Date: 2009-07-24
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chair. I rise today in strong support of this appropriations bill. In this time of economic uncertainty. the Labor. HHS. and Education Appropriations Act funds some of the most important programs that provide a social safety net. as well as programs that will help us on the road to recovery. Investment in education and job training is one of the best ways to help America become stronger. and more productive and competitive. H.R. 3293 makes critical investments to train people for jobs. shore up health and social safety nets to provide relief for millions of hardworking Americans struggling to make ends meet in the economic crisis. and provide the educational opportunity that is critical to the nations longerterm prosperity. One of these jobs training programs will take place in Texass 29th District at the International Maritime and Energy Center of Houston. which San Jacinto College will operate along with other regional and industry partners. Our district includes the Port of Houston. and this center will provide training for the high demand jobs that exist right in our backyard. With inland shipping docks protected from open seas. by the 1980s more than half of the United States energy/petrochemical capacity was built in the Houston port region. Today. this global maritime and industrial complex is second in size only to Rotterdam in the entire world. This funding will allow San Jacinto College along with other regional and industry partners. to address the critical need for trained workers in both the maritime and energy industries. Recognizing this critical need for trained workers. and how a shortage of workers would impact the Houston Port region. numerous public and private entities have partnered with the intent to create the International Maritime and Energy Center of Houston. This project will allow enhanced training programs that develop skilled workers in technical education and also a training and workforce pipeline in regional dual credit programs with the area high schools. and I thank the Committee for including this critical funding. Also included in this bill is funding for the purchase of directcapture digital imaging devices by the Harris County Hospital District that will enhance clinical work flow and will allow imaging technologists to increase productivity and increase access to care for clinic beneficiaries which is the overall program goal. Current radiology practices in the Community Health Centers are hampered by analog imaging products that limit work flow efficiencies. Existing systems require the Radiology Technologist to capture radiographic images on an imaging plate that is processed by a computed radiography device. The process is time consuming and limits patient throughput by nearly onethirdcassette based image management systems are very inefficient and resourceintensive. The Harris County Hospital District is the public hospital system for Harris County. Texas. With an operating budget in excess of $800 million. the district runs 3 hospitals. 11 community health centers. a freestanding HIV clinic. and several schoolbased and communitybased clinics. This equipment will allow them to better serve the needs of our community. I am also pleased that this bill supports three important education programs that are active throughout our district. Several of the schools in our district participate in the Education for Democracy Act program which is one of the most cost effective education programs supported by the federal government. This important program promotes our students capacity to participate competently and responsibly in our democratic system by providing them with a thorough understanding of our constitutional democracy as expressed in such seminal documents as the Declaration of Independence. the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. and the Gettysburg Address. The Reach Out and Read program promotes literacy and language development in infants and young children. targeting disadvantaged children and families across our country. Through fifteen years of peerreviewed and published research. an extensive body of documentation now clearly demonstrates the importance of promoting early language and literacy skills so that children have the essential reading skills they need to begin school successfully. I am proud that there are fifteen Reach Out and Read locations in our district serving 9.161 children each year. Finally. I am a long time supporter of the Reading is Fundamental Program in our country and am pleased that the Appropriations Committee continued their strong support for this program as well. This important program also enhances child literacy by providing millions of underserved children. including several in my district. with free booksthereby encouraging them to read and cultivate he skills they need to be successful in school. Mr. Chair. this is a good bill that funds so many needs in our district and across the country. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting its passage.