Timothy Walz

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Madam Speaker, this week this House has a historic opportunity. For far too long, millions of Americans have not been able to afford basic health care coverage. For far too long, families with insurance are told when they finally need to use that insurance, that they are not covered. For too long, insurance company executives and bureaucrats have dictated what is covered to the doctors. For far too long, those who are insured have been paying a hidden tax to cover the millions of uninsured. This week the figure is $51 million. For far too long, the United States has spent double the amount of any other industrialized nation, and we are no healthier for it. And for far too long, there have been those who have said we can wait a little longer; we will put health care off and do it at another time. This button was given to me last weekend by a woman in Fountain, Minnesota. It reads, ``Healthcare for All--the time is now.'' She's been carrying it for 25 years. Last week, the Mayo Clinic--which is in my district in southern Minnesota--along with the Cleveland Clinic and other leading institutions, put out a statement urging reform in this House. The statement read, ``Reforming health care in America will not become easier with the passage of time,'' and we urge you to move forward. The time is right for America to fix this inequity. The time is right to move America forward, and as the button says, health care for all, the time is now. That is this week.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. I hope I have the gentleman's support on this bill, providing the trained and courageous veterans who are returning home. We are not asking for preferential treatment. What we are asking is that our adjudicators be clearly informed what these combat veterans have gone through, making sure we are able to bring them back, place them in their positions if they choose to continue to serve this Nation. I would ask for the support of this body on this amendment. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALZ. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. WALZ. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. And I thank the chairman of the committee and the ranking member for your work in securing our Nation and bringing this piece of legislation to the floor. The amendment that I am offering, Madam Chair, serves a twofold purpose. First, it allows us to fulfill our obligation to our returning combat veterans coming back and integrating back into civilian life. And it also recognizes the unique skill set that these veterans have that are absolutely perfectly suited for intelligence and national security work. What I am asking for in this amendment is to make sure there is a level playing field for these warriors. A large number of our troops are coming back; and either through a lack of understanding or a misunderstanding, the security adjudicators are either revoking or denying security clearances for wounds that were received, either physical or mental--PTSD, and others--during the conflicts that they served in. What this amendment asks for is it requires the intelligence community to educate security clearance adjudicators on the nature of these wounds. The purpose is to make sure that they have the best knowledge available to make informed decisions and give our returning warriors the opportunity to receive their clearances, to retain their clearances, and then go on to further serve this Nation in these critical capacities. So I thank the committee for their work. The Intelligence Committee, the Armed Services and the Veterans' Affairs Committee are all in support of this. I think it will go a long ways toward leveling the playing field and allowing this Nation to use the incredible skills and resources that those wounded warriors bring back, but still have the capacity to serve. With that, Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the House, the Senate and the President for having the courage to attack the important issue of health care. I also want to recognize that the legislation passed by this House in November takes a huge leap forward in addressing the issue of paying for value in health care. The current payment system rewards volume and quantity rather than quality and outcomes. We waste hundreds of billions of dollars every year on tests and procedures that do not improve patient health. We need to change the incentive system. We need doctors and hospitals to work together to coordinate care based around patient need. In my district in southern Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic has done exactly that. There are other institutions around the country that also provide high-quality, low-cost, efficient care. This is the one issue that both sides can agree on. Yesterday in Roll Call, led by the Mayo Clinic, the Chamber of Commerce, Cleveland Clinic and other insurers, they stated: reforming health care in America will not become easier with the passage of time. We encourage all stakeholders, government officials, patients, families, insurers, doctors and nurses to work together to pass reforms that provide quality, affordable health care for Americans. This is the path to true health care reform that will strengthen our economy, take care of America's families, and grow jobs.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, last week I, too, had a chance to be out in my local district. I was on Main Street in St. Peter, Minnesota. We had great conversations about how small businesses can continue to create and revitalize our economy. But do you know what they talked about most? Health care. They shared stories about double-digit increases in premiums. They shared stories about a difficult time hiring new employees because of the cost of health insurance. But one story in particular stuck with me. I walked into Julee's Jewelry Store in St. Peter, Minnesota. Julee is a woman who has poured her life into making her business work, but she also shared a story with me. Her son Trevor was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. So as she and Trevor fight for his life, they are also fighting their insurance company to pay for the chemotherapy that their doctor ordered. She also told me she fears her son will never be able to change jobs because of a preexisting condition. Our current health system is limiting our ability to innovate and grow our economy. As you know, Mr. Speaker, I represent the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. I am proud to do so because of the high quality, low cost care that they provide. I would like to leave you with a quote last week from the Mayo Clinic: ``Reforming health care in America is absolutely essential. The status quo is not sustainable.''

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Madam Speaker, Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was not able to make it to the floor for votes. Had I been in attendance, I would have voted as following: On passage of H. Res. 990 under suspension of the rules. ``yea''; on passage of H. Res. 1011 under suspension of the rules, ``yea''; on passage of H. Res. 1003 under suspension of the rules, ``yea.''

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, among the speakers who have just addressed this House are a high school teacher, a nurse, a social worker, a small business owner, and a criminal prosecutor. And they stood hand in hand for working families on Main Street to restore responsibility and accountability to Wall Street last week. After years of recklessness and unchecked greed that have now cost millions their jobs, their homes, and their life savings, we finally passed long-overdue commonsense reforms. These reforms protect investors and consumers from the excesses of those who will gamble other people's hard-earned money and closed loopholes in existing laws. They bring about an end to taxpayer bailouts and a belief that a firm is too big to fail. Financial markets work best when they are transparent, allowing investors to make smart decisions and our capital system to flourish; but they also require cops on the beat to protect consumers from fraud and abuse. The Wall Street reform package we passed strengthens our markets and our economies, giving people confidence again to invest in America and our growth towards prosperity.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. I'm here today to applaud this House for fighting for working Americans by last weekend passing comprehensive welfare reform. I want to recognize this legislation takes a huge step forward in addressing the issue of paying for value in our health care system. The current payment system rewards volume and quantity of care rather than quality of care. We spend hundreds of billions of dollars every year on unnecessary tests and procedures that do not improve a patient's health. We need to change the incentive system. We need doctors and hospitals to work together to coordinate care, putting the patients' needs first. In my district of southern Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic has created such a culture where doctors coordinate and look for the best quality results. There are other institutions around the country who also provide high-quality, efficient care at low costs. These organizations all do it differently, but the one thing they have in common is a culture of patient-centered care. This culture needs to be replicated in every hospital across the country, and the way we get there is by changing the incentive system. I'm very proud that the provisions in this bill will address this very issue. If we're to reform any part of health care this year, this is the key.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, over the past three years, I've discussed health care reform with thousands of my constituents. I've heard from doctors and nurses, health care policy experts and small business owners. Most importantly, I've heard from middle-class Minnesotans who are fed up with the status quo. Take Kristy, who is a Rochester mother and breast cancer survivor. Access to affordable health insurance is a life or death matter for her and millions of other Americans. Last year, Kristy's health insurance premium increased 17 percent. Hard-working Americans every year see premiums rise faster than their take-home pay. This is a financial disaster in progress. If ignored, this will result in an explosion in the number of uninsured individuals, reaching far into the ranks of the gainfully employed and middle class. Kristy's employer laid-off workers this year, in part because of rapidly rising health care costs. Small businesses across America are shedding good workers to cover sky-rocketing health care expenses, stifling entrepreneurship and innovation. And then, recently, Kristy lost her job. She worries about whether she'll be able to get health insurance given her pre-existing medical condition, once her temporary COBRA coverage expires. Last year, more than 700 of our neighbors in southern Minnesota went bankrupt because of medical bills. It is unconscionable for anyone to go broke solely because they get sick. Now, Kristy wonders if she's next. Kristy's story has become all too common in America today. It doesn't have to be this way. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, because of people like Kristy. This bill, which includes important fixes from Democrats and Republicans, will tear down the status quo, rein in costs and bring stability and peace of mind to regular people like Kristy. The House health care bill has four important pillars of reform: The first pillar stops run-away costs and rewards quality care. A patient-centered initiative spearheaded by Mayo Clinic is at the heart of rewarding quality. The current fee-for-service payment model in Medicare perversely encourages health care providers to perform unnecessary procedures and tests. This is backwards. Hospitals and doctors should instead be rewarded for innovation, results, and quality care. The Mayo-backed solution in this bill asks experts at the independent Institute of Medicine to come up with and help implement new pay-for-results policy in Medicare. This will help deliver better care for our seniors. The second pillar reforms the insurance industry to benefit ordinary folks. It provides overdue transparency and accountability by ending health insurance companies' blanket exemption from anti-trust laws. Firms will no longer be shielded from liability for price-fixing or monopolizing. We've seen what happened on Wall Street when corporations got too big to fail and their books too confusing to understand. It goes further to protect consumers by making it illegal to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions like Kristy's or charging more based on gender, occupation, or health status. It also caps annual out- of-pocket expenses and prohibits unfair limits on benefits to ensure no American goes bankrupt because of illness. And, it allows individuals up to the age of 27 to stay on their parents' insurance plan. The third pillar promotes competition and choice for people who don't have insurance today or lose it in the future. Under the bill, Americans will be required to obtain health insurance, just like drivers are mandated by state law to purchase auto insurance. People who don't have health insurance today or lose it in the future can participate in the Health Insurance Exchange where they can compare and purchase insurance products that best meets their needs. An analysis by MIT Economist Jonathan Gruber found that premiums for folks in the Exchange will be lower than they would be if those same people were buying individual insurance in today's market. Privately-owned insurance companies, member-owned cooperatives, and a government-backed public option will compete for business in the Exchange. Low-income workers will get financial credits to help them afford to buy insurance. Another solution brought up at my town hall meetings and championed by Minnesota's Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty is fostering competition and lower costs through interstate insurance sales. The House health care bill allows states to work together to do just that. Finally, the fourth pillar will improve seniors' access to quality, affordable health care and protect the doctor-patient relationship. It addresses one of seniors' top concerns by immediately beginning to fill in the Medicare Part D donut hole which will make prescription drugs more affordable. I joined the President and Republicans in demanding that health care reform be fiscally responsible. The bill before us now is paid for and does not add to the national debt, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. To the defenders of the status quo who are opposing health insurance reform, I have one question for you: How does your plan help people like Kristy? I encourage my colleagues to stop playing political games and come together across party lines to solve the problem. Vote yes on H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the proceedings held during the recess be printed in the Record.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that this House has finally showed the courage to tackle one of the most important issues in our country, the rising cost of health care. I want to recognize that this piece of legislation takes a huge step forward in addressing the issue of paying for value in our health care system. The current payment system rewards volume and quantity of care, rather than quality of care. We spend hundreds of billions of dollars every year on procedures that do not improve patients' health. We need to change the incentive system. We need doctors and hospitals to work together to coordinate care. In my district in southern Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic has created just such a culture, where doctors coordinate with each other and look for the best quality results. There are other institutions around the country doing the same thing. These organizations all do it a little differently, but the one thing they have in common is a culture of patient-centered care based on high quality and low cost. These cultures can be replicated in every hospital in the country, and the way we get there is by changing the incentive system. I am very proud that the provisions in this bill to address value and geographic disparity in Medicaid are there. We have a chance to reform American health care and provide good-quality, high-outcome health care for all Americans.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I, too, urge my colleagues to unanimously support H.R. 3157. I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for highlighting this, telling one of those stories of heroism, one of those stories of selfless service and then tying it to something that's incredibly important as we move forward--rural care for our veterans. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3157.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. I have no further requests for time. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Arkansas, my good friend, a tireless supporter of veterans, a true gentleman in this House, and someone who embodies what we are here for. There is far more that unites us than divides us, and nothing makes that clearer than Veterans Day. I think all of us know that when we come together in support of our veterans, it is all that is right in this country. We have our differences, we disagree on things, but nothing will ever shake that. I want to thank Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer for their outstanding commitment to this. Maybe some people are wondering why this is H. Res. 89 after all the big numbers. Mr. Baca puts this in first every year in every Congress to make sure that it is ready to go for Veterans Day. For that I thank him. Andre Carson was down here earlier. As I explained to Mr. Stearns why we did this, one of the things was, it is never hard to get anyone to come and support pieces of veterans legislation. Mr. Carson from Indiana came back early and did that. I also want to thank the staff for this package of initiatives going forward before Veterans Day, both the majority and the minority staff, for their tireless work on this. The one thing I have found working in the Veterans' Affairs Committee, the staff are there for our veterans. That is their main purpose, that is what they are there for every day, and they continue to work tirelessly to ensure that we are doing good things. So it is with that that I ask all Americans to stand proud with our veterans, stand tall, know that those freedoms that they enjoy so much come at an incredible cost to many of our fellow Americans, but to let them know that we are with them every step of the way, and these pieces of legislation will go further to do that. I urge the unanimous support of H. Res. 89.

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on House Resolution 89.

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, each year on Veterans Day, Americans come together to honor our Nation's heroes, over 23 million veterans that have served our country. Again this year, our country is engaged in conflicts that require the dedication of our uniformed troops. Our Nation has a proud legacy of appreciation and commitment to the men and women who have worn the uniform in defense of this great land. We must be united in seeing that every soldier, sailor, airman and marine is welcomed back with all the care and compassion that this grateful Nation can bestow. House Resolution 89 encourages Americans to demonstrate their support for veterans. No other group of Americans has stood stronger and braver for our democracy than our troops and veterans. As a member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, it is my honor to serve the veterans of this Nation, and I encourage my fellow Americans to do the same. I firmly believe that Veterans Day should not be observed just once a year, but our Nation's heroes must be celebrated, honored and remembered every single day of the year. I encourage all Americans to reach out to veterans, thank them and their families for the amazing sacrifices they make, learn more about their contributions to our country, and gain the wisdom of their personal stories. On this 90th official Veterans Day, it is important to let these heroes know that this grateful Nation honors their service. Pause to remember that service and the sacrifices of each and every one who has worn this Nation's uniform. On Veterans Day and throughout the year, join me and every Member of this House to take the time and show your gratitude to those who have answered the call of duty. Mr. Speaker, I know as a veteran myself, as a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and having the honor to serve there, and as a teacher of our high school students, how incredibly important it is to remember the foundations this country was founded on and those who are willing to give and, as we speak, are still willing to give the ultimate sacrifice. Veterans Day is not a day for sales, and Veterans Day is not a day to take the day off. Veterans Day is a day to understand that all the blessings of liberty and freedom this country has emanate from each and every one of those. So I think it is incredibly important. I urge support for this piece of legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 89) supporting and encouraging greater support for Veterans Day each year.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to thank Mr. Boozman for his eloquent words and his passion on this issue. This is truly an issue that unites every Member of this House and every member of this country, the care and the dignity that we lay our veterans to rest. I want to thank Mr. Salazar and Mr. Lamborn again for their unwavering commitment to getting this done. I urge my colleagues to unanimously support H.R. 174.

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 174.

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, while I am pleased to be here today to bring H.R. 174, I think it's probably too light to say sponsored by our former colleague on the committee, Mr. Salazar, to the floor today. This bill will establish a national veterans cemetery in El Paso County, Colorado. Just for background note, Mr. Salazar, who has moved on to another committee, has been a tireless advocate of our veterans, and this was a piece of legislation that I watched him advocate for with great passion because of the need. Southern Colorado, including El Paso County and the city of Colorado Springs, has the second highest concentration of veterans living in the entire United States. Currently, those veterans in southern Colorado and their families who wish to either visit a veterans cemetery or have their loved ones interred must travel into the Denver metropolitan area to Fort Logan National Cemetery in often treacherous weather conditions. Not only is this an undue burden, but the Fort Logan National Cemetery is quickly running out of spaces. To alleviate this problem, H.R. 174 directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in El Paso County, Colorado. H.R. 174 reflects a fitting tribute to those Americans who have served our Nation with honor. The veterans' national cemeteries of the United States demonstrate the desire of a grateful Nation to appropriately commemorate those who served in our Armed Forces. Since 1862, more than 3 million burials have occurred in VA national cemeteries. The National Cemetery Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs manages 130 national cemeteries nationwide for our veterans. Of the 130 cemeteries, 60 of them are no longer accepting in- ground interments, which results in millions of veterans and survivors being unserved and turned away from our national cemeteries. While the State Cemetery Grants Program has met with success, the need to build new national cemeteries with a strategic vision is really still quite urgent. This is why Mr. Salazar introduced this bill and a related bill, the National Cemeteries Expansion Act of 2009, H.R. 3544, which would require the VA to reexamine its entire national cemetery establishment policy standard of 170,000 veterans in a 75-mile radius. This policy clearly has outlived its usefulness and should be revised immediately. I want to thank Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer for pushing this bill forward. As we lose more of our Greatest Generation of veterans and face the unfortunate prospect of additional fatalities, we need to make certain that veterans are provided a dignified, accessible, and well-maintained final resting place. H.R. 174 helps to ensure that this happens for the many veterans and survivors of the region of southern Colorado. Also, I would like to add that in the past this bill enjoyed the support of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, and the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Finally, I again want to applaud the leadership of Mr. Salazar on this bill, the bipartisan manner of the VA Committee understanding how important this is. Mr. Lamborn, from Colorado Springs, has been intricate in making this happen. I can tell you this is one of the most moving and passionate discussions we have in the VA. The commitment to making sure national cemeteries are accessible to our veterans is a key priority. I urge the passage of H.R. 174. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 174) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region.