Jeff Fortenberry

Like many of my colleagues, I am very concerned about the rising rate of obesity among Americans.

What is the potential improvement of health outcomes as related to health care costs reductions?

I think, if I can be presumptuous and suggest that, Mr. Chairman, that we drive towards some number like that that gives Congress a quantifiable goal as a measure to potentially reduce costs in the name of health and well-being.

I want to point out that the gentlelady from Wyoming made some very important observations.

60 percent of adults are either overweight or obese, 31 percent of children.

the majority of that cost is in the Medicare program?

That is an aggregate savings, $16 billion, or just a public----

I am personally committed to exploring ways to encourage good nutrition and wellness.

I strongly believe that we need to link the nutrition our children receive to their wellness for the purpose of preventing the onset of debilitating chronic diseases.

48 percent of the costs of obesity are born by government programs.

Thank you, Congressman Burgess, Dr. Burgess, for hosting the hour tonight. We all know the economy is in very difficult straits. Families are hurting; businesses are taking downturns, and people, in general, are suffering. I do not want to…

I think we are. It's a very important point to be made that a lot of communities in a lot of places have had to make choices with limited budgets to set priorities and have not rushed up to Washington to say bail us out, help us out. They…

My fear is what we've done here in the name of stimulus is actually create an unrestrained, unsustainable spending bill. And since the year 2000 or so, it's very important to note that the Federal Government has actually grown by about 60…

Inflation is a very regressive form of taxation, particularly among the most vulnerable among us. With that, let me say, I don't want to see any family experience unemployment, any business take a downturn or any family experience a…

Well, again, I'm grateful. We don't, again, want to see any family suffer any unemployment or suffer any situation like that. But I think this letter that I got today from a constituent back home from Gail in Fremont says quite a bit. She…

I wanted to commend my colleague, Congressman Smith, for all of his leadership through the years on this essential American issue. And Congressman Smith, I wanted to relay a story to you of something that happened to me a few years ago. I…

at the outset, let me say I believe that SCHIP is a very important program that provides quality health care coverage for millions of America's children. I support the program. I support its renewal, and I support its appropriate…

I really thank you for the opportunity to dialogue on this question and to focus, yes, on the urgency of the moment, while also creatively thinking about where we go. I mean, this is America. This is the land of innovation. We can get that…

One of the issues regarding our very heavy dependence on foreign oil as well is that it does entangle foreign affairs considerations. That is a very significant issue. It greatly increases trade deficits, it entangles foreign affairs…

Mr. Speaker, J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day and an outstanding Nebraskan, once said, ``Each generation of humanity takes the earth as trustees.'' That is the spirit embodied in Arbor Day. The simple act of planting a tree…

Mr. Speaker, in 1908, the United States Senator from Nebraska, Elmer Burkett, rose before his colleagues to propose that Mother's Day be recognized as a national holiday. Notably, the Senator's proposal was defeated in a maelstrom of…

I, too, Mr. Speaker, want to extend my heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of this senseless act of violence. Sometimes we are shocked by just how brutal the world can be and that came home to rest yesterday in Nebraska, where…

The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act represents the culmination of extensive work and exemplary bipartisan cooperation. It illustrates what we in this House can achieve when we unite in recognition of…

before we vote on this measure, the American people need to know that U.S. troops in Iraq have achieved significant security gains. Violence against U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians has fallen dramatically, and forces of chaos have had…

on July 21, Sergeant Jacob Schmuecker was killed in Balad, Iraq, when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle. Jacob leaves behind his wife and their children, 4-year-old Dillon, 3-year-old Kierstan, and 19-month-old Bryce, along with…