June 9, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6319 Our auto companies and our corpora- minute and to revise and extend her re- too high, is improving and money is tions stagger under cost increases. Our marks.) starting to flow through the economy small businesses choose between cov- Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, we lost a and into our cities and municipalities ering their employees or taking a step lion of the labor movement and a true to improve our infrastructure and en- towards insolvency. And of course, son of San Francisco with the passing sure the safety of every American. health care costs are the leading cause of Ambassador Jack Henning. Jack The recovery bill has been at the core of bankruptcy for American families. spent the vast majority of his 93 years of this progress and has saved and cre- We cannot fix this economy without fighting for men and women in the ated jobs and made much-needed in- reforming our health care system. We fields, factories, and loading docks of vestments in my local district. For ex- cannot be fiscally responsible without America. The only thing he loved more ample, in my hometown of Utica, New addressing the stunning economic li- than telling labor stories to anyone York, the recovery bill provided the abilities that we have associated with who would hear them was telling them City of Utica with over $2 million for Medicare and other promises we have to those who didn’t. lead abatement in homes across the made. For 26 years, Jack was the driving city. This lead abatement program will The reforms that we are offering will force behind the California Labor Fed- put people to work and improve the offer a real choice of plans to small eration, but he served our country in health and quality of life for countless businesses in America. It will provide many ways. He was the director of the families. Without this recovery bill tax credits to small businesses, and it California Department of Industrial funding, the City of Utica would have will end the practice of insurance com- Relations under Governor Pat Brown, had to have continued to delay this panies denying coverage to Americans Under Secretary of Labor for President vital program because it is likely that who need it. Most importantly, it will Kennedy, and U.S. Ambassador to New they did not have the funding nec- emphasize prevention, wellness, and Zealand for President Lyndon Johnson. essary to proceed with these plans on patient-centered care. Mr. Speaker, my thoughts are with its own. The bottom line, reforming health Jack’s family and the millions of I will continue to fight for the recov- care to contain rising costs is the most Americans—most of whom never knew ery bill funding for critical projects in effective action we can take to return him—who earn a liveable wage, work my district, and I know that we will our Nation’s budget to balance and under safer conditions, and are able to see even more progress in all of our make our workers the most competi- take their child to a doctor because of communities as we all continue to tive in the world. the tireless passion of Ambassador work together to lead America out of f Jack Henning. this economic crisis. f f PATIENT-CENTERED SOLUTIONS A REAL WAY TO PEACE ENERGY (Mr. PRICE of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the House (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given (Mr. ELLISON asked and was given for 1 minute.) permission to address the House for 1 permission to address the House for 1 Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, minute and to revise and extend his re- minute and to revise and extend his re- today I draw attention to a vision for a marks.) marks.) new era of American health care, a Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, as Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I rise clear path to provide access to afford- President Obama begins to wade into today to talk about the importance of able, quality care for all Americans. the Israel-Palestinian conflict, he must building a clean energy economy for There’s no doubt that our health care remember who our friends are. Israel is America. Americans are fed up with system is failing some of America’s pa- America’s most reliable and only the same tax breaks for oil companies tients. Now, some in this body believe democratic ally in the Middle East. that post record profits while working that the solution is giving greater con- Yet in his speech last week in Cairo families are stuck paying exorbitant trol over health care decisions to and in statements by his administra- prices at the pump. Americans want a Washington, a government takeover of tion, President Obama seems only to new energy economy, a green economy, personal health insurance. want to pressure Israel, while not re- to take us into the future, to take us Now, as a physician, I know that gov- quiring similar concessions from the into a carbon-neutral economy, to take ernment interference only harms pa- Palestinians and other Arab states. us into jobs, to take us into a future in tient access to health care. Real posi- Starting with the British Partition which we are not dependent upon the tive reform will only be achieved by Plan in 1937—when they were offered automobile for every transportational empowering patients, not government the western part of Palestine—then decision. and not bureaucrats. Positive reform again to the U.N. Partition Plan in The time has come to transform our starts with giving ownership of health 1947, to the Camp David talks in 2000, economy for decades to come. The time coverage back to the patient, not the and most recently in December of 2008, has come to create American jobs with government. Allowing individuals full the Palestinians have rejected every new, clean, American-made energy. control over their coverage will make plan to divide the land into inde- The clean energy jobs plan is the next insurers truly accountable to patients, pendent states. Each time their answer step in creating millions of American leading to greater choice, innovation, was ‘‘no.’’ jobs in clean energy, efficiency, and and responsiveness. No outside party, President Obama modernizing a smart electric grid. We Secondly, we must provide the proper included, can arbitrarily impose a can reduce our dependence on costly financial incentives so that there’s no peace agreement, nor can peace be oil, curb pollution, and create jobs. We reason to be uninsured. With tax re- achieved by setting conditions on just can do this. Yes, we can. form, not government mandates, we one party, Israel, which has been will- f ing to take the necessary and difficult can achieve universal access to care for FIX THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM all Americans. steps towards peace and consider com- (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked Mr. Speaker, Republicans have a promise. and was given permission to address positive, patient-centered prescription f the House for 1 minute.) for America that doesn’t result in a THE RECOVERY BILL Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. government takeover. (Mr. ARCURI asked and was given Speaker, I rise to call out the siren and f permission to address the House for 1 the clarion call for fixing America’s b 1230 minute and to revise and extend his re- health care system. We urgently need marks.) to fix it, and we realize that if you’ve HONORING THE LIFE OF Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, it is unde- got it, you like it, you can keep it. AMBASSADOR JACK HENNING niable that we have seen many positive We need to get a system that will (Ms. SPEIER asked and was given signs in our economy since January. allow those that are underinsured and permission to address the House for 1 The unemployment rate, while still far without insurance to be able to be

VerDate Nov 24 2008 03:46 Jun 10, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K09JN7.018 H09JNPT1 smartinez on PROD1PC64 with HOUSE H6320 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 9, 2009 cared for in this Nation. We need to re- Resolved, That the House of Representa- viders, including doctors and the peo- duce the serious health disparities. We tives— ple who staff their clinics, is well- need to also ensure that there is a pub- (1) offers its condolences to Dr. Tiller’s known. Bombings, shootings, van- lic option, that there is universal ac- family; and dalism, and harassment all serve to cess to health care. Make it a good (2) commits to the American principle that warn women and their health care pro- tolerance must always be superior to intoler- Medicare plan that helps the young, ance, and that violence is never an appro- viders that they may pay a terrible the old, and the working Americans. priate response to a difference in beliefs. price if they choose to avail themselves In addition, we need to be fair to how of their rights under the Constitution. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- we pay for it. We need to realize that This was not the first time a health ant to the rule, the gentleman from physician-owned hospitals are not the care provider was similarly targeted. I enemy. In fact, they help to, in es- New York (Mr. NADLER) and the gen- am sure every Member of this House sence, bring down health disparities. tleman from North Carolina (Mr. and every decent American, however Many physician-owned hospitals or in- COBLE) each will control 20 minutes. they may feel or whatever they may vestor-owned hospitals with doctors in- The Chair recognizes the gentleman believe on the question of abortion, volved are in the urban and rural areas from New York. will insist that this and every other where no other hospitals would go. GENERAL LEAVE question must be decided by our legal, Let’s fix this system in a fair manner Mr. NADLER of New York. Mr. constitutional, and democratic proc- that addresses the question of making Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that esses and not by murderous violence. I sure the 47 million-plus who are under- all Members have 5 legislative days in am sure we all condemn those people or insured and those without insurance which to revise and extend their re- groups who espouse or excuse domestic can have a good public option, can as marks and include extraneous material terrorism. well have a fair system of good doctors on the resolution under consideration. But while violence has long been di- and have good hospitals and make it The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there rected at the clinics and the people work for working Americans and oth- objection to the request of the gen- who work there, this time the killer ers who are in need. tleman from New York? chose, in addition, to invade the sanc- f There was no objection. tity of the Sabbath. Murderous intoler- ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER Mr. NADLER of New York. I yield ance is never justified; even so, the PRO TEMPORE myself such time as I may consume. idea of bringing death and mayhem to Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of a house of worship strikes all people as The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. House Resolution 505, which condemns particularly reprehensible. These acts BLUMENAUER). Pursuant to clause 8 of the murder of Dr. George Tiller, who include the murder of an Illinois pastor rule XX, the Chair will postpone fur- was shot to death at his church on May in the pulpit in March of this year; the ther proceedings today on motions to 31. The resolution also offers the con- murder of an Ohio minister in Novem- suspend the rules on which a recorded dolences of the House of Representa- ber of last year; the murder of an usher vote or the yeas and nays are ordered, tives to Dr. Tiller’s family. I know that and a guest during a children’s play in or on which the vote incurs objection Dr. Tiller and his family are in the a Tennessee church in July of last under clause 6 of rule XX. year; the murder of four family mem- Record votes on postponed questions thoughts and prayers of every Member bers in a church in Louisiana in May will be taken later. of the House today. I want to commend our colleague, 2006; and the shooting of a worshipper f the distinguished chairperson of the outside a synagogue in Florida in Octo- CONDEMNING THE MURDER OF DR. Rules Committee, my fellow New York- ber 2005; not to mention the attempted GEORGE TILLER er, Ms. SLAUGHTER, for introducing this bombings of two synagogues in River- Mr. NADLER of New York. Mr. resolution. dale in the Bronx just a few weeks ago. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules It is imperative that the House of Whether these acts of violence target and agree to the resolution (H. Res. Representatives speak with a united one individual or an entire community 505) condemning the murder of Dr. voice in condemning this crime. It is a of faith, we must all join together and George Tiller, who was shot to death at sad reminder that medical personnel speak out against them. his church on May 31, 2009. are still at risk from armed extremists I urge all of my colleagues to stand The Clerk read the title of the resolu- who are willing to resort to deadly vio- up to those who would bring their reign tion. lence in order to advance their causes of terror into a house of worship and The text of the resolution is as fol- even when they cloak their cause in those who would seek to change Amer- lows: the language of life. There can never be ican law by violence and unconstitu- tional means to express their oppro- H. RES. 505 room in a free society for the use of brium of this conduct by supporting Whereas Dr. George Tiller was murdered in deadly violence to advance a cause. It Wichita, Kansas, on May 31, 2009; is against everything this country this resolution condemning the murder Whereas Dr. Tiller is mourned by his fam- stands for. I have no doubt there isn’t of George Tiller and extending the con- dolences of this House to the members ily, friends, congregation, community, and a single Member of this House who colleagues; of Dr. Tiller’s family. would disagree. Whereas Dr. Tiller, 67, was killed in his I urge my colleagues to support this place of worship, a place intended for peace This resolution renews our commit- resolution, and I reserve the balance of and refuge that in a moment became a place ment to the American principle that my time. for violence and murder; tolerance must always be superior to Mr. COBLE. I rise in support of the Whereas places of worship should be sanc- intolerance and that violence is never House Resolution 505, Mr. Speaker. I tuaries, but have increasingly borne witness an appropriate response to differences yield myself such time as I may con- to reprehensible acts of violence, with 38 peo- and belief. ple in the United States killed in their place sume. As deplorable as this murder was, it I support House Resolution 505 which of worship in the past 10 years and 30 people was all the more reprehensible because wounded in those same incidents; deplores the murder of Dr. George Till- Whereas these acts of violence include the the victim was targeted as he was leav- er who was shot to death at his church, murder of an Illinois pastor at the pulpit in ing church. In the past 10 years, 38 peo- as has already been mentioned, on May March 2009, the murder of an Ohio minister ple have been murdered in their place 31. I join with the National Right to in November 2008, the murder of an usher and of worship and 30 more have been Life Committee, the Nation’s largest a guest during a children’s play in a Ten- wounded. pro-life group, in condemning the kill- nessee church in July 2008, the murder of Dr. Tiller was a controversial figure. ing of Dr. Tiller. As that organization four family members in a church in Lou- He was the target of threats and even a correctly said, Anyone who works to isiana in May 2006, and the shooting of a wor- prior shooting because of his dedica- shipper outside a synagogue in Florida in Oc- increase respect for human life must tober 2005; and tion to providing needed, if unpopular, oppose any unlawful use of violence Whereas violence is deplorable, and never services. He was murdered solely be- that is directly contrary to that goal. an acceptable avenue for expressing opposing cause of the work he did. The contin- Because I believe everyone who is the viewpoints: Now, therefore, be it ued violence directed at abortion pro- victim of unlawful violence should be

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