Jerry Weller

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, taking the lead of my chairman, I will close on this important resolution, but before I move to that, I have two speakers on our side who want to address this resolution which has been authored by my friend Jon Porter of Nevada, who's a strong advocate for adoption and foster children, while serving on the Ways and Means Committee, and I commend him for taking the lead on the National Adoption Month resolution that's before us. With that, Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers, so I will close for our side. As the chairman and I have both stated, this is bipartisan, bicameral legislation, broadly supported. I would note I have a number of letters of support. I would like to insert into the Record at this point, Madam Speaker, a letter from the National Conference of State Legislatures, a letter from the Conference of Chief Justices, the Conference of State Court Administrators, as well as a letter signed by 581 national, State and local organizations from every State in the Union in support of this bipartisan, bicameral legislation designed to help kids, particularly those who need adoption. September 15, 2008. Hon. Harry Reid, Majority Leader, 528 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Office of the Speaker, H-232, U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC. Hon. Mitch McConnell, Minority Leader 61-A Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC. Hon. John Boehner, Republican Leader, Office of the House, H-204, U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC. Dear Majority Leader Reid, Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader McConnell, and Republican Leader Boehner: We are writing to urge you to take necessary steps to ensure passage this month of important improvements in supports for children and youth in foster care, including new opportunities for permanent families through adoption and relative guardianship and other assistance for older youth transitioning from foster care. The House unanimously passed the Fostering Connections to Success Act in June and the Senate Finance Committee approved a similar bill last week. Today, the relevant committees announced agreement on H.R. 6893 that reconciles the House and Senate bills. As 581 national and state and local organizations from every state that advocate for the children and youth who will benefit from these improvements, we want to ensure that H.R. 6893, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, will be passed during this session of Congress. The Act has bipartisan support and is fully paid for. Its important improvements will help hundreds of thousands of children and youth in foster care by: Extending and increasing incentives for adoption, particularly incentives for the adoption of children with special needs and older youth in foster care and making many more children with special needs eligible for federal adoption assistance. Allowing states to offer, for the first time with federal assistance, guardianship payments for children who are in foster care but who have grandparents or other relative guardians who want to care for them permanently outside of foster care. Making it easier for immediate relatives to step in to raise children when their parents cannot by requiring notification of relatives when children are removed from their parents and grants to link caregivers with the services their children need. Offering important protections and supports for American Indian children in foster care, by allowing tribes, for the first time, the same direct access to federal foster care, adoption assistance and relative guardianship funding that states have. Increasing opportunities for success for older youth in foster care as they transition into adult life by allowing them to receive federal foster care payments beyond the age of 18. Improving educational opportunities for children and youth in foster care, which will also increase their opportunities for later success. Promoting the health care of children and youth in foster care. Expanding training opportunities for relative guardians, staff in private agencies and the courts, and attorneys and others representing children. These reforms encompass many of the critical improvements that former foster youth, adoptive parents, relative caregivers, and others have been requesting of Congress for years. We commend you for your leadership and commitment to addressing the needs of our nation's most vulnerable children and youth. The organizations below support timely enactment of these important improvements for children and youth in foster care. Respectfully yours, Adopt America Network, Alliance for Children and Families, American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Children's Residential Centers, American Humane Association, American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, American Psychological Association, The Arc of the U.S., Association on American Indian Affairs. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Black Administrators in Child Welfare, Inc., Catholic Charities USA, Center for Law and Social Policy, Child Welfare League of America, Childhelp, Inc., Children Awaiting Parents, Children's Action Network, Children's Defense Fund, Children's Rights. Coalition of Labor Union Women, Coalition on Human Needs, Community Action Partnership, Council for Health and Human Service Ministries United Church of Christ, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Docs for Tots, Family Violence Prevention Fund, First Focus, First Star, Foster Care Alumni of America. Foster Family-based Treatment Association, FosterClub, GrandFamilies of America, Grandfamilies Teens, Generations United, Holt International, Jewish Labor Committee, Juvenile Law Center, The Kids are Waiting: Fix Foster Care Now Campaign, Kidsave, Lutheran Services in America. Mental Health America, National Advocacy Center for the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, National African-American Drug Policy Coalition, Inc., National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Association of Black Social Workers, National Association for Children's Behavioral Health, National Association of Counsel for Children, National Association of County Human Services Administrators, National Association of Counties, National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. National Association of Social Workers, National CASA Association, National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, National Center on Housing and Child Welfare, National Child Abuse Coalition, National Children's Alliance, National Collaboration for Youth, National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights, National Council for Adoption, National Council of Jewish Women. National Foster Care Coalition, National Foster Parent Association, National Indian Child Welfare Association, National Network for Youth, National Policy Partnership for Children of the Incarcerated, National Relative Caregiver Consultants, National Resource Center for Youth Services, Native American Children's Alliance, NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, North American Council on Adoptable Children. Orphan Foundation, Pre-K Now, Prevent Child Abuse America, The Rebecca Project for Human Rights, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth of America, Teaching-Family Association, United Cerebral Palsy, United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries. United Neighborhood Centers of America, United Way of America, USAction, Voice for Adoption, Voices for America's Children, Youth Law Center, Zero to Three. Conference of Chief Justices Conference of State Court Administrators Government Relations Office, Arlington, Virginia, September 15, 2008. Hon. Harry Reid, Majority Leader, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC. Hon. Mitch McConnell, Minority Leader, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington,

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I want to commend my friend and colleague from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for his efforts on behalf of families and his contribution to this bipartisan legislation. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise in support of H.R. 6893, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, legislation I am proud to cosponsor with my chairman, Mr. McDermott. This bipartisan, bicameral House-Senate agreement extends the Adoptions Incentives program, which has earned due praise for increasing adoptions from the Nation's foster care system. It improves the program by raising financial incentives for adopting older children who are the hardest to adopt, among other changes. That program expires in 2 weeks, so passage of this legislation is both necessary and timely. But this bill does much, much more. It expands the eligibility of special needs children for Federal adoption assistance, promoting the adoption of thousands more children out of the foster care system in the coming years. Along the way, it places a priority on older children, children in foster care the longest, and sibling groups who are the hardest to find adoptive families. The bill also promotes stronger family ties in caring for children removed from their own parents due to abuse and neglect, and expects States to do more to locate adult relatives like grandparents or aunts and uncles who can step in to care for such children. And by permitting child welfare agencies access to information from the child support program, the bill helps provide tools to help with that process. It allows States to provide Federal payments to help those adults care for children. And it helps those adults obtain other assistance to ensure kids in their care can thrive. Instead of busting the budget, these pro-family changes actually save money by cutting expensive foster care administrative costs, while most importantly, improving the outcomes for kids in need of a loving home. The bill also responds to concerns that too many youth today are ``emancipated'' from foster care at age 18 and end up on the streets, in jail, or worse. It offers more help for these older foster youth, providing for their care through age 21 as a State option. But like any responsible parent would expect, it requires able-bodied young people over age 18 to work, stay in school, or participate in training to receive the additional help. Like successful welfare reform policies of the 1990s, it conditions assistance on youths engaging in positive behavior. The same goes for foster and adoptive youth under age 18. For the first time, they would have to stay in school for their foster parents to receive Federal financial assistance. That may be tough love, but it is far more loving than subsidizing high school dropouts as taxpayers often do today for a shocking share of young people in foster care. I am honored that this legislation includes two provisions I have worked for years to pass and which will benefit children in foster care. First, it ensures equal access to foster care assistance for Native American children, allowing tribes to operate programs just like the States do today. Second, it provides that all child welfare workers, whether employed by public or not-for-profit agencies, have access to the same resources for training so they can provide the best service to families and most of all children in foster care. Madam Speaker, this legislation is good for children and for families. It is good for communities, and it is good for taxpayers. It is fully paid for, including by reducing unnecessary foster care administrative costs and by incorporating antifraud reforms proposed by the administration, amongst other savings. It is bipartisan, and includes the best of legislation developed by the House and Senate to better protect and support children. I urge all Members to support this excellent piece of legislation. Madam Speaker, as this is the final major legislative activity in the subcommittee on which I serve as ranking member, I would like to thank the hardworking staff who have made this legislation possible. On the Ways and Means Committee Republican staff, I would especially like to thank Matt Weidinger, Margo Smith, and Brian Newell, who have helped me as ranking member of the Income Security Subcommittee. Last, but not least, I would also like to thank Jack Dusik, who has handled much of my Ways and Means Committee activities for over 5 years. Jack has been a tireless servant of the American people and a great asset to me in representing the 11th Congressional District, and I wish him well as he moves onward. Finally, Madam Speaker, I would like to extend my gratitude to my friend, Chairman McDermott, for his friendship over my years in Congress. It has been a real pleasure working with him as a strong partner in fighting for America's disadvantaged youth on the Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee. Madam Speaker, I urge bipartisan support for this important bipartisan legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, we have no additional speakers, so I would be happy to briefly close. H.R. 2608 is bipartisan legislation. It's legislation designed to help those who need help. As my chairman noted, those who, frankly, benefit from this legislation have been victims of tyranny. Those who fought on the wrong side and, in many cases, they fought on the side of the United States and were forced to flee their country, they're elderly, they're disabled, and, frankly, they're people that came here legally. So I want to ask my colleagues to do exactly what we did when we voted on this legislation before, to vote with strong, unanimous, bipartisan support of this important legislation. I also want to thank my chairman for working in a bipartisan way to move this important legislation to the floor, to work with our colleagues in the Senate and the past legislation, which will become law with this vote today. Madam Speaker, I urge bipartisan support for this legislation. I thank my chairman for the opportunity to work with him on this important legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I am happy to yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I include for the Record a letter signed by a large number of organizations throughout the country in support of the legislation that we have before the House today. June 28, 2007. Dear Representative, Representing a diverse cross-section of organizations from across the country, we write to you today to ask that you support H.R.2608--the ``SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act.'' This bipartisan bill is a critical lifeline to thousands of elderly and disabled refugees who are about to lose, or have already lost, their Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits due to the arbitrary seven-year time limit to which their eligibility is limited. This bill, introduced by Representatives Jim McDermott (D- 7th WA) and Jerry Weller (R-11th IL), Chair and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, will provide a two-year extension of SSI eligibility for elderly and disabled refugees, as well as a provision to cover those who lost benefits prior to enactment of the legislation. The bill will also ensure that refugees who are making efforts to become citizens, but are caught up in the processing backlogs through no fault of their own, are given additional time to naturalize. H.R.2608 will provide vital relief to thousands of refugees who have already fallen into extreme destitution. The number of people who are losing their life-sustaining SSI benefits, in large part due to delays in the immigration system beyond their control, is climbing. The Social Security Administration currently projects that 50,000 elderly and disabled refugees will face extreme hardship and destitution by 2012 due to the suspension of their SSI benefits. These individuals fled persecution or torture in countries such as Iran, Russia, Iraq, Vietnam and Somalia, and now are too elderly or disabled to support themselves. As more and more people begin to reach the end of their seven-year eligibility period, the human impact of this restrictive time limit has become increasingly dire and all the more intolerable. Some will lose health insurance as well, because SSI and Medicaid eligibility are typically linked. Among those who have already lost SSI benefits is a Jewish elderly couple from the former Soviet Union; the husband is deaf and the wife suffers from heart disease. However, this restriction does not affect only the elderly, as illustrated by the case of a 16 year-old Iranian boy with mental retardation, autism, seizures, and severe macrocephaly who lost his SSI benefits and Medicaid health insurance due to the seven-year time limit. These are only but two of the thousands of heartbreaking stories that we will continue to be confronted with unless Congress acts now to lengthen the insufficient eligibility period for this extremely vulnerable population. The crisis is already upon us. Each and every month, elderly and disabled refugees are losing their lifeline of support. With the exception of West Virginia, no state is left untouched by this arbitrary time limit. Some 4,500 people will lose their SSI benefits in fiscal year 2007 alone. This bill enjoys bipartisan support, builds on similar proposals in recent Bush Administration budgets, and contains a savings provision that will cover the modest cost of the extension. Given the urgency of the situation and the life- threatening consequences that these individuals face, we strongly urge you to support the passage of H.R.2608 this year. We are hopeful that Congress will act quickly and decisively to prevent the unnecessary hardship that this already-victimized population stands to suffer. Thank you for your consideration. Respectfully, National American Academy of HIV; American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging; American Association of Jews from the Former USSR, Inc; American Association of People with Disabilities; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; American Friends Service Committee; American Jewish Committee; American Network of Community Options and Resources; American Occupational Therapy Association; Americans for Democratic Action, Inc.; Asian American Justice Center; Asian Americans for Equality; Association of Jewish Family & Children's Agencies (AJFCA); Boat People SOS; Break the Chain Campaign; Campaign for Working Families; Catholic Charities USA; Center for Civil Justice; Disability Navigators Inc. EESA-Eastern European Service Agency; Gay Men's Health Crisis; Hispanic Coalition; HIV Medicine Association; HIVictorious, Inc.; Hmong National Development, Inc.; Immigrant and Refugee Rights Program, Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs; Institute for Peace and Justice; Institute for Social and Economic Development (ISED); International AIDS Empowerment; International District Housing Alliance; International Rescue Committee; International Service Center; Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Jubilee Campaign USA Inc.; Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation Office of the Wheaton Franciscans; Living Room, Inc.; Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS); Lutheran Services in America; 9 to 5, National Association of Working Women. National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd; National Asian Pacific Center on Aging; National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development; National Council of Jewish Women; National Council on Aging; National Immigration Forum; National Immigration Law Center; National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC); National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty; National Priorities Project; National Senior Citizens Law Center; National Women's Law Center; NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby; New Sudan Generation; Northwest Health Law Advocates; Northwest Immigrant Rights Project; Progressive Jewish Alliance; Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; RESULTS. Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law; Sisters of Mercy of the Americas; Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC); The AIDS Institute; The Arc of the United States; The Coalition on Human Needs; The Leadership Conference of Women Religious; The National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum; The Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children; The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring; U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants; Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations; United Cerebral Palsy; United Jewish Communities; United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society; USAction; Wider Opportunities for Women; Women of Reform Judaism; Women of Reform Judaism; World Relief;

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 1 minute to the distinguished Republican leader of the House, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, in July of 2007, H.R. 2608, bipartisan legislation, the SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act, passed the House by unanimous voice vote. In early August, just over a month ago, the Senate finally passed an amended version of the bill by unanimous consent, and we are here today acting to accept the amended bill. This bipartisan legislation increases the amount of time certain low income, disabled and aged immigrants can receive Supplemental Security Income benefits. Currently these individuals are eligible for these benefits during their first 7 years in the United States. This legislation would extend that period to 9 years, or even longer if the individual has a pending application for citizenship. These individuals arrived and remain in the United States legally and also arrived for humanitarian reasons. They have fled persecution and suffering in their own countries, and include refugees, asylees, Cuban- Haitian entrants, Hmong tribesmen who fought on the side of the United States, victims of communist dictatorships and victims of trafficking from around the world. This legislation provides them additional eligibility to ensure that a lengthy citizenship application process does not inadvertently cause an elderly or disabled refugee to lose access to SSI benefits. Because this expanded eligibility for low income, disabled and aged immigrants will be extended only through fiscal year 2011, a future Congress will need to review whether these provisions are working as intended and need to be extended. That future Congress can and should question whether refugees and others, who are playing by the rules and who apply for citizenship, have adequate and sufficient time to go through that process without losing access to SSI benefits. To cover the cost of these additional benefits, the bill would reduce Federal income tax refunds to better recover unemployment benefit overpayments resulting from fraud. Tax refund offsets already occur for delinquent child support payments and certain other debts owed to the Federal Government. This change simply allows the current process to work in recovering certain unemployment benefit overpayments. In addition to improving program integrity, this change will more than pay for the added SSI benefits provided by the bill, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The Ways and Means Committee, and in particular the Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee on which I serve as ranking member, has long been active in developing legislation to combat fraud and abuse in unemployment and other benefits. I am pleased to see us continuing that effort with this legislation. For example, in 2004, under the leadership of former Chairman Wally Herger, we passed a law to stop the illegal manipulation of State unemployment taxes. We also allowed State unemployment benefit programs to use current data on new hires to help prevent benefit overpayments. This legislation builds on those efforts, and I am proud to support it. Even if it is not needed as a pay-for, this good government provision merits passage on its own. This legislation is supported by a wide range of faith-based and other community groups, such as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Lutheran Social Services and Catholic Charities. I would also like to recognize the efforts of my Ways and Means colleague, Representative Phil English of Pennsylvania, who has worked diligently to extend SSI benefits to this vulnerable immigrant group, including by introducing legislation to do so. I urge all Members to join me in supporting this legislation today. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the question: Why is the House of Representatives withdrawing from trade? Why is the House of Representatives drawing away from our need to export products to good markets? The economic statistics speak volumes. This past week, we saw 3.3 percent economic growth for the last quarter. We'd all like to see it better, but what was interesting was that, of that 3.3 percent economic growth, almost all of it, in fact 3.1 percent economic growth, resulted from trade and from exports. So the good news in the economy today is that we're expanding our exports, and if we did not have the opportunity to export products, our economy would really be in bad shape because it's the export market that's keeping this economy moving forward with manufactured goods, agricultural goods, services, and other products. Today, we are fortunate to have 16 bilateral agreements with other nations, many in our own hemisphere in the Americas, and we're fortunate to enjoy a trade surplus with all of them. We voted on these trade agreements in the House. Those who opposed them said, you know, if we have trade agreements, we always lose. Well, the interesting thing is, with the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement and with the Chilean Free Trade Agreement, we've seen the results. American farmers, American manufacturers and American workers are winning because we have a trade surplus with those countries today. In fact, we had a trade deficit with Central America before DR-CAFTA, and today, we have a trade surplus. So trade agreements win. That's why I was so concerned when a spokesman for the Speaker of the House explained her refusal to schedule a vote on the Colombian trade agreement: You know, the economy is bad and trade agreements are bad for America. We can't have a vote on a trade agreement, because somehow that hurts us. All you have to do is look at the facts, and you'll see that trade and exports are good for America. My State and the district that I represent in Illinois are trade dependent. We depend on exports to create jobs as does the rest of America whether it's union workers who make Caterpillar bulldozers in Joliet or in Decatur or in Peoria or whether it's farmers in Bureau County who are growing corn or soybeans. We depend on our exports, on the export market, to create jobs and to raise our incomes. Frankly, it's the export market today that's the engine of economic growth. We have before this House a good trade agreement. It's the U.S.-Colombia trade agreement. ``Trade promotion agreement'' is the technical term. Colombia is not only the oldest democracy in Latin America; it is also the second largest Spanish-speaking country, a market of 42 million consumers. It's a country that has made tremendous progress. In fact, our ally Colombia, which is a democracy, has a very popular president. President Uribe is the most popular elected president in all of the Americas. He has an over 80 percent approval rating. Compare that with the United States House of Representatives, which, I think, has a 16 percent approval rating from our own citizens. Clearly, he has made progress. He inherited a civil war. He has made progress in reducing violence. He is bringing those who committed atrocities during the civil war, on both the left and the right, to trial to be held accountable. He is going after the narco-traffickers who have jeopardized the security of that country. It's interesting to know that 71 percent of Colombians today say they feel more secure under President Uribe while 73 percent say Uribe respects human rights. Homicides are down 40 percent. Kidnappings are down 76 percent. In fact, the murder rate in Colombia is the lowest in 15 years, and it's actually lower than that of Washington, D.C.'s. So, if you're a citizen of Colombia, you're safer than a tourist or a citizen who is walking the streets of Washington, D.C. when it comes to being a victim of violence. The bottom line is the U.S.-Colombia trade agreement is good for America. There are those who always oppose trade, and they always have an excuse. They say, you know, in the history of Colombia, there has been some violence, and everyone acknowledges that. President Uribe and his government have made tremendous progress. Then they say, well, there has been violence against labor leaders. Yes, there has been. President Uribe and everyone involved acknowledge that, but they've made tremendous progress. The bottom line is, under President Uribe, Colombia is a safer and better place. Colombia deserves a vote. We need to bring the U.S.-Colombia trade agreement to this floor and to vote on it up or down. I believe it will pass with a bipartisan majority, and American workers will be the winners.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to enter into the record votes I would have cast had I been present for rollcall votes 567 through 569. I was absent on Monday, September 8 due to CODEL travel. If I were present I would have voted, ``aye'' on rollcall vote 567, ``aye'' on rollcall vote 568, and ``aye'' on rollcall vote 569.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Record votes I would have cast had I been present for rollcall votes 534 through 536. I was absent on Tuesday, 29 July due to personal reasons. If I were present I would have voted, ``aye'' on rollcall vote 534, ``aye'' on rollcall vote 535, and ``aye'' on rollcall vote 536.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak on this rule and rise in strong support for the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act, legislation that I note is named after two very distinguished and respected leaders who served our Nation, as well as this Congress, so well. And I want to commend the current leadership of Foreign Affairs Committee, the bipartisan leadership of Chairman Berman and the ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for their leadership in moving this legislation to the floor in a bipartisan way. I also note that no President in history has done more for addressing the global AIDS crisis than our current President, President Bush. Almost 33 million citizens of this planet today suffer from the consequences of HIV/AIDS. We have a moral responsibility to demonstrate leadership in addressing this crisis, which not only is a health issue, but it's a security issue for this globe. We often think of Africa when we talk about global AIDS, but of the 33 million, there are also many living in our own hemisphere in Latin America and the Caribbean who suffer from HIV/AIDS as well. In Latin America today, there are over 1.6 million people living with HIV/AIDS. That is up from 1.3 million in 2001. And we have lost 58,000 citizens of Latin America who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS. In the Caribbean, 230,000 adults and children are currently known to be infected with HIV/AIDS. That is up from 190,000 in 2001. In the Caribbean, 11,000 citizens of the Caribbean have lost their lives. In Haiti alone, a large recipient of aid as a result of this initiative, almost 4 percent of the population of Haiti is infected with HIV/AIDS. Think about that, 190,000 people. Since 2004, thanks to this initiative, the number of people receiving care and support has grown from 30,000 to 125,000, and an anticipated 150,000 people will be reached this year because of this initiative in Haiti. Haiti has received almost $85 million from this program in the past year to address this crisis which affects many in the Caribbean. This AIDS initiative has allowed us to reach almost every person in Haiti struggling with HIV/AIDS. And the continued support is necessary to make sure we reach every person struggling with HIV/AIDS throughout the world. That is why this legislation today is so very important. Elsewhere in Latin America, let me give you another example in Bolivia. Bolivia is now able to use data to combat HIV/AIDS thanks to this legislation. In fact, real-time data is helping Bolivian health officials carry out more HIV/AIDS prevention education, including HIV counseling and testing services. And thanks to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, prevalence rates in Bolivia's general population has remained at one-tenth of 1 percent, which is a remarkable success compared to some of its neighbors. This is good legislation. It is bipartisan legislation. I commend President Bush for his leadership. I commend the leadership of the Foreign Affairs Committee for their leadership making this a bipartisan initiative. I urge an ``aye'' vote on final adoption and passage of this important legislation today.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. I urge bipartisan support for this amendment.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment. If you travel in Latin America and you ask someone in Latin America who is America's best friend, who is America's most reliable partner and ally, they would say President Uribe of the Republic of Colombia. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm here today to stand in support of this amendment that thanks America's best friend, America's most reliable and partnered ally, particularly on the war on narcotics and counterterrorism, and to thank them for the successful rescue of three Americans. And it was done without a shot being fired, without loss of life. It was an incredible operation, an operation based on good intelligence, on good work by the Colombian military and the resources that had been made available thanks to the work of many in this Congress. That's good news, and we want to say thank you to our friend and ally. You know, there's a reason that President Uribe today enjoys an approval rating of almost 90 percent. He's the most popular elected official in the entire Western Hemisphere. And that's because he's made tremendous progress in dealing with the FARC and the ELN and the paramilitaries, those who have threatened the peace and security of that great nation for the last four decades. He has made tremendous progress. And his record is successful. You look at it. Poverty has decreased by 10 percent. Today, 40 percent of the national budget is spent on social needs, as they made progress in bringing down violence. The murder rate has been reduced by 40 percent. In fact, for labor unionists, trade activists, trade union activists, it's down about 85 percent. Tremendous.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I was absent on Monday, July 14th due to personal reasons. If I were present I would have voted, ``aye'' on rollcall vote 486, ``aye'' on rollcall vote 487, and ``aye'' on rollcall vote 488.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Record votes I would have cast had I been present for Roll-call votes 434 through 440 and 465 through 470. I was absent on part of the day Friday, June 20th, Monday, June 23rd, Thursday, June 26th, and Tuesday July 8th due to personal reasons. If I were present I would have voted, ``nay'' on Rollcall vote 434; ``nay'' on Rollcall vote 435; ``nay'' on Rollcall vote 436; ``yea'' on Rollcall vote 437; ``yea'' on Rollcall vote 438; ``yea'' on Rollcall vote 439; ``yea'' on Rollcall vote 440; ``yea'' on Rollcall vote 465; ``yea'' on Rollcall vote 466; ``aye'' on Rollcall vote 467; ``yea'' on Rollcall vote 468; ``nay'' on Rollcall vote 469; ``yea'' on Rollcall vote 470; ``aye'' on Rollcall vote 471; ``aye'' on Rollcall vote 472; and ``aye'' on Rollcall vote 473.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 459 and 460, I was detained in traffic. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. WELLER of Illinois

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I am proud to say that this is bipartisan legislation designed to help children. Children need help. I am also proud to say that this legislation has a proud array of organizations that have endorsed it. I'd like to go through that list. Organizations which have endorsed H.R. 6307, the Fostering Connections to Success Act: The Alliance for Children and Families; American Academy of Pediatrics; the Center for Law and Social Policy; Child Welfare League of America; County Welfare Directors Association of California; Foster Care Alumni of America; National Association of Counties; National Congress of American Indians; National Council for Adoption; National Indian Child Welfare Association; North American Council on Adoptable Children; Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care; Public Children Services Association of Ohio; Voices for America's Children; and also, Mr. Speaker, I have letters of support here from the Lutheran Services in America in support of this legislation, Catholic Charities USA, in support of this legislation, and also an organization which I am proud to say is headquartered in the 11th Congressional District of Illinois, which I represent, an organization that is respected, called the The Baby Fold, which is a long-time child welfare advocacy organization, as well as providing outstanding services children need. In closing, I want to say this is good legislation, and I want to commend my chairman, Mr. McDermott, for working in a bipartisan way, reaching out to a broad array of organizations, reaching out to a broad, wide variety of Members of the House on both the Democrat and Republican side who care about kids in foster care, and ensuring children who have needs, that we work to help them. This is good legislation. It's bipartisan. It enjoys the support of a wide array of groups. And it helps kids. That is our goal. That is the bottom line. We want to help children who need help. Mr. Chairman, I, of course, again want to thank you for the opportunity of working with you. I look forward to working with you as we reach out to our colleagues in the other body as we work towards our goal of this legislation becoming law this year. I want to thank you for the spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship which you have extended to me, as well as other members on our subcommittee and the full committee and other Members of this body. For that, I want to congratulate you as well as thank you. Mr. Speaker, again, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation with a strong bipartisan vote. Organizations Endorsing H.R. 6307, The ``Fostering Connections to Success Act'' 1. Alliance for Children and Families. 2. American Academy of Pediatrics. 3. Center for Law and Social Policy. 4. Child Welfare League of America. 5. County Welfare Directors Association of California. 6. Foster Care Alumni of America. 7. National Association of Counties. 8. National Congress of American Indians. 9. National Council for Adoption. 10. National Indian Child Welfare Association. 11. North American Council on Adoptable Children. 12. Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care. 13. Public Children Services Association of Ohio. 14. Voices for America's Children.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, can you tell us how much time remains on each side, please.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it's a pleasure for me to yield to a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee, someone who has had a long-time interest in child welfare issues and a gentleman who has made a substantial contribution to this bipartisan legislation. I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter).

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 6307, the Fostering Connections to Success Act. I also want to thank my chairman for his leadership and his dedicated example of working together in a bipartisan way to help vulnerable kids. This legislation, H.R. 6307, is an example of what we can accomplish when we work together. And, again, I want to thank Chairman McDermott for this opportunity to work together. This is bipartisan legislation, and it's a result of a series of hearings in which we heard about how youth are shortchanged in the current foster care system. For example, most foster youth experience three to four placements while in care and some many more than that. Different homes often mean different schools, poor performance, repeated grades, and far too many ultimately dropping out before graduation. About one in four foster youth do not complete high school. In fact, many attend three to four different schools during their foster care experience, and even more don't complete school on the same timetable as their peers. To address such serious problems, this legislation steps up efforts to engage adult relatives in caring for children abused or neglected by their parents. My home State of Illinois has been at the forefront of efforts to support more care by adult relatives, like grandparents, adults, or cousins, rather than strangers in foster care. These efforts resulted in better outcomes for children, including more stability and safety, stronger attachments to school and community, and better long- run prospects for young people. H.R. 6307 encourages more care by relatives nationwide. A former intern in my Washington office, Jamaal Nutall of Joliet, who testified before our subcommittee, was a product of the foster care system and whose life was turned around by being placed in the care of relatives. Jamaal lived what we all intuitively know to be sound policy. In most cases placement with a child's own family makes for the best environment for the child to grow and prosper. This legislation also will hold foster youth and the adults who care for them accountable for the type of responsible behavior any parent would expect and which will help them succeed in the long run. So for the first time, staying in high school through graduation will be a condition of receiving Federal foster care, relative guardian, or adoption payments. A similar new ``education, training, or work'' requirement will apply to young people over the age of 18 who receive continued Federal support. As a letter endorsing this policy from the Foster Care Alumni Association of America put it, ``Holding young people and families in the foster care system to this high standard is a statement from Congress that lowered expectations are not acceptable for those of us from foster care.'' Mr. Speaker, I will insert a copy of the Foster Care Alumni Association's letter endorsing this legislation in the Record at this point, and I thank this fine organization and so many others for their help in assembling this bill. Foster Care Alumni of America, Alexandria, VA, June 18, 2008. Hon. James McDermott, Chair, Hon. Jerry Weller, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, Ways and Means Committee, House of Representatives, Washington,