Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the lives taken during the Henry Pratt shooting in Aurora, Illinois, nearly 4 years ago.

On February 15, 2019, gun violence stole the lives of five innocent people and injured six police officers when a person who should not legally have had a gun opened fire in a workplace.

Unfortunately, this is a reality that we are all too familiar with as Americans. Throughout our Nation, in every State, gun violence continues to claim innocent lives. These victims are our family members, our friends, and our neighbors. We must do better.

I am proud that Congress came together in the last year to pass the most significant piece of gun violence legislation in nearly three decades, but more must be done.

We cannot wait for the next tragedy. We must continue to pursue commonsense gun safety measures that will keep guns out of the wrong hands and help save lives.

Mr. Speaker, I stand with the Aurora community during this time of remembrance and reflection.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 342, the Cost- Share Accountability Act.

This bill, which I co-led with its sponsor, Congressman Obernolte, was born out of a joint hearing that we held last Congress, which discussed best practices for financial assistance agreements within the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy.

This bill mandates reports on the Department's use of cost-sharing practices, which require organizations receiving grants from the Department of Energy to fund a portion of the project's costs.

I am a big fan of cost-sharing agreements as a mechanism to make sure that taxpayer dollars are well spent. There are circumstances under which they may appropriately be waived, but in order for Congress to fulfill our oversight responsibilities, we must be able to access information on how those requirements are being implemented and when they are being waived.

This legislation is fundamental good governance, an important step to increase the transparency of the Department of Energy's funding practices, and I look forward to working with the Department of Energy to ensure that cost-sharing is implemented fairly and effectively and that it is supporting the Department's and Congress' priorities.

I thank Representative Obernolte for his leadership on this legislation, which passed the House in a strong bipartisan vote last Congress, and also for his service as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight that I chaired last Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the creation of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.

I rise as a research scientist who has participated in many international collaborations, which included some brilliant Chinese scientists; and I rise also as a businessman who founded a high-tech manufacturing business that now provides over 1,000 good-paying American manufacturing jobs and has kept those manufacturing jobs in America despite having to compete in the world markets with cloned Chinese products for over two decades.

I have watched with consternation as our businesses' electronic supply chain has been increasingly dependent upon China.

Now, it was not a stupid thing for our country and the countries of the free world to attempt to help China become a free and open country by integrating it into the international economy and into the international scientific research community and to open our doors to Chinese students and scholars.

In the years since World War II, that approach has succeeded in turning many previously autocratic countries into free democracies around the world. In fact, in previous years, China took a number of steps toward becoming a free and open country. But in recent years, it has turned back toward autocracy. So it is time to respond to that reality and to take thoughtful action.

On a personal note, my wife is Korean and is a scientist who has contributed at the highest levels of scientific research and science policy in the United States. The only reason that she is free today is that two generations ago, the U.S. and the free countries of the world stood up against Communism in Korea. But nothing is more self-defeating than the anti-Asian racism that sometimes creeps into the debate in our country.

The frontiers that we should be defending are not the good old U.S. of A. but the free democracies of the world.

So, Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this new Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, in particular in the clear distinction that it makes, even in its title, between the Communist Party of China and the people of China who are not the enemy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the great city of Joliet, Illinois. For the last 10 years, I have had the honor of representing Joliet and the surrounding areas as part of Illinois' 11th Congressional District.

Joliet is the third largest city of Illinois, with a storied history intertwined with our State. Due to changing of the Congressional maps, however, I will no longer be representing Joliet. This great city will be represented by my colleague, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood in the 118th Congress.

No matter what opinion you have about the redistricting procedures in Illinois, and all around the country, for that matter, one thing is clear: I was not in the room when these maps were drawn that took Joliet away from me.

While I am sad that my work with the Joliet communities and all of the great organizations there is coming to a close, I am so proud to reflect upon what we have accomplished for the Joliet community and of the tremendous upward arc of progress in Joliet that we have seen over the last decade.

I have so many fond memories of my time representing Joliet. For the last decade, Joliet has given me, a scientist, a reason to celebrate the work of science fiction with the Joliet Public Library's annual Star Wars Day.

Every June, the community comes together to parade down Ottawa Street along with the Imperial Storm Troopers, Jedi Knights, and Ewoks in full costume.

Aside from giving everyone an excuse to channel their inner child, Star Wars Day also promotes literacy, science, technology, engineering, and math in a fun and exciting atmosphere that captivates young minds.

Joliet was also the backdrop for the 1980 classic film, The Blues Brothers, which features Joliet Jake and Elwood leaving the Old Joliet Prison at the beginning of the movie.

That is why I was, as Elwood says in the film, ``on a mission from God'' to help secure the $3 million for the Old Joliet Prison to repair and rehabilitate this cultural and historical landmark for generations to enjoy, as well as to benefit what seems to be an endless stream of German tourists who stop by the prison, take a selfie in front of it on the way down the historic Route 66 corridor that travels through the Joliet area.

And just this past August, the entire community came together to watch Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi perform at the Old Joliet Prison.

Joliet has accomplished many things of national significance, as well, including being chosen as the site for what will be the largest manufacturing plant for electric school buses in North America, and which recently started production.

One of my greatest priorities in Congress was securing funding for the Joliet's Brandon Road Lock and Dam, which is currently the last line of defense in preventing invasive Asian Carp from reaching Lake Michigan and all of the lakes and tributaries of the Great Lakes Basin.

We worked for many years to fast-track this funding, and thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Army Corps of Engineers finally has the resources it needs to begin construction on this project to help protect Illinois waterways and every lake and tributary in the entire Great Lakes Basin.

Just this past year, I was proud to secure over $8 million of community project funding for various projects in Joliet, including $3.5 million to support the work being done to replace aging service lines in our plumbing, including lead lines, so that every resident in the Joliet area has access to safe drinking water.

These are just two of the many projects in Joliet that I have had the honor of working on throughout the years. What is more important is all that Joliet has given the Chicago suburbs.

The Blues Brothers' concert at the Old Joliet Prison was a fitting camp to wrap up my time in Joliet and one that represents one of the many reasons why I will miss representing the city in Congress so much.

Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank everyone in the Joliet area for sending me to Congress on your behalf. It has been an honor of a lifetime serving you and making your communities a better place for future generations.

Continue Fundamental Research Through Adversity

Madam Speaker, I rise to emphasize the importance of long-term and reliable funding for scientific projects, especially when the going gets tough.

During my years as a scientist, I was involved in building of giant particle accelerators to smash protons and antiprotons together to make particles that have not been around since the Big Bang. Back in August of 2019, I was honored to speak at the 10th anniversary of the National Ignition Facility, which at the time had achieved all of its technical goals but was frustrated by scientific uncertainties and was struggling with neutron yields on the order of 10 to the 16th.

The point that I made and the point that I am making today is that it is important to continue fundamental research even when the going gets tough.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize three schools in the Illinois 11th Congressional district that have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2022: Eisenhower Academy, Elmwood Elementary School, and Highlands Elementary School. These schools are recognized for their overall academic excellence on their progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups, demonstrating that all students can achieve at high levels.

Throughout its 40-year history, the National Blue-Ribbon Schools Program has affirmed the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. The award flag gracing a school's building has been widely recognized by everyone--from parents to policymakers-- as a symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the faculty, staff, administrators, parents, and students at these three schools for their great accomplishment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the importance of the International Atomic Energy Agency, commonly known as the IAEA, and to urge Congress to continue its support so it can continue its mission to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

The primary task of the IAEA is to verify that countries comply with their commitments to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by monitoring and upholding standards for nuclear safety and security.

But it is more than that. Earlier this month, we witnessed shelling and damage to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in Ukraine, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. The persistent fighting in the area and the occupation of the nuclear plant by Russian forces have raised concerns about the safety and the dangerous conditions that plant workers face.

So, who are you going to call? The IAEA. Its response to the situation in Ukraine demonstrates the crucial importance of its mission.

The IAEA stands as a trusted and stabilizing influence and reduces the danger of potential nuclear disasters worldwide.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the legacy of Mr. Daniel D. Dolan, Sr. Mr. Dolan was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving his country during the Korean War, who went on to serve both in the Aurora, IL Fire Department and the U.S. Postal Service before starting his own business, Dolan & Murphy Real Estate in 1965. Dan loved selling and buying real estate throughout his career, especially land. His legacy development being Farnsworth International, which encompassed 450 acres of land on the North side of the I-88 and Farnsworth Avenue Cloverleaf Interchange in Aurora and is home to millions of square feet of Commercial and Industrial buildings (including Chicago Premium Outlet Mall) and is the largest Real Estate Tax base in Kane County, Ill. Dan was also very proud and instrumental in the extension of Indian Trail Road from Farnsworth Ave to the far eastern boundary of Aurora. Dolan and Murphy had just celebrated their 55th year in business when Dan passed on February 20, 2020.

Born and raised in Aurora, IL, Mr. Dolan believed strongly in giving back to his community. He often did so through his business and life's passion, Dolan & Murphy Real Estate. Dolan & Murphy has sponsored little league baseball for over 50 years and fastpitch softball for over 35 years and Dan was inducted into the International Softball Congress Hall of Fame in August of 2016 for his long-time contribution as a sponsor. Dan believed that ``what's good for Dolan & Murphy is good for Aurora'' and worked hard to be charitable to the hometown he loved so deeply.

Dan also spent much of his personal time giving back. He was instrumental in the funding and construction of Aurora Central Catholic High School's current campus, which opened in the fall of 1995. As a graduate of East Aurora High School, he was committed to being a ``lifelong Tomcat,'' coaching and mentoring many Aurora students throughout his life. Dan was honored by his Alma Mater in 2011 by receiving the coveted East Aurora High school ``Distinguished Alumni Award''.

I am proud to represent Aurora, and I am grateful for the support and kindness Dan and his family have shown over the years. Daniel D. Dolan, Sr. was an Aurora icon, is an Aurora legend, and his generosity and contribution to the city will never be forgotten. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Mr. Dolan's incredible life.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fox Valley United Way. Since 1922, United Way's numerous grants and programs have provided invaluable resources to our community, acting as the backbone of many different social services programs.

Throughout their 100 years, Fox Valley United Way has been inspiring hope for a brighter future, first in Aurora, and today in 23 communities throughout Kane and Kendall counties. They have continually invested in the health, education, and financial stability of the families in these communities, laying the foundation for each community to grow and thrive into the future.

United Way's programs provide assistance and support at many different stages of a family's development. For example, the SPARK early childhood program gives students entering kindergarten the tools they need to succeed. Kane County 211 has filled a crucial gap in social services resources by providing referrals to services for those with nowhere else to turn. Through these, and many other valuable programs, United Way has proved their commitment to aiding the communities they serve in whatever way possible.

Fox Valley United Way is a vital resource to this community. Not only have they created an incredible wealth of resources of their own, they have supported and continue to support other local social services and programs to maximize the good they put out into their community. Their investments in the health, education, and financial stability of local families are commendable, and I am grateful to join in the celebration of this organization and its prolific contributions to the community. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing United Way all the best for another 100 years of service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Aurora Puerto Rican Cultural Council's 50 years of incredible service to the Aurora community, as well as the leadership of Ms. Iris Miller, board president.

Through two years of loss and hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council, under Ms. Miller's excellent leadership, managed to maintain their position as a pillar of the Aurora community. The council has continued promoting their Puerto Rican heritage through civic activities and cultural education despite the circumstances. Today, as we celebrate both the return of the Puerto Rican festival and the 50th anniversary of the Council, this organization continues to serve their community through the $20,000 in multicultural educational scholarships they are awarding.

These achievements have happened under the guidance of Iris Miller, Board President of the Aurora Puerto Rican Council. Born and raised in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, Ms. Miller has shown exemplary leadership and commitment to the Council since she began her term in 2017. Ms. Miller is an avid community servant and has consistently gone above and beyond to provide humanitarian aid to Puerto Rico and Mexico during recent natural disasters. In Aurora, she has acted as a supporter and volunteer for multiple non-profit organizations, as well as the City of Aurora.

I am proud to represent the city of Aurora, and I am grateful to be celebrating this organization and its prolific contributions to the Aurora multicultural community. I ask my colleagues to join me and wish Iris Miller, as well as the Aurora Puerto Rican Cultural Council, all the best for another 50 years of service, education, and leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment to reverse the fiscal year 2018 NDAA provision restricting U.S. funds to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization's Preparatory Commission, also known as the CTBTO's PrepCom.

As the only physicist in Congress, I feel a special responsibility to speak out on the importance of strengthening our global nuclear security architecture and maintaining U.S. leadership in this area.

The Preparatory Commission is tasked with monitoring countries' compliance with the comprehensive ban on nuclear explosive testing, including onsite inspections.

Before the PrepCom funding ban went into place, the U.S. experts regularly provided training to the PrepCom's international team of inspectors and worked with our international partners to continually refine the state-of-the-art methods used in these inspections.

When the funding ban was enacted, it removed our ability to continue this work, which resulted in Russia, China, and even Iran stepping in to fill the gap. Their efforts may be more focused on dumbing down the capability of PrepCom's verification regime, instead of strengthening it under U.S. leadership.

President Trump recognized the importance of nonproliferation and of oversight into our adversaries' nuclear testing. He worked for years at attempting to negotiate the dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear testing and development program. Although it failed in the end, it was not a dumb thing to attempt.

If a final deal had been reached, onsite inspections by a trusted international team of technically competent inspectors would have been a key factor, and that is what PrepCom is and what it should be under renewed U.S. leadership.

As our Nation fights against the unprovoked Russian aggression in Ukraine, and China and Iran's increasing belligerence, repealing this funding ban, and getting the PrepCom out from under our adversaries' control and back into U.S. control has never been more important.

As a Nation, we must continue our efforts to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons and continue longstanding commitments to our allies.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper).

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

I would just like for the Members on the other side to ask themselves: assume that President Trump had succeeded at his negotiations with North Koreans, that would have required a technically competent team of international inspectors there the day after the agreement to make sure that there was not testing and other weapons- related activities. This is why you keep the PrepCom alive and working and under U.S. leadership. It makes the U.S. stronger, safer, and more able to deliver on the treaties that I think all of us hope may some day be passed to actually reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons.

So until that time, we have to have a competent team in place. They, unfortunately, have to be international if they are going to be trusted by all sides on this. That is why it is important to keep the PrepCom as strong as we can, and it has to be under our leadership.

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

Mr. Speaker, when I first took office in March of 2008, one of my first official acts was to attend memorial services for the 17 students killed and injured in the mass shootings at Northern Illinois University.

In the 14 years since, I have attempted to comfort families in my communities again and again, suffering from gun violence like incidents of the shooting at Henry Pratt.

But until today, we had nothing to offer them but our thoughts and prayers. What we are going to pass today may not be enough, but it is a start.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak as a father and a new and excited grandfather to advocate for a country that is dedicated to helping all of its children thrive.

As a scientist, I recognize that one of the most important issues our children face is the fragility of children's brain development. Early brain development in children lays the foundation for their success in adulthood. During the first few years of life, millions of new neural connections are formed every second. It is during this time that the brain is the most flexible but also the most vulnerable to the environment around it.

Polluted environments, chronic stress, extreme poverty, or repeated abuse are toxic for brain development, and this has a lasting negative impact on a child's success in life.

It is important to continue research on the impact of children's environment on early brain development and then to take action to provide early intervention services for children whose brain development is at risk.

In fact, as Representative Jacobs mentioned, early childhood intervention has one of the highest returns on investment of any investment that our country can make.

Although my grandson is growing up in a supportive, loving, and hopefully chemically nontoxic environment, I recognize that many children in the United States are not. But I remain hopeful that we will continue to combat the challenges that all of our children face and continue to provide them with the best future possible.

Madam Speaker, as May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, I rise today to draw my colleagues' attention to the importance of knowing the risks for common skin cancers and treatment options.

I am a skin cancer survivor, thanks to regular screenings and early detection. My father was not so lucky and passed away from untreated skin cancer.

Our skin is our largest organ, protecting us from temperature extremes, injury, and infection. When our skin is exposed to the sun for an excessive amount of time, particularly our face, neck, arms, and hands, DNA damage can occur, resulting in non-melanoma skin cancer.

It is estimated that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70, making this the most common type of cancer amongst Americans. On average, 3.4 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year, with thousands of those cases resulting in death. With early detection, the 5-year survival rate for melanoma is 99 percent. Today, treatment options include both surgery and non-surgical radiotherapy.

Everyone should take steps to avoid skin cancer. Do self-exams. See your primary care doctor or dermatologist annually and tell them about your risk factors, including sun exposure, use of indoor tanning devices, age, prior skin cancer or family history, and other health conditions. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen that filters both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays and offers a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher every day. Limit your exposure during peak sun hours (10 am to 4 pm), and wear sunglasses with 100 percent UV protection and a wide-brimmed hat.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of my legislation, H.R. 700, to name the Elwood, Illinois, post office after Larry Walsh, Sr., a public servant and a dedicated member of the Will County community.

Mr. Walsh was raised in Joliet and was a graduate of Joliet Junior College and a lifelong resident of Elwood, Illinois. Larry loved the State of Illinois and devoted his life to making it a better place.

He first began his career in public service as a member of the Elwood School Board and continued to serve his community as an elected Jackson Township supervisor, a member of the Will County Board, and an Illinois State Senator representing the 43rd District, a time during which he was widely reputed to have spent a certain amount of time playing poker with his colleague, then State Senator Barack Obama.

Larry finished his career in public service as the Will County executive, a position he held from 2004 until his passing in 2020.

Larry was a family man and a devoted farmer, a voice for disability issues, senior citizens services, and agricultural workers.

He championed the largest infrastructure improvement investment in Will County's history, alongside modernizing his county's public safety resources. Simply put, Will County is a better place today because of the decades of work that Larry devoted to it.

The Lawrence M. ``Larry'' Walsh Sr. Post Office will be a justifiable source of pride and a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated his life to local government and his community.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation, one of the collegial and noble things that Congress can do for a collegial and noble man.

Madam Speaker, on April 1, 2022, I missed one recorded vote. I would like to indicate how I would have voted had I been present. On rollcall No. 103, I would have voted ``yea.''

Stated against: