Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on May 7th I missed one recorded vote. I would like to indicate how I would have voted had I been present. On rollcall No. 199, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the student engineers of Team Titan from the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy for being selected as national finalists in NASA's Exploration Design Challenge. Team Titan, led by Dr. Eric Hawker, is one of just five high school teams from across the country to be selected as finalists for the opportunity to contribute to the design of radiation shields for NASA's Orion spacecraft.

Over 125,000 students from 81 countries have participated in NASA's Exploration Design Challenge. This competition is designed to engage students on the topic of space exploration and challenge them to think like scientists and engineers.

The shield designed by Team Titan could protect a sensor inside the Orion spacecraft against space radiation. Team Titan's design was reviewed by Orion engineers, as well as educators from NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace, and selected as a finalist among the forty-six teams that submitted engineering notebooks with radiation shield designs.

IMSA has continuously demonstrated a dedication to offering the kind of education necessary to create future generations of scientists and engineers. Team Titan's selection as a finalist in NASA's Exploration Design Challenge provides a shining example of why IMSA is internationally recognized for its leadership in teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to students in grades 10-12.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Dr. Eric Hawker, and the students of Team Titan: Cassandra Erwin, Ryan Franks, Claire Hensley, Michael Hrcek, Alec Mangan, and Alonzo Marsh, for being selected as finalists in NASA's Exploration Design Challenge.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the NJROTC Marksmanship Team at East Aurora High School for earning a top 10 finish at the Navy National Marksmanship Meet. The NJROTC Marksmanship Team at East Aurora qualified for the Navy's National Marksmanship Meet by finishing eighth out of 600 teams from across the country in the Secretary of the Navy Postal Competition.

Participants at the Navy National Marksmanship Meet are scored on their ability to accurately shoot an air rifle from three positions: lying down, kneeling, and standing. The competitors in the Navy National Marksmanship Meet must use intense concentration and remain calm to shoot accurately.

The performance of its Marksmanship Team at the Navy's National Marksmanship Meet provides a shining example of why East Aurora High School's NJROTC program is nationally recognized as a distinguished unit and regularly receives awards and honors. As recently as 2012, the Armed and Unarmed Drill Teams finished in first place in the Challenge Division, and in 2006, the Color Guard won the overall championship while competing against 500 high schools.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the following members of the East Aurora High School NJROTC Marksmanship Team for their excellent finish at the Navy National Marksmanship Meet: Cadet Master Chief Giovanni Gutierrez, Cadet Senior Chief Austin Martinez, Cadet Second Class Petty Officer Luis Nevarez, Cadet LCDR Jesus Ortega, and Cadet Senior Chief Sylvanna Parra.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. William Grahame Wilkin III of Aurora, Illinois for his contributions to our nation's Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action. Mr. Wilkin is currently an art teacher at Aurora Christian High School, helping young men and women learn how to express themselves through art. However, in 1983 when he was a young art student at Glenbard South High School, Mr. Wilkin participated in an art contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

While his entry did not win the competition that day, it would go on to become an image we all recognize. His artwork reminds us of soldiers who were held captive and those whose deaths were never confirmed. His entry was a circle with the black silhouette of a man's face, a guard tower to the left with three supporting crosses, and barbed wire on the right.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Wilkin for his contribution to all of our veterans and their families.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Amma Sri Karunamayi, a prominent Hindu spiritual leader who has devoted her life to promoting public service and peace.

Amma is best known for her acts of charity, which include providing spiritual guidance to those in need, establishing a free school for more than 700 students and constructing a hospital that provides free care to patients in need. After spreading her teachings in India for many years, Amma sought to take her mission overseas.

In 1995, Amma took her first tour of the United States and returned every year thereafter. This year, she will be back for her 20th anniversary tour. To commemorate this occasion, Amma will be hosting an interfaith World Peace prayer ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia from May 1st until May 11th.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Amma Sri Karunamayi's achievements, and to congratulate her on 20 years of spreading spirituality and peace throughout the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to take note of a recent scientific discovery, a result which, if confirmed and understood in its full theoretical context, has the potential to change the way we think about the beginnings of the universe.

Before coming to Congress, I was a high-energy particle physicist and a particle accelerator designer at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory for over 20 years. While I sometimes miss being back in the lab, I am very pleased when I have the opportunity to advocate in Congress for scientific research and development.

Twice in my life, I have had the privilege of participating in a fundamental breakthrough in science. The first was during my Ph.D. thesis work when we observed a subatomic process, known as proton decay--which was confidently predicted by many, if not most, of the theoretical physicists at the time--was, in fact, not happening.

The second time was at Fermilab, when I was part of the team that discovered the top quark, which is the heaviest known form of matter and, quite possibly, the heaviest subatomic particle that will ever be discovered--or not.

So like scientists around the world, my pulse quickened with the announcement that the first independent confirming evidence for cosmic inflation in the early universe had been discovered.

Humans have wondered about the origin of the universe for thousands of years. Now, thanks to a team of clever and hard-working scientists and of Federal investments in basic science, we appear to be an important step closer to understanding the birth of the universe.

Immediately following the big bang, which is the moment at which the universe burst into existence, scientists have hypothesized that the universe underwent a period known as inflation. During inflation, which lasted for only a tiny fraction of a second, the universe expanded at an exponential rate.

Now, the BICEP2 team, which is a collaboration of 12 institutes, including universities, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy and NASA laboratories, has found direct evidence that appears to verify the theory of inflation.

They were able to study the very first moments of the universe at less than a trillionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second after the big bang, and they were able to obtain direct observational evidence of inflation, which, until now, has been mainly based on theoretical work.

To do this, the team constructed a telescope at the National Science Foundation's U.S. Antarctic Program's research station at the South Pole to observe the cosmic microwave background radiation, a faint glow left over from the big bang.

They observed a pattern in the cosmic background radiation that was consistent with being left over from inflation, giving us a glimpse of the universe over 13.7 billion years ago. They were able to detect this, in large part, because of recent advances in highly sensitive detector technology.

This project was primarily funded by the National Science Foundation, and it received generous support from NASA and from the Department of Energy, as well as from private industry, and it is an example of the importance of Federal funding for basic science research.

It is also an example of the interplay between technology and basic science and of how new technology will lead to even greater advances in basic science and vice versa.

Additionally, study after study has shown that there are few investments

our government can make that provide as high a return on investment as scientific research and development.

Despite this, Federal investments in research and development are at an historic low, comprising merely 3.8 percent of the Federal budget-- or 0.8 percent of the GDP.

In fact, over the last 3 years, Federal research and development expenditures have decreased by 16.3 percent, which is the steepest decline over a 3-year period since the end of the space race.

These results are an important reminder of the value of Federal investment in research and development. Without the proper investment in scientific research, we must expect fewer of these groundbreaking scientific discoveries, at least in the United States.

The greatest long-term threat that our country faces on both the military and economic fronts is the threat of losing our role as world leaders in innovation and in science and technology.

Nothing is more crucial to preserving that role than having adequate funding for fundamental and applied scientific research. The recent advances in cosmology are just one of many examples of the breadth of intellectual capital and state-of-the-art technology that the U.S. currently possesses.

As Congress determines how to allocate funding for these agencies in the coming year, with many proposing budgets that will cripple future investments in education and research, I urge my colleagues to capitalize on these discoveries and ensure that we are investing enough in research, science, and education.

Because of Federal investments in science, we have just looked significantly farther into the early universe than anyone has done before. This not only tells us about the birth of the universe, but it also gives us insight into our fundamental understanding of the laws of physics.

This discovery by the BICEP2 team has been globally recognized as one of the most important fundamental breakthroughs in science in our lifetimes, a landmark of American academic achievement that will live on in the science textbooks forever.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Robert Morris University Men's ACHA Division 1 hockey team as the 2014 National Champion Runners-Up. Robert Morris University is a private, non-profit, multi-campus university in Illinois, with an enrollment of approximately 6,000 students. Facing competition from prestigious universities with enrollments greater than 30,000, the Robert Morris players and coaches demonstrated remarkable stamina, character, and determination in realizing their goal of competing for the national title.

Off the ice these student-athletes distinguished themselves academically as well. During the first quarter of the year, 11 players earned a perfect 4.0 Grade Point Average, and 21 of these hockey players earned a 3.0 GPA or better. The team can also boast they have a 100 percent graduation rate, as all 9 seniors on the team will be graduating after 4 years.

The life of a student-athlete can be both physically and mentally exhausting, as they must balance a full-time course schedule, daily practices, 2-3 day road trips every other week, and quite often, part- time jobs. This is especially true for these young men, as their hockey season extends for over 6 months, the majority of their academic school year. Their ongoing dedication to excellence, both on and off the ice is a credit to themselves, their coaches, their school and their families.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Robert Morris University student-athletes: Mitch Tews, Mason Riley, Christopher Cimoch, Ryan O'Connell, Tyler Martorano, Joey Francis, Kyle Hamilton, Derek Winkler, Nick Ernst, Tony Domico, Derek Diaz, Gehritt Sargis, Markus Ellis, T.J. Karavos, Robert Chapman, Andrew Montague, Adam Keasey, Chris Pontello, Chayce Coenen, Oleg Popov, Paul Isleib, Andy DiCristofaro, Anthony Petrak, Robert Kennedy, Zach Kuta, Head Coach Tom Adrahtas, Assistant Coach Chad Berman and Director of Player Personnel Tom Wendlandt. Your outstanding achievements this year are truly admirable.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1874 and to explain to my Republican colleagues why their tax policies have not worked and will not work to produce economic growth and jobs.

I am a scientist who has spent over 20 years at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory conducting research and a successful businessman before that, and a scientist proceeds on the basis of facts. The historical facts on Republican tax policies are clear.

Tax policies during the Clinton years, predicted by the Republicans to restrict economic growth, in fact generated the strongest uninterrupted period of job growth in our lifetimes--over 22 million new American jobs in 8 years.

Then the Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001 reversed those policies, and in the following 8 years, the net number of new jobs was essentially zero--actually, slightly negative. Twenty million Americans entered the workforce during the Bush years, and the Republican policies produced zero net jobs for them, opening up a jobs gap of over 20 million jobs, a jobs gap that we are still closing today.

So to the extent that there is a causal link between tax policies and job creation, the data is clear: Republican policies have destroyed jobs and Democratic policies have created them.

I will now attempt to explain why this is and why the simplified macroeconomic modeling promoted by this legislation will fail to match the real world.

Generally speaking, Democratic tax breaks deliver benefits to the middle class while Republican tax breaks deliver benefits to the very wealthy, and, as it turns out, the very wealthy spend and invest their money very differently than the middle class.

Mr. Chairman, the macroeconomic models promoted in this legislation typically model our economy with a single aggregated consumer. Like the Republicans, they pretend that giving an extra dollar to a billionaire is no different than giving an extra dollar to a working class family. However, if you give an extra dollar to a middle class family, they will spend it in the local economy, increasing local economic growth, or they will invest it in some of the highest return investments available to anyone, investing in their children's college education or, perhaps, buying a second car so that their spouse can get a job.

Now, if you give that same dollar to a very wealthy individual, they will not change their spending habits because they are already spending as much as they feel like spending and this will not change, so there will be no local economic growth.

The investments of the very wealthy are also very different since they no longer have available to themselves the high-return investments available to the middle class. The very wealthy have already spent everything they can to send their children to the finest schools. They already have seven Cadillacs in their garages. So the marginal investments of the wealthy are intrinsically less productive due to the basic principle of economics known as the ``law of diminishing returns.''

Since economic growth is equal to investments times return on investment--sorry about the equation--the economic growth from channeling money to the wealthy is far less than the same relief being given to the middle class.

Democratic middle class policies are pro-growth policies, and Republican policies are not.

Mr. Chairman, there is also another important effect not captured by the single-consumer macroeconomic models in this legislation, which is the increasing propensity for wealthy people to move their money offshore.

If you give an extra dollar to wealthy people, they will turn it over to their money managers, who look around for high yields and who will increasingly invest those dollars overseas, perhaps increasing the net worth of the wealthy investors but competing with and destroying American jobs. Had that same dollar been given in tax relief to middle class families, it would have been much more likely to stay in America.

So, in the real world, Republican policies trickle down, but they trickle down to jobs in China, and that is why the Bush tax cuts have generated zero jobs in the 8 years after having been enacted.

Announcement by the Chair

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to the ENFORCE Act.

For 20 years, our immigration system has been left to rot due to congressional inaction. As a result, today we have over 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the shadows.

After 20 years of neglect, we finally have a commonsense immigration reform package that has already passed the Senate with bipartisan support and has an unprecedented array of support from religious groups, law enforcement, and business leaders throughout the country. It is rare to find a subject that labor leaders and the Chamber of Commerce can agree on, but both have called on Congress to promptly pass comprehensive immigration reform. Speaker Boehner and the House Republican leadership have ignored the millions of voices calling for reform, refusing even to bring it up for a vote.

Now, today, we are preparing to vote on the ENFORCE Act, legislation that would have the practical effect of ripping millions of young men and women away from the only home they have ever known.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has allowed countless undocumented youth to remain in the U.S. to attend our schools and to contribute to our economy.

Instead of fixing our broken immigration system, Republicans are doubling down on costly deportation and detention practices that are costing taxpayers millions and tearing families apart.

Mr. Chairman, we can't fix the problem by ignoring the symptoms. We cannot fix our broken immigration system either with more deportations or specious constitutional arguments, which is exactly what Republicans are attempting to do today with the ENFORCE Act.

It is time for Republicans to stop inventing incoherent, self- serving, and self-contradictory lines of constitutional reasoning and to start listening to the millions of voices calling for action and pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud President Obama's new initiative, My Brother's Keeper, and to highlight one organization in our district doing outstanding work to mentor young men.

Boys 2 Men was created in November 2002 by Clayton Muhammad, with the mission of bringing young Black and Latino men together to build a bond of brotherhood and to redefine manhood. The organization has been a phenomenal success.

The members of Boys 2 Men are graduating from high school, going to college, and serving our country in the military.

Boys 2 Men has produced outstanding young men like Gilberto Chaidez, a graduate of West Aurora High School and a senior at the University of Illinois majoring in civil engineering. Gilberto was named the National Star Student of the Year by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.

Jamario Taylor is a graduate of East Aurora High School and a senior at Western Illinois University. Jamario is a record-holder in the high jump and a top-ranked NCAA athlete.

Alexander Sewell is a graduate of Roosevelt University in Chicago. Alex went on to work in the office of Leader Pelosi; for the Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu; and now in the office of Senator Landrieu.

Initiatives like Boys 2 Men and My Brother's Keeper are invaluable resources to help young men get their lives on the right track, even if, despite everyone's best efforts, some of them end up working for the United States Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the achievements of Ms. Yolanda Jordan on being named Calumet District's 2014 Social Worker of the Year.

Each year, the eight Illinois districts of the National Association of Social Workers select a member to receive the Social Worker of the Year award. Recipients of this award are individuals who embody the mission of the National Association of Social Workers, and who strive to help others while abiding to a strict code of ethics. These individuals have each made invaluable contributions to the people they help and the communities in which they work.

After more than 20 years of service in the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, it is clear that Ms. Yolanda Jordan was meant to receive this prestigious honor. Throughout her career, Yolanda has provided the people of Kankakee, Will, and Grundy counties with unparalleled social services. She has helped families and children navigate the complex child welfare system, and worked as a clinical practitioner, operating her own private practice.

Ms. Jordan, along with other Illinois social workers who received this award, will be honored during the month of March, which is National Social Work Month.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Jordan's service to the members of the Calumet District, and to acknowledge the vital role social workers play in creating a healthy society.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Gateway Foundation on its renewed accreditation by The Joint Commission. Since 1968, the Gateway Foundation's Alcohol & Drug Treatment Centers have helped thousands of individuals and their families formulate comprehensive and cost-effective treatment plans to battle addiction. Gateway's unique treatment approach, which focuses on both the mind and body, has allowed them to help individuals struggling with addiction lead full and healthy lives.

The Joint Commission is the leading accrediting organization for hospitals and behavioral healthcare organizations. To achieve accreditation, healthcare organizations like the Gateway Foundation have to be thoroughly assessed by health care professionals. The evaluation is based on a series of areas including how the organization educates its clients on treatment risks and options, whether or not the organization provides a safe treatment environment and how well the organization monitors a client's condition before, during, and after treatment. The Gateway Foundation excelled in these fields, receiving the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval.

The Joint Commission evaluation included 11 Gateway locations throughout Illinois, including several in Chicago, one in Aurora, and one in Springfield. It also ensured that thirty of Gateway's alcohol and drug treatment programs targeting men, women, and teens, will be available for the next three years to those in need.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the achievements of the Gateway Foundation, and to congratulate them on receiving accreditation from The Joint Commission for their commitment to providing high-quality care and treatment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the grave epidemic of heroin abuse. The media has shone a bright light on this issue this week, but for too many in my district, heroin abuse is all too common. The number of heroin deaths that we have seen in the counties I represent has been staggering.

In Kane County, Illinois, there were 20 heroin-related deaths in 2013. In Will County, there were 35. DuPage County reported 46 heroin- related deaths, including one period last summer when 15 overdose deaths were reported in just 17 days.

Heroin abuse affects people of every race, income and education level. These are mothers and fathers, friends and neighbors.

Community leaders are working to fight back, and, yet, at the Federal level we have not only failed to increase our efforts to combat drug abuse, we have reduced resources. Funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration was cut by over $210 million in 2013. The DEA's budget was cut by nearly $120 million.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because we cannot ignore this epidemic which is ravaging our country.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize two intelligent and distinguished students from my district for receiving one of the most competitive merit-based grants in the world.

The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is a prestigious international exchange program that serves to cultivate knowledge and understanding between citizens of the United States and those across the globe.

Since its creation in 1946, the program has funded graduate study, research and teaching endeavors for over a quarter of a million people in 155 countries.

After a rigorous selection process based on academic achievements and leadership potential, Ms. Natalie Cain, a native of Darien studying at the University of Miami, and Mr. Matthew Ropp, a native of Oswego studying at Northern Illinois University, were selected for this prestigious program, where they will continue their studies in the fields of public health and English, respectively.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and celebrating the achievements of these two individuals and I wish them the best of luck in all of their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of Mr. Daniel Lehman and his outstanding contributions to our Nation's scientific community.

By developing and implementing project peer review and evaluation processes for the Department of Energy's Office of Science, he has had a profound impact on many large-scale scientific construction projects, helping to complete them on time and on budget.

Known as ``Lehman Reviews,'' his processes have been recognized and copied worldwide as a best practice for managing large and complex scientific construction projects.

During over 30 years of Federal service, until his retirement on January 3, 2014, his dedication to excellence and proactive approach shepherded many scientific facilities to successful construction and operation.

His passion, devotion, and commitment to improving the management culture of highly complex projects has made a tremendous impact on the vitality, perception, and future of the Office of Science programs.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Daniel Lehman for his inspiring leadership and outstanding contributions to our Nation's scientific programs.