[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 17304-17306]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING CONGRESSMAN JOHN DINGELL ON HIS RETIREMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2013, the Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California 
(Ms. Speier) for 30 minutes.
  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, one of the great privileges of serving in 
this body is that occasionally we walk among giants. Most of us 435 
Members are ordinary, but among us are a few extraordinary citizens who 
become Members of Congress and serve this great country.
  We are saying good-bye this week to one of those giants. John 
Dingell, after serving some 59 years in this Chamber, is leaving us, 
and leaving us with a legacy of legislation that is truly astonishing: 
the Endangered Species Act, the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments, the Safe 
Drinking Water Act, legislation to create the first international 
wildlife refuge in North America, not to mention the Civil Rights Act 
or the Affordable Care Act or any number of other giant pieces of 
legislation.
  He has often said when asked about the jurisdiction that he was in 
charge of as chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee that he would 
point to a map of the Earth when asked about his jurisdiction and would 
say, ``If it moves, it is energy, and if it doesn't, it is commerce.'' 
That is the way he would define the jurisdiction under his leadership.
  We are thrilled that his wife now continues that extraordinary legacy 
by joining us as a Member of the next Congress, and I look forward to 
working with her on so many very important issues.
  So to John Dingell I say, I walked among many here in this Chamber, 
none as giant as you, and forevermore I will remember your great 
leadership to this body and to this country.


           Medicaid Primary Care Pay Bump and Women's Health

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I now would like to shift gears, Mr. 
Speaker, and speak about an issue that, frankly, John Dingell would be 
very concerned about as well, and that has to do with Medicaid primary 
care pay bump.
  At the end of this year there will be up to 7 million more women who 
are eligible for Medicaid through the Medicaid expansion program who 
will not be able to get health care because they can't find a doctor.

                              {time}  1815

  Medicaid pays less than Medicare and private insurance for primary 
care. That is not surprising. In 2012, the average Medicaid rates were 
only 59 percent of Medicare rates for primary care services.
  Now, you may be scratching your head and saying: Well, why would we 
somehow cheat the poor out of health care? That is precisely what we 
are doing. By reducing the amount of money available to physicians who 
provide care to the poor in this country, we are basically saying: 
``Find it if you can.''
  In my home State of California, the Medi-Cal reimbursement rates are 
on average only 43 percent of Medicare rates for primary care services. 
This map shows what the situation is. The very light color are those 
States which were at 33 to 57 percent, the medium blue is at 59 to 82, 
and the dark blue is at 85 to 98 percent of Medicare rates. As you see, 
most States are in that 59 to 82 percent range, but many large States, 
like California and Florida, are between 33 and 57 percent.
  The Affordable Care Act addressed this issue by creating a 2-year 
Medicaid pay bump for certain primary care services for millions of 
low-income individuals newly eligible for Medicaid-covered care. 
Without congressional action by the end of this year, that pay bump 
expires and, with it, health care for millions of Americans.
  I come to the floor today to demand that we extend the Medicaid pay 
bump past 2014 and protect health care for our low-income constituents.
  Additionally, the way the current pay bump is structured 
disadvantages women, many of whom prefer to see their trusted OB/GYNs 
to access primary and preventive care services. As we know, primary 
care and preventive care are crucial to the general health of our 
citizens, as well as to the reduction of health care costs, but the pay 
bump doesn't cover these crucial primary care providers.
  When I was in the State legislature in California, I, like many of us 
here, tended to find legislation that related to something that I knew. 
I realized that I never went to the doctor. The only time I went to the 
doctor was to visit my OB/GYN once a year.
  When primary care providers were being identified, I thought: Why 
shouldn't OB/GYNs be allowed to be primary care providers as well? So I 
introduced legislation in California which became law that specified 
that indeed OB/GYNs could be primary care providers.
  What we do know is almost 6 in 10 women report seeing their OB/GYN on 
a regular basis. It is the one thing that women do at least once a 
year. One-third of women view their OB/GYN providers as their main 
source of care, so Federal recognition of the primary care role that 
OB/GYNs play for women in the ACA's Medicaid pay bump lags behind this 
general recognition in many other sectors of our health care 
infrastructure.
  Thirty-five States and the District of Columbia classify OB/GYNs as 
primary care providers for their Medicaid programs. In TRICARE, the 
Federal health care program for our military servicemembers, OB/GYNs 
are recognized as primary care case managers.
  OB/GYNs are included under the primary care provider definition in 
community health teams, a grant program

[[Page 17305]]

that supports primary care practices and patient-centered medical 
homes. In the primary care residency program called the Teaching Health 
Center Graduate Medical Education program, which aims to increase the 
number of primary care residents and dentists trained in geographically 
isolated, economically, or medically vulnerable communities, OB/GYNs 
are included as one of the primary care disciplines.
  Let's be clear. Lack of recognition of OB/GYNs as primary care 
providers under the ACA pay bump puts women who receive their health 
care from Medicaid at a disadvantage. Twenty-three percent of women 
Medicaid beneficiaries report a problem finding a new doctor who will 
accept their insurance, compared to 7 percent of Medicare beneficiaries 
and 13 percent of women with private insurance, due very simply to the 
very low payment plans and rates that exist for Medicaid.
  I urge my colleagues to extend the Medicaid pay bump past 2014 and 
expand it to include a protection for women's health by officially 
including OB/GYNs as primary care providers.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota, 
Congressman Rick Nolan, my very good friend and someone who I admire 
greatly as well.
  (Mr. NOLAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Speaker and Members of the House, I want to join my 
colleagues in paying tribute to a great Member of Congress serving with 
us today but who is planning to retire, the Honorable John Dingell. I 
would like to do so by telling a little story.
  Some 40 years ago, I was elected to the Congress of the United States 
for the first time. Before I had even been sworn in, I faced my first 
big challenge. The Congressman that I preceded had passed some 
legislation called the Big Stone Wildlife Management Area. The editor 
of our biggest newspaper had applauded him for that. I supported it in 
my campaign. I said: ``I'll do everything I can do see that it's fully 
implemented and fully funded.''
  Well, I had just been elected, and the President of the United States 
announced that the project was not going to go forward, it was not 
going to be implemented, and it was not going to be funded. Here I am, 
I have just been elected, at least it appears as though I am already 
doing harm and damage to the district, and I haven't even been sworn in 
yet.
  We came out here for a little orientation session, and I decided I 
would check with the chairman of the Interior Subcommittee that is 
responsible for this kind of legislation, to see if he had any advice 
for me on how I could effectively deal with this.
  He said: ``Come see me tomorrow.'' So I went to see him the next day 
and he said: ``Put out a press release. The project is going to be 
fully staffed, it's going to be fully funded, it's going to be fully 
implemented.''
  I said to him, questioningly: ``Gee, Mr. Chairman, the President of 
the United States of America says it's not going to be fully funded, 
it's not going to be fully implemented.''
  He put his arm around me and he said: ``Son, let me tell you 
something. Presidents come and go around this town with quite 
regularity. Old dogs like me have been here forever, and I'm going to 
be here forever. The bureaucracy will listen to an old dog like me 
before they'll listen to some darn fool President of the United 
States.''
  Well, needless to say, apprehensively, I put out the press release 
saying the project was going to be fully funded, fully implemented, and 
indeed, it was. In the process, I learned an incredibly valuable lesson 
from Mr. Dingell, and that is there are many ways to effect public 
policy beyond the legislative actions--which of course are perhaps most 
important--that we make here in this Chamber.
  By getting a hold of these bureaucracies and talking to them and 
telling them what you would like to see happen and, when appropriate, 
being supportive of their mission and their goals, they are inclined to 
be supportive of you as well.
  That little story happened 40 years ago. Well, then I went on a 32-
year hiatus. I spent the next 32 years of my life in the private 
sector, in business, community service, and raising my family. I came 
back here 40 years later and who is still here proving his point but 
John Dingell.
  As I said, 11 Presidents have come and gone, but he is still here. I 
believe he has served longer than any other Member of the Congress in 
the history of the country; perhaps, most importantly, he is maybe the 
greatest Member to ever serve in the Congress.
  There are so many good things that have happened in this country over 
the better part of a half a century that we can attribute to the good 
work of the honorable Representative, the great Representative John 
Dingell.
  John, we are all so grateful for your incredible service. I am 
thrilled and honored to be able to be here to join my many other 
colleagues in saluting you for your great service to the people that 
you have represented so ably from your own district, but your larger 
vision as well of what has been so important for the progress of the 
people here in America.
  Thank you for your wisdom. Thank you for sharing that with so many of 
us who benefited from having sought your wisdom. Thank you for your 
effectiveness and all the great things you have done for this country. 
We salute you, Mr. Dingell.
  We love you, and we will miss you, but we will be forever grateful. 
This country will always be a better place for you having served in 
this Chamber.
  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend a warm goodbye to the 
Dean of the House, John Dingell, who I am honored to call my dear 
friend of over forty years. The people of Michigan's 12th congressional 
district as well as the people across the nation are truly grateful for 
the devotion and leadership that he has provided over the last half 
century in Congress.
  John has certainly demonstrated what it means to be a true American 
patriot and hero. A fellow veteran, he is currently one of two World 
War II veterans still serving in Congress leaving Texas Republican 
Ralph Hall as the sole member who served in World War II.
  John has made it his life's work to fight to protect the health and 
well-being of both our people and our planet, and we have all benefited 
from his hard work and many accomplishments during his tenure. John 
acted as the driving force behind imperative legislative initiatives 
like the Clean Water Act of 1972, the Clean Air Act of 1990, and the 
Endangered Species Act.
  Through dedication and an everlasting thirst for public service John 
has made an indelible impact in this institution. His charismatic 
candor will be missed. I will always be thankful that John fought 
alongside me in Congress in times of both good and bad. I know John 
will remain a voice of reason in our nation.
  Ms. SINEMA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my respect and 
appreciation for Congressman John Dingell and his 59 years of service 
in the United States House of Representatives. Congressman Dingell 
served with honor, dignity, and distinction, fighting each and every 
day for his home state of Michigan and for our entire country. While 
Mr. Dingell is retiring, Debbie Dingell was elected this year to 
represent Michigan's 12th Congressional District in the next Congress. 
Like her husband, I know she will make the people of Michigan proud, 
and I look forward to working with her.
  As a veteran of World War II and the longest-serving Member of 
Congress, Mr. Dingell understands the meaning of service. He devoted 
himself to expanding opportunities for all Americans and to helping 
more families achieve the American Dream. He was a leader in the fight 
to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and helped create Medicare in 
1965. An advocate for public safety, Mr. Dingell wrote the 1990 Clean 
Air Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, protecting the health of 
Americans and the environment.
  Mr. Dingell's tireless efforts will leave an indelible mark on our 
country and in Congress. I am thankful for his service and proud to 
call him a colleague and a friend. While we will miss his leadership, 
we can follow Mr. Dingell's example and honor his legacy by putting 
aside our differences and working together to tackle our nation's 
challenges.
  I wish Mr. Dingell and his family all the best.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the inspiring career 
of Congressman John Dingell, and his retirement from this institution 
after 59 dedicated years of public service.

[[Page 17306]]

  Few Americans have had a bigger, more lasting impact on the United 
States Congress than John Dingell. After serving his country in the 
Army during World War II, John was first elected to Congress in 1955, 
and has played a vital role in almost every significant piece of 
legislation passed over the last half century. During his time in 
office, John Dingell was a statesman who always put good policy above 
partisanship, and who nearly lost reelection because of his support for 
the Civil Rights Act of 1964. His impact on landmark legislation that 
includes Medicare, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and 
Affordable Care Act will continue to be felt for years to come.
  The People's House has suffered a great loss with Congressman 
Dingell's retirement and his institutional knowledge will be sorely 
missed. Mr. Dingell has been an inspiration, mentor, and friend to 
those who were lucky enough to know him. It has been an honor to serve 
alongside him, and I have no doubt that his legacy will endure for 
generations to come.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the service of Congressman 
John Dingell in the United States House of Representatives.
  Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I stand with my colleagues, 
Democrats and Republicans, to commend the Honorable John D. Dingell, 
Jr., Dean of the House of Representatives, on his lifetime of service 
to the American people.
  The people of his district in Michigan believed in him have sent him 
to Capitol Hill in a record twenty-nine consecutive elections, which is 
59 years in this august body.
  On issue after issue, Congressman Dingell was a leader in the effort 
to secure civil rights for all Americans, to protect the quality of our 
air and water, to allow children and older Americans to afford health 
care, to protect the rights of our workers to bargain collectively for 
fair wages and benefits, to support the auto industry and the Great 
Lakes and to build the manufacturing sector of our economy. He has 
impacted virtually every piece of legislation to be signed into law 
during the last half century, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean 
Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Affordable Care Act.
  A veteran of the Second World War, who was awarded the nation's 
highest civilian honor--the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President 
Obama in 2014, Congressman Dingell remained committed to supporting the 
men and women of our armed forces, both on the field of battle and on 
their return home to the United States.
  History will record his dedication to the belief that every American 
should have the ability to access comprehensive health care at an 
affordable cost. Continuing a tradition started by his father, 
Congressman John D. Dingell, Sr., every session of Congress he 
introduced a bill to provide for universal health care. With the 
Affordable Care Act, of which Congressman Dingell was a proud co-
sponsor, he achieved that high purpose to which he dedicated himself.
  Congressman Dingell's contribution to this institution will remain 
forever an example of public service in the public interest. When we 
honor him, we honor our shared faith in the promise of the American 
Dream and our commitment to extend the blessing of freedom to the 
generations who will follow us.

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