Expressing heartfelt sympathy for the victims of the devastating thunderstorms that caused severe flooding during August 2007 in the States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join Mr. Walz here today to offer this resolution expressing our concern and support to the victims of the flooding that ravaged our congressional districts and so many other States during those fateful days in August, but also to take a moment to express our eternal gratitude and thanks to the countless numbers of official agencies, to private organizations, to individuals who rose to the call of many people in great need during this time.

I personally saw Mr. Walz and the action that he immediately took when I visited southeastern Minnesota along with Senator Klobuchar from Minnesota to see some of the damage and get together with many of the first responders who were working around the clock to come to the aid of so many businesses and families and individuals affected by the flooding.

The rains started on August 18, and it seemed as if they were never going to stop. It was literally a torrential downpour; in some areas, from 12 to 20 inches in just a very short period of time. It's amazing to personally witness the severe devastation that an intense amount of rain can accomplish in a very short period of time.

Fortunately for Mr. Walz and myself, we represent two very beautiful congressional districts, but part of that beauty is the fact that we have a lot of hills and valleys and coulees that act like a funnel effect when you have the so-called ``1,000-year rain'' take place within a 24-hour period. That is exactly what happened; the rain came, the water backed up and started devastating community after community.

Unfortunately, at the end of the rain, there were 14 people who lost their lives. Fortunately for myself, there were none in my congressional district, but we did have some loss of life in Mr. Walz's district. There were also three electrocutions associated with the rain and the flooding that occurred in Madison.

Short of loss of life or physical injury, there is nothing more devastating than having your personal belongings washed away, whether it was in your home or in your businesses or on your farm.

I was down in one of my communities in the southern part of my congressional district, Gays Mills, shortly after the flooding, and they described to me horrific conditions where the rain came so quickly that within a matter of an hour there was five feet of water standing on the main street in their downtown area. I was talking to two teenage girls who, that evening, literally left their homes only to see the rising water and the swift current coming through the main street; and they jumped into a tree in order to get out of the way, it was coming so quickly, only to be rescued by a volunteer fire department personnel in a boat that took them to high land. You heard countless stories of this.

I guess it's times like this during great personal tragedy when you also witness the greatness of humanity and the response that occurred, from the various agencies at the Federal, State and local level that immediately geared up and started rushing in help and supplies, to the private organizations and businesses, to the Salvation Army, Red Cross, Catholic charities that were on the ground with their staff and their volunteers to provide assistance, to also FEMA.

One of the fortunate aspects at the time of this tragedy was Hurricane Dean didn't hit landfall in the United States, so FEMA, in preparation for Hurricane Dean, had a lot of supplies, they had a lot of personnel ramped up in the southern part of our country anticipating the worst of the hurricane. When it didn't arrive, they were able to redeploy a lot of their personnel and resources up to our area to provide assistance immediately.

I also want to take a moment to thank Director David Paulison of FEMA, who personally came on an inspection tour shortly after the flooding to see the devastation himself, and his office out of the Chicago regional office who were there very quickly.

With the help of Representative Walz and our respective Senators, as well as Governor Jim Doyle of WI, we were able to get quick State declarations, to be followed by a Natural Disaster Declaration in order to provide much-needed relief to the victims of the flooding. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done. There's still a lot of assistance that is going to have to occur in the community and in our respective States to try to make people whole.

On a lighter, happier note, I was fortunate to be home on Sunday to visit Gays Mills during their annual apple festival celebration and parade. This was a little more than a month after the floodwaters that were 5 feet deep in their town, yet they strove to make sure that they were going to keep this celebration, try to keep that continuity of tradition in their community. It was a wonderful day; the sun shown on us, the kids were having a great time, and that little sense of normalcy brought some smiles on a lot of faces in that community.

But if it wasn't for the quick reaction, again, of the agencies, but especially the family, the friends, the neighbors who responded to people in need, we could have suffered a fate much worse than what we did.

Again, I want to thank Representative Walz for the work that he did. I look forward to continuing the work that still needs to take place, because this isn't going to get fixed overnight. It's going to be a slow, laborious process. There's nothing worse than being denied access to a home or businesses. Just now, people are able to go in and have access for the first time.

Many of our farms, too, were devastated just before the crop was supposed to be harvested. Many livestock were lost in the flooding. Again, you work so hard and long all year long, and then just at the time you are going to go to market with the fruits of your labor, something like this takes place.

We also were fortunate that 20 earthen dams in Vernon County in my congressional district held up. It is a great tribute to the engineers and their foresight over 20 or 30 years ago that constructed these earthen dams that they held up, or the damage and devastation could have been much worse if they had given out and those floodwaters had released further down the valley.

So I want to thank all of those that were involved in providing much- needed and quick assistance to the individuals and to the communities that were affected by it. I again want to express my gratitude to FEMA and their quick reaction, Director Paulison and his team on the ground. But there is still more work to be done. It is good to see in a tragedy like this that there is that type of capability, both at the local and Federal and State level, in order to come to the aid of many citizens who needed it.

In particular, I would like to thank the many people who were involved in the recovery effort, only a few of which are named here. In Vernon County: Cindy Ackerman, Glenda Sullivan and the Emergency Management staff; Elizabeth Johnson and the Public Health staff; Pamela Eitland and the Human Services staff; Gene Cary and the Sheriffs Department staff; Mark Rahr and the Viroqua Police Department staff; Steve Skrede and the Viroqua Fire Department staff; Kelly Jacobs and the Land Conservation staff; Virgil Hanold and the Highway Department staff; Pat Peterson and the Aging Department staff; Bethel Butikk Food Pantry; Linda Nederlow, Public Information Officer; Thomas Spenner, County Board Chair; Cathy Lewison and the Farm Service Agency staff.

In Crawford County: Roger Martin and the Emergency Management staff; Laurel

Hestetuene of Soldiers Grove; Larry McCarn and Maura Otis of Gays Mills; Jerry Moran and Sheriff's Department staff; Ron Leys, County Board Chair; Dennis Pelock and the Highway Department staff; Gary Knickerbacker; John Baird and the Farm Service Agency staff; Russ Hagen and the Land Conservation staff; Sara Ryan and the Human Services staff; Gloria Wall and the Public Health staff.

In La Crosse County: Keith Butler and the Emergency Management staff; Lynetta Kopp, Town of Shelby Chair; Dennis Osgood and the Highway Department staff; Randy Roeck and the Shelby Fire Department staff; Steve Doyle, County Board Chair; Ben Bosshart and the Farm Service Agency staff.

In Richland County: Darin Gudgeon and Emergency Management staff; Darrell Berglin and the Sheriff's Department staff; Randy Schoeneberg and the Highway Department staff; Ann Greenheck, County Board Chair; Jared Reuter and the Farm Service Agency staff; Marianne Stanek and the Public Health staff; Cathy Cooper and the Land Conservation staff; Dean Winchell and family; Bob Naegele and members of the Pine Valley Repeater Club ARES/RACES; Harriet Pedley, Ron Fruit and the WRCO radio station staff; Kim Clark and the Richland County Ambulance Service; Wes and Michelle Starkey; Richland Center Police Department; Rudy Nigel; Ken Anderson; Bob Bindl, Darrell Slama, Brian Jones, Dan Wilson, and the staff of the Richland County Fire Departments; Richland Center Public Works; DNR Warden Mike Nice and the DNR staff.

In Sauk County: Jeff Jelink and the Emergency Management staff; Marty Krueger, County Board Chair; Randy Stammen and the Sheriff's Department staff; Steve Muchow and the Highway Department staff; Cindy Bodendein and the Health Department staff; Joe Van Berkel and the Land Conservation staff; William Orth and the Human Services staff; Trish Vandre and the Commission on Aging staff; Curtis Norgard and the Farm Service Agency staff.

In Grant County: Steve Braun and Julie Loeffelholz, Emergency Management; Eugene Bartels, County Board Chair; John Wiederholt and the Farm Service Agency staff; Jeffery Kindrai and the Health Department staff.

In Iowa County: Ken Palzkill and the Emergency Management staff; Judy Lindholm and the Commission on Aging staff; June Meudt and the Health Department staff; Leo Klosterman and the Highway Department staff; Jim McCaulley and the Land Conservation staff; Darin Smith and the Social Services staff; Mark Masters, County Board Chair; Ned Johnson and the Farm Service Agency staff.

Further, I would like to thank: Ashley Furniture; AmeriCorps volunteers; Cheryl Hancock and the American Red Cross staff; Terri Leece and the Salvation Army staff; Deacon Richard Sage and the Catholic Charities staff; the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection; the Wisconsin State Patrol; the Wisconsin Department of Corrections; the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; the Wisconsin National Guard; the Natural Resources Conservation Service; and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly support this resolution and urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, we would be remiss, too, if we didn't acknowledge the help and the work that our respective staffs did during this time. They were 24/7 on the spot trying to provide assistance. I know my staff didn't get much sleep during those weeks following the flooding. I know Mr. Walz's staff was the same way. I just want to take a moment to acknowledge their hard work.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and

agree to the resolution (H. Res. 657) expressing heartfelt sympathy for the victims of the devastating thunderstorms that caused severe flooding during August 2007 in the States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 657.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Graves for joining us today. On August 18 and 19, torrential rains devastated communities all across the Midwest. In less than a 24-hour period, more than 18 inches of rain fell in some areas of southeast Minnesota causing severe flooding, mud slides, loss of property and loss of life. In my district in southeast Minnesota, seven people lost their lives as a result of these sudden and violent storms. Countless more were injured. Thousands of homes and businesses were damaged and destroyed. In community after community, people returned to their homes to discover that priceless family memories, literally all they owned, had been washed away in a matter of minutes. Roads and bridges had been swept away and must be rebuilt.

I went to many of these towns countless times. I saw the challenges that these people face. Let me give you one example. Rushford, Minnesota, sits in the beautiful Driftless area, the rolling hills and rich farmland of southeast Minnesota. It is a town of 1,700 people, with a vibrant Main Street, a great civic pride, and they are also defending State football champions from last year. This town was almost completely under water. I entered the town on the morning of the rains by boat. There was one small island, a dry bit of land that had a church, part of a local school and a city building. That was the only part of the town that was above water. People had to take boats to get to this island in which they were having meetings, receiving help, and even getting started on that very morning of the task of rebuilding.

Even during the flood itself, Minnesotans were reaching out to their neighbor. In Minnesota City, during the worst of the flash floods, authorities ran out of all rescue equipment and rescue boats. Residents used their own boats to go from house to house, literally plucking people off the rooftops and bringing them to safety.

The response to this disaster has been inspiring. People from all across Minnesota and across the Nation have stepped forward to help. There have been blood drives, canned food drives, and waves and waves of volunteers who have come into the area to offer their help, open their hearts and homes.

This disaster was not limited to Minnesota. Similar storms pounded all across my neighboring district, and my good friend from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) experienced devastating damage, as well as Iowa, Illinois and Ohio also. All told, 14 people died as a result of these storms and the flash floods that it caused.

This resolution that the House considers today is one very, very small, but important way, to recognize the challenging times that these individuals have faced and will face. It expresses sympathy for their loss and gratitude to the State and Federal officials who responded swiftly. This resolution recognizes the generous support given by so many and reaffirms the support of this Congress for the flood victims and the immediate and heartfelt and serious disaster declaration help that came from FEMA and the Federal Government. President Bush was in Minnesota within days of this, reaffirming his support.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and to stand with Minnesota and those throughout the Midwest who have come through the flood waters and are now working to rebuild their lives. I am sorry to say, the same area received between 6 and 12 inches of rain in some areas last night and is experiencing heavy rains again today.

We have work to do, but the response so far has been truly inspiring.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I want to yield as much time as he may consume to my colleague, my neighbor and my friend from Wisconsin whose district was greatly affected by this flooding. We have worked closely on this. It's through Mr. Kind's leadership, experience and forcefulness that we were able to secure, I believe probably in unprecedented fashion, the support we needed from the Federal Government.

With that, I yield to my friend from Wisconsin.

(Mr. KIND asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I say thank you to my colleague from Wisconsin, whose leadership and voice was instrumental. I also want to thank Mr. Graves. I think it is very important as Americans watch, and watch the proceedings on this floor, to understand the solidarity that is in this body and to hear my friends from Missouri and across the Nation stand with us in time of tragedy and understand that we will work together, we will solve these problems. I think it is encouraging to understand that we are making progress, we are making changes. I applaud that.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman for that. It absolutely is a team effort in this. I think the greatness that is this country is that when in times of tragedy and times of need, we can put many, many things aside and come together.

As Mr. Kind pointed out so clearly, to have Director Paulison from FEMA on the ground within a matter of about 72 hours of this tragedy and Secretary Chertoff from Homeland Security personally be on the ground to assess this, and to have President Bush in Minnesota and guarantee that we would get this declaration and then follow through, I think the American public should feel very, very good about that.

We have a lot of work to do, but the word coming out of our district and the word going to our staffs as they are working with people is that in this tragedy, they felt there was a face on a faceless bureaucracy. They felt America was there for them. They felt they could count on this body doing everything they could. For that, I thank everyone in here. I encourage my colleagues to adopt the resolution to show that continued solidarity.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 51 honoring National Catholic Schools Week and the tremendous contributions that Catholic schools make to our country. Since 1974, Catholic Schools Week has celebrated the important role that these institutions play in America and their excellent reputation for providing a strong academic and moral education, as well as teaching community responsibility and outreach.

I am proud to sponsor this resolution as my first resolution of this new Congress, and I would also like to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) for his work on this resolution. Unfortunately Mr. Fossella today has been unable to make it. He is stuck in New York today. But he would like to be here also to speak of his support for this resolution on Catholic Schools Week.

This year's theme of Catholic Schools Week is ``Catholic Schools: The Good News in Education.'' This theme has multiple meanings for Catholic schools. At the center of Catholic education is the ``Good News'' or Gospel of Jesus and salvation. Jesus taught love and service. And the history of Catholic schools reveals an ongoing emphasis on the Gospel values of reaching out and serving others.

But the ``good news'' in Catholic education is also the news of success in shaping the lives of so many young men and women. Nationally about 2.4 million young people are enrolled in nearly 8,000 Catholic schools. These schools have more than 160,000 full-time professional staff, boasting a student/teacher ratio of 15:1. On average, Catholic school students surpass other students in math, science and reading in the three grade levels of the NAPT test. The graduation rate for all Catholic high school students is 95 percent, and 83 percent of Catholic high school graduates go on to college. These are amazing statistics in America today.

Catholic schools are also highly effective in educating minority students and disadvantaged youth. The percentage of minority students in Catholic schools has more than doubled in the

past 30 years, today representing more than one-quarter of all those enrolled. And almost one in seven students in Catholic schools is not Catholic. The success of Catholic schools does not just come from selectivity. On average, Catholic schools accept about nine out of every 10 students who apply.

One of the reasons for the ``good news'' of Catholic schools is that in addition to learning reading, writing and arithmetic, students also learn responsibility and how to become persons of character and integrity.

Community service is a priority in Catholic schools; 94 percent of schools have a service program, with the average student completing 79 hours of service.

I was born, raised and lived in the Chicago Archdiocese, which has one of the most successful school systems in the country. Today more than 106,000 students attend 276 schools. In my district alone there are five Catholic high schools and 34 grammar schools, including one of the best in my home parish of St. John of the Cross.

The success of students in archdiocesan schools is phenomenal, with the high schools having an amazing graduation rate of over 99 percent, and 95 percent of graduates from Catholic schools go on to college. This is certainly a record to be proud of.

My wife and I are each products of 12 years of Catholic education. My wife in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, at St. Patrick's Grade School and Bishop McCourt High School; myself in Chicago at St. Symphorosa Grammar School and St. Ignatius College Prep. Like so many others, I understand how important Catholic schools are in providing a spiritual, moral and intellectual foundation. My 12 years of Catholic education provide me with the knowledge, discipline, desire to serve, and a love of learning that enabled me to go on to earn my Ph.D. and become a teacher before I was elected to Congress.

As we recognize Catholic Schools Week, we must pay special tribute to the dedicated teachers and administrators who sacrifice so much, usually getting paid much less than they could to dedicate their lives to teaching at Catholic schools. I have fond memories of my teachers, who taught me not only the value of a good education, but also the values of faith and service. Although it was 35 years ago that I started school, I can still fondly remember all my teachers, from first grade, Sister Mildred; second grade, Miss Ivers; and on and on. And I will never forget Sister Diane, my coach on the Student Congress in high school. And to this day, when I speak to a crowd, I always remember her sitting there nodding her approval as I gave my speeches, as I was a nervous young kid in high school. Millions of other Americans have similar memories of teachers who gave their heart and soul and made such a big difference in the lives of their students.

Mr. Speaker, as an important complement to public schools and other private institutions, Catholic schools contribute a great deal to America. They have made a big difference in my life and in the lives of countless others. As Father William Davis, Interim Secretary for the Conference of U.S. Catholic Bishops, said, ``High achievement rates, high retention rates, high moral values, and high student and parent satisfaction are the distinctive marks of a Catholic school. That's the good news and we want to share it.''

For this good news, America's Catholic schools deserve our praise and our support, and to share our praise and support, I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 51, a resolution to honor the contributions of Catholic schools. This timely resolution comes before us during the annual commemoration of Catholic Schools Week, and just days before the National Appreciation Day for Catholic Schools on Wednesday, January 24, 2007. This year's theme, ``Catholic Schools: The Good News in Education'' accurately describes the positive contribution Catholic schools have made to providing children with quality education within the United States and throughout the world.

The work of the National Catholic Educational Association and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops toward coordinating Catholic Schools Week and toward raising general awareness of the contributions Catholic schools have made to our communities is commendable. Together, their efforts have ensured that Catholic Schools Week has remained a success since its inception in 1974.

Catholic schools have fulfilled an important role in this country. The advent of Catholic schools in this country can be traced back as far as 1606, when the priests from the Franciscan order opened a school in Florida. Today, Catholic schools offer comprehensive programs and educational, spiritual, and moral guidance to approximately 2,400,000 students at nearly 8,000 schools across the United States.

The number of racial and ethnic minority students enrolled in Catholic schools in the United States has more than doubled in the past 30 years. Racial and ethnic minority students now comprise 27 percent of the student population at Catholic schools. These statistics are evidence of the commitment to diversity fostered by Catholic schools in the United States. Catholic schools are also known for their academic excellence. Catholic secondary schools in the United States graduate 99 percent of their students, 97 percent of which go on to attend college.

I represent Guam. The Roman Catholic Church has long been an intrinsic part of Guam's culture. In fact, Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores, a Spanish Jesuit missionary, established a mission in the village of Agania in 1665. Guam's population is approximately 85 percent Roman Catholic. The positive influence of the Roman Catholic Church on Guam is evidenced as a result its service to the needy, its dedication to the community, and its education of our youth.

In 1946, Bishop Appollinaris Baumgartner, recognizing the need for quality education on Guam, invited the Sisters of Mercy from North Carolina to Guam. The Sisters of Mercy established The Academy of Our Lady. The Academy of Our Lady became the first all girls' Catholic high school on Guam and continues to educate young women today. Three years later, Bishop Baumgartner invited the School Sisters of Notre Dame to Guam. The School Sisters of Notre Dame founded Notre Dame High School, which continues today to provide high-quality Catholic education to young men and women on Guam. Father Duenas Memorial High School is named in honor of the courageous Father Jesus Baza Duenas, who was executed by the Imperial Japanese forces occupying Guam during the Second World War for refusing to betray the location of an American sailor hiding on our island. Father Duenas Memorial High School continues his legacy of courage and integrity. All three of these Catholic high schools offer rigorous curricula to prepare students for college while instilling strong moral values and an understanding of the Catholic faith.

Archbishop Felixberto Camacho Flores, Guam's first Chamorro Bishop, continued Bishop Baumgartner's legacy of shaping the character of Guam's faithful by promoting Catholic education opportunities on our island. Under Archbishop Flores's leadership, the number of Catholic schools serving the people of Guam increased, education programs expanded, and school facilities were modernized. In addition to these three Catholic high schools, Guam is home to four nursery schools, six elementary schools, and six middle schools that teach the Catholic faith in addition to other academic curriculum. Our community knows well the contributions that Catholic schools make toward providing a quality educating to our children.

Catholic schools on Guam and around the country excel in their mission of providing quality and character education to children. Their influence has helped form socially responsible and morally upright graduates who possess the skills, character traits and compassion that help produce good citizens and effective community leaders. On this occasion of the 33rd annual Catholic Schools Week, I recognize and commend the Catholic schools on Guam and throughout the country for their commitment to instilling the principles of academic excellence, strong moral values, and a dedication to and fulfillment of Catholic ideals in our children's daily lives. In particular I recognize in a very special way all of the administrators, the faculty, the staff, the students, the parents, and their families of the greater Catholic School community on Guam. Their work is a testament to the strength of Catholic education on Guam. I also recognize the unfailing leadership of Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron, OFM Cap., D.D., the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agana, and Ms. Cynthia S. Agbulos, the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Agana.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 657, which has been offered by Mr. Lipinski from Illinois. I thank my colleague for introducing this resolution honoring Catholic Schools Week, 2007.

Catholic Schools Week is an annual national celebration of the important role that Catholic elementary and secondary schools across the country play in providing quality education for American youth. The mission of these institutions--to build solid foundations for lives of confidence, faith, and service--has had a tremendous impact in shaping family values and community life across the country, and particularly in my community in Western New York.

Beginning the last Sunday in January, the Nation's nearly 8,000 Catholic schools will celebrate Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 28 through Feb. 3. This year's theme is ``Catholic Schools: the Good News in Education'' and focuses on the role Catholic Schools play both in educating students and teaching them the value of virtues such as integrity and dignity. Through education and community service, Catholic schools produce students strongly dedicated to their faith, values, families and communities by providing an intellectually stimulating environment rich in spiritual, character, and moral development.

Together, more 160,000 Catholic school teachers nationwide teach 2.4 million students,

of which more than 27 percent are from minority backgrounds and nearly 14 percent are non-Catholics. An astounding 99 percent of these students will graduate, and 97 percent of those graduates go on to college. As these students become adults, their intelligence and character will benefit communities in Western New York and throughout the nation.

In my hometown of Buffalo, neighborhoods are often known by the names of their Catholic Schools and Parishes, and the many families that are active in Catholic schools are enriched by the values they espouse. Indeed, I have spent my life as a first-hand witness to the beneficial work of Catholic schools. My mother was a teacher at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and my two children, John and Maeve, attend Catholic School in South Buffalo. My family and I are personally grateful for the contributions that America's Catholic schools have been making to families like ours, and American society at large, for more than four centuries.

I thank the National Catholic Educational Association and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for cosponsoring this week-long event.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with my colleagues in supporting this resolution, and I thank my colleague Mr. Lipinski for his leadership on this issue.