January 15, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E97 

of operating a personal vehicle while performing an important service in the pursuit of 

a greater good. 

To achieve this end, my legislation would 

exclude from gross income any reimbursement received for the use of a volunteer’s car 

while assisting a charitable group, limited only 

by the cap the Internal Revenue Service sets 

each year regarding business driving. This 

treatment would be available only for services 

provided without compensation and drivers 

would be required to maintain sufficient 

records to substantiate the charitable use of 

their vehicles. Finally, this bill drops the requirement that charitable groups report these 

reimbursements to the IRS, removing an administrative and paperwork burden that detracts resources from their larger purpose. 

Each day, thousands of Americans lend a 

hand in providing transportation services to a 

multitude of organizations engaged in good 

works. These activities include assisting individuals with their routine grocery shopping, 

providing the use of a four-wheel drive vehicle 

to transport home-visit nurses during inclement weather, delivering meals as part of a holiday food drive, helping individuals to keep 

their medical appointments, and many more 

similar activities. 

These volunteer drivers are donating their 

time and their talents, not their vehicles, and 

accepting reimbursement for the use of that 

car, incidental to their time and talent donation, is a reasonable act, which should not result in an additional tax liability. Today, when 

it comes to driving a personal vehicle, our tax 

code makes a distinction between business 

and charitable uses. This distinction is a mistake; it is a serious disincentive to charitable 

activities, and it should be corrected. I encourage my colleagues to support the continued 

efforts of our charity-minded constituents by 

cosponsoring the Charitable Driving Tax Relief 

Act of 2009. 

f 

CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE 

PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION 

ACT OF 2009 

SPEECH OF

HON. BOB ETHERIDGE OF NORTH CAROLINA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today in support of H.R. 2, Children’s Health 

Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 

2009. This bill will ensure that health coverage 

continues for the 7 million children currently 

covered under the Children’s Health Insurance 

Program, and will extend coverage to an additional 4 million children who are currently uninsured. Without the legislation, the CHIP would 

end on March 31, 2009. 

CHIP provides health care coverage for children in families that earn too much to qualify 

for Medicaid, but not enough to afford private 

insurance. In 2007, more than 240,000 children in North Carolina received health coverage through North Carolina’s CHIP, NC 

Health Choice for Children. Under the legislation, North Carolina’s allotment would increase 

by 81 percent over the current level from $136 

million to $245 million. North Carolina has 

296,000 uninsured children, the sixth-largest 

number in the country. Two-thirds of uninsured 

children in North Carolina live in a home 

where at least one parent works full time. 

As North Carolina’s former Superintendent 

of Public Instruction, I have seen first hand 

that healthy children are better prepared for 

learning and success. The Children’s Health 

Insurance Program ensures that America’s 

children are as healthy and productive as possible and that they can grow up to fulfill their 

potential. Untreated illnesses can have longterm consequences, and access to health care 

can head off expensive treatments down the 

road. As a Nation, we must protect our most 

vulnerable citizens. 

I still regret that the bill will be funded by a 

tobacco-tax increase. The tax in H.R. 2 falls 

disproportionately on North Carolina, and on 

the Second District in particular. I understand 

the burden this will place on farmers who work 

hard to build a better life for their own children, and I will continue to work to support 

these families as they adjust to transformations in the global economy. However, 

with one out of eight children in North Carolina 

lacking health insurance I will vote for this legislation. 

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to 

join me in voting for the children of America’s 

working families. 

f 

CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE 

PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION 

ACT OF 2009 

SPEECH OF

HON. DANNY K. DAVIS OF ILLINOIS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today in strong, unwavering, and steadfast 

support of the reauthorization of SCHIP to provide healthcare for millions of uninsured children. SCHIP is a critical safety net for children. As Chief Justice Thurgood Marshall 

once said, ‘‘The measure of a country’s greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times 

of crisis.’’ Providing healthcare for low-income 

children, especially during this economic crisis, 

reflects a commitment to the least among us 

as well as sound economic policy. A healthy 

child is prepared for school and life. A healthy 

child does not require costly emergency room 

visits. I applaud House leaders for including 

mental health parity and dental coverage for 

children. 

In Fiscal Year 2007, SCHIP provided health 

care to over 345,000 children in Illinois. Unfortunately, due to overwhelming need, Illinois 

faced a shortfall in federal spending last year. 

This bill does much to address this gap. Specifically, in addition to preserving coverage for 

the 7 million children currently in the program, 

this bill expands coverage to another 4 million 

children in need. 

I want to briefly mention the efforts of Chicago Public Schools in helping low income 

families overcome many of the barriers that 

often prevent them from enrolling in SCHIP. 

The Children and Family Benefits Unit assisted approximately 60 schools in a recent 12 

month period, helping over 4,200 families’ 

complete applications to enroll into the Illinois 

CHIP, including Medicaid. I am proud of this 

effort in Chicago, and I am pleased that this 

bill will continue to support such programs. 

In closing, this bill will provide much-needed 

health care for low-income children in Chicago, Illinois, and the nation, and I look forward to this bill being signed into law in the 

near future. 

f 

THE IRAQI REFUGEE AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, RESETTLEMENT, AND SECURITY 

ACT OF 2009 

HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, January 15, 2009 

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Madam Speaker, 

I rise today with my good friend and colleague, Congressman JOHN DINGELL and almost 15 original cosponsors in strong support 

of the Iraqi Refugee and Internally Displaced 

Persons Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement, and Security Act of 2009, a bill which I 

am reintroducing for the 1st Session of the 

111th Congress. 

The comprehensive legislation I am introducing today addresses this crisis and the potential security break-down resulting from the 

mass influx of Iraqi refugees into neighboring 

countries and the growing internally displaced 

population in Iraq, and also facilitates the resettlement of Iraqis at risk. 

The plight of Iraqi refugees and IDP’s is 

worsening by the day. It is heartbreaking to 

hear the stories of families who fled for their 

safety, are now unable to work and have subsequently depleted their savings in order to 

survive. 

I believe that the United States has a moral 

obligation to take the lead and provide a ‘humanitarian surge’ in responding to this crisis. 

The future of the Middle East depends on it. 

I would like to thank Congressman DINGELL

for his continued leadership in the House of 

Representatives on this issue and for his help 

in drafting this legislation as well as the other 

original co-sponsors supporting this bill. As I 

have said on many occasions, this must not 

be a partisan issue, but rather Congress and 

the Administration have an obligation to work 

together before the Iraqi refugee crisis further 

destabilizes the region. 

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, which will provide much needed relief for Iraqi refugees and IDP’s. I call on 

the leadership of the House to support this bill. 

f 

REMEMBERING MAJOR JOHN P. 

PRYOR, MD 

HON. JOHN H. ADLER OF NEW JERSEY

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, January 15, 2009 

Mr. ADLER of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, on Christmas Day, 2008, an enemy mortar 

round struck the living quarters of Major John 

P. Pryor, MD, in Mosul, Iraq where he was 

stationed while on his second tour of duty as 

an Army Reservist. Major Pryor died of his 

wounds. 

Major Pryor was widely recognized as one 

of our country’s finest trauma surgeons. On 

the battlefield, he fought to save the lives of 


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