Lee Terry

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues, Congresswoman Baldwin (WI-02) and Congressman Towns (NY- 10) on the introduction of the National Integrated Public Health Surveillance Systems and Reportable Conditions Act which addresses a critical aspect of our public health system in the United States: our science infrastructure at all levels of government. That infrastructure, primarily applied epidemiology, laboratory science, and public health informatics, has greatly improved since the mid-1990s, but has not kept pace with the challenges we face today, such as increased foodborne disease outbreaks, emerging infections such as West Nile Virus, growing antimicrobial resistance, pandemic flu, and environmental health threats, particularly to clean air and water. Many parts of the local-State-Federal disease surveillance system remain fragmented and paper-based, and have not fully benefited from new technologies that could improve the thoroughness and timeliness of reporting. Only two State public health laboratories have bidirectional data flow and can both send and receive laboratory messages, the gold standard for disease reporting. The potential for new pathogen discovery, rapid electronic exchange of public health information, national bacterial and viral databases for DNA ``fingerprinting'' of infectious disease organisms has not been fully realized. Madam Speaker, we need a robust, universal, 21st century public health infrastructure that is strengthened at all levels of government to meet these challenges. The bill we are introducing today will achieve that goal. It will require a very modest expansion of resources, renewed focus and mission, and new areas of special emphasis for several existing programs within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which have never before been authorized. These programs will give public health institutions the capacity to identify and monitor the occurrence of infectious diseases and other conditions of public health importance. It will also improve the detection of new and emerging infectious disease threats, including laboratory capacity to detect antimicrobial resistant infections, identify and respond to disease outbreaks, and hire and train necessary professional staff. The bill also focuses on improving electronic disease surveillance and reporting by requiring the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control to adopt, within 180 days of enactment, guidelines for public health entities to ensure that all State and local health departments and public health laboratories have access to receive, monitor, and report infectious diseases and other urgent conditions of public health importance. These guidelines will be coordinated with the office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and the American Health Information Community . Grant mechanisms for achieving complete, and updated electronic disease reporting by State and local health departments, and public health laboratories are also delineated and modestly enhanced to ensure the Nation has a seamless, rapid information flow of disease detection and reporting. We are facing workforce shortages in many areas of our health and public health system. Three recent surveys conducted by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists have established that the number and level of training of epidemiologists is perceived as seriously deficient in most States. The need to increase, well-trained, core public health science professionals is addressed in this bill. Fellowship training for key elements of the public health workforce, applied epidemiologists, laboratory scientists and public health informaticians, is authorized and modest funding targets provided. The bill also authorizes, for the first time, a process for determining a list of nationally notifiable diseases and conditions. The provisions are modeled on the existing process of collaboration between the States and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but provide clarity and structure that enables Congress to monitor and support improvements as events and technology require. Madam Speaker, the ``National Integrated Public Health Surveillance Systems and Reportable Conditions Act'' will enhance the Nation's public health capacity by strengthening its core science infrastructure and ensuring a seamless, rapid flow of information. It will help us meet the serious public health challenges of today and tomorrow. I urge my colleagues to consider the benefits of this bill and join as a cosponsor and support its enactment.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. I thank the gentleman, and I thank the committee leadership for bringing this resolution to the floor. I, of course, as the author, rise in support of H. Res. 1372, a resolution celebrating the 100th anniversary of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I do want to start off at the beginning to tell my friend from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) that this is not the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Huskers. This is the number-sixth-rated-in-the-Nation University of Nebraska at Omaha Division II football. That is a distinction that, once made, garnered a lot more supporters. So when it comes to voting, I want to make that distinction. In October of 1908, 26 students gathered to form the first class at the University of Omaha, achieving the goal the city fathers decreed to create a nonsectarian university where local high school graduates could receive a college education. Over the tumultuous years ahead, the University of Omaha grew in size and reputation, outgrowing its original buildings and then relocating to its current home near Memorial Park in what was then the far west edge of the town and now known as ``Midtown.'' In time, the University of Omaha would be known as the Municipal University of Omaha and in 1968 would become part of the University of Nebraska system, developing doctoral programs in conjunction with the flagship campus in Lincoln, as well as a number of independent programs in the field of public administration and criminal justice. UNO, as it then would become to be known, would become known for its remarkable programs in engineering, IS&T, and technology fields that are housed in the Peter Kiewit Institute as well as the university's renowned aviation program. Today the University of Nebraska at Omaha has a significant impact on eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, serving over 250 communities and contributing nearly $300 million in economic impact to that area. With a current enrollment of nearly 15,000 students, the University of Nebraska at Omaha has grown significantly and in measurable ways. It has bettered the lives of the citizens of Omaha and has taken its place among some of the finest public universities of its size in the region. Mr. Speaker, I urge my fellow Members to vote in favor of this resolution in recognition of a truly unique and outstanding educational institution as it celebrates its 100th anniversary in October of this year. And go Mavericks!

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize all the good people at Mosaic, who have come to Washington, D.C. to take part in the American Network of Community Options and Resources, ANCOR, 2008 Governmental Activities Seminar. Mosaic, a disability advocacy organization based in my Congressional district, has a long history of providing direct support and services to individuals with disabilities of all ages. It employs more than 5,000 employees nationally who provide a range of supports 7 days a week, 24-hours a day. In Omaha, Mosaic's highly skilled and committed workforce support more than 250 individuals, making Mosaic one of the largest providers in the metropolitan area. Throughout this week, people from Mosaic, along with the attendees at ANCOR's events are meeting with their Congressional offices to raise awareness about the need for an adequately paid, trained and dedicated workforce. Most direct support professionals are women with families working 40-hour work weeks at an average of $9.47 an hour. That amounts to an annual salary of $18,182, a figure below the $21,200 poverty level for a family of four. Low wages have been a prime obstacle in maintaining a qualified workforce. Unlike other sectors of the private market, the formal long-term supports system is almost entirely dependent upon public financing--particularly Medicaid funding. Demand for direct support professionals continues to grow and is estimated to increase by about 38 percent over the next 12 years. We must ensure that qualified and reliable people are recruited as caregivers so that they in turn can help individuals with disabilities participate and contribute to their communities. Madam Speaker, there is no better way to recognize this workforce's contribution to the Nation than to ensure that these dedicated direct support professionals are fairly compensated. I urge my colleagues to join with me in cosponsoring the bipartisan Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act, H.R. 1279.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize all the good people at Mosaic who have come to Washington, D.C. to take part in the ANCOR 2008 Governmental Activities Seminar. Throughout this week, people from Mosaic, along with all of the attendees from ANCOR events, are meeting with their congressional offices to raise awareness about the need for an adequately paid, trained and dedicated workforce. Low wages have been a prime obstacle in maintaining a qualified work force. Unlike the other sectors of the private market, the formal long- term support system is almost entirely dependent upon public financing, particularly Medicaid funding. Madam Speaker, there is no better way to recognize this workforce's contribution to the Nation than to ensure that these folks who are dedicated direct support professionals are fairly compensated. I urge my colleagues to join with me and Lois Capps in cosponsoring the bipartisan Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act, H.R. 1279.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Yesterday, OPEC met. OPEC decided to cut production because they were frustrated that the price per barrel was nearing the $100 per barrel price. My goodness. What a tragedy for them. Isn't it a problem for this country that we rely so heavily on foreign oil? OPEC controls the majority of oil production. Our energy policy should not have to be begging OPEC for more production. Yesterday, our electric company that serves my district announced they're raising the rates because the train company that hauls the coal to them had to raise their rates because the price of diesel fuel has gone up so much. So the electrical rates of every consumer, every household in Omaha, is going to have double digit inflation on their electric bill. Please, Mr. Speaker, let the madness stop. Let's do a real energy bill.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, one of the greatest threats to our national security is our country's dependence on foreign sources of oil. We must expand the use of our alternative sources of energy and I believe alternative fuels is an integral part of that. I have introduced a resolution recognizing the importance of alternative and renewable fuels as well as the role of the flexible fuel vehicle club in promoting alternative and renewable fuels. Flex fuel cars can run on any blend of ethanol and gasoline from E10 to E85. Fuel cell technology has many different applications from emergency backup generators at hospitals and police stations to a pollution free replacement for gasoline and diesel engines in cars, buses and trucks. Fuel cell technology promises to reduce the number of large new power plants and transmission lines we need to build by allowing the distributed generation of electricity across the country. One other important aspect is tax credits. Research and development in the energy industry requires time and money. We must give the energy industry the assurance that tax benefits will be carried into the future, if we do not they will chose to develop elsewhere leaving us behind the eight ball. In addition, fuel cell technology provides important emergency backup power generation capability for first responders and our military. Over the years I have fought hard to diversify our energy supplies and I am not going to stop now. You can count on my strong and unwavering commitment to make our country energy independent once and for all.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Chairman, in 2002, over 6 years ago, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs completed an independent study recommending that the Omaha, Nebraska general area of Eastern Nebraska be selected as the site for a new national veterans' cemetery. That cemetery was to be built no later than 2005. As we stand here today, there has been no decision or authorization for a national veterans' cemetery in Eastern Nebraska. The State of Nebraska, the Governor and the legislature has determined a site in Sarpy County right next to Offutt Air Force Base as the site for this national veterans' cemetery. One of the issues supposedly that is delaying this cemetery is that, pursuant to the last census, we are a few thousand short of the requisite 170,000 that reside in a 75-mile radius, although Nebraska statistics differ with that census agreement, showing that we more than amply exceed that 170,000 within a 75-mile radius. What this amendment does is allows us to include some contiguous counties, because what you have is a mass populace within a small area around Offutt Air Force Base. But then, as you spread out, the population becomes far less dense. So in order here to comply, this amendment includes contiguous counties to get within the U.S. Census that the Veterans Administration is using to block the building of this national cemetery. So I am here tonight to make sure that the promise is kept to the veterans of the Eastern Nebraska, Western Iowa, Northwest Missouri area. As we know, our veterans population is aging. They are passing away. And I hear from their families quite often that they would prefer to be buried in a veterans' cemetery without having to travel 6 hours to the nearest Nebraska State veterans' cemetery. So that is the purpose of this amendment, is to keep a promise by the VA and, frankly, the entire delegation, that we are going to fight for a veterans' cemetery that has been promised them. This has been the way that has been recommended. I think it is probably the best way, recognizing the geography of Nebraska. At this point, I will ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment. But I would like to work with the people, the appropriations and the veterans' committee to make sure that this promise is kept.

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as he may consume to the author of this resolution, the gentleman from Arkansas.

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I would just conclude by suggesting that if there are any coaches of youth teams that play outside, they should check out the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation's Web site for advice on how to protect the kids on their team. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time has I may consume. I, too, rise in support of H. Con. Res. 296, recognizing the goals and ideals of National Heat Stroke Awareness Month. I credit and thank my colleague from Arkansas, Mr. Boozman, for drafting and introducing this resolution. As August hits, more people will be traveling to the beach, going to neighborhood pools, working outside, and football practice starts for many high schools and colleges. As people enjoy the outdoors, it is important for Americans to be cognizant of the dangers of heat stroke. Friday, August 1, 2008, will mark the beginning of the National Heat Stroke Awareness Month. This month serves to commemorate the importance of educating Americans and their children about the need to stay hydrated during hot summer months, understand how much water and fluids their bodies need to replenish, and the appropriate ways to avoid heat- related illnesses. National Heat Stroke Awareness Month is an important reminder that Americans and children participating in athletics continue to be impacted by the intense heat and physical activity that can dehydrate the body or even lead to a heat stroke. Local communities should work together to provide avenues to prevent dehydration, as well as ensuring that children, who are more vulnerable to heat illness, have access to fluids to rehydrate and a cool place to rest during hot summer months. According to the National Centers for Health Statistics, 7,046 deaths were attributed to excessive heat exposure from 1979 to 1997, or an average of 371 deaths per year. Heat stroke and death from excessive heat exposure are more common during summers with prolonged heat waves, such as in 1980. Department statistics show that children and the elderly are among the hardest hit populations in the U.S., and, if not treated properly, it can be fatal. A recent study found that 70 percent of after-school athletes arrive on the field already dehydrated, and because children have a reduced ability to dissipate heat through sweating, it puts them at an increased risk for a heat-related illness. It is alarming when 50 percent of those diagnosed with heat stroke will die, and it is important that parents, coaches, teachers and other members of the community look for the warning signs of heat illness. I would like to thank Rhonda and Mike Fincher, who have worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the heat-related illness after they tragically lost their 13-year-old son Kendrick during an August preseason football practice. In honor of their son, they have founded the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation, and have provided student athletes with the information and equipment needed to ensure they will not suffer from heat stroke. I would also like to thank the Gatorade Company for leading the National Beat the Heat Campaign aimed at educating parents and football coaches about the importance of hydration in order to keep athletes safe in hot summer months. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Congressman Boozman once again for introducing this resolution, my colleagues on Energy and Commerce, Mr. Pallone and Mr. Dingell and Mr. Barton, to make sure that it got to the House floor in a rapid, quick motion. I urge all of my colleagues to support this important resolution commemorating August as National Heat Stroke Awareness Month. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I too rise in support of House Resolution 896, recognizing February of 2009 as Primary Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month. I also wish to thank Mr. Baca for authoring this resolution. While primary lateral sclerosis is not fatal, there is no cure, and the progression of symptoms varies. Some Americans affected by this disease may retain the ability to walk without assistance, but others eventually require wheelchairs, canes, or other assistive devices that limit their mobility. Because primary lateral sclerosis is such a rare neuromuscular disease, its diagnosis is often delayed because of its resemblance to ALS, or better known as Lou Gehrig's disease. In PLS, there is no evidence of the degeneration of spinal motor neurons or muscle wasting that occurs in ALS, and it is characterized by progressive muscle weakness in the voluntary muscles. PLS belongs to a group of disorders known as motor neuron diseases that develop when the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement degenerate and die. This usually occurs after the age of 50, and causes a gradual weakness in the muscles. Symptoms for the individuals afflicted by the disease may include difficulty with balance, weakness and stiffness in the legs, and clumsiness. Other symptoms may include sudden and involuntary muscle spasms in the hands, feet, or legs, and maybe speech problems due to the involvement of the facial muscles. The disease, which scientists believe is not hereditary, progresses gradually over a number of years or even decades. The efforts of the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation have been paramount in raising funds dedicated to finding cures and providing information about PLS. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of many individuals at the Spastic Paraplegic Foundation, in just 5 years, more than $1 million has been targeted to research on SPF conditions and thousands of people have been helped. I would like to thank the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the National Institute of Health for conducting a broad range of research on neuromuscular disorders such as PLS. Their research has been aimed at developing techniques to diagnose, treat, prevent, and ultimately cure these devastating diseases. In closing, I would like to thank again the author of this resolution, Mr. Joe Baca, my friend from California, for raising public awareness about PLS. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TERRY. We have no further speakers, so I will just once again thank Mr. Baca for writing this resolution and bringing it, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Dingell, Mr. Barton for making sure that it, in such a speedy manner, got to the House floor. I yield back.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. I want to first say thank you to the chairman and ranking member for allowing this to come to the House floor in such a rapid manner. It is my pleasure to have authored this resolution in working with Special Olympics on their 40th anniversary. In those 40 years since Mrs. Eunice Shriver dreamed of helping those with intellectual disabilities by having them compete as a part of letting them know that they can achieve and as part of their therapies, in those 40 years since her vision came to be, we have seen many with intellectual disabilities win and let them be better in that competition. I am also pleased that my community is hosting the International Special Olympics competition in 2010 between Omaha and Lincoln. As my colleagues have stated, Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the great cause of empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive, and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Participation in Special Olympics' year-round sports training and athletic competition is open to anyone with intellectual disabilities ages 8 and older. Currently there are 700,000 volunteers and 500,000 coaches worldwide that serve over 2.5 million people with intellectual disabilities by helping them participate in over 200 programs in 180 countries. It is important to note that Special Olympics would not exist today and could not have been created without the time, energy, commitment, and enthusiasm of many of its volunteers. As a grassroots organization, Special Olympics relies on volunteers at all levels of the movement to ensure that every athlete is offered a quality sports training and competition experience. The athletes have choices of just about any sport you can think of, from winter sports, aquatics, badminton, basketball, track and field, snowboarding, sailing, table tennis, handball, racquetball, volleyball. It goes on and on and on. The Special Olympics oath is inspirational to all and was originally spoken by gladiators entering the arena in ancient Rome: ``Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.'' Madam Speaker, as a Member of Congress, I strive every day to live up to these words. Again, I am proud to be associated with this resolution and Special Olympics and urge its passage on the floor today. Again, I thank Mr. Berman and Mr. Chabot for making sure that this arrived on the floor in such a rapid manner.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. We use, in this country, 20 million barrels of oil per day; 14 of that we import. In fact, a little over 14 million barrels per day we import. It is my personal mission and dream that we can displace that 14 million barrels per day that we import, and use our own American-made resources instead. This bill here today, releasing 10 percent of the SPR, equals 3\1/2\ days of our total use. Now, that will, using my understanding of economics, will reduce the price at the pump by a few cents for a few days. So we have to balance that against the harm that is being caused by the high gas prices to our constituents, to people on lower income, especially with our national security needs, which is the intention of SPR. It is intended that when we go through an OPEC crisis where they cut off the supply to us, that we have our domestic reserves ready in case of such an emergency. And when you look at world politics today, with Iran and Israel and Nigeria and Venezuela, that is a real issue that we have to deal with. Now, the Speaker recognizes now that supply is the issue, that demand is outstripping world supply of oil, and we have to now add to our supply. I agree with the Speaker's statement when she says, free our resources. So let's have a vote on freeing our resources. We've got American resources, whether it's alternative energies, and why don't we make the tax credit permanent for alternative and renewable energy as opposed to the 1 year that was brought to us by the Democrat leadership? We can add, then, additional conservation. And the House did pass conservation in automobile fuel efficiency, but let's use the resources that we have with oil and get the resources in the middle of America and in Alaska and free our resources.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Ask yourselves why folks on the left who are more green than the Riddler and the Democrat leadership that has vowed to prevent any new drilling support this bill. Do I smell hypocrisy? No. Because this bill doesn't open up any new drilling. In fact on balance, it makes it more difficult to drill in an area already open for drilling. It poses new requirements to prove that you have to fully have used other leases before you can get any one there. A new requirement that any company must have a union contract in place before receiving a lease are just some of the couple of examples. This is not a drilling bill that's going to get us more resources. It's a rhetorical political bill. Don't be suckered. Vote ``no.''

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Thank you. I appreciate this opportunity. My friend from California, I'd like to clarify a little bit. The 66 million acres are land that hasn't been authorized by Congress. In fact, the efforts by my friends on that side of the aisle was to take away that 66 million acres of already leased land. So I think the public needs to be clear on that aspect. Yes, some of the Bush plan on energy has been implemented. The part, conveniently, that has been left out of presenting to the President for signature is the part that increases supply. It's the lack of supply that is causing problems for American families today, with the price at the pumps. I have had several meetings with constituents who have told me their stories about how the high price of gasoline is literally taking food off of their tables and making them to make decisions about what they are taking away from their family in order to be able to get to work and back. Our reliance on foreign energy is destroying this country, and we have to become independent, folks. We use 20 million barrels a day. Twenty million barrels of oil per day, most of which is refined into fuel that we use in travels. Over 14 million of those 20 are imported today. Let's look at what is on the foreign scene today with Iran sending missiles as a message to the United States and Israel about their might. Make no bones about it, my friends; the only reason they have missiles is because they get to sell oil. If we weren't reliant on foreign oil and we could get away from it with a comprehensive plan and, Mr. Cardoza, I'd love to work with anyone on your side of the aisle to come up with conservation alternative fuels and to be able to open up our offshore drilling in the gulf coast, Alaska, and use oil shale. If we put all of that together, we can be energy independent.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of a comprehensive energy policy. And the gentleman from Massachusetts and I are friends and neighbors by offices and talk all the time. And do you know what? It may be entirely true that Nebraskans think differently than suburban Boston folks. And that is why we go back and we talk to our constituents. And what I hear--and this isn't evenly divided; this is 95-5--that people are angry at the price of gas; they are angry at Congress doing nothing. And we sit here in this body and we have no real energy bills to discuss, so we have to use a flood insurance bill to be able to discuss these type of issues. But my friend from Massachusetts brings up a point that I want to kind of correct and kind of agree with. We have been in Congress now five terms. I have been on the Energy Committee for 8 years; and almost every year that I have been on that committee, we have done an energy bill. Most of them haven't gotten to the President. We did get an energy bill that included drilling to the President in our first term, which was vetoed by President Clinton, that included ANWR. My friend would probably remember a lot of vicious debates on this floor about opening up drilling in Alaska and ANWR and the deep waters off the coast of Florida and the gulf coast. We had incredibly intense debates on that, and we passed those. We passed the refinery bill that would expand our refining capacity and diversify where they are at in this body. So to be able to come and say on the House floor that we haven't done anything for 12 years is not accurate. What is accurate is a bipartisan opposition to energy in the Senate, where we did good work, but unfortunately we had a group of 40 that was mostly Democrat but Republicans also that voted to kill refinery expansions, that voted to--well, sometimes they voted on deep-sea and ANWR, but most of the time they just ignored what we did here, in the Senate. And I am angry and upset at that. But the people are demanding action now. And what I would like to see is, instead of this partisan rhetoric that we are hearing on the floor today, that my friends on the other side would say, hey, let's all get together. Because you talk about conservation. I wrote with Baron Hill the CAFE bill that ups the amount of fuel efficiency for the auto manufacturers. I am open to more of those types of discussions. Let's get together and work on an energy policy, instead of this partisan bickering that we are hearing right now.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. At this time, I yield as much time as she may consume to the author, the gentlelady from New Mexico.

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I want to close by thanking the gentlelady from New Mexico and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen) for bringing this to the floor, helping to increase public awareness and provide education and training to physicians for early diagnosis, and encouraging the NIH to continue their research to help those with Dandy-Walker and hydrocephalus. With that, I would encourage all of our colleagues today to vote ``aye'' in support of this measure. I yield back my time.

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I recognize myself for as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in closing, let me just thank Mr. Cummings from Maryland for drafting this resolution and his bill and congratulate him on getting this resolution to the House floor. I encourage all of my colleagues to support it. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to rise in favor of House Resolution 353, which is sponsored by the gentleman from Maryland, Elijah Cummings. He has worked steadfastly on this issue that affects an approximate 2 million Americans currently diagnosed with prostate cancer, and I commend him on his work. House Resolution 353 supports the development and innovative advances of using imaging technologies when detecting and treating prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America and takes the lives of nearly 28,000 American men each year. Over a lifetime, that is one out of every six males will fall victim to this silent killer. Early prostate cancer usually has no symptoms and is commonly detected through prostate cancer screening tests such as the PSA blood test and DRE. The chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer increases rapidly after the age of 50. The most likely risk factors that are associated to prostate cancer are age and family history of the disease. In addition to the PSA blood test and DRE, imaging is another useful tool that can help with the detection and treatment of the disease. It is important for men to take advantage of prostate screening exams which could yield early detection when the disease is still curable. I urge my fellow Members to support House Resolution 353. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TERRY

Mr. TERRY. I appreciate you yielding me the time. I rise today to pay tribute to four boys who lost their lives after a tornado destroyed their Boy Scout camp near Little Sioux, Iowa, on Wednesday, June 11. And as the gentlelady from North Carolina mentioned, it was a string of storms all the way from Iowa through Omaha, Nebraska, all the way down into Manhattan, Kansas. The boys were at this camp in Little Sioux, Iowa, Boy Scout camp, learning leadership skills and were definitely on the right path to be leaders in their future endeavors. Unfortunately, their lives were cut short by a fierce and destructive storm, an F-3 tornado. Interestingly, it was just the day before where the Scouts practiced how to react to a disaster like a tornado, and we can be very proud of the Scouts and how they acted after the storm. This tornado killed four boys, injured almost 50 others. Killed in the storm was 13-year-old Ben Petrzilka, 13-year-old Sam Thomsen, and Josh Fennen. Those three boys were all from Omaha. Ironically, all three of them were only a few miles from where my wife and my family live. Ben Petrzilka has been described as a caring and a natural leader. He was a member of Boy Scout Troop 448 and earned more than 20 merit badges, truly amazing. Sam Thomsen was born more than 3 months premature, adopted by a caring and loving family. They called Sam their ``miracle boy.'' His pastor said he was ``great kid'' and always had a smile on his face. Josh Fennen, a great student and hard worker as he was described by his school principal, had a knack for exploring and was a natural leader. Aaron Eilerts was a member of Boy Scout Troop 108 in Humboldt, Iowa, loved music, especially Elvis. For merit badges, he created pillowcases for local hospitals and made blankets for the humane society. He truly lived the Boy Scout Oath of: ``On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help others at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.'' All of these boys lived the Scout Oath, something their family, friends and fellow Scouts can be extremely proud of. I know I am. I'm proud of all the Scouts and how they reacted. The stories of heroism from these four fallen boys' colleagues are truly moving. So God bless them, their families and Scouts everywhere.