Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House to observe a moment of somber remembrance for the 10th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. On March 19, 2003, the U.S. Armed Forces invaded Iraq in what would become one of the most drawn-out missions in our military's history--a mission that would end in more than 4,000 fatalities and 31,000 wounded.

All too often, these brave men and women risk their lives to serve our country, only to return home to face a different type of battle--a battle to receive the care and benefits that they deserve.

Earlier this month, in a commitment to provide high-quality healthcare to our veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs opened a new Veterans Outpatient Clinic in Joliet, Illinois. As part of the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, the 60,000 square foot facility will offer state-of-the-art healthcare, providing a variety of services including: primary care, physical, occupational, and speech therapies, health education, mental health treatment, women's healthcare, nutrition, and retinal imaging.

With more than 5,000 veterans already signed up to receive treatment at the Joliet Clinic, the facility will go a long way toward providing the healthcare that our men and women in uniform deserve. I am proud to have the Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Hospital Outpatient Clinic serving our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to not only join me in remembering those who lost their lives serving our great nation, but to also recognize and thank those veterans who have returned home after defending our country bravely and honorably.

Mr. Speaker, on March 15, I missed three recorded votes. Had I been present, on rollcall No . 73, I would have voted ``yea.'' On rollcall No. 74, I would have voted ``yea.'' On rollcall No. 75, H.R. 803, the SKILLS Act, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the thousands of Americans who benefit from the work of social workers in observance of March being National Social Work Month. Social work has been identified as the profession charged with serving as the safety net of our society, thus serving and advocating for society's most vulnerable groups including children, the elderly, veterans, mentally ill, and so on. From its start in the 1960s, Social Work Month has been a nationwide effort. According to Social Work Pioneer Robert Cohen, ``The initial idea of Social Work Month was to try to combat the widespread notion that social work was something anyone can do; or that it just involved people who were good Samaritans trying to help others. The profession has taken a long time to demonstrate and explain the professional nature of social work.''

While many Americans recognize the work of social workers in the community, many Americans are not aware of the noteworthy roles social workers have historically played in shaping our social policies. In fact, social work pioneer Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet as Secretary of Labor, drafted a significant portion of the New Deal legislation related to the Social Security Act, labor laws including a minimum wage, child labor protections, worker's compensation, safety standards developed through OSHA, unemployment compensation, and so on. Through the decades, Social Work Month themes have evolved along with the profession. From ``Doing Good Isn't Bad--It Isn't Easy Either'' (March 1973) to the latest theme of 2013, ``Weaving Threads of Resilience and Advocacy,'' this important month continues to celebrate the profession, and be a voice for all social workers.

I am proud to represent the state of Illinois which is home to a mega chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. NASW is a professional association of social workers that advocates for resources to meet the needs of clients, allocation of resources that is open, fair, and non discriminatory, and promotes social justice. Currently, NASW Illinois has 7000 members in eight districts throughout the state. Additionally, there are hundreds of social workers in my district providing supports to families, including a member of my staff. For instance, Big Brothers Big Sisters, an organization that has been helping change the lives of kids for over a century, is located in my district. Through mentoring, coaching, fundraising, and other activities, BBBS has consistently reported positive outcomes for youth including children that participate in BBBS are 46 percent less likely to use illegal drugs and 52 percent less likely to skip school.

I urge my colleagues to reflect on the valuable contributions of social workers in their respective districts and I acknowledge my social work colleagues serving in Congress with me today. I urge my colleagues to stand with me and recognize National Social Work Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the millions of Americans affected by sleep disorders and insufficient sleep in observance of National Sleep Awareness Week, March 3rd-10th. National Sleep Awareness Week is a week-long campaign to celebrate and bring awareness to the health benefits of sleep.

I am proud to represent the nation's foremost organization on sleep research, the Sleep Research Society (SRS), which is based in Darien, Illinois. The Sleep Research Society, established in 1961, is composed of scientists whose research contributions extend to all areas of sleep. The SRS promotes continued research and plays an important role in the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research within the National Institutes of Health's National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

Sleep disorders affect every age group, from infants to the elderly, and are often an indicator of, or a precursor to, other major diseases and disorders. 50-70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders, while 5% of the population suffers from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea results in excessive daytime fatigue, increased frequency of road traffic accidents, and arterial hypertension. Prior to diagnosis, patients with sleep apnea also tend to incur higher costs in their overall health care.

I urge my colleagues to reflect on the work that needs to be done to ensure that Americans with sleep disorders or suffering from insufficient sleep can expect to see sustained

and meaningful improvements in their health and healthcare. I urge my colleagues to stand with me and recognize National Sleep Awareness Week.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 77, the Academic Competition Resolution of 2013.

As a businessman, manufacturer and physicist, I know how important it is that we support STEM education. Throughout the twentieth century, American-led advancements in the STEM fields have driven forward our collective human understanding of the universe and strengthened the American economy.

The future of the American economy will depend on our ability to prepare graduates for work in STEM-related fields. Last year, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology estimated that for the U.S. to maintain its position at the forefront of STEM fields, we will need to increase the number of American STEM graduates by one million students over the next decade.

The economic crisis has further highlighted the importance of STEM education, as the STEM fields weathered the downturn better than most. As the Joint Economic Committee on STEM education points out, the unemployment rate among STEM workers never surpassed 5.5% during the crisis, while unemployment in non-STEM fields grew to almost 10% in 2010. STEM workers also enjoy higher average wages than their non-STEM counterparts.

A congressionally-sponsored academic competition in the STEM fields will generate enthusiasm in this burgeoning field and provide an opportunity for students to work on meaningful, hands-on projects. Congress must do more to support educational initiatives that will prepare our students for participation in a dynamic, global economy, and sponsoring a STEM competition is a small step in the right direction.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to ask the House to observe a moment of silence for the tragedy that occurred at Northern Illinois University five years ago. On February 14, 2008, we lost five very bright and energetic young students-- students who had hoped to one day become the future of our nation.

Each year since that tragic day, members of the community gather to remember those students and to present the memorial wreathes. Gayle Dubowski, Catalina Garcia, Julianna Gehant, Ryanne Mace, and Daniel Parmenter will never be forgotten, for they will always be in our hearts. Their memories will live on through their family and friends, as well as Northern Illinois University.

``Forward, Together Forward,'' three simple words that stem from the University's Fight Song, teach us a lesson that we can all learn from. It reminds us that even in the darkest of situations, when all seems lost, if we come together as a community there is nothing that we cannot get through. It gives us the strength and motivation to move forward.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering those lost and to support all who were affected by this tragedy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3427, the State Ethics Law Protection Act of 2009. This simple bill goes a long way in closing a loophole that discourages states from enacting tough pay-to-play reforms.

Under current policy, states like Illinois that take a stand against corrupt practices by prohibiting the awarding of highway contracts to campaign contributors may jeopardize a share of their highway funding. In 2008, when a tough pay-to-play law was being considered in Illinois, the Federal Highway Administration intervened and threatened to withhold Federal dollars if the law was enacted.

The shameful and unethical string of crimes perpetrated by public officials in the State of Illinois is by now well known, but the FHWA's intervention led the General Assembly to water down what would have been a tough and effective anti-corruption law. What's more, the FHWA's application of this policy has been occasional and uneven. Of the eight states that have enacted pay-to-play legislation, only New Jersey and Illinois have been singled out.

H.R. 3427 will untie the hands of state legislatures that seek to take bold action to combat pay-to-play practices and restore the public's faith in government. It will also help ensure that federal dollars will not be wasted on contracts doled out to political cronies.

I urge my colleagues to support this important bill, which will help state legislatures hold the line against corruption.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 512 on H.R. 3534 (motion to recommit), I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor all the World War II veterans, but especially our distinguished guests from the Honor Flight Chicago program. This noble program enables hundreds of Veterans from the Chicago area to come visit the memorial built to honor their great service and courage, and I have the great privilege of welcoming them to Washington DC.

We all have a special appreciation for our veterans because we know the sacrifices they made to protect us and bring peace to a world ravaged by war. These servicemen answered our nation's call during one of its greatest times of need. These brave Americans risked life and limb, gave service and sacrificed much, all while embodying what it is to be a hero. We owe them our deepest gratitude and thanks for protecting and ensuring our future.

I welcome these brave veterans to Washington and to their memorial. I am proud to submit the names of these men for all to see, hear, recognize and I call on my colleagues to rise and join me in expressing thanks.

Joseph Adamczyk; Nicholas Ahrens; Lewis Asher; John

Barbino; Edward Barrett; William Bennett; Edward Britton;

Raymond Bukentica; Sam Cangelosi; Edwin Chapp; Willard

Clauser; Anthony Coorlim; Russell Damisch; Robert Degnegaard;

Thomas Dobesh; Thomas Dougherty; William Draver; Clarence

Edman; Dominic Errichiello; Robert Etchingham:

Glenn Felner; Rollin Flanagin; Ray Ford; Jacob Forney; John

Frothingham; Kenneth Gardner; Albert Gilman; Alvin Goodman,

Jr.; Charles Goufas; Patricia Graves; Richard Hitzeroth; Don

Holwerda; Donald Horton; Charles Hoyert; Michael Hrindak;

James Jones; Frank Kania; William Kaske; John Keller; Robert

Kelley;

Harry Klich; Herman Kok; Raymond Kriesemint; Anthony Kurek;

Lloyd Lawson; George Leavitt; Herschel Leffingwell; Henry

Lewandowski; Robert Long; Norman Long; Jerry Lonigro; Hugh

Lynch; Henry Malek; Casimer Marks; Robert Marshall; Anthony

Matkovich; Edward Melnick; Norbert Melsek; Donald Memenga;

Arro Merijohn;

Raymond Mietz; Norman Million; Joseph Mooha; Herbert

Morrison; Jack Neistat; Ralph Niles; Berthold Notheisen;

Jerry Novak; Oscar Olson; Ralph Raap; Genevieve Rafa; Frank

Rafa; George Rinke; James Rosenbaum; Fred Ruben; Henry

Rutkowski, Sr.; Charles Sauber; Herman Steagall; William

Stowe; Harold Van Houten;

Sander Wallk; Robert Walton; Raymond Wasielewski; Norbert

Wayer; Robert Weber; Melton Williams; William Woodrow;

Stanley Zajac; James Zajicek; Donald Zentz; Arthur Bauer;

John Shubic; and John Sladek.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2142, The Government Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Performance Improvement Act. This legislation will force federal agencies and Congress to confront a crucial question: does the government we have operate as efficiently and responsibly as possible? By requiring agency heads to set measurable goals, subjecting identified programs to frequent assessments, and by enhancing transparency, this bill goes a long way towards creating an accountable, results-oriented government.

Before coming to Congress, I was a scientist and a businessman. In both science and business, data, clear metrics, and measurable goals guide any successful endeavor. The same should be true of the federal government. Whenever taxpayer dollars are spent, the American people deserve to know whether they're getting their money's worth. This means identifying which agencies are working, and which are not.

With deficits on an unsustainable long-term course, we must have a mechanism in place to ferret out wasteful spending and not hesitate to slash underperforming programs. This bill not only puts in place that mechanism, but it also allows the public to participate in the process. Agencies will be required to consider public input on program goals and the criteria by which they are assessed.

This bill is a victory for accountable government and the American taxpayer. Those who oppose it will say that it does not go far and fast enough, but they will not dispute that it is a step in the right direction. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, 6 years ago today, President Ronald Reagan lay in State in the Capitol Rotunda, a high and fitting honor for this consequential President and native son of my congressional district. Today, I bring to the floor a far more modest tribute, a bill that would designate the post office in his boyhood hometown of Dixon, Illinois, the President Ronald W. Reagan Post Office Building.

Born in Tampico, Illinois, in 1911 and raised in Dixon, President Reagan spent his life upholding the strong values of small-town America, but it is easy to overlook the humble Midwestern origins of a man whose career took him from Hollywood to the White House. In his autobiography, President Reagan said of Dixon, ``It was a small universe where I learned the standards and values that would guide me the rest of my life.''

While living in Dixon, President Reagan attended grade school and high school. Decades before standing at the Brandenburg Gate, he stood guard at the beach in Lowell Park where, according to local lore, he saved the lives of 77 swimmers on the Rock River.

For the centennial of President Reagan's birth next year, the communities of Tampico and Dixon are planning numerous commemorative activities to honor this local hero and American icon. There will be a gala event in Tampico in February, followed later that month by the premiere of the ``Reagan Suite,'' an arrangement commissioned by the Dixon Municipal Band and Reagan Centennial Commission. Later in the year, Dixon will host an Alzheimer's Walk and education workshop in honor of the late President.

With the help of my colleagues in the House, we can contribute in a small way to the outstanding efforts of many committed local officials who will make Dixon and Tampico true focal points of the Reagan centennial in 2011.

This is a truly bipartisan bill, with 41 Democratic and Republican cosponsors representing congressional districts from across the country. I urge my colleagues to support it.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of an amendment to optimize the technological posture of our Armed Forces, but I am also the son of a civil rights lawyer who wrote a lot of the enforcement language behind the Civil Rights Act of 1964. And I am proud to serve with our majority leader and the representative of the Pennsylvania Eighth district.

I rise in support of an amendment which would direct the Secretary of Defense to commission an independent study assessing the optimal balance of manned versus unmanned aircraft, as well as whether our military is capable of defending against an enemy force consisting of unmanned aerial vehicles. I believe it's the duty of Congress to ask hard questions and to take the long view of matters on national security.

In Afghanistan and Iraq, we've already seen how UAV technology has revolutionized warfare and how rapidly we can launch an attack half a world away without risking a single American life. Between 2002 and 2008, the number of unmanned aircraft used by the Department of Defense increased from 167 to over 6,000. This year for the first time in history, the Air Force trained more UAV pilots than traditional fighter pilots.

This amendment will help us optimize the balance between manned and unmanned aircraft, and I urge its support.

Thank you for yielding an additional minute.

As I was explaining that this year for the first time in history, the Air Force trained more UAV pilots than traditional fighter pilots. However, our fleet of unmanned aircraft has expanded, and we have also maintained and continued to build a large force of conventional manned aircraft.

This study will help Congress better understand the optimal most cost-effective balance between the two for a range of operations. It will also help us determine the feasibility and desirability of a more rapid transition to unmanned aircraft for these operations.

This study will also force the Department of Defense and Congress to confront the fact that the United States is not the only Nation capable of building and deploying these very effective, very lethal technologies. If the future of warfare lies in unmanned technology, will our military be prepared to defend the United States and its allies against attacks by enemies who possess large numbers of unmanned aircraft?

It's my hope that this study will help Congress prioritize and plan for this future and adopt the most cost-effective mix of manned and unmanned aircraft. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I thank Chairman Skelton for his hard work in bringing this amendment to the floor.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 88 due to an inadvertent error, I was not recorded. I would have voted ``no.''

Madam Speaker, I am here on the floor today to speak in support of H. Res. 862 honoring the Illinois Math and Science Academy for its receipt of the Intel Corporation's Star Innovator Award. The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy is a school of outstanding academic quality in my district, but I am also speaking in support of bringing the attention of this body to the importance of education in science, mathematics, and other quantitative fields.

The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy was first proposed by Leon Lederman, the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1988 as a way of ensuring that top flight and motivated Illinois children receive an invaluable education in science and mathematics, and also to train thousands of Illinois teachers in the art of teaching those skills. Under the guidance of Stephanie Pace Marshall, this institution blossomed into an institution that has graduated many famous and accomplished graduates, including the inventor of the original Web browser, Mosaic, the founder of YouTube, and dozens of surgeons, teachers, fighter pilots, scientists, and, yes, even financial services experts. We employ an IMSA graduate in our congressional office today.

The award that this school received last September, Intel Corporation's Star Innovator award, has its own rich history of promoting science in the United States. The progenitor of this award was first given out in 1942, then referred to as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. This award was given out under this name for over 50 years and was highly recognized as the highest scientific honor that any high school student could receive.

A decade ago, this program was taken over by Intel, the company that invented the microprocessor and a company that recognizes the crucial importance of math and science education to the economic future of our country. The name of the award and its primary sponsor may have changed, but the award itself and the high academic honor associated with it continue to this day.

Under Intel's guidance, the program now includes awards honoring not only students and teachers, but innovative institutions specializing in math and science education as well. As a scientist myself, I see the need for recognizing and congratulating scientific achievement at all ages. We need not just this award, not just corporate sponsorships, not just economic awards, but also a new cultural appreciation for the value of individuals with extensive quantitative skills in math, science, and engineering, and other technical disciplines.

But I also have a special reason to be proud of this award. As it turns out, my daughter is one of the many proud alums who call IMSA their alma mater. My daughter recently graduated from Stanford, and I am happy to report that she is now gainfully employed doing work she enjoys, certainly one of the key milestones in any parent's lifetime.

While the Illinois Math and Science Academy lies in the Illinois 14th Congressional District that I represent, I am proud to be joined in this congratulation by the entire Illinois delegation. And in particular, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), IMSA's neighbor to the east, who has always been a strong supporter of math and science education, as well as the Illinois Math and Science Academy.

I want to thank the chairman for yielding.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 4173, The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009. As a member of the House Financial Services Committee that drafted this landmark bill, I'm proud of our chairman's work, and I want to especially thank the chairman for his diligent efforts over the last many months in shepherding this complex piece of legislation to the floor this week.

This historic comprehensive legislation has dozens of moving parts designed to prevent future bailouts and restore financial stability to the marketplace. I make no apologies for its complexity. It is the simplistic view of financial markets that has brought us to this place.

I want, however, to take a moment to highlight a few of the possibly underappreciated aspects of this bill which may ultimately prove to be among the most beneficial.

First, this bill has language authorizing requirements for the inclusion of something called contingent capital into the capital structure of large financial holding companies. Contingent capital is a special form of debt which, when a company gets into trouble, will immediately convert into equity on previously negotiated terms, thus causing the firm to be recapitalized without requiring a penny from the taxpayer. In this sense, a requirement for large firms to carry contingent capital amounts to a requirement that they carry privately funded bailout insurance. The elegance of this solution is that it is market based and privately funded.

For large financial firms that are poorly run, the market-imposed terms on which they could receive contingent capital could be more onerous than their better-run competitors. And while not eliminating the need for a systemic dissolution fund, I firmly believe that contingent capital will become the first best line of defense against financial contagion and will serve to mitigate the effects of future crises.

Secondly, this bill significantly reforms the credit rating agencies which played a central role in the crisis last fall by giving inflated ratings to mortgage-backed securities and other financial instruments. In the wake of the Enron accounting scandal, Congress established an independent Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, PCAOB. This board, dominated by

users of accounting reports, was designed and effectively regulates the accounting industry. And this bill, in addition to mandating that the rating agencies establish internal controls to resolve conflicts of interest and institute better corporate governance, also has language which creates a prototype independent committee to oversee the SEC regulation and enforcement of the rating agencies. Like the PCAOB, this oversight committee will be dominated by end users of credit ratings and will serve as a template for future, stronger oversight if the SEC enforcement proves inadequate.

Finally, the last issue that I'd like to highlight is the greater investor protection this bill provides. In particular, this bill contains a provision that makes investment adviser fraud--like that perpetrated by Bernie Madoff--virtually impossible. Specifically, the bill contains language which requires those who advise and manage large amounts of money on behalf of others either to employ an independent custodian to hold those assets or to have an independent set of eyes verifying the accuracy of statements to investors. This simple requirement should give investors peace of mind that what is on their statements each month actually exists.

I have touched on only a few of the historic and beneficial changes in this bill designed to restore market confidence, ensure the end of taxpayer-funded bailouts, and modernize the rules governing our 21st century economy. I hope my colleagues can support this important bill.