Chris Van Hollen

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009. This bill will allow us to better understand what caused the economic collapse and provide the resources necessary to help prevent future economic crises. I applaud Congressman John Larson's hard work on this critical legislation. This legislation cracks down on mortgage and corporate fraud, which have reached historic rates. FBI mortgage fraud investigations have more than doubled in the last three years, and massive new corporate fraud schemes continue to be uncovered. Congress and the President are committed to protecting the American consumer and getting our economy back on track, and fighting these abuses is an integral part of this effort. It will also establish the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, which will examine the causes and factors that led to the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. The Commission's recommendations will help inform Congress as we move forward with common sense reforms to prevent these crises from happening in the future. The Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009 includes a clear commitment to fighting waste, fraud and abuse--a commitment that has become a hallmark of this Congress. We are working with the President every day to rebuild our economy in a way that is consistent with our values of hard work, responsibility and broadly shared prosperity. I urge my colleagues to join me to continue this work.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of the Helding Families Save Their Homes Act, a bipartisan bill that will help millions of American families avoid the nightmare of foreclosure. Foreclosures cost an American family its home every 13 seconds, and negatively impact entire neighborhoods. Each foreclosed home reduces nearby property values by as much as 9 percent, and the lack of property tax revenues can affect community services and the quality of our schools. We all stand to lose if we do not stop the steep decline in home prices, which is why Congress and President Obama are taking action. This legislation builds on the President's comprehensive Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan, and provides key tools and incentives for lenders, servicers and homeowners to modify loans and to avoid foreclosures. It bolsters important consumer rights to housing information and strengthens community banks, which are crucial to small businesses and families across this nation. It also makes important improvements to the Hope for Homeowners program, which was created by Congress to help those at risk of default and foreclosure refinance into more affordable, sustainable loans. Stabilizing the housing market is central to restoring the American economy. By passing the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009, we are not just helping millions of families keep their homes--we are getting the economy back on track and moving America in a new direction.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2346, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2009. The FY 2009 Supplemental Appropriations bill implements President Obama's plans for winding down the number of troops in Iraq and refocusing our fight against al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan--a plan I strongly support. The bill includes funds to train Afghan security forces and police, and help with economic development in this struggling nation. This investment in Afghanistan will also strengthen governance and expand the rule of law there. It provides our troops who are in harm's way with the equipment they need while they work tirelessly to implement the strategy set forth by President Obama. For those soldiers who have suffered the hardship of stop-loss, which keeps them on active duty longer than planned, it provides long overdue compensation. For Maryland, the Supplemental means $208.3 million in funding for the relocation of Walter Reed Hospital National Military Medical Center to Bethesda. This money will support our wounded warriors and provide world-class care for these brave men and women. In addition, at our request, the President's budget includes separate funding to address the traffic congestion challenges that the Center will bring. Additionally, in an effort to protect our country from global health risks, the Supplemental provides $2 billion for pandemic flu response. This money will be used to expand the federal stockpiles of anti-viral drugs, and develop and purchase vaccines. It also assists state and local responses and supports global efforts to track and contain the spread of a pandemic. The recent outbreak of H1N1 flu is a clear example of why this funding is vital to our health and safety. When President Obama was elected, he made a pledge to end the war in Iraq. With this Supplemental, we take another step in fulfilling the President's plan to remove all combat troops by August 2010 in a way that makes our country safer and our armed forces stronger.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chair, I rise today as a member of the Green Schools Caucus to strongly support the 21st Century Green High- Performing Public School Facilities Act. Many of our nation's schools are in disrepair. The average American school is 50 years old and almost two-thirds need extensive modernization. According to the GAO, 14 million students attend schools considered below standard or dangerous. In my own district, thousands of students go to class in portable classrooms--trailers located outside the school buildings--because the schools can no longer accommodate the growing student population. But in a time of state budget deficits, fewer dollars are going to school construction projects. Today's bill will assist local school districts with the initial costs of construction and modernization and, by investing in energy efficient technology, will result in significant long term savings. Building green costs about 2 percent more than conventional construction, but can save 20 times that amount over the life of the school. Moreover, green school construction yields substantial environmental benefits. Green schools use on average 33 percent less energy and produce less carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and coarse particulate matter emissions. With its investment in infrastructure, this bill provides an important economic stimulus. School districts have many projects ready to go. When this bill is passed, we will see additional jobs in the construction industry, including suppliers, architects, contractors, and engineers. Mr. Chair, this legislation is a good, long-term investment. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill today and work to ensure that it is fully funded to improve education, reduce our energy consumption, and create jobs in local communities.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 2101, a bill to address waste, fraud and abuse in the government's procurement process. This bipartisan measure is an important step in the Congressional effort to increase oversight of DoD's procurement process and to limit overall defense cost growth. For years the American people have watched with frustration as exploding contract and procurement costs drive up the cost of government. We all remember the $200 toilet seat. This bill is an attempt to get such cost overruns and bloat under control at the largest agency in the federal government--the DoD. The Weapons Acquisition System Reform Act will help fight abuse in defense contracting and procurement by establishing a principal acquisitions adviser who will monitor costs, oversee performance assessments and track cost growth for major DoD programs at the beginning of the decision making process, before the final go ahead is given. The President has proposed a broad and ambitious agenda that will require all us to help identify ways to save money and bring down the costs of government. This bill is an important step in that direction.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, as co-chair of the bipartisan House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RE&EE) Caucus, I rise on the occasion of the 12th Annual Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO, which will be held this Thursday, May 14 from 9:30 AM--5:00 PM in the Cannon Caucus Room. The EXPO is the RE&EE Caucus's signature event and this year will feature over 50 businesses and organizations showcasing cutting edge sustainable energy technologies. An afternoon speakers' series in 340 Cannon House Office Building will highlight the role that renewable energy and energy efficiency can play in the areas of economic growth, job creation, national security and energy independence. The event is free and open to the public. All are welcome and invited to attend.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 1728, the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act. This country is in the midst of a foreclosure crisis. After experiencing the effects of the first wave of foreclosures last year, we are now hearing warnings of a second, more harmful wave of subprime and predatory loan inspired foreclosures in the year ahead. While everyone pays when a home is foreclosed upon, the people hit hardest are the elderly--who are easily deceived, the poor--who have few options, and people of color--who are often not informed fully about all their options. For decades, predatory lenders have targeted American borrowers of color with subprime and predatory loans. In a 2005 Federal Reserve study, it was shown that African Americans were 3.2 times more likely to receive a higher cost, subprime loan than Whites. Latinos were 2.7 times more likely. This bill targets the harmful practice of unfairly issuing subprime loans or using predatory lending to take advantage of borrowers. While the legislation is not perfect, it does have some key provisions that are desperately needed. Among its many useful provisions, H.R. 1728 establishes an ability- to-repay standard whereby the lender must determine that the borrower has a reasonable ability to repay the loan, present a net tangible benefit to homeowners seeking to refinance, and ensure that the loan cannot have any predatory characteristics. H.R. 1728 also establishes a safe harbor for qualified, 30 year fixed loans. Doing so will help shift the incentives away from exotic mortgages. And, the bill establishes protections for tenants who can be made homeless if their landlord fails to pay the mortgage. This bill gives tenants the right to remain in their homes until the end of their lease. If they do not have a lease or if the property is purchased, then tenants must be given 90-day notice to vacate. These are important and necessary protections for homeowners and renters. I encourage my colleagues to join me today in voting for H.R. 1728, the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to support S. 386, the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009. As the country continues to recover from the current economic crisis, we need to do everything possible to understand all the factors that caused the financial meltdown and ensure that the appropriate laws and resources are in place to prevent a similar crisis in the future. We have also made an unprecedented investment of taxpayer dollars as part of our economic recovery effort, and we must ensure that this investment is spent wisely and efficiently. We know that lax supervision of the financial industry contributed to the current economic conditions, and we must do everything we can to learn from these mistakes and prevent future economic meltdowns. This bill will help us understand the causes of the economic crisis by establishing a bipartisan commission to study the conditions that triggered the economic collapse. The Commission will also provide Congress with recommendations to prevent future economic problems. The legislation also includes a clear commitment to fighting waste, fraud and abuse. It strengthens current law and increases funding to hire investigators and prosecutors so law enforcement agencies can effectively combat these issues. It will also help protect taxpayer dollars by amending current law to protect funds expended under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and the economic stimulus package. The Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009 will help the government increase its understanding of the factors that caused the economic collapse, and provide the resources necessary to help prevent this from happening again. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the millions of men and women, in and out of uniform, who devote themselves daily to doing the public's work. Without the service of these dedicated and selfless individuals, the country could not function. Public servants are on the front lines in Iraq and on the front lines fighting the Swine Flu. They are the first to come to our aid in a crisis and the last to leave a burning building. They teach our children, pass our laws and bind our wounds. Without them, our lives would come to a halt. For their dedicated and continued service to the nation, I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of public servants everywhere and in support of Public Service Recognition Week.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, this is an opportunity for all of us on a bipartisan basis to stand up for consumers around this country. I want to recognize the terrific leadership of Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Barney Frank, Luis Gutierrez and the members of the Finance Committee who put this together. We all know we are facing uncertain times, and many Americans around this country are trying to figure out how they can save, how they can plan financially to get through this difficult period. And yet I have received lots of calls from constituents in my district who have talked about how the abusive and often unpredictable practices of some of the credit card companies have made it impossible for them to plan. A lot of them have played by the rules for years. They have used credit responsibly. Yet now they are being tripped up and surprised by unwarranted increases in their credit card fees and in their interest rates. We all know about the Pew Charitable Trusts report that 93 percent of credit cards allow the issuer to raise any interest rate at any time by simply changing the terms of the account without adequate notice. Other cards allowed the issuer to impose automatic penalty interest rate increases on all balances, even in cases when only a portion of the account was less than 30 days past due. In fact, 80 percent of the cards showed that happened. A constituent who called my office recently talked about how his card interest rate had been unfairly doubled and that it, quote, materially and adversely affected his family's ability to pay down their debt and borrow in the future. When they contacted the credit card issuer, all they got was no details as to why they had been downgraded in their credit, just it was, quote, made an adjustment based on economic conditions. Another constituent, somebody else who also had been on time and paid reliably, saw her interest rate jump from 9.5 percent to 16.99 percent. When she contacted the company, she was told ``the current financial conditions.'' That's what she was told, not why she saw her interest rates go up. We have heard reports of credit card companies moving around the due dates or holding a payment in order to trigger a late charge. Some credit card companies mailed out bill statements close to the due date to trip up their consumers. Those are the kinds of practices we have got to put an end to. This is our opportunity to say to the consumers, we're on their side.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 of which I am a cosponsor. Our country was founded on the bedrock principle of protecting individual freedoms. We need to protect the rights of individuals who are assaulted because of who they are. This bipartisan bill provides local and state law enforcement agencies with the resources needed to combat the thousands of hate crimes that occur in our country each year. H.R 1913 allows the Federal Government to equip our local law offices with the tools they need to prosecute hate crimes and provides monetary relief to those agencies that have incurred extraordinary expenses associated with the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes. Our nation thrives because of the freedoms we guarantee each of our citizens. Those liberties are at risk if hateful discrimination and violence are allowed to flourish and threaten the safety of individuals and our communities. Current federal hate crimes law authorizes federal aid in cases of violent crimes motivated by the victim's race, color, religion, or national origin. H.R. 1913 expands the federal definition of hate crime, allowing the Department of Justice to assist local authorities in cases of violent crimes committed against persons because of their gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. I am proud to have voted for this legislation, as it will enhance civil rights protections and help protect individuals and our communities from the terror and anguish that hate crimes inflict.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, this budget agreement marks an important milestone on our road to economic recovery. It makes priority, forward-looking investments in the vital areas of education, health care and clean energy while providing $1.7 trillion in tax relief for middle class families. It's also fiscally responsible, slashing our federal budget deficit by two thirds by 2013. Madam Speaker, we didn't dig ourselves this ditch overnight and it's going to take some time to climb out of it. But with President Obama's leadership, we are now well on our way to creating the next era of genuine, broadly shared American prosperity. It starts with honest accounting. Rather than hiding the true cost of our military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan or our domestic response to natural disasters off budget, this conference report builds them right into the agreement. Additionally, this budget reaffirms the House's continued commitment to fiscal discipline by requiring statutory PAYGO as a condition for other policy adjustments in order to enforce a realistic baseline. To build a rock solid foundation for economic growth, this agreement invests $100 billion in education--expanding early childhood development programs, improving K-12 and special education and increasing access to college. It creates a deficit-neutral reserve fund to finally provide high quality, affordable health care for every American. It increases federal funding for clean energy by 10%. And it provides middle class tax relief for millions of Americans. Finally, this budget takes the $1 trillion deficit President Obama inherited and cuts it by two thirds over the next four years. Madam Speaker, this is an honest, properly prioritized and fiscally responsible agreement. I urge my colleagues' support.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to commemorate the suffering of millions of Armenians between 1915 and 1923 due to actions by the Ottoman Empire. In those eight years, approximately 2 million Armenians were deported from their traditional homeland. Of those, 1.5 million were senselessly killed and the remaining 500,000 were expelled from their homes. This genocide served as models for other horrific massacres and ethnic purges that sadly persisted throughout the 20th century. There is broad agreement that indeed what took place was genocide. On May 24, 1915, the Allied Powers England, France and Russia issued a joint statement charging the Sublime Porte of committing ``a crime against humanity.'' The U.S. showed firm opposition to the unfolding horrors. Secretary of State Lansing in 1915 authorized the Ambassador to the Sublime Porte to engage to ``stop Armenian persecution,'' and President Wilson set up relief funds for the victims and survivors, including 132,000 orphans who became foster children of the American people. Genocide was also corroborated by German and British archives and records of diplomats who served in the Ottoman Empire at the time. The United States National Archives and Record Administration holds extensive documentation on the genocide, and the UN General Assembly in 1946 and the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide recognized the Armenian Genocide as they type of crime the U.N. intended to prevent and punish by codifying existing standards. In 1975, a House Joint Resolution designated April 24 of that year as ``National Day of Remembrance of Man's Inhumanity to Man'' in part to remember all victims of genocide, especially those of Armenian ancestry. We welcome steps today by the governments of Turkey and Armenia--as the official inheritors of these fateful policies of the Ottoman government--to normalize relations and begin working through this history. Indeed, reconciliation of painful history is an important means of preventing future tragedies of this scope. We believe this process will be strengthened if the President--in his annual message commemorating the April 24, 1915 declaration by Allied Powers--to accurately characterize the mindless massacre of Armenians as genocide and to recall the proud record of U.S. opposition to this persecution.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 227th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and the United States of America. On the 19th of April, 1782 in the City of The Hague, the Ambassadorial credentials of John Adams were officially recognized by Prince William V of Orange, thus establishing formal diplomatic ties between the new Government of the United States and the Republic of the Netherlands. For centuries, the people of the Netherlands and the United States have shared a bond that has influenced the culture of our two nations and contributed to our mutual prosperity. In September, we will celebrate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage up what would become known as the Hudson River in New York. Hudson's voyage led to the establishment of New Amsterdam and the New Netherlands colony. Celebrations commemorating this important event have already begun. As we reflect today on the commercial bond and strategic partnership we have established with the people of the Netherlands over these many years, let us not forget how the strength of our alliance and the endurance of our friendship has helped make both our countries wealthy and stronger and the world more secure as a result.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, today I rise to introduce, along with my colleague Walter Jones, a bill to grant a federal charter to the Military Officers Association of America. The MOAA is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization that plays an active role in military personnel matters while working with Congress to propose legislation affecting our active duty, National Guard and Reserve forces, the retired community, veterans and survivors of the uniformed services. The MOAA is the largest professional association for military officers and the fourth largest veterans group in the nation with nearly 370,000 members. Nonetheless, MOAA remains the only major veterans organization in the country without a Congressional Charter. Although a Federal Charter does not confer any specific rights or benefits, it provides public recognition to membership organizations that serve the public interest. A Charter also will enable some state- level MOAA affiliates to represent veterans on Governor-level veterans advisory councils from which they are presently excluded. MOAA has established a distinguished 80 year history of service to the military community, veterans, survivors and their families by offering career transition assistance, military benefits counseling, and educational assistance to children of military families. I am proud to stand in support of MOAA with my colleague Representative Jones and with our Senate colleagues Bill Nelson and Susan Collins, who introduced the bi-partisan companion bill. After eight decades of service to our men and women in uniform, the MOAA richly deserves congressional support for a federal charter--not only for their benefit but for the benefit of those whom they serve and represent.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. I thank my colleague. This budget is a carbon copy of the failed policies we have seen over the last 8 years. It is a budget that looks in the rearview mirror in the past; it is not a budget that looks to the future. In fact, this budget, like the next Republican budget we will see, is going to slam a brake on the economic recovery plan that this Congress passed and is now working its way through our economy, through all the communities in this country. While that economic recovery plan is putting shovels in the ground and putting people back to work, this budget puts up a big stop sign and says, we are not going to provide any funds after the first year. We are going to take those shovels away. We are going to take those jobs back. I think anybody who thinks that the economic recovery plan should be stopped after only 1 year does not have a clear understanding of the economic pain that is being experienced throughout this country. On health care, President Obama has said that we need to reform our health care system to provide universal coverage, quality care, and reduced health care costs. This approach takes a meat ax to the Medicare program, cutting hundreds of billions of dollars in an automatic way. It doesn't tell us how to do it, it just says you have got to find a way to do it, cut hundreds of billions of dollars. If you are going to do that, tell us what your plan is so people know how it is going to affect them. The Republican plan goes back to the same old tax cutting for the wealthiest Americans, whereas the Democratic plan provides tax cuts of $1.5 trillion for working Americans, not just the wealthiest. We invest in clean energy. They, again, give big tax breaks to the oil companies when we need to be diversifying our sources of energy. We have seen this plan before. It is the plan that has been given to us for the last 8 years. This is the Bush administration program all over again. I think the American people have learned that those policies that are reflected in this budget helped get us into this fix that we are in today. Let's not look to the past. Let's move to the future. Let's adopt the Spratt budget.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1256, The Family Smoking Prevention & Tobacco Control Act. As an original sponsor of the legislation, I want to thank Chairman Waxman and Chairman Towns for their leadership, and for helping to bring this important piece of legislation to the floor. The bill grants the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products and authorizes the agency to restrict the advertising, promotion and sale of tobacco. I want to also thank Ms. Sandra Landis for her efforts to bring to my attention a long standing problem that has affected a small number of federal employees since 1990. Due in part to her persistent dedication, I was able to successfully amend this bill and address that issue.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, as an original cosponsor, I rise in strong support of the bipartisan Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. I want to thank Chairman Waxman and so many others for their leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor after so many years and so many battles. This is an important day for the American people. Granting the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products is long overdue and is a critical step in the protection of the public's health. As we know, the FDA has the power to regulate and oversee all sorts of products that are sold today. Many products that they regulate are not addictive. Yet we do not have the FDA's regulatory authority when it came to the very addictive products of tobacco and nicotine. Because of the lack of regulatory authority on tobacco products, the FDA has been sidelined and the result is that the big tobacco companies have taken advantage of that opportunity and exploited it by marketing their deadly products to young people. For far too long, the tobacco companies have been targeting our kids, deceiving all of us about the harmful effects of their products and manipulating the ingredients in their products--all to ensure that their profit levels remained high. In order for them to continue to make their profits, they had to continue getting one generation after another hooked on tobacco products. Let's make sure that future generations of young people do not get addicted. Addiction to tobacco products has had a huge cost to our society in terms of lives and money with over 400,000 American deaths every year. We have a chance today to put an end to that cycle. In my home State of Maryland, I am very proud of the steps we have taken to curb the effects of tobacco use. We increased the tobacco tax and youth smoking has declined. We also passed a comprehensive smokefree indoor air law in 2007. But we can't have every State fighting alone to have a successful national program to curb tobacco use. We need one entity that has this power to help protect the American people, especially the young people of our country, from the deadly effects of tobacco products. Mr. Speaker, this bill is a crucial step in protecting the health and well-being of our constituents from the deadly effects of tobacco use. It will save lives and money. I urge my colleagues to join me in a yes vote on this much-needed legislation.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 1664, the Pay for Performance Act. I'm honored today to join my colleagues in supporting the Pay for Performance Act, a measure designed to ensure that taxpayers' dollars are used wisely to protect our financial institutions, and I want to applaud the work done on this issue by Representatives Grayson and Himes. The recently disclosed AIG bonuses highlight the potential for abuses of the public trust by companies rewarding employees with excessive compensation--all on the taxpayer dime. This legislation will ensure that companies receiving TARP funds tie pay to performance. I am particularly pleased that this bill includes a provision I authored requiring full disclosure of compensation and perks for the family members of employees working for these companies.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Christine Sarbanes and offer my heartfelt condolences to former Senator Sarbanes and our colleague, John Sarbanes, and the entire Sarbanes family. They have lost a cherished loved one, and our State of Maryland has lost a good, kind and gracious friend. Christine Sarbanes was a dedicated wife and loving mother who worked tirelessly with her husband to serve their beloved State of Maryland. She was an educator, improving the lives of her students with her incredible enthusiasm and her intellect, which she brought to the classroom every single day. Christine Sarbanes believed with every fiber of her body and her being that we all have the potential to be great, and she channeled her passion into a career in education which touched the lives of thousands of Marylanders. I will always remember Christine Sarbanes as a pillar of strength and the embodiment of grace. She accompanied her husband and family on countless Labor Day, Memorial Day and Fourth of July parades that she faithfully participated in as the spouse of a Member of Congress. Charming her way through the crowd, stopping to share her special concern with young people in our great State, she had a special eye for young people, and young people came to her and understood that this was a special person who cared about them. Whether it was in Baltimore at a bull roast or a crab feast in Crisfield or a folk festival in Takoma Park, Christine Sarbanes felt at home, and she made all the people she touched feel special. Her loss is felt not only by her family and friends, but by the thousands of lives in Maryland and around the country that she touched and the countless others she inspired. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the life of Christine Sarbanes. Her kindness and legacy of public service serves as an example to all of us, and she will be deeply missed.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1586, which will recover outsized and unwarranted executive bonuses at companies like AIG that have received taxpayers' money under the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), if those bonuses are not voluntarily repaid. Mr. Speaker, we simply cannot continue with business as usual. These are serious times, and the American people expect that their hard- earned money will be used to repair the financial system--not reward the very executives that helped cause the current financial crisis. The bonuses at AIG are an egregious waste of taxpayer dollars, and we must take quick and decisive action to ensure that taxpayers are repaid. I urge my colleagues to join me and pass this bill.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chair, throughout our history, American citizens have never hesitated to heed the call to service. They have answered in times of peace and prosperity, in times of war and recession. They have donated time and money and sweat--as much as they could, whenever it was needed. When our nation faced the Great Depression, President Roosevelt formed the Civilian Conservation Corps and put citizens to work for the national interest. When we faced political uncertainty in the world, President Kennedy challenged our young people to serve and dispatched the Peace Corps on missions of international aid and public diplomacy. And when neighbors have challenges, when communities struggle, or when the nation sees tragedy, our citizens rally and lend a hand. In recent years, we have seen some of the largest increases in volunteerism in history. This new trend is led by our young people, who are serving in record numbers. The number of college students who volunteer increased by 20 percent between 2002 and 2005. And the programs we consider today are a key part of that service. Today's legislation will create new opportunities for Americans to volunteer and serve their communities while encouraging innovation and expanding on successful models. I have no doubt that Americans will take advantage of these programs. As we emphasize the importance of volunteer service, I also want to call attention to the tremendous work done by our federal workforce. In the coming weeks, I will be introducing legislation to continue our support for service by cultivating our next generation of civil servants. My legislation will set up a scholarship program that will identify areas of national need in the federal workforce and recruit exceptional students to fill those positions after they graduate. In exchange for their commitment to serve, we will help them pay for school. Mr. Chair, Americans have made tremendous investments through national service. Let us, in turn, pass this legislation today to assist their efforts and continue their commitment to our nation's future.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Robert Jones Allen in celebration of his recent 86th birthday. He is a remarkable man who, with passion and dedication, has worked tirelessly throughout his career to advance our knowledge of Antarctica and cartography. Mr. Allen devoted his professional life to studying and learning about Antarctica while performing his cartographic tasks of studying, handling and compiling photographic materials and maps concerning Antarctica. Allen Peak, which sits on the northern edge of the Sentinel Range's main ridge, is named in his honor. Dr. Robert Bindschadler, one of our nation's foremost experts of the continent and a friend of Mr. Allen's, stated that ``there is no one else that holds such broad and deep historical knowledge of Antarctic movements'' and refers to Mr. Allen as his ``Antarctic Encyclopedia.'' His words shed light on Robert Allen's importance to the scientific community. Bob Allen's contributions to Antarctic science put him in a class all his own. There is no one else that holds such broad and deep historical knowledge of Antarctic measurements. He remembers who did what, when, where, what they saw and (most importantly) where to get the information. His recollections start with the first scientific expeditions to Antarctica in the 1940's and continue to the present day. Much of what he knows was never written down, making his anecdotal record absolutely unique. Often Bob is able to show us what we thought was ``new'' had been noted previously. That kind of expertise and knowledge is priceless. Robert Allen began his career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Aerial Photo Lab. He served his country in the military's 656th Engineering Topography Battalion and later in the 11th Airborne Division. For over 50 years he worked at the U.S. Geological Survey. His work on the mapping of the Antarctic region has proved invaluable to the scientific community. He has a long-time, intimate relationship with most of the over 1/2 million photographs as well as negatives in the U.S. Antarctic Mapping Photography collection. The Antarctic scientific community would, therefore, consult with him not only to help their expeditions avoid potentially dangerous areas, but also to pinpoint locations that would be conducive for their studies. In a time when satellites and computers were rudimentary instruments, Mr. Allen became the first to determine the speed of the Thwaites Glacier, the fastest moving ice stream in west Antarctica. His vast experience has led numerous explorers and scientists to call on him for answers and advice. Mr. Allen's expertise is not limited to Antarctica. In the 1960's he helped create a map of Mars via satellite images. He also used photographs from the Apollo 6 mission to create mosaic maps of the United States. He compiled maps of China and the Red Sea using satellite data. Today Mr. Allen spends his time at the United States Antarctic Resource Center where he still amazes his co-workers with his ability to retrieve information from the early days of U.S. studies of Antarctica and then apply it to current studies. His devotion to studying this extraordinary region of our planet merits our praise and gratitude. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Mr. Allen for his 60 years of public service, for his accomplishments, and for all he has done to advance scientific understanding.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, along with the co-chairs of the Congressional Caucuses on MS and Parkinson's disease, we are pleased to introduce the National MS and Parkinson's Disease Registries Act-- which, for the first time, establish national Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease registries at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Currently, a national coordinated system to collect and analyze data on MS or Parkinson's disease does not exist. Accurate incidence and prevalence information is critical to gain a better understanding of these diseases that are estimated to affect more than 1.4 million Americans. The current lack of core knowledge about who has MS and Parkinson's disease and why inhibits research, programs, treatment and services. This legislation will remedy that by developing coordinated, separate national systems to collect and store existing MS and Parkinson's disease data on incidence and prevalence. These registries could help uncover and inform promising areas of MS and Parkinson's research such as genetic and environmental risk factors, and support the discovery of disease therapies, treatments, and one day a cure. The information collected through the registries 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. Madam Speaker, this legislation represents an opportunity to move neurological disease research in a meaningful way that aims to improve the lives of our constituents with Parkinson's and MS. I invite my colleagues to join us in cosponsoring this much-needed bill.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act. This important bill will help more Americans stay in their homes by addressing a major flaw in the Hope for Homeowners Program and by extending to single residence homeowners an option currently only available to owners of second and third homes. The Hope for Homeowners program was established in October of last year by the Bush Administration to help more Americans refinance. The Congressional Budget Office projected the program would let 400,000 troubled homeowners swap risky loans for conventional 30-year fixed rate loans with lower rates. But, because of flaws in the program, and despite the tremendous resources the government is making available to banks, none of the major mortgage lenders have been willing to make the new mortgages required to refinance distressed properties. To date, only 25 loans have been renegotiated nationwide. So we gather here today to make the changes necessary so that more homeowners can take advantage of this important program. The bill makes two important changes: It reduces the fees and administrative burdens to loan underwriters by making the requirements associated with refinances more consistent with standard FHA practices. Also, the bill permits the Hope for Homeowners Program to pay lenders up to $1,000 to refinance each mortgage, and provides a safe harbor from liability to mortgage servicers who engage in loan modifications, workouts or other loss mitigation. To pay for these important changes, the bill is offset by a $2.316 billion reduction in the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program. For those homeowners facing bankruptcy, the bill permits judges to reduce the principal, interest rates, and fees owed on mortgages for primary residences. This is the same option already available for owners of yachts and vacation homes. The measure allows courts to reduce the principal on such mortgages to the current market value of the home, from the higher amount specified in the original mortgage. This provision should encourage banks to work with homeowners upfront and to exhaust every option so as to avoid having to settle the issue before a judge. I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act. By helping struggling homeowners, we are helping reduce the number of foreclosed homes in our communities which should help stabilize home prices and strengthen our economy.