E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 110 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 153 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2007 No. 23 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. WELCOMING THE REVEREND KENN the war. Even in the supplemental that The Reverend Kenn Hucks, Pastor, HUCKS he proposed, he fails to acknowledge Immanuel Baptist Church, Lebanon, (Mr. COOPER asked and was given the additional cost of the troops and Tennessee, offered the following pray- permission to address the House for 1 support personnel that will be required er: minute.) by the troop surge. Folks, the numbers Our Father, we offer to You our Mr. COOPER. Madam Speaker, we simply don’t add up. greatest praise and thanksgiving for were privileged today to have deliver I am disappointed that the budget another day to serve You and our fel- our opening prayer the Reverend Kenn fails to include ample funding for the low man. Thank You for the grace and Hucks from Lebanon, Tennessee, Im- Everglades restoration and beach re- nourishment, which are an important blessing to live in this great land. manuel Baptist Church, formerly in asset and resource in our country. The Grant to every American in this BART GORDON’s district, and now in my Everglades and our beaches in Florida great assembly a craving for Your wis- district. We are also privileged to have are not only important to Floridians, dom, the courage to express it, and the his beautiful wife Kim with us today but also national treasures enjoyed by commitment to never turn away from sitting in the family gallery. what is right. millions of Americans each year. This is a church that started in 1947 It is time for our government to step Bring true and lasting peace to our with just a few dozen members, and world. Allow spiritual renewal to sweep up to the plate and fulfill its commit- now it is in the top 1 percent of the ment to the Everglades, our beaches, our great land, and help us to truly be- Tennessee Baptist and the Southern and all our other natural assets; I am come one Nation under God that is in- Baptist Conventions, due to a long line going to fight to make this happen. divisible, with liberty and justice for of inspirational pastors, the latest of President Bush’s priorities are out of all. whom is Kenn Hucks, who joined the step, and as we continue to debate his Help each of us to humble ourselves congregation, was called to the min- budget, I am confident Congress will under Your mighty hand and truly love istry in 2002. We appreciate his great restore funding to many of the pro- our neighbor as our self. spiritual leadership in our community, grams our American families deserve Protect our Armed Forces, prosper and we appreciate his being with us and depend on. our workforce, and prescribe the path today. f of Your will for all of America and for f every American. In our Savior’s name, ELIMINATING PREVENTABLE amen. BUSH BUDGET HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATED IN- f (Mr. KLEIN of Florida asked and was FECTIONS given permission to address the House (Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania THE JOURNAL for 1 minute.) asked and was given permission to ad- The SPEAKER. The Chair has exam- Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speak- dress the House for 1 minute and to re- ined the Journal of the last day’s pro- er, I would like to speak about the vise and extend his remarks.) ceedings and announces to the House budget this morning and the concern Mr. TIM MURPHY OF Pennsylvania. her approval thereof. that I have that the budget President I would like to welcome my colleague Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- Bush has proposed makes it very clear from Pittsburgh in his first time in the nal stands approved. that his priorities are out of touch Speaker’s chair. f with everyday Americans. President Mr. Speaker, more people die each Bush would rather maintain his tax year from infections they pick up in PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE cuts for the wealthiest in our commu- hospitals than from AIDS, breast can- The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman nities, while leaving seniors, veterans cer or auto accidents. The Centers for from Indiana (Mr. HILL) come forward and working families behind. Disease Control reports these health and lead the House in the Pledge of Al- He also believes that his budget will care-associated infections contribute legiance. rid our Nation of debt in 5 years, even to 90,000 deaths per year, with annual Mr. HILL led the Pledge of Alle- though he wants to keep spending bil- costs exceeding $50 billion. Medicare giance as follows: lions of dollars in Iraq and maintain costs for patients who contract an in- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the these tax cuts for the most wealthy. fection while hospitalized is five times United States of America, and to the Repub- Further, President Bush continu- higher than for patients without these lic for which it stands, one nation under God, ously fails to be up front with the infections. For Medicaid patients, costs indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. American people about the true cost of are 14 times higher. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H1275 . VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:02 Feb 08, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A07FE7.000 H07FEPT1 mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with HOUSE H1276 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 7, 2007 Many hospitals have dramatically re- open, the more likely they are to be more than 600 forested counties and duced infection rates by implementing fair. More courts throughout the vast- 4,400 school districts across our great patient safety procedures. I will be in- ness of America are expanding on this country. troducing the Healthy Hospitals Act to public trial concept by allowing unob- For Wallowa County, Oregon, this provide financial incentives to hos- trusive cameras in the courtroom. This means the road department and the pitals for savings gained from elimi- allows citizens to view court pro- sheriff search and rescue budgets will nating these infections, and require ceedings. When I was a judge in Texas, be slashed in half. There are more than public reporting of infections so health I allowed cameras to film criminal 700 miles of roads in Wallowa County care providers and patients can work trials, including a capital murder case. maintained by a current staff of 14. together to save lives and money. We I found that this enhanced the concept Soon only seven will try and keep up need patient-centered health care that of a fair public trial. with this responsibility; that is one promotes patient choice, patient safety Those that have never been a trial person for every 100 miles of road in and patient care quality. lawyer or a trial judge say that law- Wallowa County. That is the same dis- To learn more about eliminating pre- yers play to the cameras; but lawyers tance as between Washington, DC, and ventable health care-associated infec- don’t play to the cameras, they play to Richmond, Virginia. County Commis- tions, I invite my colleagues to visit the jury or the court. sioner Mike Hayward says, ‘‘Impact to my Web site at Murphy.house.gov. So open Supreme Court proceedings our roads and rescue services will put f to cameras. Let America see what our citizens and visitors at risk.’’ PRESIDENT’S BUDGET CONTINUES takes place. And to those judges who Loss of the county payments pro- TO SHORTCHANGE VETERANS are opposed to this openness, maybe gram will also have a significant nega- AND MILITARY RETIREES they shouldn’t be doing what they do tive impact on more than 18 county when the camera is not rolling. governments across America whose (Mr. WILSON of Ohio asked and was And that’s just the way it is. Payment in Lieu of Taxes funds could given permission to address the House f be reduced by as much as 20 percent. for 1 minute.) This Congress must keep the Federal Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, KUCINICH 12-POINT PLAN FOR Government’s word to the people who we have an obligation as a government IRAQ live in timbered communities and pass to provide assistance to the men and (Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given H.R. 17. Time is running out for them. women who have bravely served our permission to address the House for 1 f Nation in our military; but once again, minute and to revise and extend his re- President Bush sent us a budget this marks.) BUSH SLASHING FUNDING TO EDU- week that significantly shortchanges Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, we are CATION AND JOB TRAINING PRO- veterans health care. sacrificing our entire domestic agenda GRAMS IN 2008 BUDGET While our brave troops are fighting for an illegal war in Iraq. (Mr. HILL asked and was given per- abroad as of right now, the President When you look at the President’s mission to address the House for 1 proposes a $3.5 billion cut in veterans budget, reductions in education and minute and to revise and extend his re- health care over the next 5 years.