218 Hon. Carol Shea-Porter Hon. Adam H. Putnam Hon
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218 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 155, Pt. 1 January 6, 2009 INTRODUCTION OF THE VETERANS that the VA can work to ensure that local care Justice Canady kept his term limits pledge, HEALTH EQUITY ACT OF 2009 is available. It is time for the VA to go further and did not seek reelection to a fifth term in and for the government to live up to the prom- 2000. After leaving Congress, Justice Canady HON. CAROL SHEA-PORTER ises we’ve made to those who have served so returned to the practice of law, serving as OF NEW HAMPSHIRE honorably. counsel to Governor Jeb Bush. In 2002, Gov- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES f ernor Bush appointed him to Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal. On August 27, 2008, Tuesday, January 6, 2009 HONORING FORMER U.S. REP- Governor Charlie Crist nominated Justice Can- Ms. SHEA-PORTER. Madam Speaker, RESENTATIVE CHARLES T. CAN- ady to the Florida Supreme Court. His nomi- today, I introduced The Veterans Health Eq- ADY UPON HIS INVESTITURE AS nation was confirmed and Justice Canady took uity Act of 2009. This legislation requires the A JUSTICE TO THE FLORIDA SU- his seat as the 82nd Associate Justice to the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that PREME COURT Florida Supreme Court on September 8, 2008, every State has a full-service veterans hos- and was sworn-in through a formal investiture pital, or access to equivalent care in-state. I HON. ADAM H. PUTNAM on December 3, 2008. have been calling for the VA to provide full- OF FLORIDA Former Congressman Charles T. Canady service medical care to New Hampshire’s vet- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES resided until his appointment to the Florida erans since October of 2007 and introduced Tuesday, January 6, 2009 Supreme Court in Lakeland, Florida, and is identical legislation in the 110th Congress. Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today married to wife Jennifer and has two daugh- New Hampshire has not had a full-service to pay tribute to a former member of this body, ters, Julia and Anna. Charles T. Canady is the veterans hospital since 2001 and is the only Representative Charles T. Canady on the oc- son of Charles and Delores Canady. State without a full-service VA hospital or casion of his investiture as a Justice to the f comparable facility. While New Hampshire Supreme Court of the State of Florida. INTRODUCTION OF THE may be a small State, it has a veteran popu- During his tenure in the U.S. House of Rep- AMERICARE HEALTH INSURANCE lation over 130,000. resentatives, Justice Canady served this na- ACT OF 2009 Because we lack a veterans hospital, New tion and the people of the 12th Congressional Hampshire’s veterans are often forced to trav- District, which I now represent, with honor and el out-of-state for medical care. Veterans trav- distinction. His steadfast commitment toward HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK OF CALIFORNIA eling from the most Northern parts of the State upholding the laws and principles on which IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES may have to travel three hours to Manchester our nation was founded, will serve the people and then may be forced to travel up to 2 hours of the State of Florida well through his ap- Tuesday, January 6, 2009 to Boston, if they are referred there for their pointment as a Justice to the Florida Supreme Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, it gives me care. Court. great pleasure to reintroduce the AmeriCare Unfortunately, this routinely happens—each Born in Lakeland, Florida, Justice Canady Health Care Act of 2009. I have often spoken year, hundreds of patients are referred to the earned his B.A. from Haverford College in before this body about the great need to re- Boston, MA or White River Junction, VT facili- 1976 and Doctorate of Jurisprudence from form our health care system. For too long, we ties. Yale University in 1979. Thereafter, he prac- have been plagued with an inadequate patch- It is simply a matter of fairness that our vet- ticed law in Lakeland at the firm of Holland work system that today leaves nearly 46 mil- erans in New Hampshire be afforded the and Knight and with the Lane, Trohn, Clarke, lion Americans uninsured. We spend more per same services as veterans in every other Bertrand and Williams law firm. In 1984, he person than any other country in the world, yet State. Though New Hampshire may be a was elected to the Florida House of Rep- our health outcomes lag well behind that of small State, even smaller States with fewer resentatives where he served through 1990. other industrialized nations. veterans have full-service care available. In 1992, Justice Canady was elected to the The failing economy is even more proof of I am a realist, and a fiscal conservative. 103rd Congress and served four terms in the our need to act now. Our broken health sys- That is why my legislation does not require the United States House of Representatives from tem is a tremendous financial burden on our VA to construct a full-service hospital in Man- January 1993 to January 2001. Throughout Nation’s families and businesses alike. Since chester if it is not economically feasible. In- his tenure in Congress, Justice Canady was 1999, family premiums for employer-spon- stead, the Department could work with health an active member of the House Judiciary sored insurance have increased 119 percent, care providers in the state to provide care Committee. For three terms from January nearly 4 times the increase in wages (34 per- through local hospitals. 1995 to January 2001, former Rep. Canady cent) and inflation (29 percent) during that The Manchester VA facility has done a was the Chairman of the House Judiciary Sub- same time. About one in three Americans re- great job of reaching out to local partners and committee on the Constitution. In this capacity, ported a serious problem ‘‘paying for health getting our vets access to as much local care his efforts toward protecting and defending the care and health insurance’’ in October 2008. as possible within their current restrictions. In laws of our nation made a lasting mark not Half of all bankruptcies can be traced to med- fact, they have submitted a business plan that only on this body, but on the American people ical bills. 49 percent of people in foreclosure would allow them to contract with more local for whom we are called serve. named medical problems as a cause of their health care providers. I urge the Department While a member of the House of Represent- financial difficulties. to strongly consider this business plan. Its ap- atives, Former Rep. Canady worked with According to the New America Foundation, proval would make a big difference in the steadfast dedication and fortitude on the our economy lost as much as $207 billion last quality and accessibility of care for New issues found at the core of our country’s belief year because of the poor health and shorter Hampshire’s veterans. system. Among his contributions include pas- lifespans of those without health insurance. If the VA will not consider restoring Man- sage into law of the Religious Liberty Protec- General Motors spends more on health care chester to a full-service facility or ensuring that tion Act, which protects all citizens’ right to ex- than on steel. While I’m not suggesting we im- New Hampshire veterans have access to care ercise their religious freedoms. He also cham- port the Canadian health system, it is worth in New Hampshire, Congress must do so. pioned the Civil Rights Act of 1997, the Par- highlighting that if we paid the same amount Our veterans, regardless of the services tial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Religious Land for health care as Canada, G.M. would have they need, deserve the same care their coun- Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, the Pri- accumulated an additional $22 billion in profits terparts receive in every other State. It is un- vate Property Rights Implementation Act, over the last decade. Inadequate health cov- conscionable that we deny them this full-serv- Equal Opportunity Act, as well as the Family erage is crippling our economy. ice care and instead offer them ad hoc serv- Caregiver Enumeration Act. The President-elect declared that health ices. Appointed as a House Manager to conduct care reform should happen ‘‘this year’’. Chair- I will continue to work with the Director of the presidential impeachment proceedings, he man RANGEL and I are ready to work with him, the New Hampshire VA and with the new worked to uphold the laws of our nation Chairmen WAXMAN and MILLER, our leadership Obama Administration to ensure that our vet- through his unwavering commitment to the and the Senate to achieve this goal. erans have care in New Hampshire. Last sum- principles of the Constitution of the United AmeriCare is a template of a way that we mer’s expansion of radiation services proves States and the governing rules of our country. can achieve universal health care. AmeriCare VerDate Mar 15 2010 11:50 Jun 09, 2011 Jkt 079102 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 0689 Sfmt 9920 E:\BR09\E06JA9.000 E06JA9 erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with BOUND RECORD January 6, 2009 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 155, Pt. 1 219 is built on a framework that is consistent with America—and guarantee access to medical art of photography and the history of Oregon, many of the principles that President-elect innovation and the world’s most advanced Terry Toedtemeier.