Hello, I’d like to discuss a few issues of extreme important for our nation with you today, namely, our nation’s veterans, the mortgage crisis, and healthcare.

As the second highest ranking Member on the House Committee of Veterans Affairs, I fight every day up in Washington for our nation’s brave men and women who risk their lives defending our country.

Just recently when I was in Gainesville, I visited the VAMC, and I was appalled at the living conditions of our veterans being treated at the facility. In fact, the veterans there are currently living five to a room and sharing shower facilities at the end of the hall. So when I saw this, I immediately demanded that the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee figure out a way to get money to the facility for improvements! And sure enough, the center was awarded $50 million to improve its infrastructure!

Back in Washington, in the Veterans Affairs Committee, we are working hard to stick more money into a terribly underfunded veterans budget. This year the Democratic budget passed by the House builds on the funding increases for veterans programs last year. It rejects the Bush Administration’s plan to institute enrollment fees and increase pharmacy co payments – a plan that would effectively force many veterans out of the VA system. This budget also rejects the President’s proposed cuts to new facility construction projects and cuts to medical and prosthetic research programs at the VA. And it also provides needed funding to care for our returning service members and provide more comprehensive mental health care and resources to address the needs of homeless veterans.

One of the most serious economic crises facing our nation right now is in the mortgage industry. Homeowners are really the bedrock of our country, and make up a big part of the American dream. Nearly 70% of Americans own a home, yet millions have either lost their homes in the market crisis or are in danger of doing so.

I recently held various housing workshops for area residents of the third district of Florida: in Jacksonville, Gainesville and Orlando. I invited banks and credit unions, credit counselors, city officials, and other non profit organizations, with the goal of assisting Florida residents in and around the district struggling to avoid foreclosure on their homes. Representatives from area financial institutions, credit counseling agencies, and other home ownership agencies were there to offer free, one-on-one help to residents facing eviction and/or foreclosure. Area agencies offered assistance and information on refinancing current high interest or adjustable rate mortgages. I’m pleased to report that all of the events proved to be extremely helpful for my constituents, and I am hoping to hold another housing conference later this year.

Legislatively in Washington, probably the most important bill being debated on this subject is the Senate Housing Package, which was debated last week.

The Senate bill would require lenders and loan service companies to agree to cut the principal balances of troubled loans and take a loss, with the hope of avoiding further losses in a foreclosure. The bill also includes a new standard property tax deduction of up to $1,000 for couples and $500 for individuals that will benefit 28 million tax filers who do not itemize their deductions.

It also includes $10 billion in tax-exempt bonds for local housing agencies to refinance subprime loans and provide mortgages for first-time home buyers, $4 billion in grants for local governments to buy foreclosed properties and $100 million to expand counseling for homeowners at risk of defaulting on their loans.

And an even more aggressive legislative rescue effort for homeowners is expected to begin in the House. Representative Barney Frank, my colleague from Massachusetts and chairman of the Financial Services Committee, will hold hearings on a plan to provide up to $300 billion in federally guaranteed loans to help refinance the mortgages of as many as 1.5 million homeowners at risk of default.

Lastly, to briefly address the subject of health care…We are in the midst of one of the worst health care crisis our nation has ever faced, as nearly one fifth of our citizens are without proper health insurance, and prescription drug prices are through the roof! Yet the Bush administration decided again this year to cut even more funding for health care in their proposed budget!

In Florida, health care premiums have risen 40 percent since 2000, and we had nearly 4 million residents without health insurance last year. And again, the President’s budget would actually cut spending for government health resources and services by nearly a billion dollars. The Administration’s budget also included $195 billion in cuts over five years to Medicare and Medicaid which, for Florida, would endanger 3 million people receiving Medicare and 2 million Medicaid patients’ access to care.

Fortunately for America and for Florida, this budget is dead on arrival, that’s right: DOA!

With my colleagues in the Democratic majority in both the House and Senate, we are working to put money back into health care programs that our population not only needs, but deserves!