Allyson Schwartz

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Good schools take learning beyond classroom walls, and good planners go beyond buildings to look for energy savings opportunities. This is the point of my amendment with Congressman Lujan. I'm very pleased to be able to be offering it. The amendment is simple. It adds, ``greenhouses, gardens (including trees), and other facilities for environmental, scientific, and other educational purposes or to produce energy cost savings'' to the list of allowable uses of these funds. To improve our school buildings, this amendment helps fund additional savings from the natural environment. If we're going to build ``green'' schools, then there's nothing better than planting trees, gardens, and greenhouses on school property. These uses would enable our schools to save energy and it would improve school appearance and it would create more learning opportunities for our students. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, carefully positioned trees save up to 25 percent of a household's energy consumption for heating and cooling. It can certainly do the same--or at least much of it--for our school buildings as well. We also know that planting and gardening does create contact with nature and creates a good supportive learning environment for our children. This is a good amendment. It enhances the bill. It does not add extra funding. I would like to yield 1 minute to my colleague who wrote this amendment with me, and also to speak in support of this bill, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan).

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Just to speak to this amendment, let's be really clear here. The purpose of our amendment, of course, is to actually enhance this bill by creating more opportunities for energy savings. Every time we save dollars for a school, we save dollars for our school district, we save dollars for our taxpayers. This bill is smart. It is to make energy efficiency investments that will save taxpayers dollars. In addition, it will help to educate our young people in the positive aspects of greening. It is extremely important to understand the purpose of planting a tree is not only because it looks good, but it in fact can save on energy costs. Planting vegetables is done not only because it is a fun thing to do, but it actually can put food on the table that is healthy and nutritious. All of this is part of what we are trying to do in this bill, create energy savings for our children, for our school districts and for our taxpayers. I encourage support of this amendment and the underlying bill. I yield 15 seconds to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to my colleague, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan).

Ms. SCHWARTZ. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. I rise today to share good news from my district about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The recovery act that Congress passed just 2 months ago is creating jobs and making smart investments. On Monday of this week, I stood with Fox Chase Cancer Center officials in my district to announce a grant that will fund critical cancer research. Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration provided $1 million to Philadelphia's Northeast Airport. And along with Senator Casey and Mayor Michael Nutter, I announced $13.5 million in funding to be used to better enable the Philadelphia Police Department to fight crime in the city. Most recently, a newspaper in my district, The Northeast Times, acknowledged that the Recovery and Reinvestment Act made ``a significant addition'' by giving homeowners a $1,500 tax credit for making energy efficient home improvements. As a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, I worked to include this tax benefit. It is good to know that enabling homeowners in my district to save energy and save money is happening today. These stories from my district show that the Democratic Recovery and Reinvestment Act is working. It is just the beginning of initiatives that we are taking with President Obama's leadership to put people back to work and invest in America's future.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Boy Scout Troop 72 on achieving an important milestone, its 75th anniversary. Originally chartered on April 16, 1934, Troop 72 has turned hundreds of young men into community leaders, fulfilling the Boy Scouts of America mission to build character in young men and train them to become responsible citizens engaged in physical fitness and community development activities. Troop 72 is in the Washington District of the Cradle of Liberty Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The chartering organization, the Roychester Community House in the Overlook Hills neighorhood of Abington Township, has provided a home for the young men of Troop 72 for many years. Since its inception, 175 boys from the Troop have attained the coveted Eagle Scout designation, Scouting's highest award. Each project that has propelled these young men toward the achievement of the rank of Eagle Scout has had an incredible impact on the betterment of the community. While successfully fulfilling the mission of the Boy Scouts of America to train young men to become responsible, engaged citizens, Troop 72 has also successfully established strong ties to its town. Troop 72's annual food drive collects thousands of canned goods each year. The Troop's active and committed adult leadership implement outreach, advocacy and fundraising activities to strengthen the Troop's enduring presence and serve as positive role models for these young men. Over the past 75 years, Troop 72 has served as a powerful catalyst, encouraging young men to make ethical and moral decisions and shaping them into productive, engaged citizens. I am honored to represent this organization's leadership and members in Congress. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the 75th anniversary milestone of Boy Scout Troop 72 and wishing the Troop and its members many more years of community enrichment and service.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, as we mark President Obama's first 100 days in office this week, the House will vote on the President's budget which sets a new vision of hope and responsibility for America. As vice chair of the Budget Committee, I know that this budget is fiscally responsible and it sets forth a path to meet our Nation's greatest challenges. With more than 47 million Americans uninsured, this budget includes critical language ensuring that Congress will act this year to expand access to care and to reduce costs. Soaring health care costs are impeding our economic competitiveness, straining the Federal budget and causing families all across this country to make difficult choices about their health and well-being. This budget sets the context for this important work that Congress will do to find a uniquely American solution to health care access and costs, one that includes innovation and technology, incentives for an effective delivery system, a renewed commitment to prevention, and consumer protections in the private-public marketplace. We cannot sustain the status quo, nor should we. Now is the time to finally get health care to all Americans. We should pass the budget resolution and begin the task ahead.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. I just wanted to follow up on the previous speaker. It is absolutely clear, and hopefully we will pass this budget this week, but the budget sets out a process by which we can work and should work in a bipartisan way. It is simply not good enough for the other side of the aisle to say, ``We would love to work with you on health care reform. We just can't guarantee that we can do it before October 15 and therefore we aren't sure we're going to do it at all.'' That is not what the American people are asking us to do. What they're asking us to do is get to work. The fact is that we did more on health care in the first 8 weeks of this administration than we did for 8 years before. That's what the American people are asking us to do. That's what this budget does. It says we're going to get to work on health care. We're going to look to do it in a bipartisan way. It's going to be public-private partnership. That's what the President wants. That's what we're going to do. It is not going to be a wholly public system. They can keep saying so on the other side of the aisle, but that's not what's going to happen. Let's get to work. This is a moment when the American people are saying one of the major challenges before us in this country is for economic competitive reasons and because every family is demanding it, is to do health care reform. Let's get it done. This budget puts us on a path to do it.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your great work on this budget. The budget is more than numbers on a page. It is a statement of priorities and values and goals of our President, the Congress, and our Nation. The budget embraces the President's goals of rebuilding the economy and creating new jobs, restoring fiscal integrity and making investments for our future prosperity and security. Simply put, we will not be economically competitive unless we meet these economic and fiscal challenges and make these essential investments. This budget meets these goals. It sets us on a path towards health care reform with a goal of containing costs, improving quality, and expanding access to coverage. We hear about the 47 million Americans without insurance. But they are also more than numbers. When I was back in the district a couple weeks ago, I was visiting a local college, Penn State Abington. It's a commuter campus of Penn State in my district. I met with a panel of young people, all articulate, all bright, all working hard at school. One young woman, 21 years old, said she was a daughter of a single mother who makes about $20,000 a year. She's not an only child. She had been covered by CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program, until she was too old. She is now a full-time student. She works almost full time to make ends meet. She tried to get health insurance, and she simply couldn't afford it. She recently got sick and went to the hospital and now has a bill for $7,000, a bill she worries about every day, a debt she doesn't know how she will ever repay, and, of course, she worries about getting sick again in the future. This budget enables Congress to develop a uniquely American solution to both coverage and costs so that that young woman and the millions like her without health coverage will be able to get it, a plan that will include and be built on innovation, technology, incentives for an effective delivery system, renewed commitment to prevention and consumer protections in a private and public marketplace. We cannot sustain the status quo, nor should we. It's about time for us to pass this budget resolution and get to the task ahead.

Ms. SCHWARTZ. I just want to make it very clear--not only on behalf of myself, but all of my colleagues. We have spoken quite a bit about, yes, the values and the investments we are making in this budget, but we have also spoken about our deep concern and our responsibility going forward on the debt. Let's be clear; this administration and this Congress inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit for this year. And yes, there were some additions made because of the terrible economy we are in, the need to respond to this economic situation and to create those new jobs. And this budget makes a commitment to reduce the annual deficit by two-thirds in 5 years, an ambitious goal, and one we are determined to meet.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, the House and Senate began final work on the Budget Resolution, and the Budget is more than numbers on a page-- it is a statement of the priorities, values and goals of our President, this Congress and our nation. The House Budget embraces the President's goals of rebuilding the economy and creating new jobs, restoring fiscal integrity, and making investments for our future prosperity and security. Simply put, we will only be prepared, we will only be economically competitive, if we tackle the immediate economic and fiscal challenges before us, make essential investments that enable us to meet future challenges, and do so in a way that is fiscally responsible. As the Budget Committee Vice Chair, I know that the President's Budget, modified by Congress, meets these goals. The House Budget is an honest budget. It anticipates expenditures and it restores fiscal balance by committing to cut the deficit in half in five years. And, most significantly, the budget makes smart investments that will contain costs and expand access to health care, build energy independence, and improve educational achievement, all critical if we are to grow the economy and be economically competitive in a global marketplace. We should pass the Budget Resolution and begin the task ahead.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Abington Township, a community in my district that has been recognized with three distinct national honors. Abington Township is a three-time winner of America's Promise ``100 Best Communities for Young People'' in the United States, and in fact, the township is the only three-time winner in Pennsylvania. Money Magazine named Abington Township as one of the ``100 Best Places to Live in America'' and most recently, US News & World Report awarded Abington Senior High School a bronze medal as one of America's best high schools. I have had the privilege of representing Abington in the Pennsylvania State Senate and now as a member of Congress. I am also proud to be an Abington resident. Over the years, I have seen first-hand Abington's demonstrated commitment to building a strong community dedicated to the advancement of the lives of its young people. Abington Township's ``Triple Crown Awards'' are the result of a concerted collaborative effort among the school district, police department, community organizations, businesses, and residents who have worked tirelessly to create a responsible, caring, and safe community. They've established the Abington Community Taskforce, comprised of parents, police, religious and civic leaders and over thirty civic groups, dedicated to the mission of teaching tolerance, promoting neighborhood safety, and building strong families. The Abington Police Department has established strong community partnerships with innovative programs like D.A.R.E, the Police Athletic League, Citizens and Police Together, Kids in Safety Seats, and Town Watch. Abington Township adopted the state-sponsored Communities That Care Initiative to advance their collaborative efforts based on an annual needs assessment to best direct their long-term community building initiatives. They've established joint initiatives between the school district and police department, including an anti-drug program and the Community Partnership of Youth and Adults to encourage community spirit and participation. Abington Township is the recipient of repeated national recognition because, as a community, the people of Abington represent values that are at the very core of the American spirit--duty, respect, selfless service, honor, and integrity. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the incredible accomplishments of Abington Township and wishing the residents of the township success in their endeavors to better their community. Abington Township sets an example for all of us to follow. I couldn't be prouder of Abington for its outstanding efforts.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. I thank the chairman again for his extraordinary work as Chair of the Budget Committee. Let's be clear what we are talking about here. I mean, a lot of us, I think, to those who might be listening don't really quite understand what a motion to instruct is and what reconciliation language is. Simply put, what we have before us is a decision. Are we going to tackle health care reform, energy independence and an educated repaired workforce in the next year. We are going to make significant progress. The budget allows us to do that. There is no question that we would like to see it done in a bipartisan way. The budget sets out language that says let's work on this in a bipartisan way. It sets us even out till September, gives us most of the time to do that. And all we hear from the other side is, no, let's not do this. Let's not do anything about the high cost of health care for American families, the high cost of health care for our businesses, the fact that it affects our economy and job growth. We have all heard from businesses that say I would hire another employee, a small businesswoman said to me, but I can't afford to pay for their health benefits. Story after story of families that can't pay for needed health care. We know it is time to find a truly American solution to containing costs, improving access to health care for all Americans. It has long been a moral imperative. It is now an economic imperative as well for our Nation's people and our Nation's businesses. Let me say what we hear from the other side is just let's not do it. Let's not do it. They would rather discuss process. And instead of debating the issue, which we could do, they are busy discussing process. We heard over and over again--and let's read the language in the reserve fund. It's revenue neutral. We are going to find the money to do this. We are going to debate this. Our committees are holding hearings, we are talking to our constituents. It is time for us to finally set out the path to do this. Let's be clear. In the first 8 weeks of this administration, we did more on health care than the prior 8 years before, and I am proud of what we have done. We had little cooperation from the other side to get it done in spite of our President and our leadership and many of us reaching out to the other side. What did we do? We made sure that 11 million children of working families, whose parents simply cannot afford or have access to health care coverage, have health care coverage for their children, 11 million American children. I think that's great. We should make sure that every child in this country has access to health care coverage, and we can. We moved ahead on funding for NIH, for health information technology, to do stem cell research, to find the cures and the treatments that all of us know family members need for their future. We made sure that those who are recently unemployed, who can't afford health care coverage, get a subsidy the next 9 months, the first time we have ever done that. It is clear that we have before us a choice. Do we actually tackle the health care costs for Americans, do we tackle it for economic competitiveness. This is the decision we are making. We say we should move forward. The other side is simply saying ``no.''

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Speaker, just as I listened to this debate, and it is a debate, and while the other side is primarily debating process and the concerns they have about how much they will be able to be heard, I would suggest that they be heard on their solutions for energy independence, for fiscal responsibility for our Nation, and for growing those jobs through health care reform and education. This is a moment when in fact the American people did call on us to take action on this these critical issues. They understand the enormous challenges facing their own families, their communities and our Nation. And they are calling on us to take action, to do it in a fiscally responsible way, but to face America's challenges, to make the investments in our future. That is what this budget does. It sets out a path for us to tackle these major challenges. That is what we want to do. We would like to do it in a bipartisan way. We are certainly going to have hours and hours of debate, both here in Congress, in our committees and at home. And that is what we should do. The American people and American businesses are counting on us. Vote for this budget, vote to proceed and vote for America.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your important work. When I was sworn into Congress in 2005, I reached out and wanted to secure a position on the House Budget Committee. I did so because I understood then, as I do now, that budgets are critically important. The Federal budget is not just abstract numbers on a page. It is a reflection of our priorities and our values and of the America that we want to leave to our children and our grandchildren. The budget proposed by President Obama and modified by the Democratic Congress and before us today and going to conference committee is an economic road map that establishes the amount of money that Congress is authorized to spend in this year's appropriations bill. It does not set the level for specific programs, and it does not change current law. Both sides of the aisle understand this. The budget looks forward; but before we do, we have to understand how we got where we are today and what we inherited. This administration, this Congress, inherited from the previous administration a record deficit of $5.8 trillion, doubling of the national debt in 8 years, tripling the amount of debt that's owed to foreign countries, and an economic recession the likes of which most of us have never seen. The fact is that President Obama and Congress are dealing with enormous challenges, and that is why it is imperative that we pass a strong, responsible budget that addresses the immediate challenges before us and makes the investments that we need to make for our future economic competitiveness. Our budget establishes a new fiscal framework. It includes a long overdue return to honest budgeting and fiscal responsibility. The budget embraces President Obama's goal to rebuild our economy and make those strategic target investments in health care, in energy and in national security. It is essential that we tackle the annual deficit, and we've laid out an ambitious marker that we are committed to cutting the deficit in half in 5 years. First and foremost, then, we have an honest budgeting practice. The budget plans for spending in ways that we have not since I've been here and for the 8 years before for sure. It talks about spending and sets out spending for Iraq and Afghanistan, for domestic national disasters, for tax relief and for obligated entitlements. Through the economic recovery and reinvestment plan, Congress has already taken action, significant action, to improve our economic competitiveness and well-being, and this budget builds on that by making investments again in education, in energy independence, and, yes, on health care for all Americans. Each of these areas requires us to find common ground. And this budget ensures that we are able, in Congress, working with the Senate, to define the specific means and the specific ways to accomplish these goals. To compete in the 21st century global economy, we do need an educated and skilled workforce for the future, and this budget puts resources in early education initiatives and investments in basic education, K-12, and better enables Americans to afford to go to college with student loans. Our economic and national security also depends on America being more energy independent, and this budget sets aside a revenue-neutral reserve fund that calls on Congress to find a way towards energy independence through alternative, home-grown, cleaner energy and energy efficiency. And, of course, in health care: we have both a moral and economic responsibility to find a uniquely American solution to health care reform, to containing costs, to improving quality, to making sure that every American has access to health care. And, again, there is a revenue-neutral reserve fund with reconciliation language in this budget that calls on us to do the work in the next year to make sure that we can accomplish these goals. These goals are shared by many Americans, and they are within our reach if we are to work together. We cannot continue the policies of the last 8 years. We need to change the way we do budgeting. We need to change our investments. We need to move forward with this budget. Pennsylvania, and certainly all American families and businesses, need Congress to work with President Obama again to work together to address their concerns, as has been set out in this budget. Simply saying ``no,'' simply saying we should go back to the policies of the last 8 years that got us in this mess is not the way to go. I call on all of us to work together to move forward on this conference report to make sure we are doing all that we can to make sure that America is strong, safe and more economically competitive. This budget does that, and I say we move forward.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Speaker, let me first say that, I think, this is a very important debate. Last night, it was suggested that we have not debated this budget when, in fact, we had 14 hours of markup, of conversation about the debate in the Budget Committee, and of course, we had hours last night and hours this morning. This budget resolution is a statement of our priorities, of our values and of our goals, and it gives direction to the Congress this next year and for years ahead. The fact is that the President's budget, embraced by the Democratic Congress and modified slightly by us, as is our responsibility, is a change in the direction to this Nation. It is honest. It is fiscally responsible after years of not being so, and it is extremely difficult, and it recognizes the difficulty that we have inherited: the economy, which is, of course, in great difficulty, and the fiscal situation for our Nation, reflected by the $1.3 trillion deficit that President Obama and this Democratic Congress have inherited from President Bush and the Republican Congress. It reflects and understands that we have a large debt in this country, and it restores fiscal discipline by commitment to cut that deficit in half in 5 years and to restore fiscal responsibility and fiscal policies that will rebuild this economy and rebuild our Nation. It is clear that the Republicans want to go back to those failed policies that led us to this moment, and we simply cannot let that happen. The President and the Democratic budget does, in fact, provide relief for our families and our businesses. It restores fiscal discipline and a commitment to cut that deficit in half in 5 years. And very importantly, it makes clear that we have to make investments in our people, in our businesses, and in our Nation if we're going to grow economically and restore fiscal discipline. So it sets the opportunity for the debate on three critical issues: on energy independence, on education, and on health care reform. That is the way we are going to rebuild this economy, and we are going to make those investments, and that's what this budget does. And I hope it will be embraced by this Congress and this Nation.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Thank you to Chairman Spratt for his tireless and excellent work on this budget. It is a budget that embraces the President's goals to rebuild the economy, to restore fiscal integrity and to give Congress the ability to make investments needed for our future prosperity and security. First, it is important to understand and remember that President Obama and this Congress inherited the results of 8 years of failed economic and fiscal policies, doubling the national debt in 8 years and left this administration with $1.3 trillion in debt and an economy in deep recession. We have already taken action to rebuild our economy and to create new jobs providing tax relief to 95 percent of Americans, creating jobs by assisting small businesses and our States, investing in needed infrastructure and investing in energy independence, health IT and education. This budget builds, by these essential steps, by enabling Congressional action, that will lead us to future economic growth in the areas of education, energy and health care. We will not be prepared, we will not be economically competitive if we do not tackle these challenges. For the next few minutes, my colleagues and I will focus on the critical investments we need to make in health care. This budget sets aside a revenue-neutral reserve fund for health care reform. ``Revenue neutral'' means that we will find the money to pay for health care reform. And it includes reconciliation language to ensure that we have the debate much needed here in Congress and with the American people on the issues of cost, quality and access to health care for all Americans. Through the discussion, we would hope that we can be bipartisan. We expect to develop a uniquely American solution to address the concerns of American families and American businesses. Forty-seven million uninsured Americans, millions more underinsured and rising costs in health care premiums for our families, for our businesses and, yes, increasing costs for government. This American solution will achieve three important goals. One, we will contain the unsustainable growth in health care costs borne by public and private sectors. Two, we will improve quality and efficiency so that Americans get the very best and appropriate health care they need. And three, we will expand access and remove barriers to affordable health coverage for all Americans. I urge my colleagues to support this budget because it is honest, it is fiscally responsible, and it enables us to address the long-term goal of quality, affordable health coverage for all Americans, which is the foundation of economic prosperity and security for our citizens and our Nation. Now I would like to ask to join in the conversation the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Ms. SCHWARTZ. I thank the gentlewoman. Now I want to recognize the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).

Ms. SCHWARTZ. And last, and certainly very important in this debate is someone who's been very outspoken on health care, my colleague, the gentlewoman from Illinois, Representative Schakowsky.

Ms. SCHWARTZ. I thank the gentleman. And I want to yield to the gentleman from neighboring New Jersey, Representative Andrews.

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Chairman, I think my colleagues have made the point, and we all have. It's time to take action on health care.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Last week, the White House Forum on Health Reform was a critical step forward ensuring that all Americans have access to high- quality, affordable health care. Particularly important was a growing consensus among all stakeholders that we must reform our health care delivery and financing system to maximize efficiency, improve health care quality and outcomes and contain costs. President Obama charged us, Members of Congress and all stakeholders, to find a uniquely American solution to this challenge. To contain costs and expand access, we must engage patients in their care and realign our health care system to enhance primary care, to better coordinate care for patients with chronic conditions, to provide for meaningful use of health information technology and to apply clinical best practices, all of which will reduce costs and save lives. Without these innovations, any effort at expanding health care coverage will be unsustainable. This work will be difficult and complex. But we are compelled to act, both to meet the needs of millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans and for our economic competitiveness.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 83, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Speaker, on February 13, 2009, Officer John Pawlowski, a five-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, was shot and killed while responding to a report of a disturbance. Officer Pawlowski, who was only 25, left behind a wife, Kim, with whom he was eagerly anticipating the birth of their first child in just a few months. He worked in the 35th Police District, and was known by his friends and colleagues as ``a good cop.'' Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said Pawlowski was a ``hero'' and that his loss was ``felt by all Philadelphians.'' The Philadelphia Inquirer said Pawlowski ``served this city with merit.'' Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said Pawlowski's death was ``absolutely devastating to all of us.'' Officer Pawlowski came from a police family. His brother, Robert, is a Corporal who works in the police radio room and his father is a retired lieutenant with the Special Victims Unit. He was a family man who considered the Police Department part of his family. Now Officer Pawlowski joins Officer Gary Skreski, Officer Chuck Cassidy, Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski, Officer Isabel Nazario, Sergeant Patrick McDonald, and Sergeant Tim Simpson as Philadelphia Police that have been killed in the line of duty since 2006. The sacrifices that all of these brave individuals have made to keep Philadelphia safe from criminals cannot be repaid. These guardians must be remembered and honored. They are examples for all Philadelphians and all Americans about the virtues of honor, integrity, and service. I ask that the House of Representatives extend its condolences to Kim Pawlowski, her family, and the Philadelphia Police Department for another devastating loss. We will never forget you, Officer John Pawlowski. Rest in peace.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, the economy is in crisis--my constituents in Southeastern Pennsylvania and I see it every day. Our families are struggling with lost income and lost health insurance--even as the demands on household budgets grow. Our businesses are struggling with lost consumers, increased costs, and difficulties in accessing capital. Our state, cities and towns are struggling with shrinking revenues in the face of increased demand for services, aging infrastructure and other obligations. Today we will take the action essential to provide relief, create jobs, and lay the groundwork for future economic growth. We will: cut taxes for 95% of American workers; reduce the cost of COBRA health coverage for the unemployed; improve access to capital and stimulate growth; repair infrastructure; invest in new energy sources and energy efficiencies; and drive the innovation that will keep America competitive in the global market place. I am particularly proud of the major new investment in health information technology that will lead to near universal use of electronic medical records within 10 years--improving the quality and coordination of care, saving lives, and saving costs for patients, employers, and taxpayers. This recovery package is a smart, timely investment to meet today's challenges and fulfill America's promise.