Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Stephen Bash for his retirement. Dr. Bash currently serves as Professor of Pediatrics, Section of Cardiology, in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria.

Dr. Bash has had a long and distinguished career as a doctor. He graduated from Indiana University Medical School in 1967 and began his medical career with an internship at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York. Dr. Bash then returned to Indiana where he completed his Pediatric Residency and a Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. Academia has also been an important aspect of Dr. Bash's career as he worked as an instructor at the Fort Wayne Family Practice Residency and an assistant professor at the University of Illinois. Additionally, Dr. Bash served our country honorably as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy and was a visiting cardiology consultant for the Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Bash is part of several professional societies and has received several awards for his work. I would like to wish Dr. Bash well as he begins his well-earned retirement and thank him for his many contributions to medical research.

It is because of dedicated leaders such as Dr. Stephen Bash that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate Dr. Stephen Bash on his retirement and thank him for his service to our country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Jitendra Shah for his retirement. Dr. Shah currently serves as the Director of the Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at the Children's Hospital of Illinois at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

Dr. Jitendra Shah has had a long and distinguished career as a doctor, which began after he graduated from the Medical College at Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda, India in 1969. Following graduation, Dr. Shah completed an internship and his residency at Shree Sayaji General Hospital in Baroda, India, the Albert Einstein Medical Center and Philadelphia General Hospital in Pennsylvania. Dr. Shah did a fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, and then led research at the Congenital Heart Disease Research & Training Center's Hekteon Institute for Medical Research in Chicago, Illinois. He has also served in the academic world, most recently as Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria. Dr. Shah is a part of many scientific organizations and has received two teaching awards for his time in academia. I would like to wish Dr. Shah well as he begins his well-earned retirement and thank him for his many contributions to medical research.

It is because of dedicated leaders such as Dr. Jitendra Shah that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate Dr. Jitendra Shah on his retirement and thank him for his service to the Peoria community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Richard Pearl for his retirement as Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. Dr. Pearl is currently the director of Surgical Simulation at the Jump Simulation and Education Center at OSF HealthCare and is completing a long career of service through medicine.

Dr. Richard Pearl began his distinguished career after he received a medical degree from Wright State University in 1980. Dr. Pearl first gained experience as a Surgical Intern at Madigan Army Medical Center prior to completing his residency at Harvard Surgical Service in Boston, and a fellowship focused on Pediatric Surgery in Toronto, Canada. In addition to these outstanding achievements, Dr. Pearl honorably served our nation as a Colonel in the U.S. Army. He began his military service as an infantry officer and helicopter pilot before joining the Army Medical Corps. In the Army Medical Corps, Dr. Pearl served in Operation Desert Storm as Deputy Commander of a Combat Support Hospital and Commander of a Forward Surgical Team in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. This extraordinary service earned Dr. Pearl many recognitions and accolades, including three Bronze Stars, the Legion of Merit and the Air Medal for Valor. I would like to wish Dr. Pearl well as he begins his well-earned retirement.

It is because of dedicated leaders such as Dr. Richard Pearl that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate Dr. Richard Pearl on his retirement and thank him for his service to our country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Steven Roegge on being named East Peoria's next police chief. His 31 years of service at the Peoria Police Department have not gone unnoticed.

Mr. Roegge began his career in law enforcement after receiving a criminal justice degree from Illinois State University and earning a certificate in supervision of police personnel from Northwestern University. He then went on and served as a lieutenant with the Peoria Police Department for the past 11 years, where he worked as a vice and narcotics investigator. Additionally, he worked closely with the K9 Unit by serving as a K9 sergeant and training other officers and their K9s, while also developing active shooter trainings for the department. Mr. Roegge has also represented the Peoria Police Department with the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarms System to further his leadership within the department. I would like to express my gratitude for the work he has done to protect our community and I look forward to seeing what he will accomplish in his new role.

As the wife of a sheriff, I know how important it is to share our gratitude for those who put their lives on the line for our communities. Dedicated leaders like Mr. Steven Roegge make me especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate Mr. Steven Roegge on his well-earned promotion to East Peoria Police Chief, and thank him for all of his service to the community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Logan Brinson, whose love for reading and sharing books with others has led to him opening two locations of ``Logan's Little Library'' in Alpha, Illinois.

Logan, a five-year old from Alpha, Illinois, noticed that his town did not have a library when he moved there in 2017. As a result, Logan decided to start one himself by building one right in his own front yard--that way, he could share his love of books and reading with others in the community. ``Logan's Little Library'' now stands out front of his house and serves as a space where members of the community may pick a book up that they are interested in reading and also drop books off that they would like to share with others. Logan has also included books that he has finished reading as well as some others from his collection. The success of ``Logan's Little Library'' has even led to the opening of a second location, which will be ready in May 2019. The second location came about after Logan made his case to the village that some children are unable to cross the busy Highway 150 and therefore cannot reach the Library. Logan's idea has even drawn the attention of those in other countries, and he has since received book donations from London and Australia.

It is because of dedicated leaders such as Logan Brinson that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate Logan Brinson on sharing his love for books and inspiring the Alpha community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Ben Farrar Insurance softball team of the Rock Island Girls Softball League on becoming the face of Big League Chew. This is the first time in the 38 years the gum has been offered that women have been on the cover.

Big League Chew is one of the most famous bubble gums in the world, and the Ben Farrar Insurance softball team is on the cover of the packaging. George Stege, who represents Big League Chew, and Ben Swanson, who coaches the girls, formed a friendship that led to this wonderful debut of girls on the cover of the packaging where only boys had been before. The group of teenage girls from Rock Island helped make this happen by inspiring George Stege to take this idea to his team at Ford Gum Company. Not knowing that this would be something the company would consider, given they have such an iconic logo, the team was excited to hear the news that they would be the face of Big League Chew and inspire female athletes everywhere.

It is because of dedicated leaders such as George Stege, Ben Swanson and members of the Ben Farrar Insurance softball team that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate the Rock Island Girls Softball League's Ben Farrar Insurance softball team for being on the cover of Big League Chew's packaging.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Rock Energy Cooperative for celebrating 83 years of service. Since they were founded, they have only continued to grow and expand their services.

The Rock Energy Cooperative's articles of incorporation were first filed in 1936 and has been bringing electricity to homes across our region ever since. Starting out with 199 members, it has since expanded to draw in thousands of members. In 2007, Rock Energy Cooperative expanded their operations to Illinois when they acquired South Beloit Water, Gas & Electric from Alliant Energy. Following this addition to their service, the membership increased by ten thousand and now reached across two states, Wisconsin and Illinois. However, electricity is not the only service they deliver as they also provide natural gas to people across Illinois. Throughout all of their years of service and powering homes across our region, they have consistently met their member's needs, especially those living in rural areas.

It is because of businesses such as the Rock Energy Cooperative that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate the Rock Energy Cooperative on its 83 years of service to the community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Fidencio Hooper-Campos on his retirement. Mr. Hooper-Campos has been a steelworker and member of the United Steelworkers Local 63 for 45 years.

Fidencio Hooper-Campos has much to celebrate following a stellar career as a steelworker and a public servant. Mr. Hooper-Campos began his career as a steelworker at the age of 19 at Northwestern Steel & Wire prior to continuing his work at Sterling Steel in the town where he was born. However, Mr. Hooper-Campos' work went beyond that as he took on leadership roles within the community, including service on the Whiteside County Board, Whiteside County Health Clinic Governing Council and the NCI Works Board. Mr. Hooper-Campos committed himself to civic activism and always worked to improve the community around him throughout his accomplished career. In addition, Mr. Hooper-Campos enjoys music, kickboxing and martial arts and I wish him well as he begins his well-earned retirement.

It is because of dedicated leaders such as Fidencio Hooper-Campos that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate Fidencio Hooper-Campos on his retirement after 45 years as a steelworker.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Joe Terronez on his 90th birthday. Mr. Terronez is the first Hispanic mayor in the state of Illinois and is the former mayor of Silvis, Illinois.

Joe Terronez began a long career of public service when he was first elected alderman in 1963 before later going on to serve the City of Silvis as its mayor. He was one of the first Hispanic city council members in the state and his dedication to his community is admirable. One of the best examples of Mayor Terronez's service to others, although there are many, was when he renamed 2nd Street in Silvis to ``Hero Street.'' Although this street is only one and a half blocks long, over 100 of its residents were members of the military, including six who gave the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedoms. As a result, Mayor Terronez dedicated this street to honor their sacrifices. Actions such as this embody Mayor Terronez's spirit of giving back to others. As he celebrates this milestone, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for his many years of service to others.

It is because of dedicated leaders such as Mayor Terronez that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally honor Mr. Joe Terronez on his 90th birthday.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Haddad's West Peoria Market for celebrating 100 years in business. Haddad's has been a staple in Peoria since it first opened its doors in 1919.

Haddad's West Peoria Market has held its own as an independently-run business in the Peoria community owned by Mark Wrhel. Haddad's family owned operation along with its friendly atmosphere and welcoming staff is what has kept customers coming back for all of these years. Often times customers run into their neighbors, friends or familiar members of the community while walking the aisles at Haddad's to pick up their favorite products and providing them with a sense of community and comfort. Local businesses such as Haddad's are a critical part of our local economy and owners such as Mark should be celebrated for all of their hard work in creating a place for the community to come together and shop locally. 100 years of business is an outstanding achievement and I wish Haddad's continued success in the time to come serving the Peoria area.

It is because of businesses such as Haddad's West Peoria Market that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate Haddad's West Peoria Market on its 100 years in business.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Innkeeper's Fresh Roasted Coffee for its twentieth anniversary of operation in Galesburg, Illinois.

Innkeeper's has been a space for the Galesburg community to come together since 1998 when Mike Bond and Johan Ewalt first began serving freshly roasted coffee. In 2003, the two took a chance and decided to expand their business even as factory closings threatened to devastate the local economy. With in vestment, hard work and creativity, Innkeeper's managed to succeed, grow and become a central space for friends and family to enjoy one another's company. Innkeeper's small batch roasting method and their use of environmentally friendly shade- grown coffee sets them apart.

It is in small businesses like Innkeeper's that rural communities have found stability and their perseverance makes me proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would again like to formally congratulate Innkeeper's Fresh Roasted Coffee on its twenty years in business and thank them for their service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Greg Pohlman, who is being inducted into the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Mr. Pohlman served Carrollton Community High School for 40 years as a coach, teacher and athletic director.

Mr. Pohlman retired from his post as the baseball coach at Carrollton in 2016 after a long, successful career where he tallied up over 500 career wins. Under his leadership, the Carrollton Hawks went on to win the 2011 Illinois High School Association Class 1A State Championship following a 31 win season. This championship season gave Mr. Pohlman the record for most wins in a single season and is an outstanding coaching achievement. Mr. Pohlman's accomplishments demonstrate not only his extensive knowledge of the game, but also his commitment to the students he coached. Throughout his tenure, Mr. Pohlman rightfully earned a reputation of being a great role model to young student athletes and someone who truly gave his all to allow students to compete and learn to the best of their abilities. However, his impact went beyond the sports he coached--throughout all of his years as a teacher and coach, he tried to instill in his students and athletes the importance of being productive members of our society. Mr. Pohlman is an exceptional leader in our community and it is fitting that his years of service are being recognized in this way.

It is because of dedicated leaders such as Greg Pohlman that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate Greg Pohlman on his well-earned induction into the Baseball Coaches' Hall of Fame and thank him for all of his service to the community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce on receiving a Five-Star Accreditation from the United States Chamber of Commerce. The Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce was one of 120 chambers across the nation to receive this accreditation this past year.

Founded in 1912, the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce has gone on to develop their organization's abilities into one of the finest in the nation. The Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce represents many communities across both Illinois and Iowa, where they work to expand economic opportunities in the region. With this accreditation, it is clear the Sauk Valley Area will continue to benefit from the efforts of this organization as we begin the new year. I am impressed by the work they have done to improve the well-being of local businesses across our region and congratulate them on a job well done. As we look to the future, I am eager to see how the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce builds upon this distinction and uses it to expand upon their successes and continue to improve the local business community. A strong workforce is key to a strong community, and this five-star recognition speaks volumes to that commitment.

It is because of groups such as the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce on its five-star accreditation and thank them for their service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding work at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's research lab in Peoria, Illinois.

For more than 75 years, the Ag Lab has conducted breakthrough research, impacting lives of people all over the world.

Decades after discovering how to mass-produce penicillin, the Ag Lab just found out how to enhance its effectiveness in people who have developed antibiotic resistance. They have also developed an all- natural bug repellent that is more effective than DEET.

Unfortunately, the 200 employees at the Ag Lab have been sent home due to this government shutdown, putting their groundbreaking research at a dead halt.

It is time to stop using workers as pawns in this government shutdown. We must put this shutdown to an end so the Ag Lab can continue its advanced research that drives American agriculture and our economy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lieutenant Colonel Harold ``Hal'' Fritz on the 50th Anniversary of receiving his Medal of Honor. Lt. Col. Fritz is one of 74 living Medal of Honor recipients.

A resident of Peoria, Illinois for the past 25 years, Lt. Col. Fritz honorably served our nation as a platoon leader in the Vietnam War. During his time as a Captain, Lt. Col. Fritz acted with great courage to receive the Medal of Honor. Captain Fritz was leading his fellow soldiers on a convoy when they were suddenly ambushed, and as a result, surrounded by the enemy. After receiving heavy fire, Captain Fritz was wounded, but instead of treating himself, he thought of those fighting alongside him. Captain Fritz responded swiftly by returning fire, directing the men with him, and treating their wounds. These extraordinary actions taken by Captain Fritz led him and his men away from danger. Lt. Col. Fritz showed immense bravery, and I commend him on his actions during the Vietnam War. The Medal of Honor is a great distinction and it is fitting that Lt. Col. Fritz actions are recognized in this way.

It is because of dedicated and selfless leaders such as Lt. Col. Harold ``Hal'' Fritz that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam Speaker, I would like to again formally honor Lt. Col. Hal Fritz on the 50th Anniversary of his receipt of the Medal of Honor.