Chellie Pingree

Ms. PINGREE of Maine

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with tremendous hope and full confidence that we are finally moving forward with legislation that will put our health care system on the right track and bring quality, affordable health care to all Americans. I strongly support H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act. I believe that this is the right step for families, for small businesses, and for people in Maine and all across the country. But I also have a warning, a warning that comes from my experience in the Maine Legislature, a warning that comes from taking on the pharmaceutical companies, the insurance companies and the entrenched special interests that have done everything they can to block health care reform for a generation. Mr. Speaker, if we go home for recess without passing this bill, we will give the special interests and their lobbyists 5 weeks to dump millions of dollars into ad campaigns that spread misinformation, fear and confusion. We will give them 5 weeks to do everything they can to kill the best chance we have had in a lifetime to move forward on significant health care reform. We must pass this bill now. We absolutely cannot afford to wait. I look forward to going back to my district in August and telling the good people of Maine that we didn't let them down.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. You know, it's interesting. I want to just talk about this point for a minute. I was doing a Statewide radio talk show the other day, and I got the question that, I think, a lot of us get when we talk about the public plan, and I completely agree with you about this issue of choice. In my State, two insurance companies control 88 percent of the market, and one of them is controlling 78 percent of the market. So, you know, we've tried all kinds of alternative, and insurance companies just don't want to participate. You're right. There is no choice. A lot of States are faced with the same kind of increases. Somebody asked me on the call-in show, Well, how are you going to make sure there is a level playing field? Is this going to be fair to insurance companies? I said, Wait a minute. It's not my job to support insurance companies that are declaring 32 percent increases or 15 percent increases or whatever is going on in your State. It's not my job to make sure insurance companies can pay CEOs huge salaries and have huge administrative costs. My job is to make sure that everybody in my State and in this country has access to affordable health care. The hospitals can keep operating. The doctors can keep seeing patients. It's not my job to make sure insurance companies make huge profits. It's my job to make sure that everybody has access to health care. The reason we have a public plan, as my colleagues have so eloquently stated, is so that there is some choice in competition out there. Isn't that what we're here for? When people say to us, Government should act more like a business, well, that's what we're doing. We're trying to create a more businesslike atmosphere out there so there really is choice and competition. I just want to read a couple of interesting facts and then turn it back to my colleagues. You know, in looking at some of the numbers in my own State--and I know we've all been doing this--it is really fascinating. I think a lot of people don't know how amazing this bill can be if and when we get it passed, and I believe we will soon. In my district alone, there are 87 seniors in the district who are hitting the doughnut hole in that they are forced to pay full drug costs. Well, under this plan, we're going to do something about that doughnut hole. That's a huge difference in our State. The legislation also cuts brand name costs in the doughnut hole. This is a huge change for all of us and for many seniors who are already struggling. You know, I looked at another interesting fact. In my district in 2008, there were 690 health care-related bankruptcies. How many times do we hear a story about somebody who has put his health care bills on his credit card, about somebody who just can't afford to get by anymore because he couldn't pay for his health care costs? Well, this bill not only will provide health insurance for almost every American, but it will cap your annual out-of-pocket costs with $10,000 a year. That ensures that no citizen is going to get to that position. It's going to make a huge difference. We're talking about things that people will feel in the economy in their daily lives. If we want to talk about, as many of my colleagues have said, the economy and what could make it a lot better, I know in my State it would be by lowering the costs of health care and by making sure everyone has access and by making sure everyone is covered from lowering those costs.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith). (Mr. SMITH of Washington asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I just want to point out as we're closing that there has been a tremendous amount of conversation on the floor today about the open rule, about the process here. And I want to point out to the Members that even under an open rule, nearly two- thirds of the amendments that were submitted to the Rules Committee were in violation of House rules and would have been subject to points of order. They wouldn't have been able to proceed on the House floor. In fact, the majority of amendments you have heard about this morning from my good friend from Minnesota, from my colleague from Georgia, those are amendments that would have been in violation of House rules, would have been subject to a point of order. And while they made good points about why they wanted to have their amendments moved forward, the fact is, that wouldn't have happened today anyway, even if we had been under an open rule. Let me say one last thing. My colleague from Texas mentioned that a few of us who are new here, who haven't been through the appropriations process under open rules--and I will say as a new Member of this body, most of the bills that come to the floor come under structured rules. There may have been a tradition in the past of appropriations bills coming under more of an open rule, but I balance that with the remarks of our colleague from the Appropriations Committee, Mr. Obey, who talked to us this morning about the tremendous amount of work we're expected to get done. I can tell you, from my constituents back in the State of Maine, they say to me, you know, you've got a lot of work to do on renewable energy, on health care. We want to see you move forward on those issues. We want to see appropriations bills, like the one we're talking about today, that are going to provide vital services for our veterans. We want to see those get done. We want to see the Members of Congress get their work done. We don't want to listen to you with hours of endless debate, particularly on things that would be subject to points of order and wouldn't even be allowed to be discussed. We want to see you get your work done. As a very proud member of the Rules Committee, I have the opportunity to listen to a tremendous number of the amendments that come before us; and I feel very good about the way we're moving forward with our work and about the challenges that we are facing for the American public and all that is before us and the importance of getting our work done. I do want to remind us today that in spite of all the other conversation that has gone on, this particular rule is a vital step forward towards improving our military infrastructure and ensuring the quality care of our veterans and their families, making sure it is worthy of their sacrifice. That is why we are here on the floor this morning to talk about our veterans, to talk about military construction, to talk about making sure that we are there for them. My home State of Maine has one of the highest populations of veterans in the country. In a State of not even 2 million people, Maine is home to over 155,000 veterans, nearly one-fifth of our population. These men and women have served without question, without politics and certainly without delay. We must make a promise to them and to all of our veterans that we will do the same. We must provide them with health care and the benefits they deserve without question, without politics and without delay. Passing H.R. 3082, we will begin to keep that promise. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I am the last speaker on my side, so I'm going to reserve the balance of my time until the gentleman closes for his side.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. I yield 2 minutes to a member of the Rules Committee, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis).

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 622 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The gentleman from Arizona has made some eloquent points this morning. And I certainly hope if he really wants to resolve this issue, he will join me in supporting the bill that is in the House right now on public financing. Since both he and I come from States, Arizona and Maine, that have had great success with this system in removing some of the corruption from the process, I think that we could make a good team on that issue. But, Mr. Speaker, we know that this point of order is not about unfunded mandates, as he mentioned--or, in fact, even about earmarks. It's about delaying consideration of this bill and ultimately stopping it altogether. Since I do come from the State of Maine, where nearly one-fifth of our residents are veterans or active-duty members of our armed services, I know that this bill we are about to talk about today is extremely important, and passing this rule to allow for consideration of this bill and move forward on these issues around access to health care, making sure our veterans get the benefits that they deserve, is extremely important to the residents of my State and certainly people across this country. I hope my colleagues will see through this attempt and will vote ``yes'' so that we can consider this legislation on its merits and not stop it with a procedural motion. The last thing that people want to see happening in the House of Representatives is endless conversation about things that have nothing to do with the issues before us but not moving forward with the things that we care about. Those who oppose this bill can vote against it on the final passage. We must consider this rule. We must pass this legislation today. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to consider this rule.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. I will.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this motion to consider so that we can debate and pass this important legislation today. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions). All time during consideration of the rule is for debate only. General Leave

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 622.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. House Resolution 622 provides for consideration of H.R. 3082, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2010, under a structured rule. For the past 8 years, our country has been engaged in two conflicts halfway around the world. The number of wounded military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan has put a financial strain on the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Veterans Health Administration estimates that they will treat more than 6 million patients in 2010, including over 400,000 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, the consistent training, deployment, and redeployment of our troops have put a significant burden on our military. H.R. 3082 appropriates over $133 billion in fiscal year 2010 for military construction, veterans programs, and four related agencies. The bill provides $24.6 billion for construction and improvements to military bases, facilities, and housing units. The bill provides $450 million to accelerate the modernization of trainee housing and $2 billion to construct and maintain houses for military families. The bill also provides $200 million in additional funding for the Guard and Reserves to address critical unfunded requirements as a result of prolonged and repeated deployments. Maine is home to thousands of Guard and Reservists who have made an invaluable contribution to our national defense, and I am proud to see funding included in this bill for them. H.R. 3082 also renews our commitment to redevelop closed military bases and their surrounding communities. The bill provides $7.5 billion to implement the 2005 BRAC and $537 million to address an enormous backlog of environmental cleanup projects from the previous BRAC rounds. This funding is essential to communities across the country, including the town of Brunswick in my district, which is already experiencing economic difficulties from the closing of Naval Air Station Brunswick. While the investments in military construction are vital, they are only a small portion of this bill. More than 80 percent of the bill's funding in this legislation is devoted to veterans programs. The bill provides over $108 billion for veterans' medical care, claims processors, and facility improvements. H.R. 3082 increases appropriations by 14 percent or $12.9 billion over the current level. This bill includes $45 billion for the Veterans Health Administration, with increased funding for mental health services, assistance programs for homeless veterans, and innovative services for veterans in rural areas. The bill also provides $85 million for States to build and renovate extended care facilities and $3 billion to fund new technological initiatives which will increase processing time and improve electronic record keeping. Perhaps most importantly, the bill provides for a significant and historic change in the way we fund health care of our veterans. H.R. 3082 provides $48.2 billion in advance appropriations for fiscal year 2011 for the medical services, medical facilities, and medical administration accounts. While the Congress has always taken on the challenges of this country, these issues have not always been shielded from partisan battles and political delays. This Congress in the past few weeks has been no exception, but there are some issues which should not be subject to politics and doubt. There is no doubt that the men and women of the armed services have bravely served our country. They have fought without question and without debate, and in doing so, they have sacrificed time with their families, risked their own well-being, and all too often they have sacrificed their lives. By providing advance appropriations for the health care of our veterans, we can take the steps to ensure that these benefits are not subject to politics as usual. I strongly support this rule, which provides for consideration of this essential and important bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes of my time to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter).

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. I yield the gentleman an additional minute.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. I'm very pleased to yield 5 minutes of my time to the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).

Ms. PINGREE of Maine

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, in Maine we are witnessing the birth of an industry, a clean energy industry that will create the jobs and supply the renewable energy we will need to grow our economy. In Maine, we have the people, the technology and the resources to develop and grow this industry. Last week, Maine hosted the International Energy Ocean Conference, where hundreds of clean energy experts from around the world gathered and saw firsthand how serious our State is about developing renewable energy. Also last week the Maine Wind Industry Initiative went public. MWII has organized the complete wind power industry supply chain, from large organizations like Bath Iron Works to smaller companies that specialize in precision composite manufacturing. Mr. Speaker, Maine has an important role to play in Maine's clean energy future, and Maine people are ready to be part of it.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only. General Leave

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 572 provides for consideration of H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, under a structured rule. Last week the House Armed Services Committee reported H.R. 2647 favorably to the House by unanimous vote. The final vote came at 2:30 in the morning after more than 14 hours of thorough debate. During that time the members of the committee did not see eye-to-eye on every issue, but we did not split by party lines on every vote, and we often had differing views on how to devote limited resources to endless challenges. In the end, we all agreed by a unanimous vote that we must take steps to keep our country safe and keep our military prepared. We must work to eliminate wasteful spending and restore fiscal discipline, and we must provide our troops and their families with the care that they need and the quality of life that is worthy of their sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2647 makes significant progress on all these fronts. It strengthens our national security by focusing resources on the most immediate and severe threats to our troops and our country. The bill enhances efforts to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction by increasing funding for the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program and by fully supporting the Department of Energy's nonproliferation programs. The bill cuts extensive spending, excessive spending on flawed missile-defense programs and, instead, invests more resources in systems that are proven to work and strategies that meet immediate threats. H.R. 2647 also takes an important step forward in strengthening accountability and increasing oversight of the defense contracting process. The bill grows the size of the civilian acquisition workforce, which will reduce our reliance on defense contractors and cut down on wasteful spending. The bill improves the quality of life and the quality of care for our men and women in uniform by providing a 3.4 percent pay raise for each servicemember, by expanding access to education and training, by increasing funding for family housing programs, and by expanding TRICARE coverage for members of the Reserve and their families prior to mobilization. After 7 years of conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq, this bill provides a basis for ensuring that the plans for progress are sound and that the objectives for victory are clear. The bill requires frequent reports to Congress on the objectives and measurements for success in Afghanistan and the progress of withdrawing our troops from Iraq. The bill also directs the GAO to provide Congress with separate reports, which will assess strategic plans for both Iraq and Afghanistan. Congress must do everything in its power to ensure that our military strategies are working and our ultimate goals are achievable. I believe that we can always do more, but I also believe that this bill provides a starting point for that process. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, while this bill addresses broad strategic issues and threats across the globe, it also has a direct impact on our districts. While communities across the country are saving, struggling and working to recover from this recession, other communities are preparing for even tougher times ahead. In 2011, scores of military bases will close for good as a result of the 2005 BRAC. For decades, these bases have been the backbones of communities and provided the surrounding areas with jobs, tenants, customers and neighbors, which will now be lost in a matter of years. H.R. 2647 expands the use of no-cost economic development conveyances as a tool to redevelop and restart communities affected by base closure. This provision allows the Department of Defense to transfer property to a local redevelopment authority at no cost if the land will be used for purposes of economic development. At a time of declining property values, devastating job loss and crippling economic hardship, we must provide communities with every possible tool to redevelop and reorganize. This bill will assist in that effort. I am looking forward to completing our work on this year's defense authorization. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart) for the dialogue that we have had here on the floor tonight. Mr. Speaker, the rule before us today will continue the open debate that was held on committee, some of which continue tonight, and further our efforts to find solutions to those pressing problems. In particular, this rule adds the text of H.R. 2990 to the underlying bill, which funds a 1-year expansion of concurrent receipts for retired veterans, extends retention bonuses and special pay authorities for enlisted servicemembers and funds provisions in the Federal Retirement Reform Act of 2009. I would like to thank the Chair, Chairman Skelton, Ranking Member McKeon, and all my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee for their tireless work on this bill. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley).

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman), the Chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence.

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey).