Chris Van Hollen

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to cast my vote today to end the unjust and misguided policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Our Nation faces great challenges and is currently at war. We need highly qualified military personnel with a wide range of abilities, including critical language skills. And yet, under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, 14,000 service members have been discharged--not because of their performance, but because of their identity. We cannot afford to turn away talented and patriotic soldiers simply because they are gay. The Pentagon's Comprehensive Review Working Group found that the ``risk of repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell to overall military effectiveness is low.'' Our military leaders have expressed their confidence, which I share, in the ability of service members to adapt to this change and remain focused on their mission. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, has said, our military is a meritocracy, where it is ``what you do, not who you are'' that counts. Our Nation was also founded on that ideal. It is time to repeal this discriminatory policy, so all service men and women can finally live by the principles that they fight to protect.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ronald G. Yelenik, Assistant General Counsel in the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Mr. Yelenik is retiring after 35 years of distinguished service at the CPSC. Mr. Yelenik began his career at the CPSC in 1975. Prior to joining the CPSC staff, he was a Law Professor at Antioch School of Law, a Director of East New York Legal Services, a staff attorney at Brownsville Legal Services, and a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica. Mr. Yelenik has held various legal positions at the CPSC, chiefly within the Office of Compliance and Field Operations, and most recently in the Division of Compliance within the Office of the General Counsel. He currently manages a staff of 12 attorneys, providing leadership in devising legal strategies to ensure that manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers of dangerously defective and hazardous products are held responsible for harm caused to consumers. Over the years, he has been an excellent mentor to staff attorneys and legal interns. Over the course of his long and distinguished Federal career, Mr. Yelenik helped negotiate numerous major product recalls with such firms as Wal-Mart, Cosco, and Fisher-Price. The Fisher-Price recall involved ten million battery-powered Power Wheel ride-on cars that presented a fire hazard to children. This toy recall was one of the largest and most expensive recalls in CPSC's history. Mr. Yelenik has also served as lead counsel in some of the largest monetary civil penalty cases in the CPSC's history for reporting violations under section 15(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act. The cases include a $4 million civil penalty against the McDonald's Corporation in 1999; a $1.75 million penalty against Dorel USA (Cosco/ Safety 1st) in 2001; and a $1.1 million penalty against Fisher-Price in 2001. In 2009, he negotiated a $2.3 million civil penalty against Mattel for multiple violations of the lead paint ban in children's products. The Mattel violations were one of the catalysts that led to the passage of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. During his tenure at CPSC, Mr. Yelenik has played a major role in protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury posed by consumer products. He has demonstrated inspiring leadership and has been a valued employee at the CPSC. Madam Speaker, I am honored to thank Ronald G. Yelenik for his honorable service to our Nation and I wish him a rewarding retirement.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010. This legislation would reverse a scheduled reduction of 25 percent in Medicare physician payments and extend current Medicare payment rates through December 31, 2011. Though we are providing a year-long reprieve on the Medicare physician reimbursement problem, my strong preference is for this to be fixed on a permanent, long-term basis. Unfortunately, the Senate blocked legislation that was passed in the House that would have done exactly that. This legislation is needed so that Medicare beneficiaries are able to continue to have access to the care they need and to see their doctor of choice. It will also provide some stability for physicians that provide services to Medicare beneficiaries so that they and their practices can adequately plan for the expenses they incur in treating patients. In addition to extending current Medicare physician payment rates for 1 year, the legislation includes extensions of important expiring health care provisions, including extending the Medicare therapy caps process, Transitional Medical Assistance which allows low-income families to maintain Medicaid coverage as they transition into employment, and the Qualifying Individual program that allows Medicaid to pay the Medicare Part B premiums for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. I am also pleased that the legislation extends for 2 years the Special Diabetes Program for Type I Diabetes and the Special Diabetes Programs for Native Americans. Though the Special Diabetes Program doesn't expire until the end of 2011, early reauthorization is vital so that NIH can continue existing research projects. Otherwise, NIH would have to shut down those projects and the potential to develop new treatments for Type I Diabetes would be lost. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the DREAM Act, which is common-sense, bipartisan legislation that will strengthen our country. The DREAM Act will allow millions of young people who have grown up in America the chance to develop their talents and contribute to our nation's success by serving in our Armed Forces or pursuing a college education. It is targeted legislation that ensures many of our best and brightest young people can earn their legal status, but only after going through a rigorous and thorough process. By allowing these students to achieve their full potential, we strengthen both our economy and our national security. Additionally, this bill allows us to do the right thing for millions of young men and women living in America--people who were brought here as minors, through no fault of their own, and most of whom know no other home. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise in strong support of this legislation as the best way to move our economy forward. The Middle Class Tax Relief Act extends significant tax relief to every American. Let me say that again: Every American. Under this legislation, no matter how much you make, the first $250,000 will continue to benefit from today's lower rates. And given the softness in our economy and the number of households that are still struggling, that's the right thing to do. But what this legislation does not do is put an additional $700 billion on our national credit card, as our Republican colleagues would like to do, by extending an extra bonus tax cut to the folks at the very, very top. Instead, for the top 2 percent, those reporting income over $250,000, we have the Clinton-era tax rates on just that additional portion of that income. And with our annual deficits now topping $1 trillion, and our national debt approaching $13 trillion, it's the right thing to do to make sure our economy is on a sustainable footing for the future. We have the bipartisan commission debating that question right now, and yet our colleagues want to put $700 billion on our credit card. Now our colleagues that we've just heard have said this is necessary to create jobs. Really? These are the tax rates that are in effect today, and during the Bush years and during the 8 years of the Bush administration, 600,000 private-sector workers lost their jobs with these rates compared to the Clinton administration, with 23 million jobs created in the Clinton administration with the old rates at that particular time. Moreover, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office recently looked at 11 different options for strengthening the economy. This one came in dead last. Now we also heard from our colleagues that they tried to use small businesses as a smokescreen for their plan to protect this bonus break for the folks at the top. First of all, as my colleague said, only 3 percent of small businesses are affected, 3 percent, 97 percent, not. But what's interesting is when you look at those 3 percent, what you find out is in the definition of the tax code, one that apparently has been used by our colleagues, people will be surprised to find a lot of mom and pop operations like PricewaterhouseCoopers, asset manager Fidelity Investments and the private equity firm KKR fall under the pass-through income definition. I don't know if people realized it, just the other day KKR, that small business, purchased Del Monte Foods for $4 billion. Now those are all good businesses. But they're not small businesses, and they would benefit from the proposal that we and the President have made to provide 100 percent depreciation for their investments this year. That will help jobs and the economy. Mr. Speaker, I urge support.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act of 2010. This important legislation will expand access to school meals programs and improve nutritional quality. It is a much- needed step forward for the health of America's children. This bill improves access to school meals programs by streamlining certification of children who meet income requirements without burdensome applications. It provides more universal meal access for eligible children in high-poverty areas. And it increases the number of out-of-school meals for low-income children by allowing reimbursement for Child and Adult Care Food Program providers. The bill also makes important improvements to the quality of school meals by increasing the reimbursement rates for schools for the first time in over 30 years. Additional grants will help communities establish and strengthen farm-to-school networks and school gardens to use more local foods in school cafeterias. And the bill strengthens nutrition standards for all food served in schools. This bill is not perfect. I am concerned about using the SNAP program as an offset, and I look forward to working with the Administration to restore those funds before cuts take place in 2013. But this bill, which passed the U.S. Senate unanimously, makes important changes to school nutrition programs and will improve the health of our nation's children. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of the UN Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. World Remembrance Day was established to honor the memory of those who have been injured or killed in traffic accidents around the world. The day was set aside as a sign of the world's commitment to preventing road traffic deaths, to educating drivers and pedestrians about the hazards of road travel and to improving the safety of our roads. Road crashes are the leading cause of death globally for people between the ages of 5 and 29 years old. According to the 2009 Global Status Report on Road Safety, nearly 1,300,000 people globally die in road crashes each year. Unless action is taken, it is predicted that road traffic injuries could double by 2030, killing an estimated 2,400,000 people per year. As an original sponsor of H. Res. 1696, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of the UN's ``Decade of Action for Road Safety'', I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of the ideals of road safety and in honoring the memory of those who have been injured or killed in traffic crashes around the world.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation that will make amends to thousands of African American famers and Native Americans, and bring a long-delayed close to the serious cases of discrimination and mismanagement committed by the Federal government. The Claims Resolution Act provides funding to implement the settlements of both the Pigford and Cobell class action lawsuits in a budget neutral manner. The Pigford case involved past discrimination committed against black farmers by the Department of Agriculture while in the Cobell case, the Department of the Interior mismanaged Native American trust funds. With this legislation, it is time to provide long overdue justice and uphold the Federal government's responsibility of the settlements. Mr. Speaker, we are one step closer to providing African American farmers and Native Americans compensation for the past failures of the Federal government. I urge my colleagues to do the right thing and support this legislation so that it can be sent to the President's desk for his signature.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise as an original sponsor of H. Con. Res. 323, a bipartisan resolution conceived with the purpose of ensuring that all Holocaust survivors in the United States are able to live with dignity, comfort, and security in their remaining years. During the Holocaust, an estimated 6,000,000 Jews and other targeted groups were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. Approximately 96,000 Holocaust survivors were admitted to the United States immediately after the war. Another 100,000 Holocaust survivors were admitted after 1952. Today, approximately 127,000 Holocaust survivors live in the United States. The majority of Holocaust survivors are at least 65 years old and approximately two-thirds of them are elderly women. Many of them face the risk of isolation and financial insecurity. Holocaust survivors are 5 times more likely to be living below the poverty line than other older people living in the United States. They are more reliant on social service programs and most of them live alone. Living alone puts these survivors at increased risk of institutionalization. While institutionalized settings are beneficial for some older people, institutionalization has a disproportionate adverse effect on Holocaust survivors by reintroducing sights, sounds, and routines that are reminiscent of their experiences during the Holocaust. This bill encourages the Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services, in conjunction with the Administration on Aging, to provide Holocaust survivors with needed social services through existing programs. The bill also urges the Administration to expeditiously develop and implement programs that ensure Holocaust survivors are able to live their remaining years in place in their communities. Mr. Speaker, the United States is a nation that values freedom, liberty, and justice. As such, we are morally obligated to acknowledge the plight and encourage the dignity of our citizens, such as survivors of the Holocaust, who have suffered and who are in need. I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of legislation that would avert a 23 percent payment cut for Medicare physicians and continue to provide them with a 2.2 percent update through December 31, 2010. While I would like to see a permanent, long-term solution to the flawed Medicare physician payment formula, this stop-gap legislation is necessary so that Medicare beneficiaries can continue to see their doctor of choice and have access to the care they need. However, a long-term solution to this problem is needed to provide stability for physicians who provide services under Medicare so that their practices can adequately plan for the expenses they incur for treating Medicare beneficiaries. In fact, the House passed legislation this Congress that would have permanently fixed the Medicare physician payment formula. Unfortunately, it was blocked in the Senate. Madam Speaker, I hope our Republican colleagues will join us in finding a long-term solution to this problem. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this important legislation to extend unemployment benefits through February 2011. We must continue to help families who are struggling to make ends meet. While we are continuing to see encouraging signs of economic recovery, the unemployment rate remains too high. If we do not extend emergency unemployment benefits, approximately two million Americans-- including 14,600 Marylanders--will lose those benefits by the end of February. Many Americans remain out of work through no fault of their own. Ending emergency unemployment assistance will not only be devastating for these individuals and their families, but it will also hurt the economy as a whole by undermining consumer confidence and demand. If individuals are unable to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, the entire economy could slip back into recession. In fact, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office recently found that because unemployment benefits increase consumer demand and spending, previous extensions of unemployment insurance benefits increased both employment and job retention more than what it would have been otherwise in 2009. The President and Congress have been working together to bring our economy back from the brink. However, there is much more work to do to create jobs and help put Americans back to work. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this much-needed legislation.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, as a representative of a district with a large number of Federal employees, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1722, The Telework Improvements Act. I want to thank Chairmen Towns and Lynch and Representative Sarbanes for their leadership in crafting this important bipartisan bill. The Telework Improvements Act makes administrative, fiscal and environmental sense. If passed, the measure will save money for the American taxpayers, make government operations more efficient, and put the Federal Government on equal footing with many private sector employers and State governments which allow their employees to perform many of their duties and responsibilities from home or at another work site. Passing this bill will help attract more workers to government service. There is an effort under way to encourage more young people to work for the Federal Government to offset the growing number of older employees who are retiring. Offering prospective employees the option to telework increases the possibility that those employees with families will join the Federal workforce. Passing this bill is smart fiscal policy. According to the Office of Personnel Management, during the blizzard that hit Washington, DC last winter, the government lost tens of millions of dollars worth of productivity for each day it remained closed. This number might have been far larger had some Federal workers not had the opportunity to work from home. The bill will also reduce costs for taxpayers by lowering absenteeism. Passing this bill makes environmental sense. Increasing teleworking opportunities for employees of the country's largest employer means fewer cars on the roads and lower carbon emissions. According to the Telework Exchange, if 20 percent of Americans teleworked, we could eliminate 67 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually and reduce Persian Gulf oil imports by 40 percent. Madam Speaker, passing The Telework Improvements Act will save money for the taxpayer, help ease pressure on the environment and make the government run more efficiently. The bill is also PAYGO compliant. I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill and I urge its immediate passage.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, with the excitement of this year's FIFA World Cup competition in South Africa and the achievements of the U.S. Men's National Team still fresh in our minds, I rise to support efforts to bring the world's most popular sporting event--the FIFA World Cup competition--back to our country. In 1994, our nation hosted the FIFA World Cup tournament. That tournament still holds the record for the highest attendance in history, with an overall attendance of 3.6 million. It also spurred the development and popularity of soccer in this country, leading to the creation of Major League Soccer, the United States' national first division professional soccer league. Building upon this country's enormous success in hosting the FIFA World Cup in 1994, the US Soccer Federation--through the USA Bid Committee--has submitted a very strong bid to host the 2022 competition. Bringing the FIFA World Cup tournament back to the United States will both contribute to the further growth of soccer in America and stimulate the economies of dozens of cities and states that hope to serve as hosts to national teams and spectators from around the world. Eighteen communities across the country, including Washington, DC, and Baltimore, MD, are working with the USA Bid Committee to serve as potential hosts for the games during the month-long competition. I want to thank Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen as well as my fellow co-chairs of the Congressional Soccer Caucus--George Miller, Dave Reichert, and Mary Bono Mack--for their support of this important resolution. Mr. Speaker, the United States faces formidable competition in hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament from several countries in Asia and Australia, but with Congressional encouragement and support for USA Bid Committee's effort in advance of FIFA's decision on December 2nd, it would send an important message to FIFA at this critical time. I urge my colleagues to support this timely resolution.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 35th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), a landmark law that asserted the right of all students with disabilities to receive education services appropriate to their needs. Before IDEA, many individuals with disabilities were relegated to state institutions or misdiagnosed and inappropriately educated. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Federal government began working with advocates to develop best practices for educating children with disabilities and train teachers and specialists to implement them. In 1975, Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which would later become IDEA. Through early interventions, specialized supports, and placement in the least restrictive environment, the law revolutionized education for children with disabilities. Today, more than 6 million students receive IDEA services. IDEA also included a promise to states and school districts--by 1982, for every child receiving special education services, the federal government would pay forty percent of the National Average per Pupil Expenditure. Yet Congress has never appropriated even half that amount in regular appropriations. I have introduced bipartisan legislation, the EDUCATE Act, which would put Congress on a fiscally-responsible path to fully fund IDEA within eight years. I urge my colleagues to join me to honor our promise to America's students. Mr. Speaker, IDEA has made a tremendous difference in the lives of millions of students and their families. We must recommit ourselves to provide the resources necessary to ensure that all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the participants in the Scripps National Spelling Bee and to particularly congratulate my constituent, Mr. Lanson Tang of Potomac, Maryland, who tied for fifth place in the competition. The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation's oldest educational promotion, now in its 83rd year. Through spelling, students increase their vocabularies and improve English usage, skills that will stay with them throughout their lives. I congratulate all the participants, especially my constituent, Lanson Tang, a homeschooled student from Potomac, Maryland. Lanson made it to the seventh of nine rounds in the competition, correctly spelling words like ``rhabdomyoma,'' ``obelisk,'' and ``flabellum.'' He has made our community proud. I also want to thank the Fourth Presbyterian School in Potomac for hosting the Montgomery County Regional Spelling Bee for the second year in a row this year. All of the spellers this year should be proud of their outstanding accomplishments. I urge my colleagues to join me in extending congratulations to these terrific students.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act. This important legislation will give NTSB the tools it needs to investigate transportation accidents and make timely recommendations to improve safety. NTSB is the federal agency responsible for determining the probable cause of aviation, railroad, marine, and selected highway accidents. They assist victims and families and make recommendations aimed at addressing systemic issues and improving safety of all transportation modes. NTSB recently completed a year-long investigation into a catastrophic accident on the Red Line of the Washington Metro. Throughout the process, I was impressed by the knowledge and professionalism of the Board and its staff. Today's legislation will help NTSB complete its mission--expanding its staff, clarifying its authority to identify multiple causes of accidents, and ensuring that it can conduct necessary on-scene fact- finding and access the information it needs. Importantly, the bill also allows NTSB to release urgent and interim safety recommendations so that transportation agencies can address safety issues quickly. Mr. Speaker, when accidents happen, NTSB is there to determine the cause and provide expert advice to strengthen transportation safety. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this reauthorization.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Intelligence Authorization Act of 2010. This measure authorizes funding for the Office of the National Intelligence Director, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency, as well as the foreign intelligence activities of the Defense Department, FBI, State Department and Homeland Security Department. Further, to ensure that these and other activities are conducted in a manner that is consistent with the laws of the United States, the measure increases the levels of oversight of the intelligence community in several key ways. First, the bill modifies the processes for reporting of intelligence activities, including covert actions, to the congressional intelligence committees. The President is required by law to keep congressional intelligence committees fully and currently informed of intelligence activities, but under extraordinary circumstances, the President can limit these communications to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the intelligence committees, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House, and the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate. The bill alters this and requires the President to notify all members of the congressional intelligence committees when the `Gang of Eight' has been contacted and notified of a covert incident and to provide a general description of that briefing. Second, the bill requires the Director of National Intelligence to write regulations to permit the Government Accountability Office to audit the intelligence community. Additionally, the Director of National Intelligence is required to provide a comprehensive report on the use of contractors throughout the intelligence community. This bill funds the U.S. national security and intelligence programs and objectives that help to keep Americans safe. The bill also helps to ensure that these activities are conducted in a manner consistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States. I encourage my colleagues to join me today in support of this important bill.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this Continuing Resolution, which will fund continued government operations through December 3, 2010. Mr. Speaker, I have no substantive objection to the temporary funding, authorization extensions and other spending included in this legislation. They are necessary to keep the government running and to minimize program disruption until Congress' FY 2011 appropriations bills can be enacted into law. But I am deeply disappointed that due to Republican opposition in the Senate the bill does not include a critical provision for our nation's wounded warriors. This zero-cost technical correction, developed in consultation with and supported by the Department of Defense, would have allowed $300 million of already appropriated FY 10 funds to be spent on needed BRAC- related infrastructure improvements at our nation's military medical hospitals. As a result of the action in the Senate, wounded warriors and their families may very well not get timely access to the care they have earned and deserve. Mr. Speaker, I will support today's Continuing Resolution, but I will continue to work with the Department of Defense and my colleagues in both chambers on both sides of the aisle to make sure the federal government meets its responsibilities to our nation's wounded warriors. With BRAC-mandated consolidation at our military medical facilities now less than a year away, there is literally not a moment to waste.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleague, Rep. Michael Burgess, on this bipartisan legislation and I want to thank him for his leadership on this important issue. I also want to thank Chairman Waxman, Chairman Pallone, Ranking Member Barton, and Ranking Member Shimkus for their support. Our staffs have worked long and hard in a bipartisan manner to get to this point today. I particularly want to recognize Ray Thorn on my staff, Anne Morris on the Committee staff, and JP Paluskeiwisc on Rep. Burgess' staff for their work on this legislation. While thousands of Americans are affected by Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, or other neurological diseases, very little accurate information exists to assist those who research, treat, and provide care to those suffering from these diseases. Accurate incidence and prevalence information is critical and needed to gain a better understanding of these diseases. This lack of information inhibits research, treatments, programs, and services. In 2000, the Pew Environmental Health Commission, recommended that neurological diseases, such as Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis, be tracked by a national data system. Today, we take an important step implementing that recommendation by establishing a national neurological diseases surveillance system at CDC. Quite simply, the National Neurological Diseases Surveillance System Act will help improve and enhance the infrastructure in tracking the incidence and prevalence on neurological diseases, including Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. The information collected through this surveillance system will provide a foundation for evaluating and understanding many factors such as geographic clusters of diagnosis, variances in the gender ratio, disease burden, and changes in health care practices. Mr. Speaker, this legislation represents an opportunity to move neurological disease research in a meaningful way that aims to improve the lives of all Americans suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, or other neurological diseases. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the actions of the men and women who responded courageously to the recent hostage situation at the Discovery Communications building in Silver Spring, Maryland. On Wednesday, September 1, 2010, a man entered the Discovery Communications building in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, taking three people hostage. This individual was holding a gun and possessed four improvised explosive devices, including one strapped to his body. For more than three hours, authorities attempted to negotiate with him to surrender and release the hostages. He was heard to repeatedly state that he was prepared to die. After hearing what was believed to be either a gunshot or an explosive detonating, the law enforcement team shot him and freed the hostages. The local and federal authorities responding to this crisis situation in a dense urban environment are to be commended for their courage and professionalism. Responders included the Montgomery County Police Department, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, the Maryland State Police, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. I want to especially recognize the Special Operations Division SWAT team of the Montgomery County Police Department for its leadership throughout this intense and uncertain situation. The Discovery Communications' building security officers and administrative staff also are to be commended for their quick and effective implementation of their crisis plan. The seamless communication and coordination between these agencies was a demonstration of their outstanding training and preparedness to handle crisis situations. I would also like to commend Discovery Communications for implementing effective emergency plans that resulted in the safe evacuation of their employees and children in the building's day care center. The level-headed approach of Discovery's management and employees towards the situation prevented the crisis from escalating into a far worse scenario. Discovery's actions were essential in ensuring the safety of its employees during this crisis. Outstanding preparedness training and seamless inter-agency communication, combined with the effective implementation of emergency plans by calm and cooperative Discovery management and employees, brought this harrowing situation to a safe conclusion. Although there was a loss of life, the first responders' courage, swift response, and professionalism helped prevent a bad situation from becoming worse and even more deadly.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2378, the Currency Reform Fair Trade Act. First, I want to thank Chairman Levin and his staff for crafting this responsible and much needed WTO compliant legislation. There is wide agreement that China is deliberately and illegally intervening in global currency markets to benefit its own economy. According to the Peterson Institute of International Economics, because of repeated Chinese government intervention, the RMB is unfairly undervalued by as much as 24 percent against the dollar. This practice is harming the U.S. economy and weakening our ability to promote economic growth and jobs. Again, according to the Peterson Institute, if the RMB was fairly valued, there would be 500,000 more Americans employed today in good paying manufacturing jobs. The President's strategy for boosting the economy includes a two year plan to increase manufacturing and expand exports--but increasing exports in a global economy where American goods are artificially more expensive than comparable Chinese goods, is like fighting an uphill battle. H.R. 2378 will help encourage the Chinese government to do the right thing and float its currency in a wider band. This will help to protect those American businesses and jobs that are being injured by the imbalance. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Commerce to view deliberate currency undervaluation as an illegal export subsidy just as the World Trade Organization does. If this bill becomes law, Commerce will have to use the same standard as the WTO when determining whether an illegal export subsidy exists. Commerce will have to weigh all relevant factors, including currency undervaluation, when determining whether to recommend that ``countervailing duties'' be applied against a foreign import. This bill does not just target China, though China is the leading abuser of this practice. Any country that unfairly and significantly acts to suppress the value of its currency to boost its own exports will be a target. The President's plan for strengthening the economy includes a vigorous enforcement of our rights in the global trade arena. The WTO says we have a right to respond when our trading partners employ illegal practices that injure our businesses. H.R. 2378 ensures that the Department of Commerce does not overlook or underestimate the impact that currency undervaluation has on American businesses. I encourage my colleagues to support this measure. It provides one more tool that can be used to protect American companies and the workers they employ in the ongoing push to boost the U.S. economy.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, Americans across the Nation are increasingly interested in the contribution that clean, homegrown fuels can make to our environment, economic development, and energy security. Additionally, I hear from many of my constituents that they believe Federal policy should move toward the development of biofuels that do not compete with food and otherwise operate on a feedstock and technology-neutral basis. Today's legislation advances those goals by including algae as a qualified feedstock under the existing cellulosic biofuel credit. It is forward-looking legislation that recognizes the rapidly evolving nature of the advanced biofuels industry and the demonstrated potential of biofuels made from algae. With that, I yield 5 minutes to my colleague Congressman Harry Teague of New Mexico and thank him for his extraordinary leadership on this bipartisan initiative.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4168) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the definition of cellulosic biofuel to include algae-based biofuel for purposes of the cellulosic biofuel producer credit and the special allowance for cellulosic biofuel plant property, as amended.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman another 2 minutes.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, again, I want to thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Teague) for this initiative and just respond to a couple of the points raised by Mr. Camp, the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee. First, this piece of the energy bill was brought to the floor for two reasons. Number one, it has strong bipartisan support, as you heard. In addition to Mr. Bilbray, Mrs. Bono Mack and Mr. Dreier are cosponsors of the legislation. And, secondly, this piece has no cost associated with it. And so those two aspects of the bill made it a good candidate for coming forward. Secondly, given the other comments made by the gentleman with respect to the importance of moving forward on tax relief for small businesses and others around the country, I would just remind the gentleman that just last Thursday, on the floor of this House, we had a vote on a bill for small business lending to make sure that we increased credit to struggling small businesses around the country to make sure that they could make payroll, to make sure that they could take on the costs that they needed to expand. And part of that bill also contained significant tax relief for small businesses. And it was ironic that many of our Republican colleagues were off- site at a small business venture, and then came back to the Hill to vote against that bill, a bill that the Republican Senator, retiring Republican Senator from Ohio, Senator Voinovich said was important to small businesses, and has said it is time to put aside politics and get this done. I am very pleased that the result of the action taken in this House and the Senate was the President signed that bill yesterday so that small businesses can have access to credit and small businesses will get the tax relief they need. We look forward in this body to being able to move on to make sure that middle class taxpayers, 98 percent of the American people, can get tax relief without being held hostage to the demand of the Senate Republican leader that we also provide budget-busting tax breaks to the folks at the very top, adding $700 billion to the deficit over the next 10 years, which is fiscally reckless and which, in the long term, will crimp economic and job growth. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.