On the recordFebruary 23, 2010
First of all, let me extend my sincerest thanks to the chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. Scott, for bringing this bill to the floor with such speed, and then let me extend additional thanks to the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Conyers, and Ranking Members Gohmert and Smith for their assistance in bringing this bill to the floor today. Madam Speaker, when I was home over the break, I told a lot of people that I saw that for all of the attention on the news about the things that Republicans and Democrats disagree with, this legislation, Billy's Law, is an example of the vast legislative underbrush that happens here that changes lives but don't necessarily get the big headlines, places where both parties work together to make this government work better and to make it more compassionate. I'd like to thank Representative Poe for sponsoring this bill with me. This House has no stronger advocate for the rights of victims and their families, and it has been my pleasure to work with him to move this legislation forward. But above all, I'd like to extend my personal thanks to Jan Smolinski and her husband Bill, the parents of Billy Smolinski, for whom this legislation is named. Their story is tragic, but Jan's pursuit of justice, her desire to do something with her situation, to change it for all of the other families who have gone through the same thing, that is nothing less than heroic.
