been ready with job creation packages, but we could not get the resources until we had a new President to make the investments, which took us from 740,000 jobs lost in January, in the first month of this year--the President, I am reminded, was inaugurated on January 20, toward the end of that month--and then 11,000 jobs. I also want to call to our colleagues' attention back to the first quarter of 2009, and the GDP rate of growth was a negative. It was a minus 6.4 percent, a result of the failed economic policies of the previous administration. As of November 24, 2009, the GDP has a positive 2.8 and is growing; a swing of 9.2 percent in the GDP from negative, minus 6.4 to positive 2.8. At the same time, I call to the attention of my colleagues that because of this new direction to grow our economy, the stock market was at a nadir. The first of 2009, we're at 7,000. We are now over 10,000, an increase of over 3,000 points in the stock market. Economists tell us that some of this change is directly related to the recovery package that we passed in January, the fiscally sound budget that we passed 100 days after the President's inauguration, which was a blueprint for the future, a statement of our national values that talked about how we could create jobs, lower taxes for the middle class--over 95 percent of the American people got a tax cut--and how we could reduce the deficit. It's all about job creation and reducing the deficit. Three pillars of changing the economy in that budget were investments in health care, in education, and in energy to prevent climate change, to create new green jobs for the future, and to do so through science and innovation. Innovation begins in the classroom and is central to our competitiveness--innovation to reduce the cost of health care to families, to businesses, to our budget, and to our economy to make us competitive and keep us number one in the world's economy. All of this was passed by the House of Representatives: energy, climate change, education, and health care. Then finally, this past week, we passed the regulatory reform legislation. Mr. Frank is here, our chairman. It is the work of many people in this Congress. We passed regulatory reform to hold Wall Street accountable, to say that the party is over, to say that we are creating jobs for Main Street, not just wealth for Wall Street. We respect the creation of wealth and what it means to an economy and how it relates to the creation of jobs, but we cannot have a creation of wealth at the exploitation of the American worker. We did pass this regulatory reform without one Republican vote to hold Wall Street accountable, without one Republican vote. So here we are today, after this plan that started on the steps of the Capitol--the inauguration of our new President--that had deep seeds in what we had tried to do before we had a Democratic administration but what we had been working for, so we were ready. And now today we want to pass this legislation which does two things: It creates jobs and saves jobs by investments in building the infrastructure of America. It doesn't do everything we would want, but what we do in there is paid for, building the infrastructure of America. What it also invests in is to help States, cities, and localities keep their fiscal soundness so that they don't have to lay off teachers, firefighters, police officers, and people who work to meet the health needs of people in our community. This is important not only for public safety. That is self-evident. It is not only important because we don't want to lose our teachers. It is about the education of our children and how seriously that can be undermined with the layoffs and the uncertainty in the local and State budgets. But on top of all of that, while we're concerned about what this does to working families and how important it is for people to have their jobs--they are also consumers--to the extent that they lose their jobs, our economy loses consumers. And when our economy loses consumers, we're in big trouble, economic trouble. We cannot let that happen. So today, we have before us that package for job creation and job retention which is fiscally sound and which is paid for by using TARP funds, the unused TARP funds which were the subject of great debate but which, I do believe, saved us, pulled us from the brink of the financial crisis we were in as our recovery package later pulled us from the brink of economic disaster. In addition to that, we have some safety net provisions about the extension of unemployment insurance, of COBRA to meet the health needs of those who are unemployed, which all expire the end of December, and other issues that relate to the well-being of America's working families, to address the concerns of the unemployed but, in addition to that, to create jobs in a fiscally sound way. Fiscal responsibility is very important to us. It is our responsibility to our children not to increase the deficit, and that is why our health bill does not add one dime to the deficit; in fact, it decreases the deficit. I see Chairman Rangel shaking his head. It is an important part of paying for that legislation. And Mr. Miller and Mr. Waxman were so much an important part of that health care bill. So here we are today with an opportunity to modestly and in a paid- for way address the issue of jobs. It's a four-letter word. Let's use that four-letter word everyplace we go--jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs. I urge my colleagues, while some of your districts and some of your States may be doing better than other parts of the country, this is the time for us to recognize that we are a national economy and that what happens in one State has an impact on our national recovery. I thank Chairman Obey for his great leadership in putting this package together. I urge our colleagues to act on behalf of America's working families through the creation of jobs in a fiscally sound way, to honor our responsibility of public safety by protecting our first responders and our responsibility to our children to make sure that their education does not have a gap, because we have a budgetary gap, and understanding the role that consumers play in our economy. I hope that we will have a strong ``yes'' vote on this legislation. With that, Mr. Chairman, I commend you again.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise in strong support of the Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act. I would like to acknowledge the great leadership of our chairman, Chairman Berman, and the ranking member, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, for their efforts and leadership to bring this legislation to the floor. All Members of Congress, regardless of party, agree a nuclear Iran is simply unacceptable; it is a threat to the region, to the United States, and to the world. The American people have great hopes for our friendship with the people of Iran. We look forward to a day when Iran is a much more productive member of the community of nations. Until that day, though, we must ensure that Iran is prevented from obtaining nuclear weapons that would threaten the security of the world. Iran must take the necessary steps to demonstrate its willingness to live as a peaceful partner in the international community. And we must use all of the tools at our disposal, from diplomacy to sanctions, to stop Iran's march toward nuclear capability. Today, with this legislation, we give the President a new option, a new tool, the power to impose sanctions against companies that supply Iran with or support its domestic production of gasoline and other refined petroleum products. By targeting Iran's ongoing dependence on largely imported refined petroleum, we reduce the chance that Iran will acquire the capacity to produce nuclear weapons. A pillar, Mr. Speaker, of our national security is diplomacy; and in the case of Iran, we must use it. We must exhaust every diplomatic remedy. I commend President Obama for standing with other U.N. Security Council leaders earlier this year to condemn Iran and to work toward an agreeable diplomatic solution to end Iran's proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. However, as we have seen, Iran has refused to accept a reasonable offer that was put on the table a couple of months ago. Instead, it has reiterated its resolve to continue its uranium enrichment program, the cornerstone of its nuclear program. The international community must, therefore, consider stronger options. We have that opportunity today to give the President the option with a waiver to use in the best possible way. Now, I have heard mention of the State of Israel in some of the debate here today, and Israel certainly has proximity to Iran. Iran is increasing its capability both to develop a weapon of mass destruction and the delivery system to deliver that bad news. But this isn't about Israel. Israel, again, is close, and this development of a weapon of mass destruction is a threat to the region. But the development of a weapon of mass destruction anyplace in the world is a threat to the entire world, and it is not in the national security interest of the United States. So while Israel may bear the brunt or be the closest target--or target of words, if, hopefully, not anything else--they have carried this fight, but it's not just their fight. The fight is all of ours. I mentioned diplomacy as a pillar of our national security. Another pillar of our foreign policy and of our national security is stopping the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Imagine what the reaction would be if Iran had a nuclear weapon, what that would evoke in the Arab world in terms of their interest in having weapons of mass destruction. It simply cannot happen. With this legislation today, we strengthen the President's hand to use or to withhold this particular sanction, but to have the capability to use diplomacy in a stronger way. I urge all of my colleagues to support the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a great American and public servant, the Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives, Ward Hussey. Ward Hussey's career was defined by service. He stood on the front lines of World War II and stormed the beaches of Okinawa. He got little attention in the public eye, but for 43 years in the Office of Legislative Counsel, he was the wordsmith of the House; a core player in the legislative process; a truly indispensible voice and a source of institutional knowledge and intelligence for every Member of Congress. Ward Hussey held no allegiance to party or partisan causes--only to his country, the Congress, and the people of the United States. His job was to give form to ideas and to turn vague proposals into concrete pieces of legislation. Always remaining behind the scenes, he called himself a ``catalyst,'' a man who ``filled in'' the details and made sure all sides were represented. Always an example of hard work, commitment, and duty, his colleagues called him a kind and decent man, who brought an extraordinary knowledge and discipline to the job. Ward Hussey left a deep imprint on our national identity, our social fabric, and our daily lives. His fingerprints can be found on the Marshall Plan, the interstate highway system, and Medicare. Most significantly, his words and expertise formed the foundation of our modern tax code. Over more than 4 decades of service, Ward Hussey's, achievements became the cornerstones of our common progress as a country. I hope it is a comfort to Ward Hussey's children, grandchildren, great-grandchild, family and friends that the House of Representatives mourns the loss of this giant of the Capitol and is praying for them in this sad time. May his legacy live on in our ongoing pursuit of legislative achievement.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 21st annual World AIDS Day, and to remember, reflect on those we have lost, and recommit to ending HIV/AIDS. This year's theme, ``Universal Access and Human Rights,'' is a call to action, a sign of the continued urgency of this moral challenge, and a reminder that HIV/AIDS is still with us in a very major way. The fight to end this disease must go on. The moral case alone is reason to act, but we also know that the spread of infectious diseases, especially HIV/AIDS, can destroy the very fabric of nations and create a fury of despair. American leadership is essential to preventing suffering and instability in the developing world. Since the first World AIDS Day in 1988, we have made enormous progress. We have dramatically increased resources for both domestic and international HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment, and research. These investments have provided lifesaving anti-retroviral treatment to millions of people while also taking critical steps to prevent millions of new HIV cases. Reiterating our commitment, Congress recently passed, in a bipartisan way, and President Obama signed into law the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act, continuing this essential lifeline of care, treatment, and support for more than half a million low-income Americans living with this disease. And around the same time, the President lifted the ban on entry of individuals with HIV/AIDS into our country. This was good news for all who were concerned about the global AIDS conference that's going to be held in the United States in 2012. When Congress and the President make the dream of health insurance reform a reality for all Americans, we will improve access to lifelong medications and open the door of high-quality medical care to more low- income, uninsured, HIV-positive individuals before they confront the nightmare of full-blown AIDS. This is better for their health and lowers costs for all of us. Today, on World AIDS Day, we remember all that we have lost but also all that we have to hold on to, our hope, our optimism, our steadfastness, and our determination to fight against this disease, to respond to the needs of the people who have it, and one day, and hopefully that will be soon, to end the HIV/AIDS disease.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding, for his kind remarks and for his tremendous leadership on bringing this legislation to the floor. Thank you, Congressman Rob Andrews. Madam Speaker, today as we all know is an historic moment for our Nation and for America's families. For nearly a century, leaders of every party and political philosophy have, as far back as Teddy Roosevelt, called for health care for the American people. For generations, the American people have called for affordable, quality health care for their families. Today, the call will be answered. Today, we will pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act. This legislation is founded on key principles for a healthier America: innovation, competition and prevention. It improves quality, lowers cost, expands coverage to 36 million more people, and retains choices. Our innovation began in the recovery package in January with $19 billion for health IT, the first step in lowering cost and improving quality, and $8 billion in investments for biomedical research. This legislation will mean affordability for the middle class, security for our seniors and honors our responsibility to our children, adding not one dime to the deficit. For all Americans, this legislation makes a big difference: no discrimination for preexisting medical conditions; no dropped coverage if you are sick; no copays for preventive care. There is a cap on what you pay in, but there is no cap on the benefit that you receive. It works for seniors, closing the doughnut hole, offering better primary care and strengthening Medicare for years to come. It works for women, preventing insurance companies from charging women more than men for the same coverage. No longer will being a woman be a preexisting medical condition. It works for young people, offers affordable choices and copays for preventive care to stop problems before they start, and allows young people to stay on their parents' insurance until their 27th birthday. It works for small business owners, providing access to affordable group rates and creating a tax credit to help them insure their employees. It works for consumers, keeping insurance companies honest and encouraging competition with a public option. This legislation puts you and your doctor in charge. No longer will the insurance companies come between you and your doctor. President Obama has said that health care reform is entitlement reform, and this legislation proves that point. It is fiscally sound, it is paid for, and it reduces the deficit by tens of billions of dollars over the next 10 years. This legislation is the result of extensive deliberation here in the Congress, where we have held more than 100 hearings and is the product of extensive input from the American people. Members of Congress have held over 3,000 town meetings. It has resulted in a better bill than H.R. 3200. However good or excellent that was, this bill is a better one with significant differences, and my colleagues have pointed them out, as did Congresswoman Dina Titus, who just spoke before me at the podium. We are brought to this historic moment in our Nation for our families because of the work of our chairmen: Chairman Henry Waxman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Chairman Charlie Rangel of the Ways and Means Committee, Chairman George Miller of the Education and Labor Committee, and Chairwoman Louise Slaughter of the Rules Committee. I thank all of those committees, including the Rules Committee, for being in so late so that we could have this legislation on the floor today and for their ongoing service to the Congress. More than 300 groups representing tens of millions of Americans have expressed their support for the bill: the AARP, American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association; the list of medical groups goes on and on. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association. And I am particularly proud the Consumers Union has endorsed the legislation. My colleagues, this morning we were part of history, and we are this evening as well. But a particularly poignant moment occurred when Chairman Dingell took the Chair to preside over the debate, the beginning of the debate for health care. When he was a young man as a Member of Congress, he gaveled Medicare into law. It had been, as one of our colleagues said, in his DNA, this pursuit of health care for all Americans. His father had introduced the bill over and over again when he was in Congress and, as his successor, he continued that great legacy. Today he will see a lifelong dream of generations in his family come true as we begin the process of making this a reality. It's impossible to talk about health care reform in America without talking about Senator Edward Kennedy. His leadership and his contribution to this debate is boundless. Health insurance reform was the cause of his life. He called it ``the great unfinished business of our society.'' On this issue he said what is at stake ``is the character of our country.'' When the President came to address the joint session, he quoted those comments by Senator Kennedy from a letter that the Senator had sent to him. What the Senator also said in the letter that was sent to President Obama before he died was this: ``I entered public life with a young President who inspired a generation and the world. It gives me great hope that as I leave, another young President inspires another generation and, once more on America's behalf, inspires the entire world.'' He acknowledged President Obama's ``unwavering commitment and understanding that health care is a decisive issue for our future prosperity.'' President Obama's leadership gives our Nation hope. Today, with this legislation, we will give them health. President Obama has said, ``We will measure our success in the progress that is made by America's working families.'' Today, with the passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, we will make history. We will also make progress for America's working families. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for his kind remarks, and I accept them on behalf of the entire House because we have worked in a bipartisan way on behalf of our men and women in uniform and our veterans. I particularly want to salute Chairman Edwards' outstanding leadership in that regard in his position as Chair of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs Subcommittee of Appropriations. Mr. Speaker, words fail when a tragedy of this magnitude comes in such an unexpected way, that someone who had the confidence of the military, within its own walls, would perpetrate such a tragedy on people whose lives are dedicated to protecting the American people. It was an unspeakable tragedy, of course, for the families, soldiers, civilians, and support staff on the base at Fort Hood. But it was also a wound to our country. Our brave men and women in uniform train day in and day out to preserve our security. They should never have to face or fear the forces of violence here at home. At Fort Hood yesterday, ordinary citizens performed extraordinary acts when they were called upon. They were heroes. In the face of great cowardice on behalf of the perpetrator, Americans demonstrated great bravery from stopping the gunman from causing more loss of life to coming to the aid of those who were wounded and protecting the lives of others. The entire Nation and this Congress stands with the members of the military every day. I hope it is a comfort to the families affected by this, and everyone in America has been affected by this, but those who have lost their loved ones and the families of those who are seriously wounded and those who have been shaken at Fort Hood, that our entire country mourns the losses of those who were killed and are praying for them at this very, very sad time. I said to Mr. Carter, Congressman Carter, who represents Fort Hood, and Mr. Edwards, who had represented Fort Hood and many of his constituents worked at Fort Hood, that whatever this Congress can do to ease the pain, to help the recovery, we stand ready to do. And we do that on both sides of the aisle. I thank you, Mr. Edwards, for the opportunity to extend my condolences and that of the Congress to the families affected.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding and thank him for his longstanding leadership on this issue that relates to the economic well-being of America's families. Anytime families gather across America at their dinner table to see how they are going to make ends meet or struggle through the loss of a job, they know they have a friend in Jim McDermott in the Congress. This has been one of his premier issues, and he has served them and this Congress and this country excellently in that regard. I thank him for bringing this legislation to the floor. We passed this bill over a month ago. At long last it is back, but we are glad it is back, no matter how long it took. I am pleased to rise to support the legislation. The bill will mark another step forward to boost our economic growth, and it will make a critical investment in our families and our workers. This legislation offers a lifeline to out-of-work Americans, to the men and women hardest hit by the recession, by extending unemployment benefits--you have heard it over and over--by 14 weeks nationwide and an extra 6 weeks in States suffering the highest jobless rates. It's a smart choice for our Nation's economy. Every dollar spent on unemployment benefits generates more than $1.60 in new economic demand. It's good for businesses. It's good for workers. This money, because it is so needed by these out-of-work families will, again, be spent immediately, inject demand into the economy, creating jobs, to the tune of $1.60 for every dollar. It's hard to think of any other initiative we can name that is as beneficial to job creation. Its original purpose is fairness to those workers who have paid into the insurance system, and now they are getting an insurance benefit. But it also has an impact as a stimulant. It means more Americans will have access to the support and assistance they need to get back on their feet, reenter the workforce, contribute to our economy and succeed. The bill also places a down payment on the future of our middle class because it extends for the first-time homebuyer a tax credit, helping more Americans purchase homes and making it is a little easier for families to move into a new house and keep a roof over their heads. This initiative has already been successful. We have seen the positive impact, the steadier foundation in our housing market. Most significantly, we have watched new generations of Americans start living out their dream of homeownership and economic security. The bill also has the net operating loss carryback, which businesses tell us is necessary for them to succeed and to hire new people, and also to mitigate some of the damage that has been done to the economy from past policies. Taking action now to turn around our country is our most urgent and pressing challenge. It must be our top priority, regardless of party. That is why I am so pleased that we are going to have such a strong bipartisan vote. Mr. Brady, thank you today. The House acted more than a month ago, as I mentioned, to pass the bill and help 1.3 million Americans set to lose their unemployment benefits by the end of the year. Today, we are proud to see the Senate version come back to the floor, to this Chamber. We would have wanted it sooner, but here it is. The Nation's leaders have a responsibility to give every American the opportunity to recover, to thrive, to reap the rewards of our common progress and to take part in our prosperity. Today's vote is about a never-ending effort to put our economy on the road to recovery, create jobs, and establish the building blocks for growth in the long term. President Obama has said over and over again, and so eloquently, that our success here would be measured only in the progress made by America's families as they get back on their feet and as we help them address their economic struggles. The economic security of America's families is important to them, to their children, to their children's future; and it is important to the strength of our country. For that reason, I again commend Mr. McDermott and Mr. Brady and urge all Members to support this bill.