Tom Price

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the leadership allowing me the opportunity to speak this hour and talk about a number of issues. We are going to discuss an important issue of health care. But before we do, I thought it would be appropriate to correct some of the misinformation that we have heard over the past hour. And the misinformation is truly remarkable, and so I have been joined by one of my colleagues here to address a couple issues and I will do the same as well, and then we will get into the discussion about health care. But I am pleased to be joined by my colleague from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn), who is going to tell the rest of the story.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I thank my good friend from Nebraska for joining us today. I want to thank him for pointing out health savings accounts and also the incredible importance of this discussion to small business. When I go back to the district and I visit businesses all across the district, one of the things that they say, Whatever you do up there in Washington, please, please, make it so that we can afford to provide health insurance for our employees. So many of the things that we are doing right now as it relates to the model in which we are delivering health care make it more difficult for them to be able to provide that. So I thank the gentleman for his perspective and for joining us today. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a very, very short period of time and just close by saying that the model that we currently deliver health care under in this Nation is one that is not patient friendly; it is not efficient; and it does not spend anybody's money, be it tax money or personal money, wisely. We need a new model, a new model for health care. A transformation of our health care system is what is needed: more choices, more control by patients, higher quality and lower costs. What that does is make it so that we would have better care, more patients in power, and more responsibility and opportunity for patients to receive the kind of care that they so richly deserve. Again, I would like to say that I look forward to working with Members on both sides of the aisle who want to work positively and productively to bring about a system of health care in our Nation that allows patients, that allows patients to be the ones making decisions that give the highest quality of health care that they need and that they deserve.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, with the recent hurricanes on the gulf coast, it is heartwarming to witness the unity and the outpouring of support from all Americans. It is a unity of purpose from all, except one group: Democrats in the House of Representatives. That is right. Our Republican leadership is working valiantly to find resources to provide help for the displaced residents. The way to do that is to reopen the budget and identify savings elsewhere to pay for those new costs, and the Democrat leadership says, They won't get one Democrat vote. Now, that is leadership. How sad. Mr. Speaker, the American people expect us to work together to solve problems. Democrats are stuck practicing the tired, old, petty, partisan politics of the past; and this is disappointing and irresponsible. America deserves more than obstruction from a once-proud party.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, if the Democrats were in charge, as they would like, they would increase our spending this year by tens of billions of dollars. In fact, over the last 3 years Democrats have attempted to bust the discretionary budget by more than $60 billion. Where would we find the money for their additions for this astronomical amount? You know the answer because it is their answer to every single problem, higher taxes. However, Republicans are looking for savings from other programs, not raising taxes on hard-working Americans. Being fiscally responsible is the only answer, not just spending more money. We have an obligation to the American people to restrain spending. If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle had their way, they would spend billions of dollars on programs that sound perfectly wonderful; but, frankly, that is what would be fiscally irresponsible and immoral. My Republican colleagues and I realize the importance of fiscal restraint and financial responsibility, and we are working to find a solution that will not bury our children and grandchildren under mounds of debt. I urge my colleagues from across the aisle to join us in this responsible and moral initiative.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, while all Americans have shown compassion for the victims of recent natural disasters, we must exercise this compassion in a fiscally responsible manner. We in Congress have an obligation to respond to these natural disasters, but we must not give future generations an IOU of billions of dollars that they will have to pay off. How do we do this? Many of my colleagues have looked for savings and prioritizing programs, and that is a great start and I am sure many more ideas will come forward as we discuss this issue. We must focus our efforts only on spending that which is essential to the American people, just like a family budget. In the past we have reduced spending when needed, and now is such a time. The American taxpayers want Congress to be fiscally responsible. Mr. Speaker, it is important to compare the government's budget to a family budget, and it is simple: When you spend more in one area, you must find savings in another. My colleagues and I should do just that. Now let us finish the job and show the taxpayers that Congress is able to act as responsibly as they would in their own life.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, when I am at home and speaking to groups, I oftentimes ask them, the constituents that I am talking to, have you heard any good news lately on the radio or heard any good news on television or have you read any good news in the newspaper? Most often the silence is deafening. But we do not have to look far for good news, either here at home or around the world. Much of that good news is directly related to the actions of Americans. That certainly has been true with the outpouring of support and relief for our fellow citizens who have been victims of recent hurricanes and other natural disasters, and this past Saturday the world witnessed not just good news but great news. The election in Iraq this past weekend was a phenomenal event, a remarkable step toward an independent, sovereign, democratic nation. What good news this is. This is a momentous event, a huge step forward, and toward the approaching day when we will be able to bring home our service men and women. Did you hear the good news, Mr. Speaker? Listen to some of the voices. Lieutenant Colonel Steve Boylan in Baghdad said: ``Nationwide security was a resounding success, with all of the 13 recorded attacks aimed at election targets failing.'' Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, talking about TV coverage, said: ``I have seen pictures of citizens who are proud to be shown on camera having voted. There were no such pictures from these places in the last election. The victory for Iraq is that they are voting.'' Listen to the voices, Mr. Speaker. Abdul Hussein Ahmed emerged from a polling station in the southern city of Najaf with his purple ink- stained finger raised aloft and he said: ``Five members of my family were killed by Saddam and his people but now with this constitution everyone is equal under the law.'' Listen to the voices, Mr. Speaker. Razifa Hussein Abdullah arrived at the polling station with tears in her eyes. Her husband, Hussein Salim, leaned on her for balance as they walked. They had returned several months ago from exile in Iran where they had fled during the Iran-Iraq war of the eighties. ``We suffered a lot,'' she said, ``and today I came to get revenge for all of these years I stayed away from my country to feel that I am an Iraqi again. It was a dream to get rid of Saddam and today is another dream come true,'' she said. There is the quote from this poster, Mr. Speaker. Listen to the voices. ``I voted then for Saddam, of course, because I was afraid, but this time I came here by my own choice. I am not afraid anymore. I am a free man.'' Some editorials have finally recognized the importance of this occurrence. The New York Post said, ``The referendum results vindicate U.S. policy and are a giant step toward regional peace.'' The New York Times, yes, the New York Times, said, ``What we know already and can't fail to be impressed by is that large numbers of Iraqis of all persuasions turned out in defiance of terrorist threats to decide their constitutional future. They have exercised a basic democratic right that would have been inconceivable just a few years ago.'' Even the New York Times. Mr. Speaker, oftentimes we are too close to the happenings of the day to appreciate their gravity and I think we are just a little too close now. This past Saturday was a red letter date in the history of the world, and the naysayers notwithstanding, this is a day and a time to celebrate and congratulate. I am proud to be an American. I am proud of and humbled by the selfless acts by so many of our fellow citizens in Iraq. In the 1800s, de Tocqueville said that America is not good because it is great, it is great because it is good. It is that goodness that continues to strive for liberty for all. What a momentous time we are in as we celebrate and witness that march of liberty around the world. Mr. Speaker, it is good news. Let's spread that good news.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, illegal immigration is a huge concern to the vast majority of Americans. Some States are welcoming illegal aliens with driver's licenses, in-State college tuition, and access to social services. One has to wonder how can this be. It appears to many that we are rewarding those that break the laws. Whoever said crime does not pay must not have been talking about those who enter our country illegally. Crossing the border illegally is a criminal act; however, we give these people access to everything you can imagine. Lax enforcement of our immigration policies is making every day payday for illegal aliens. States other than Texas, Arizona, and California are now more burdened than ever picking up the tab for illegal aliens, with Georgia, my home State, ranking in the top 10 with illegal alien populations. Hospitals and others are being forced to scrape the bottom of the barrel to look for money, money that should be spent on American citizens and those here legally. Mr. Speaker, not tomorrow, not the day after that, not next week, not next month, but today, today is the time to stop illegal immigration. H.R. 3693 will do just that.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, what a distinct privilege and honor to come before you today to introduce our guest Chaplain, the Reverend Henry Holley. As Members of Congress we are truly blessed with the opportunity to meet and get to know many wonderful Americans from all walks of life, many of whom have dedicated their lives to the betterment of the human race. Henry Holley is one of Georgia's and America's greatest treasures and a man who has given all and then some in his work on behalf of a grateful nation followed by his glorious affiliation with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Following service in World War II in the Pacific, Reverend Holley continued on active duty in the United States Marine Corps until 1966. He then joined the Reverend Billy Graham, ultimately becoming ordained into the gospel ministry by the Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in my district in Marietta, Georgia. He has literally given his life to further outreach and evangelism. Reverend Holley has organized 10s of crusades worldwide, many attended by literally millions. The Hong Kong crusade in 1990, for example, extended its message of hope and faith to over 100 million people with the gospel, an effort directed by Reverend Holley. He has served as a special assistant to Dr. Billy Graham on projects and missions too numerous to count, and has recently lent his talent to Reverend Franklin Graham. Reverend Holley is the embodiment of love and compassion and humility. He has been supported in his life work by Betty, his dear wife of 56 years, who joins us today. For the past 33 years they have made Georgia their home. They have three children and four grandchildren. Reverend Holley has brightened and made more meaningful so many lives, and I am privileged to have been able to add my name to that list. I appreciate the opportunity to share him with the House today.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, over our recent break, I visited with various groups of seniors in my district, and we provided information and education about the biggest change to Medicare in the 40-year history of the program. Beginning this January, for the first time, prescription drugs will be covered under Medicare, and over 40 million senior Americans will have the opportunity to receive their needed medications through a new program designed to assist them with payment. This is an exciting and hopeful time for these citizens. As a physician, I understand the importance of providing appropriate medications and the imperative of preserving the physician-patient relationship and being certain that decisions about which medications are needed be made by patients and their doctors, not decisions made by Washington bureaucrats. This new program holds great promise but also has potential difficulties. I urge my colleagues to assist in educating all seniors about the upcoming Medicare reforms. Their familiarity and knowledge about these changes are imperative if we are to have a successful program, one that follows the medical model of first doing no harm.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to join my colleagues tonight on an issue that is very important. And I found many of your comments so apt and so very pertinent. I am an orthopedic surgeon, at least I was before I came to Congress; and I have a number of friends in the orthopedic surgery field who practice in Pennsylvania. They are clamoring for young orthopedic surgeons to come to Pennsylvania. My understanding is that there are no orthopedic surgeons under the age of 35 in Pennsylvania. None. And if that is the case, as it is, I think, in that specialty and in others, this is a crisis that we have that will take a generation or more to solve, unless we act now. So I thank the gentleman for the information that he gave. As I mentioned, I am an orthopedic surgeon, and I am also a third- generation physician. So as the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter) mentioned, the old time country doctor, well, that old time country doctor was my grandfather. Some of my earliest memories are of going with my grandfather on his rounds on the weekend. And rounds for him did not mean going to the hospital and seeing patients. They meant going to patients' homes. And I will never forget the wonder and the faith and really the love that was communicated to him as he visited so many of those patients' homes. My grandfather never thought about malpractice insurance or liability insurance. They never dreamed of it. Never had to. My father practiced for a number of years and saw so many changes, and I saw him lament those changes over a period of time. And I guess now the question is not as physicians across our Nation, it really is not whether they will be sued, it is when. It is when they will be sued. And when you think about that as a matter of policy in our society now, when will physicians be sued, a physician being sued, and you think about that man or that woman who is doing their doggonedest just to take care of people, and you think about what they have to deal with every single day, when they are thinking about the next time that they will be sued, or if they will be sued or when they will be sued, it changes how they relate to patients. It changes how they relate to their job. It changes how they relate to their commitment to the work that they do. And so we have a situation that must be addressed. And it is imperative. The citizens of our country know that it has got to be addressed. Here is some polling that was done by Harris earlier this year. It says 78 percent of Americans express concern that the skyrocketing medical liability costs could limit their ability to get the care when they need it. And I think, as my colleagues have said, the question really is not the cost of malpractice or the cost of liability insurance to the doctors. The question is the access to quality care for patients. That is the consequence of all this. It is not that there is more money, although it is important that there is more money going into something that really is not resulting in any better care for anybody. But the real question is we are limiting the access of quality care for patients across this Nation. You say, well how does that happen? Well, I want to share with you a couple of examples, as we all have. My good friend from Georgia was an OB-GYN doctor for years and years, and delivered, I think, 5,000 or more babies. And right now we have more counties in the State of Georgia and more counties, frankly, in the Nation that have no coverage by an OB doctor, no coverage to deliver babies, greater in more counties now than we had 10 years ago. So we are going in the wrong direction. And you say well, now why is that? Did they forget how to deliver babies? Well, certainly not. That is not the answer. The answer is that OB doctors, in the field of OB, delivering a baby is defined as a high-risk procedure. Delivering a normal baby is defined, for insurance purposes, as a high-risk procedure. And there are more and more, because of the liability crisis, there are more and more OB doctors who no longer do high-risk procedures. Therefore, they no longer deliver babies, which is something that those men and women trained to do. That was their craft. That was their calling, to deliver and care for women during their pregnancy and to deliver those babies. So those women who live in those counties now where there are no OB doctors to deliver babies do not have the access to care that they need or that they had just a few short years ago. In the field of radiology, there are some things that we do not even know as patients that we are missing or that we are losing. In the field of radiology, there are a number of instances, the issue of mammograms is important because there are about 40 percent of the radiologists in this Nation who no longer read mammograms, no longer read them. And so you ask the question, well, did they forget how to read them? No, they did not forget how to read them. They were taught in their training, certainly, how to read mammograms and do as well as anybody could do, given the limits of the test, given the limits the mammogram, which is about, in the best of hands, 90 percent. The best radiologist reads a mammogram correctly 90 percent of the time. That is not because he or she does not know how to read them. That is because that is the limit of the test. That is the limit of technology that we have. And so if a radiologist reads 40 mammograms in a given day, 40 mammograms in a given day, it is likely that he or she will not have the right interpretation on four of them. Well, I do not know anybody that you can ask to expose themselves to liability on 10 percent of the occasions of the work that they do and expect them to continue to do that work. So the only answer for the radiologists and the only answer for the radiologist and his or her family is to not perform that procedure, not read that or interpret that test. That means that women across this Nation no longer have the kind of access to interpretation of mammograms as they did 10 years ago. The same is true for pathologists and Pap smears. Same kind of numbers. I want to just give one more example and then yield back because many of my colleagues have talked about it being a matter of life and death, and it truly is. And I want to relate a story that highlights, I think, the imperative for us solving this crisis and this challenge before us because it is a matter of life and death. People are dying because we have, as a national policy, a court system, a legal system that does not allow individuals appropriate access to quality patient care. And the example goes to the issue that the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter) talked about, and that is the issue of neurosurgery. And it happens with other specialties, but with neurosurgeons, individuals who take care of problems with the brain, that they are on the front lines for some of those incredible crises in individual's lives, when action is needed immediately. And if action does not occur immediately, then there are severe consequences; and oftentimes the consequence is loss of life. There was an individual that came to a hospital in the metropolitan Atlanta area, a young man in his young 40s and he had fallen and he had hit his head and he knew that something was not just right and so he drove himself to the hospital. And he arrived at the hospital, and because of the liability crisis, there were no neurosurgeons on call, which means that there are no neurosurgeons that the emergency room physician could call in the event of an emergency or a crisis. They would have to transfer those patients elsewhere. Well, this patient, this gentleman came to the emergency room, was seen by the emergency room physician, was appropriately diagnosed as having what is called a subdural hematoma, which is a bleed within the brain. It is a blood clot within the brain, and it can put pressure on the brain and it can kill you. The treatment for it is relatively simple. It is relatively simple to relieve that pressure, but it is done by a neurosurgeon. In this hospital there were no neurosurgeons on call, no neurosurgeons available; and so this individual, the patient, had a relatively rapid decrease in his clinical status. He got very, very sick and very ill and his life was threatened, and the emergency room physician recognized that, but his only option was to put him in an ambulance and get him to another hospital. And that patient died on the way to the next hospital. That patient died because of our liability crisis in this Nation, and that death will not show up in any statistic anywhere as being a result of our current tort reform crisis, our system of liability problems right now. Will not show up anywhere. So access to care is being compromised. Quality of care is being compromised. We have a real crisis. Seventy-eight percent of Americans understand that. And what do they want done? Seventy-three percent of Americans want their elected representatives in Washington to support comprehensive medical liability reform. That is the take-home message, that is the take-home message for our colleagues who have acted responsibly here in the House over and over. It is the take-home message for our friends on the Senate side to make certain that they act on H.R. 5 and act soon, quickly, as rapidly as they can in order to save lives and in order to ensure quality care. With that, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy) so very much, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter), the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) for allowing me to participate in this discussion tonight. We ought to stand up here every night and give this message until this work gets done. Thank you so much.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, over the past several years, we have all gained firsthand experience on the effects of America's outdated energy system with gas prices going up and down. Atlanta, my home, has seen gas prices anywhere from $3 to $6 a gallon. The results of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita show all of us how terribly dependent we are on foreign sources of oil. This is a large and complex issue and not a challenge easily solved. Our recently adopted new national energy policy will put us on the right track, but more is needed. It is critical that we address some of the systemic failures that have kept us dependent on others for energy and kept us from aggressively developing a reliable alternative source. While our economy expanded over the past decades, our ability to refine oil actually decreased. Since 1981, we have lost over half of our refineries. The most dynamic Nation in the world has not built a new refinery in 25 years. We are more dependent now on foreign oil than ever before. We must move away from foreign fuel sources and move toward a solution that maximizes alternative fuel. Mr. Speaker, energy independence is not just energy security, it is national security.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, sometimes you just have to celebrate. Our Nation has seen remarkable challenges placed before it over the last few weeks; but our spirit is strong, our enthusiasm undaunted, and our optimism unwavering, and America's team has done it again. From their beginnings in Boston in 1876 to their brief tenure in Milwaukee from 1953 to 1965 and now in their rightful home in Atlanta, they are the personification of the American spirit, demonstrating the glory of diligence, persistence, loyalty and unity. Last evening the Atlanta Braves extended a record unparalleled in all of sports, capturing their 14th straight division championship. Think of the greatest accomplishments of any sports team in history and none of them compare to the length of success by these heroes of America's pastime. Congratulations to general manager John Schuerholz and to manager Bobby Cox for their remarkable leadership through thick and thin. Congratulations to the players, from seasoned veterans to rookie contributors. All of them have given Atlanta, Georgia, and America, the thrill and privilege of witnessing their wondrous exploits. You have blessed us all with your skill and passion. Congratulations to the Atlanta Braves.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, this month of September 2005 has seen our Nation suffer the ravages of the largest natural disaster in our history and a second hurricane of remarkable power, Katrina and Rita. All Americans extend their hearts and their hands and their hopes to those whose lives have been so drastically disrupted. In Congress, our responsibility must be to ensure that the money that we have provided for the relief efforts is spent only on relief and recovery efforts. That is why Congress will send a special team of investigators to the Gulf region to monitor disaster expenditures. That is why Congress will convene oversight hearings to learn from high administration officials, State officials and local folks on the status of the relief efforts and where the funds are being expended. That is why weekly reports on expenditures are mandated by Congress and why ongoing audits and investigations on disaster assistance are being conducted. Mr. Speaker, recovery efforts will take time and the Federal Government will be there to support the local and State leaders, but anything we do we must do so in a fiscally responsible way.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time and allowing me to participate in this discussion. We know that children who begin kindergarten and first grade prepared both socially and mentally to learn have a much greater opportunity of success, not just in school but in life. Improving the quality of Head Start should be a priority for all of us. One of the greatest challenges of any Federal program is to ensure that hard-earned taxpayer money is used only for the purpose intended, and the current Head Start program does not live up to that principle. The need for safeguards and accountability are needed now more than ever. The School Readiness Act addresses financial management weaknesses found in the current Head Start system and publicly documented in various news accounts. There is disturbing evidence that a sizable share of Head Start funding never reaches its target: disadvantaged children. Instead, the money is being lost to waste, financial abuse, and mismanagement; and there are collective media accounts that suggest that the problem is not isolated. The director of a Head Start program in Gardenville, Maryland, was indicted on charges that she stole more than $350,000 from the organization over a 4-year period. Imagine if this money were spent on students rather than stolen from Head Start. A former director of a Head Start program in Charleston, West Virginia, was sentenced up to 5 months in Federal prison after admitting he used an agency credit card for a personal trip to the Kentucky Derby and preparing a false invoice for computer repairs. Rather than investing money in student nutrition, this director took this money from school cafeterias and went to the horse races. The executive director of the Kansas City, Missouri, Head Start operation earned a salary in excess of $300,000 annually and drove a luxury SUV, leased in part with Federal Head Start funds. The gentleman has since resigned. Head Start was never intended to provide for six- figure salaries and luxury cars. The Department of Justice gained a guilty plea from an executive director of a Lubbock, Texas, Head Start program after he embezzled more than $800,000 over 2 years and diverted part of the money to a local restaurant. Mr. Chairman, it is a priority of this Republican Congress to ensure that the necessary financial controls are in place to safeguard against these abuses and to protect the public's confidence in this important school readiness program. Safeguards against financial abuse in this bill include an independent financial audit annually, an annual report detailing how their money is spent and the sources of their funding, oversight by a local governance board, and a requirement that administrative costs may not exceed more than 15 percent of the total program cost. Congress must not ignore the evidence that much money invested in the Head Start program currently never reaches the disadvantaged children it is intended to serve. I commend the chairman for his leadership and the leadership of the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), for this bill; and I urge all Members of the House to support H.R. 2123.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as a third generation physician, I have seen health care in our Nation change in the most dynamic of ways. Advances in medicine and technology have improved the lives of millions of people. Today, however, the doctor-patient relationship that is so critical in providing quality health care is being exploited. It is no wonder that four out of every five Americans are wary of frivolous lawsuits in health care. Insurance companies, personal injury trial lawyers and even the potential of a lawsuit are leading hospitals to close their doors and doctors to stop practicing faster than ever before. Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week begins on October 3, not a moment too soon. Health care decisions must and should be made in the clinic and the operating room, not the courtroom. Decisions should be in the best interests of patients, not in the best interests of the pocketbooks of personal injury lawyers. I have seen it happen myself, with doctors making medical decisions out of fear of lawsuits, not from what they learned in medical school. That is not why they devoted their lives to medicine. Their only desire is to help heal people, not worry about whether their diagnosis would be put on trial.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the people of Afghanistan on the elections they just held. The saying that ``freedom is not free'' rings true for those who defied the Taliban, defied the warlords, and made history by freely electing their leaders this past Sunday. During the past 4 years, people have forgotten what the Taliban stood for: public executions at soccer stadiums; banning the Internet, music, television and education; preventing women from going to school or work outside the home. A woman caught wearing fingernail polish may have had her fingertips chopped off. This week however, Afghans, 12 million strong, have shown the world that they will not go back to tyranny, they will not take a step back into oppression, and will not buckle when taking on the challenges of democracy. Madam Speaker, Afghanistan demonstrates the most recent chapter in freedom's march. It is a glorious story whose success should be recognized and applauded.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, heroes come in every shape and form. Some teach in our classrooms, some defend our freedoms overseas, and on 9/11 our heroes were the ones who wore the insignia of the fire and police departments of New York City on their uniforms. And again today, our heroes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina are numerous. Some are doctors and nurses who have saved lives, others are National Guardsmen and women who rescued people from rooftops and elsewhere. But most are those that you will not read about in the newspaper: Americans committing random acts of kindness when help is needed. People are opening their homes, donating clothing, and enrolling evacuated children into schools in their communities. In Georgia we have nearly 10,000 children who have been enrolled in our schools. We have set up shelters, held telethons, and opened megacenters to serve as a one-stop-shop for evacuees, all to help them put their lives back together. You name it, and the residents of Georgia are stepping up to the challenge and helping out wherever they can. Madam Speaker, we will overcome this tragedy and we will do it one day at a time and one life at a time. That is truly the American way and the American spirit.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor and enthusiasm that I congratulate the Eden Lodge No. 46 as they join together to celebrate their 110th birthday along with their sister chapter King Solomon Chapter No. 42 celebrating their 103rd anniversary. Located in the city of Marietta, the Eden Lodge and King Solomon Chapter have a rich heritage and continue to serve the Cobb Community and beyond. The Eden Lodge began in 1894 and the lodge proceeded to grow in the years that followed. After the Great Depression and the hard times that followed during World War II the Eden Lodge was reactivated and grew its strength when in 1961 Eden Lodge built its Masonic Hall. I would especially like to commend the following members for their leadership and active participation in the Eden Lodge: Emanuel Wilson, Charles Ferguson, Sr., Charles E. Bartlett, Sr., Reginald H. Kemp, Joseph L. Collins, and Mario L. Eury. With pride, I recognize the Eden Lodge for its 110 years and the King Solomon Chapter for its 103 years of offering a place of fellowship and friendship to the people of Marietta, Georgia and beyond. Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members to join me in honoring and congratulating the membership for their remarkable achievements.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, two cornerstones of the airline industry filed for bankruptcy. The headlines this morning talk about Delta and Northwest and the customers, but what should be on the front page are headlines about the employees. The employees are the ones who will be impacted the most. Delta and Northwest combined have over 90,000 employees, and that number does not include the retirees who will also have to deal with this issue. People who have worked a lifetime to retire comfortably are now in jeopardy of having their promised benefits cut by 75 percent. Can you imagine that, 75 percent? Delta and Northwest Airlines are the latest casualties in a competitive airline industry, and these recent Chapter 11 filings are a symptom of a greater problem and must serve as a wake-up call for all of us. Employees must have the flexibility to choose how they wish to secure their retirements if legacy carriers are to remain in the industry. This means IRAs and 401(k)s, the power to secure your retirement should be in your own hands. Mr. Speaker, the news today affects all of us, and I ask my colleagues to support comprehensive airline pension reform so these employees retain a more secure future.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, our national budget and spending bills reflect our government's values and priorities, and in recent years those priorities have been skewed heavily in favor of helping the rich and eroding protections for the poor. Our country's religious leaders recognize that danger, and for the second time this year have issued statements calling on our government to truly care for the least among us and to abide by a budget and spending plan that reflects the higher values and morals of our country. I would like to submit for the Record a letter from the leaders of many of the major Protestant churches in our country and another by the National Council of Jewish women calling on Congress not to abandon the poor in the aftermath of Katrina. The budget reconciliation process should not be used to further reduce funding for education, food stamps, health care, and other critical domestic priorities while spending twice that amount in tax cuts for the wealthiest among us. The Episcopal Church, USA, Evangelical Lutheran Church in American, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church. September 13, 2005. Dear Members of Congress: As leaders of our respective denominations, we have long sought an end to the injustices inherent in poverty. We have never seen these injustices born out so vividly in our own country as in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The devastation wrought by Katrina has exposed the anguished faces of the poor in the wealthiest nation on the planet. These faces, precious in the eyes of God, cause us to remember that racial disparities and poverty exist in almost every community in our nation. They also compel us to set before Congress once again our concerns for the FY '06 federal budget and its impact on people living in poverty. With renewed urgency, we call on Congress to stop the FY '06 federal budget reconciliation process immediately. We believe our federal budget is a concrete expression of our shared moral values and priorities. Congress rightly and quickly responded in appropriating needed funds to ensure an adequate initial response to Hurricane Katrina. Our denominations have mobilized and are responding in prayer and financial support and direct service to those in need. Yet, just as disaster struck the Gulf Coast, the U.S. Census Bureau reported in very particular detail that poverty in the United States is growing. The annual report, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2004 showed that 37.0 million people lived in poverty in 2004, an increase of more than one million people since 2003. In April, during consideration of the budget resolution we wrote to Congress that, ``As we view the FY '06 Federal Budget through our lens of faith this budget, on balance, continues to ask our nation's working poor to pay the cost of a prosperity in which they may never share.'' It is clear that programs such as Medicaid and the Food Stamp Program that were slated for cuts by Congress will in fact have greater burdens placed on them as a result of Hurricane Katrina. These programs are not simply entitlements or ``government hand-outs,'' they represent the deep and abiding commitment of a nation to care for the least among us. Believe us when we tell you that even before Hurricane Katrina or the Census Bureau's report, neither we nor our friends of other faiths had the resources to turn back the rising tide of poverty in this country. The FY '06 reconciliation bill that is working its way through the authorizing committees will send more people searching for food in cupboards that, quite frequently, are bare. We commit ourselves to working for economic policies infused with the spirit of the One who began his public ministry almost 2,000 years ago by proclaiming that God had anointed him ``to bring good news to the poor.'' The Most Reverend Frank T. Griswold, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church, USA. The Right Reverend Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Reverend Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The Reverend John H. Thomas, General Minister and President, United Church of Christ. James Winkler, General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society, United Methodist Church.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 3763.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Hurricane Katrina has devastated the Gulf Coast unlike anything we have ever seen. The television cameras and newspaper pictures can only give us a glimpse of the devastation. Recovery efforts will take time and resources, and many have opened their homes and their hearts and their wallets to those who have lost so much. And I am so very proud my home State of Georgia has stepped up to the plate to help those in need. Everyone is doing their part. Many Georgia companies like Coca-Cola and UPS and Home Depot have given millions, million in aid to relief organizations. But today I would like to recognize the hard work and dedication of some others, the students, the teachers and the schools of Georgia. Georgia schools are doing all they can, and we commend their efforts. As of today, over 7,300 Hurricane Katrina-displaced students are enrolled in Georgia public and private schools. Georgia students are doing all they can as well. From bake sales to stuffing backpacks full of supplies, students are helping their new friends and peers by opening their hearts and homes. Through times of crisis come times of opportunity, Georgians have seized that opportunity to help, and we are all grateful for their kindness and their generosity.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Neil Ward on the occasion of his upcoming retirement from the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Ward has been a caring and passionate practitioner of medicine for over 30 years, holding every leadership position in the 12,000 member international organization which specializes in treating patients with problems of the ears, nose, and throat. After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona, Tucson, in 1956, Dr. Ward served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force; and following discharge in 1959, he decided to devote his life to helping and healing others. He came to Washington, D.C. to attend the George Washington School of Medicine with the goal of becoming a physician and making a difference in people's lives. Not only has Dr. Ward made a lasting mark on his community as a doctor; he has also inspired a new generation of physicians as a lecturer and teacher and has advanced science and medicine through his published papers. It is my privilege to salute a fellow physician and respected colleague and join in congratulating him on his retirement.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, we all watched in disbelief as the desperation of fellow Americans rolled across our TV screens waving from rooftops in New Orleans, waiting to be saved. And as the hours rolled by, it became clear that our response, our response, at the local, State, and Federal levels was lacking. Hurricane Katrina is the largest natural disaster in the history of our Nation, affecting an area the size of the entire State of Michigan. Any response would have been lacking for some. There will be opportunities in Congress and elsewhere to evaluate that response, but now is the time for all Americans to pull together and work together to get millions of our fellow citizens back on their feet. Now is the time for the American spirit to shine. We are a giving and a generous country, and millions of Americans are desperate to help. There are so many avenues of opportunity. Our Nation has faced huge challenges before, and we know how to succeed in the face of adversity. We succeed by marshaling that American spirit and by working together. Together, it is imperative that now we in Congress and across our Nation move forward with that uniquely American can-do, never-fail attitude.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as we return from our district work period, at the forefront of all of us is the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina which literally turned our Nation upside down. In my district on the north side of Atlanta, I am so proud of the work that has been done to provide relief support for those directly affected by the storm, the largest natural disaster in our Nation's history. Local towns are sending not just money and goods but personnel from fire and police departments. Our local Red Cross has activated shelters to help evacuees find relatives and get back on their feet. These are Americans helping Americans. The American can-do spirit is alive and well and strong. But most disheartening has been the vicious, personal attacks against some who are trying their hardest to help folks recover, attacks that have even come from supposed leaders in our Nation. These statements and their tone are harmful to our Nation and our recovery. I call on all Americans, especially those in positions of influence, to work positively and constructively to solve our current challenge. Anything less does a disservice to all Americans and, ultimately, our viability as a free and a democratic society.