Chris Van Hollen

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 597, which would reauthorize the highly successful special postage stamp that supports breast cancer research. Breast cancer affects virtually every American family. Most of us have lost a family member--grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters, and daughters--to breast cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates 178,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed this year with breast cancer. They estimate 40,000 women will die from the disease. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, accounting for more than one in four cancers diagnosed in women. We must do everything we can to understand the causes of breast cancer so we can effectively prevent and treat it. Since its inception, the breast cancer research stamp has raised $53 million for life-saving research. Proceeds from the sale of the stamps fund research at the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. By reauthorizing the breast cancer research stamp, we would ensure that this funding source for breast cancer research continues. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, this bill charts an ambitious, necessary and long-overdue new direction for energy policy in the United States. After more than three decades, we increase fuel economy standards for cars and trucks, a commonsense step that will save $1,000 for American families at the pump, that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of taking 28 million cars off the road, and by reducing our oil consumption by half, half, of what we import from the Persian Gulf. We have made in this bill an historical commitment to homegrown biofuels by boosting the renewable energy standards. We are enlisting America's families and farmers to build a sustainable clean energy future and have done so in a way that also protects our environment, like the Chesapeake Bay watershed. To unleash the economic environmental benefits of our rapidly growing renewable energy industries, we include a strong renewable electricity portfolio standard that will reduce greenhouse gases and save consumers money. We also include a fully paid-for $21 billion incentive package that redirects $13 billion in antiquated subsidies to our already profitable oil industry toward clean, green technologies. To those who are thinking about voting against this bill, I would ask what kind of signal does that send to America? That the Congress thinks it's more important to continue yesterday's billion dollars of subsidies and giveaways to the oil and gas industry rather than invest in clean technologies? That we should wait another 30 years before making commonsense improvements in our fuel economy standards? That we should sit idly by while our national security is increasingly undermined by our addiction to foreign oil? Is that the message you want to send to America? Refusing to act now would be irresponsible. Moreover, failing to see the opportunities that this bill brings and the challenges we face is contrary to the can-do American spirit that has propelled our Nation from the beginning. Let's build a better tomorrow. Let's start with this bill and a new energy policy.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize a true Maryland legend, Mr. William Donald Schaefer, on the occasion of his 86th birthday. Mr. Schaefer was born in Baltimore, a city upon which he would come to have a lasting impact, on November 21, 1921. Following service in the U.S. Army during WWII, Mr. Schaefer returned to Maryland to work in law and eventually enter politics. Over the course of 50 years, Mr. Schaefer would serve several years on the Baltimore City Council, four terms as Baltimore mayor, two terms as Maryland governor, and two terms as State Comptroller. He has left an indelible mark on Maryland and its people from his 50 years of public service. He has become famous for his colorful personality, but his tireless efforts and dedication to public service have never wavered. He has acquired friends and admirers from both sides of the aisle because of this commitment. His famous mantra as Baltimore mayor, ``Do It Now,'' reflects his ability to get things done. The redeveloped and rejuvenated Baltimore, which so many of us today enjoy, is largely a result of his efforts during that time. Today, there are few Marylanders who can say that they haven't been positively affected by his leadership. On a personal note, I had the great privilege of working for Governor Schaefer. His ``do it now'' philosophy provided a very valuable lesson for all of us in public office. He wanted to make sure that Maryland government addressed the needs of every Maryland resident regardless of their circumstances. He has always been one with little patience for pomp and circumstance. On behalf of the residents of Maryland's Eighth Congressional District, I am proud to offer my best wishes to Mr. Schaefer.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate my constituent, Mr. Sanford Heller of Rockville, Maryland, as he prepares to celebrate his 100th birthday. Mr. Heller was born on December 27, 1907 in The Bronx, New York and lived in New York City until he has 95. He owned his own home, mortgage free, for more than 50 years. Mr. Heller has dedicated his life to public service and took part in events that shaped our nation. During the 1930s, he processed the arrival of new immigrants at Ellis Island. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After his military service, he held positions in Federal, State, and city government. To this day, Mr. Heller keeps himself busy. He reads the New York Times cover to cover, has traveled to over 35 countries, and can still fit into the same tuxedo he bought during the Great Depression. He is in excellent health, takes no medication, and walks every day. Mr. Heller, a mandolin player, also enjoys entertaining for friends, family, and fellow residents of the Ring House, where he now resides. He was married to Ethel Heller for over 64 years until her death at age 92 in 2005. He has two children, five grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren. I join with Mr. Heller's family and friends in wishing him a most joyous birthday. He has my warmest congratulations and best wishes.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate two centuries of service by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for NOAA's continued efforts to improve our understanding of the environment and for its dedicated stewardship of the Nation's coast, waterways and wildlife. Originally founded in 1807 to survey the early American coast, the predecessor of today's NOAA marked the creation of the Nation's first science agency. From its humble beginnings, NOAA's contribution to American history evolved to reflect the needs and expectations of a growing Nation. Even a brief selection from the catalogue of NOAA's contribution to the American experience offers an illustration of the impressive contribution NOAA and its predecessor agencies have made to American history over the years. In 1911, after decades of offshore, open water sealing by other nations decimated the herd, the North Pacific Fur Seal Treaty was signed--the first international treaty for wildlife conservation. The agreement gave NOAA's predecessor responsibility for protecting wildlife along the American coast and was the forerunner and inspiration for laws such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. After World War II, what would become NOAA joined the U.S. in another great leap forward when the technological, geographic, and social landscape of NOAA's two legacy agencies--the Survey of the Coast and the Weather Bureau--were merged and their resources combined to usher in a new era of weather observations from space with the launch of the first meteorological satellite. And, NOAA grew yet again in response to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in 1989. The spill led to the passage of the Oil Pollution Control Act of 1990 which strengthened and enhanced NOAA's capacity to respond to and help reduce impacts from hazardous material spills. For 200 years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its predecessor agencies have served this great Nation by providing research to improve our understanding of the oceans and the atmosphere and has faithfully fulfilled its mandate as a steward of the environment. I am happy to add my voice to those of my colleagues as we honor today this important American institution.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the American Cancer Society's 31st annual Great American Smokeout--a day when smokers across the Nation mark the event by cutting back, forsaking cigarettes for the day, or perhaps quitting altogether. I'm proud that in my Congressional district, all the hospitals--which already prohibit smoking indoors--will today be extending their smoke- free zones and prohibit the use of tobacco products anywhere on their campuses. This includes outside entrances, walkways, parking lots and garages. Patients, visitors, and hospital employees are covered by this policy. These medical institutions, which treat many diseases that result from use of tobacco products, are taking a critical step that will lead to patients, visitors, and staff reducing and hopefully quitting the use of tobacco products. By taking this action, the hospitals in my community will lead by example in our efforts to reduce tobacco use. The toll of tobacco in America is devastating, with 440,000 people dying prematurely each year from tobacco use. Tobacco use is the cause of at least 30 percent of all cancer deaths and 87 percent of lung cancer deaths. Secondhand smoke is a major health hazard--3,000 otherwise healthy nonsmokers nationwide will die of lung cancer annually because of their exposure to secondhand smoke. In Maryland, there will be more than 4,000 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed this year and there will be nearly 3,000 lung cancer deaths. In addition to the thousands of lives lost to diseases caused by tobacco products, the annual direct and indirect health care costs in the U.S. caused by tobacco use is approximately $194 billion. As people across the country begin to attempt to conquer tobacco addiction on this Great American Smokeout day, Congress must continue to do its part on reducing the addiction to tobacco. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor and pass H.R. 1108, the Family Smoking Prevention and Control Act. This bill would grant the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco products and the marketing of those products, which the tobacco industry has shamelessly marketed to our Nation's youth to create lifetime smokers and consumers of their deadly products. Madam Speaker, I applaud the hospitals in my congressional district for becoming smoke-free zones and commend the American Cancer Society for their efforts in reducing America's addiction to tobacco products.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Bachus and the chairman of the committee as well. I appreciate your willingness to work on this issue as we go forward. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be withdrawn.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. I yield to the gentleman from Alabama.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, let me begin by commending the chairman of the Financial Services Committee, Mr. Frank, and the ranking member, Mr. Bachus, for crafting a bill that is before us today to help protect homeowners across the country and to stop predatory lending. The amendment I am proposing is designed to protect consumers from bait-and-switch schemes perpetrated by a small number of unscrupulous lenders who have learned to exploit flaws in the existing system. Under the existing law we have today, lenders are required to provide homeowners with a good-faith estimate of their settlement costs, the costs they will have when they settle on a transaction. However, under current law there is absolutely no penalty for lenders who are widely off in providing those estimates. We have many cases where you have a few bad actors who lure consumers to borrow by low- balling their estimate of closing costs only to jack-up those costs when it comes to the last minute at the settlement table. This amendment would address this problem by saying that in the case of residential mortgage loans, the amount of closing costs may not exceed by more than 10 percent any estimate of the closing cost provided to the consumer in advance of closing. By setting that kind of ceiling, we reduce the chance that borrowers will be blind-sided by unexpected fees at closing. The intent of this amendment is to protect consumers from negligent or fraudulent lenders and introduce greater confidence and certainty into the process. Mr. Chairman, as currently drafted, I believe this amendment is too broad. We need to make sure we hold lenders accountable for estimates that are within their control, not those estimates that may be outside of their control. In a moment I am going to move to withdraw the amendment. But before that, I would like to yield to the chairman of the committee.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, today Republicans in Congress ignored the will of the American people and rubber-stamped the President's veto of important funding for our domestic priorities. After 7 years of unrestrained spending and a ballooning deficit, the President and his Republican allies in Congress have, under the guise of fiscal responsibility, rejected a $6.2 billion funding increase for education, health care, and workforce development, even as the President requests nearly $200 billion in unbudgeted, no strings attached funding to continue the Iraq War for another year. That is no way to balance America's checkbook. Under the budget passed by the New Democratic Congress, we can take care of America at home--increase funding for our schools, offer more student assistance for college, invest in biomedical research at NIH, expand health care access, and help Americans compete in the global economy--and balance the budget by 2012. These priorities are America's priorities, and Democrats in Congress will continue to fight for them.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today on the eve of National Adoption Day to recognize those American families that open their hearts and homes to our most vulnerable children and teenagers. There are currently 114,000 children in foster care who need adoptive homes. Many of these children were victims of abuse, neglect, or abandonment, and most will wait at least five years and will move at least three times before they are adopted. One in five will never be adopted. In the face of these disheartening statistics, we must celebrate those parents who choose to adopt and provide a loving home to these children and encourage the adoption of more children from foster care. In November 2000, hundreds of lawyers, child advocates, State foster care agencies, and courts, worked together to finalize hundreds of foster care adoptions across the country as part of National Adoption Day. Since then, National Adoption Day has grown as thousands of new families have come together. I am proud that Montgomery County, Maryland, which is in my Congressional District, has finalized 7 adoptions this month and 30 so far this year. In one family, 2 sisters, Jerry and Beverly Wright, have adopted 5 children, and, with their biological children, now have 10 children safe and well-cared-for in their home. I congratulate them, and all the happy and thriving families that include adopted children.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this final FY 08 Transportation-HUB Appropriations Conference Report for the key infrastructure investments it makes and the housing support it provides. In the aftermath of the 1-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis this summer, it should be clear to every American that we can no longer afford the Bush Administration's policy of deferring needed maintenance to our nation's infrastructure--or shrink from the infrastructure investments necessary for the safe and vibrant America we are committed to building in the 21th century. That's why this bill invests $40.2 billion to improve and maintain our Nation's highways, including an additional $1 billion to ensure the safety of our bridges. Additionally, we allocate $9.65 billion to the Federal Transit Administration for capital improvements to our commuter and light rail systems in order to encourage the use of mass transit, alleviate traffic congestion and reduce pollution. We wisely reject President Bush's effort to bankrupt Amtrak and instead provide $1.45 billion to support our national rail system and the 24 million passengers it serves. And we provide $3.5 billion for vital airport modernization initiatives designed to expand airport capacity, make critical safety improvements and expand noise mitigation efforts. On the housing front, we fund 15,500 new vouchers for vulnerable populations like low-income families, homeless veterans and the disabled. We spend $145 million--or $29 million over the President's request--to protect children from lead poisoning. We invest $3.79 billion in the Community Development Block Grant, CDBG program to revitalize neighborhoods across the nation. And we allocate $200 million to the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation for its work counseling the estimated 2.5 million homeowners at risk of foreclosure as a consequence of the ongoing subprime mortgage crisis. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this conference report.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act to help parents of students with disabilities ensure that their children have access to the free and appropriate education guaranteed by this Congress in 1975. I thank Mr. Sessions, who joins me in offering this bill, for his work on this important issue. Madam Speaker, when Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, it recognized the vital importance of parent and school cooperation and collaboration in special education. For the most part, this relationship has worked very well. But occasionally, the school system cannot or does not provide an appropriate education. In those rare cases, the Congress recognized that parents should have the ability to challenge the school's decision and advocate for a new Individual Education Plan. As both school systems and parents build their cases, they bring expert witnesses to assess the student and testify about the quality of the education plan. In 1986, when Congress amended IDEA, it explained in the Conference Report that when parents win their case, a judge could award attorney's fees, including, and I quote, ``reasonable expenses and fees of expert witnesses and the reasonable costs of any test or evaluation which is found to be necessary for the preparation of the parent or guardian's case.'' For years, prevailing parents were awarded expert witness fees, as Congress intended. But unfortunately, while Congress was very clear in its explanation of the bill, it did not include this provision in the legislative language. In 2006, the provision was challenged and the Supreme Court ruled that because Congress did not make its intention explicit in statute, courts could not longer award these fees. As a result of this decision, parents can be faced with many thousands of dollars of expert witness fees in order to ensure their child gets an appropriate public education. A single expert witness can charge anywhere from $100-$300 per hour. Confronted with these costs, parents are discouraged or outright barred from bringing meritorious cases to secure the rights of their children. Low and middle income families are particularly hard hit. Today, I introduce a bill to clarify Congress's intent and restore the expert witness fee provisions. It will allow parents to recover the high cost of expert witnesses if, and only if, they win their dispute with the school district. I want to be very clear--this bill does not impose any additional costs on school districts that comply with IDEA. The provisions apply only when a school system has been found, after an impartial hearing, to have wrongfully denied a child an appropriate education as defined in IDEA. Madam Speaker, every student with a disability is entitled to a free and appropriate education under the law. This bill will level the playing field and help parents be effective advocates for their children's best interests.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the 50th anniversary of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. In April 1957, 40 officials from the Washington area established an organization to exchange ideas and work together on regional issues such as transportation, the environment, and public safety. This organization would become known as the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments--or COG. Over the years, COG has facilitated regional responses to such important initiatives as cleaning up the Potomac River, creating more affordable housing for metropolitan residents, and the development and coordination of regional public safety. In addition to helping galvanize the region's response to the September 11 attacks, COG continues to facilitate the region's ongoing emergency preparedness programs. During its 50 years of existence, COG's activities have touched every aspect of the lives of the citizens of the National Capital region. I rise today to congratulate COG for 50 years of successful and effective collaboration and for the work it continues to do to improve the lives of our citizens.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 163, expressing the sense of the Congress in support of further research and activities to increase public awareness, professional education, diagnosis, and treatment of Dandy-Walker Syndrome and hydrocephalus. In 2005 while awaiting the birth of their first child Ryan, Andrea and Eric Cole of Kensington, Maryland learned that he would be born with a rare birth defect called Dandy-Walker Syndrome and a condition called hydrocephalus. Ryan was born on May 3, 2005, 3 months premature and weighing 1 pound 15 ounces, at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He would spend a total of 156 days in the hospital during his first year of life. Today, the Cole family leads the fight against Dandy-Walker Syndrome and is the inspiration behind my efforts against this terrible birth defect. On learning that no national organization existed to advocate on behalf of individuals with Dandy-Walker Syndrome, Eric and Andrea took the necessary steps to found the only national non-profit organization for Dandy-Walker Syndrome, and located it in Maryland's Eighth Congressional District, which I represent. Today, the Dandy- Walker Alliance remains the only non-profit organization committed to educational and informational activities, programs and publications and supporting non-partisan research and events to increase public awareness of Dandy-Walker Syndrome. The Dandy-Walker Alliance supports all efforts to determine the cause(s) of, to find the cure for and to ameliorate the effects of Dandy-Walker Syndrome. Dandy-Walker Syndrome is a congenital malformation of the cerebellum that can cause developmental delay, is frequently associated with hydrocephalus that can lead to an enlarged head circumference, and can cause neurological damage possibly leading to death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Dandy-Walker Syndrome may affect as many as 1 in 5,000 live born infants of which approximately 70 to 90 percent will develop hydrocephalus. Treatment for individuals with Dandy-Walker generally consists of treating the associated problems rather than the syndrome itself. Hydrocephalus is treated today the same way that it was in 1952, by inserting a shunt into the brain to drain off excess fluid. In addition to what the Coles are doing with the Dandy-Walker Alliance, a filmmaker from Colorado with a nephew affected by Dandy- Walker is completing the first-ever documentary on Dandy-Walker Syndrome called ``Dandy Kids,'' which will premiere in January 2008. A couple in Florida was also inspired to film a commercial with their three-year-old son affected by Dandy-Walker and hydrocephalus to help promote the need for blood donations since the brain surgeries to treat his hydrocephalus often require transfusions. Dandy-Walker Syndrome involves many complex issues. That is why the Director of the National Institutes of Health should continue the current collaboration, with respect to Dandy-Walker Syndrome, among the National Human Genome Research Institute, the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Office of Rare Diseases. Further research into the epidemiology, diagnosis, pathophysiology, disease burden, and improved treatment of Dandy-Walker Syndrome should be conducted and supported. The National Institutes of Health should take the lead in sponsoring an annual workshop to increase awareness and set national research priorities for Dandy-Walker Syndrome and hydrocephalus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should also form a coordinating committee for Dandy-Walker Syndrome and hydrocephalus research, which would annually report to the public its findings on the progress in the epidemiology, pathophysiology, disease burden, treatment improvements, diagnoses, and awareness for Dandy-Walker Syndrome and hydrocephalus. Finally, public awareness and professional education regarding Dandy- Walker research should increase through partnerships between the Federal Government and patient advocacy organizations, such as the Dandy-Walker Alliance and the Hydrocephalus Association. Madam Speaker, let's tell families like the Coles that they are not alone in their fight against Dandy-Walker Syndrome. Certainly we can lend a hand in helping to further raise awareness of Dandy-Walker Syndrome and to act on behalf of disabled members in society who cannot advocate for themselves. I think we all agree that partnerships between the Federal Government and advocacy groups are important to the American people. That is why I urge my colleagues from both parties to join me in co-sponsoring House Concurrent Resolution 163 to raise awareness for Dandy-Walker Syndrome and hydrocephalus.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Iraq Redeployment Act which sets forth a realistic strategy for the responsible redeployment of our combat troops in Iraq. The Bush Administration has requested another $200 billion dollar blank check for the war in Iraq to pursue a flawed strategy that has no end in sight and which continually puts our brave men and women in the armed services in the middle of Iraq's civil war. The indefinite presence of American forces in Iraq has allowed the different factions there to postpone making the difficult compromises necessary to achieve stability and political reconciliation. Our intelligence community has publicly concluded that the political situation in Iraq is getting worse, not better. We cannot ask our troops to remain in Iraq when the different Iraqi factions have refused to take the steps necessary to achieve a greater stability. We must embark on a new direction in Iraq. That's what this legislation will do. It allocates $50 billion for the purpose of beginning to responsibly redeploy our combat forces out of Iraq by the target date of December 15, 2008. The troops that would remain in Iraq beyond that date would focus on the more limited missions of training Iraqi security forces, providing logistical and intelligence support for the Iraqi security forces, and engaging in targeted counter- terrorist operations against Al-Qaeda and affiliated groups. As the legislation states, ``the primary purpose of funds made available by the Act should be to transition the mission of the United States Armed Forces in Iraq and undertake their redeployment, and not to extend or prolong the war.'' This bill also states that the reduction of our armed forces in Iraq ``shall be implemented in conjunction with a comprehensive diplomatic, political and economic strategy that includes sustained engagement with Iraq's neighbors and the international community for the purpose of working collectively to bring stability to Iraq''--a strategy recommended by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group that the Administration has failed to pursue with any vigor or urgency. This legislation also prohibits the deployment of any troops not fully equipped or trained, and extends to all U.S. Government agencies and personnel the limitations in the U.S. Army Field Manual on permissible interrogation techniques. We must send a strong message to the world that we do not support or condone torture. We are on the wrong path in Iraq. This bill provides a much needed change in direction that will strengthen our national security, improve our position in the region and bring our men and women safely home.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act, to strengthen and expand Head Start programs across the country. Last Spring, we held a National Summit on America's Children here at the Capitol. We heard from leading experts on child development and neuroscience, who emphasized the vital importance of early childhood education. Early interventions can dramatically increase a child's chances for future success. Head Start is based on this idea and it works. For more than 40 years, it has been helping to close the achievement gap and teach our children that they can succeed, regardless of background or family income. More than 20 million children and families have benefited from its services. With this bill today, we will open the door to more children to enter both Head Start and Early Head Start and will ensure that they are better prepared for kindergarten and elementary school. Today's bill also recognizes the importance of early childhood educators, targeting new funding to improve teacher salaries and professional development. It ensures that teachers are highly qualified and able to meet the needs of children with disabilities and improves accountability for Head Start programs. I also urge my colleagues to support the funding necessary to continue Head Start's success. Last week, we sent the President a bill increasing Head Start funding by 2.2 percent to simply help it keep pace with inflation. The President vetoed this funding. I encourage my colleagues to vote to override the President's veto to prevent Head Start program closures and ensure that children get the services they were promised. I thank Chairman Miller, Chairman Kildee, and the Conference Committee for putting together this bipartisan piece of legislation, and urge its passage today.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I am disappointed that the President chose today to veto important funding for our domestic priorities. After seven years of unrestrained spending and a ballooning deficit, the President has, under the guise of fiscal responsibility, rejected a $6.2 billion funding increase for education, health care, and workforce development, even as he requests nearly $200 billion in unbudgeted, no strings attached funding to continue the Iraq War for another year. That is no way to balance America's checkbook. Under the budget passed by the new Democratic Congress, we can take care of America at home--increase funding for our schools, offer more student assistance for college, invest in biomedical research at NIH, expand health care access, and help Americans compete in the global economy--and balance the budget by 2012. These priorities are America's priorities. It is time for Congress to come together, stand up for the American people and override this veto.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, this bill provides tax relief for more than 24 million middle-income families. It also corrects a huge inequity where many people were forced to pay taxes on phantom income-- income they never had. Today, we must fix two big messes the Republican leadership left behind when they were voted out last November. One is the huge middle class tax increase the Republicans left hanging over millions of unsuspecting Americans. This Republican tax tsunami will crash down on top of 24 million Americans if we don't take action today. The Republicans could have stopped this middle class tax hit on their watch. Instead, for 6 years with President Bush, they spent their time and energy giving tax cuts to the very wealthiest Americans. On their watch, the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans got more than half the Bush tax cuts. That was their priority, and they left the rest of the American taxpayers holding the bag of a mushrooming national debt--a $9 trillion debt that costs every taxpayer $3,300 per year. That is the debt tax American taxpayers are paying to service the debt President Bush and the Republicans have run up on our national credit card. Today, Republicans are proposing to increase the debt tax--to make Americans pay more in the end. Once again, they are willing to require our children to pay more debt tax in order to protect special shelters for about 50,000 of the wealthiest Americans. Let's provide middle class Americans with tax relief in a fiscally responsible way. Let's pass this bill.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, this bill provides tax relief to more than 24 million American families and corrects a huge inequity where many people have been forced to pay taxes on phantom income, income they never earned. Today, we gather to fix two big problems left behind by the Republican Congress under President Bush. One is a huge middle- class tax increase that they left hanging over the heads of the American people, a tsunami, that if we don't act today, will crash down on 124 million American taxpayers. The Republican Congress under President Bush could have addressed this problem. They chose not to. It just was not a priority for them. They instead spent their time providing tax increases that went to the very wealthiest Americans and left the rest of the country holding the bag of $9 trillion debt, a debt that costs the American taxpayer $3,300 each year to pay the service on that debt, the debt that they ran up. Mr. Speaker, today we can pass tax relief in a fiscally responsible manner. Let's get it done.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this FY 2008 Defense Appropriations Conference Report because it ensures that our troops get the protection they need and the benefits they have earned. Additionally, as an opponent of the decision to go to war in Iraq, and an advocate of the responsible redeployment of our combat forces, I appreciate that the contentious question of how Congress will proceed with the President's pending funding request for the Iraq War will be addressed in another legislative vehicle, on another day. H.R. 3222 fully funds the increased personnel, equipment, and training costs associated with growing the Army and Marines by 7000 and 5000 troops, respectively. Moreover, and importantly, it allocates $11.6 billion in emergency funding for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles that are playing such an important role protecting our troops from deadly IEDs. And it responds to the historic strain on our National Guard and Reserves by providing an additional $980 million to meet the equipment demands of their deployment overseas and first responder role at home. In recognition of our military's service and sacrifice to country, this spending bill provides our military families with a 3.5 percent pay raise--.5 percent above the President's request. It rejects the President's proposed $1.9 billion increase in premiums and fees in the TRICARE program and adds $900 million to strengthen military health care for our servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. And it provides critical support to our military families through an infusion of $237 million for counseling and child care, as well as $615.7 million for facility and infrastructure upgrades throughout our bases in the United States, Europe, and Korea. Finally, H.R. 3222 affirms American values by banning the use of torture while including important accountability measures for military and security contractors. It asks the DoD to include the entirety of its war funding in the President's 2009 Budget Request. And it meets important emergency needs in Louisiana and elsewhere as our fellow citizens continue the hard work of rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Mr. Speaker, this conference report is worthy of the broad, bipartisan support I expect it to receive.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3685, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007. Currently American workers are not entitled to protection from discrimination in the work place based upon their sexual orientation. As a result, it is legal to fire or refuse to hire someone simply because they are gay or lesbian. That is simply wrong! This country has a rich history of battling discrimination. Over the years Congress has banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability and age. However, our work is not done; we must continue to fight against injustice and extend basic workplace protection to gays and lesbians. The American people do not support workplace intolerance. A Gallup poll in May of this year found that 89 percent of the American people support equal treatment for gays and lesbians regarding employment opportunities. The sexual orientation of an employee should not factor into the determination of one's competence to perform a particular job. American values are rooted in fairness and opportunities for all, in basic recognition that employment, free of discrimination, is a basic civil right, a human right that must be extended without regard to one's sexual orientation. My own State of Maryland, in 2001, enacted a law prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. I was proud then to have worked on its passage through the State legislature. I am proud today to stand before the House and help pass this bill through Congress. Legislation to promote fairness in employment for gays and lesbians at the national level is long overdue. It is time to take action and extend equality to all Americans.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the FY 2008 Labor-HHS Conference Report which--together with this year's Military Construction-Veterans Affairs spending bill--announces an important new direction regarding the Nation's priorities. We start with our most basic investment: education. Today's conference report increases education funding by $4.5 billion over the President's request--including an additional $254 million for Head Start so more children can access a high quality early childhood education; $600 million more for No Child Left Behind to improve teacher quality, enhance after school programming and deploy 21st century classroom technology; an $800 million boost for special education; and a new $2 billion investment for higher education which will enable us to significantly increase the current value of the maximum Pell Grant from $4,310 to $4,925. Additionally, I am very pleased that the final conference report contains $12 million for Teach for America, one of our Nation's premiere teacher training programs. Because we are competing in a rapidly changing global economy, and because education is in truth a lifelong process, this conference report also makes responsible investments in job training and vocational education--$609 million over the President's request for workforce development; another $606 million for vocational education; and $98 million on top of the President's request for Job Corps and the vital training, placement and support services it provides. On health, today's legislation wisely rejects the President's proposed $480 million cut at the National Institutes of Health, NIH, in favor of a $1.4 billion increase over the President's budget so that the NIH can continue its cutting edge research into deadly scourges like cancer, Alzheimer's and heart disease. This additional funding-- representing the cost of just 3 days in Iraq--will fund over 1,400 more research grants into these and other life-threatening illnesses. Furthermore, in an effort to address the plight of the Nation's 47 million uninsured, this legislation enhances health care access by investing $1.5 billion into community health centers, state health care access initiatives and high risk insurance pools. Together, these investments will serve over 1.5 million citizens without health care coverage in the coming year. Finally, Madam Speaker, Sunday is Veterans Day. With our Nation at war, this conference report honors our brave men and women in uniform by proposing the largest single increase for the Department of Veterans Affairs in the institution's 77-year history. The $43.1 billion this legislation appropriates will enable us to provide quality care to 5.8 million patients, add 1,800 processors to tackle the outstanding backlog of 400,000 claims, and invest in needed treatment for increasingly prevalent conditions like traumatic brain injury, TBI, and post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. It is the least we can do--and now is the time for us to do it. Madam Speaker, these two bills both passed the House with strong, bipartisan majorities. Together, they set the right priorities for America. They comply with our five-year balanced budget plan. And they deserve our support today.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to James Leader, a dedicated Foreign Service Officer who has done so much to promote and strengthen relations between the United States and the Republic of Sri Lanka. He has been an example of the best of our Foreign Service--passionate, knowledgeable, and effective. Jim served at the American Embassy in Colombo from 1970-72 and as a Desk Officer for Sri Lanka in the Department of State from 1973-77. He maintained contact with many Sri Lankans and Americans interested in Sri Lankan affairs and recognized the need to form an organization to nurture and build on those relationships. To meet that need, in 1994, Jim teamed up with Gil Shinbaum to launch the auspiciously-named Serendipity Group. The Serendipity Group is an organization of former American Ambassadors and officials who lived in Sri Lanka and retain a strong interest in Sri Lankan affairs. My father, who served as an Ambassador to Sri Lanka between 1973-76, and my mother were part of this group, and I witnessed the commitment, shared by all its members, to building stronger ties between the United States and Sri Lanka. Jim and his wife, Carillon, invited Group members to their home for informal discussions and activities. He recruited speakers to Serendipity Group forums and fostered conversation between Sri Lankan Ambassadors to the United States, U.S. Ambassadors to Colombo, scholars, writers, and others who shared his passion for Sri Lankan- American interests. In addition to his diplomatic efforts, Jim deserves recognition for his philanthropic work. In 2004, when Sri Lanka was devastated by the tsunami, he mobilized resources for a significant relief donation. In all, James Leader's initiative in founding the Serendipity Group, and his inspired leadership, have made an important contribution to the relationship between the United States and the Republic of Sri Lanka. As he steps down as leader of the Group, I congratulate him on his years of service, both in public and private life, and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.