Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Lemont High School Varsity Cheerleading Squad. On February 8th, the squad competed in the 2014 IHSA Medium Division Cheerleading State Championship at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington, IL and placed 1st in their division. I appreciate all of the incredible hard work and dedication this squad has put into their performance and would like to congratulate them on this tremendous team achievement.

The Lemont High School Varsity Squad comprises 19 members which includes Seniors: Madison Detres, Emily Durham, Gianna Letizia, Miranda Neumann, Rebecca Peraino, Kelsey Tate, Gianna Turek, and D.J. Wohead, Juniors: Easton Kral, Reann Kwasneski, Elly Lambert, Nicole Markley, Stephanie Markley, Kayly Norris, Samantha Palumbo, Jenna Polk, and Samantha Walus, Sophomores: Erin Cliff and Katelyn Papierski, and Freshman: Caitlyn Henry.

This squad under the guidance of head coach Dave Erlenbaugh, has had a very successful competition season leading up to the ISHA Cheerleading State Championships. Notable wins include their 1st place finish at both Sectionals and the Winter Meltdown Competition.

Lemont's varsity squad has made 9 consecutive final appearances at the IHSA State Championships and won the title in 2009, 2010, and 2011. This most recent win only adds to their excellent competition record.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this impressive accomplishment made by the Lemont High School Varsity Cheerleading Squad and to congratulate them on their state championship win.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding constituent who is a courageous veteran of World War II, Mr. Bruno Perino. Mr. Perino has been awarded the French Legion of Honor Medal for his bravery in helping to liberate France as a rifleman in the 45th Division of the U.S. Army. The Legion of Honor was established by Napoleon Bonaparte on May 19, 1802 and is the highest decoration in France.

Bruno Perino, a native of Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood, was drafted into the United States Army at the young age of 18 and survived countless attacks by the Germans and singlehandedly captured a German officer and his soldiers in Alsace-Lorraine. Shortly after the brave capture, Bruno Perino was injured by enemy fire that took the lives of half of his battalion. Bruno was treated by his own brother, Joe Perino, just two years his senior, at the field hospital. He quickly recovered and entered the battlefield again under General Patton.

Throughout all the bloodshed and loss of soldiers and friends, Bruno Perino remained humble and devotional, keeping his faith with him and praying daily. After the war was over, Bruno returned to Chicago and was honorably discharged with many decorations, including three Bronze Stars.

Today, Bruno Perino is married with three children and blessed with nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He is retired from the City of Chicago. His family, friends, and colleagues are truly blessed to know such a fine example of faith and devotion.

I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Bruno Perino for his outstanding courage and bravery, and his service to our Nation. And I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Perino and his family, and congratulate him on being made a Knight of the Legion of Honor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jim Cacciottolo, who was sworn in January 25 as the new President of the Chief Engineers Association of Chicagoland. Mr. Cacciottolo, a resident of Chicago's Bridgeport community, previously served on the organization's board of directors for the last 16 years.

Mr. Cacciottolo grew up in Chicago's Archer Heights and Garfield Ridge communities on the city's Southwest Side. He worked for the City of Chicago for 25 years before retiring in 2008. When he retired, Mr. Cacciottolo was the chief operating engineer for the Chicago Police Department, overseeing nearly 100 buildings and facilities for the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Fire Department and other City of Chicago properties. He currently serves as a chief engineer in the private sector, helping to oversee the operations for the buildings that make up the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago.

Mr. Cacciottolo is the proud father of two grown children, Kristin and Anthony.

As president of the Chief Engineers Association of Chicagoland, Mr. Cacciottolo will lead a not-for-profit fraternal organization comprised of more than 800 men and women in leadership positions within the field of power engineering and real estate asset management. For over 90 years, the Chief Engineers Association of Chicagoland has brought educational services, information and camaraderie to its members through the publication of ``The Chief Engineer'' magazine, educational meetings and social gatherings throughout the Chicago area. The organization's motto: ``Anything that can be done, can be done better.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Jim Cacciottolo, whose commitment to public service and dedication to his profession will serve him well in his new role as President of the Chief Engineers Association of Chicagoland. His expertise and knowledge as a chief engineer will be a tremendous benefit and resource for other chief engineers throughout Northeastern Illinois.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor George Les, a longtime restaurateur and community institution in Oak Lawn, Illinois. For the last 40 years, Mr. Les and his brother, Angelo, have run the famous Les Brothers restaurant at 87th Street and Ridgeland Avenue. On January 18, Mr. Les was recognized by the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce as its ``Business Person of the Year.''

Mr. Les embodies the quintessential American success story. In 1968, when he was just 10 years old, he came to the United States with his family from Greece. He grew up in Chicago's Marquette Park community, landing his first restaurant job bussing tables at age 12. In 1974, he and Angelo went to work for their father, Bill, when he opened the original Les Brothers at the same Oak Lawn location the restaurant is at today.

Anne Marie Casey, past president of the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce, noted in her remarks before Mr. Les was awarded ``Business Person of the Year'' that Les Brothers is an ``Oak Lawn institution'' and ``a place where George treats every customer that comes into his business like they are friends and family, even if they are first-time customers.''

Through hard work and perseverance, Mr. Les has opened other Les Brothers restaurants in Hickory Hills, New Lenox and Homer Glen--all in Chicago's south suburbs.

Mr. Les and his family are active in all of the communities they serve, sponsoring and supporting many local causes and events. In Oak Lawn, he is particularly passionate about Westside Baseball, the league his sons Bill and Jim played in growing up.

Madam Speaker, as a proud graduate of St. Symphorosa Grammar School and St. Ignatius College Prep, and as a strong supporter of Catholic education, I rise today to recognize the outstanding contributions Catholic schools have made to our Nation.

Next week is the 40th annual National Catholic Schools Week, and I have introduced H. Res. 461, along with the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), to honor the work done by parents, teachers, administrators, and parishioners for the more than 2 million children at over 6,600 Catholic schools in America. This year's theme, ``Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge, and Service,'' highlights the values that are the centerpiece of a Catholic school education.

Later on this week, I will be visiting several schools, including St. Rene in Chicago, St. Francis Xavier in La Grange, the SS. Cyril and Methodius in Lemont, and St. Catherine's of Alexandria in Oak Lawn.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Catholic schools across our Nation for the outstanding education they provide to so many Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John Opoka who will be inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame as a member of the 9th class of inductees on January 26, 2014. Mr. Opoka and his fellow inductees have demonstrated their personal commitment to the sport and the community by enhancing the lives of Illinois' young hockey players and contributing to the rich history of hockey in Illinois. I appreciate John's 34 years of service as an Illinois hockey official and would like to congratulate him on this special honor.

After playing hockey in high school, John began to officiate games while in college. Thanks to the recommendation of a role model and fellow referee, Chet Stewart, John was chosen to officiate collegiate games at the age of 19. He spent nearly three decades leading the college chapter of Illinois hockey officials and also served as referee-in-chief for the Illinois-Wisconsin Collegiate Hockey League and the Central State Collegiate Hockey League. John led seminars on rule interpretation for the NCAA and helped to bring about essential changes to the NCAA's ice hockey rules.

During his 34 years as an official, John has been committed to the betterment of hockey in Illinois. He served as Ethics Chairperson and Seminar Director while a member of the Illinois Hockey Officials Association (IHOA) Board of Directors. As IHOA's Seminar Director, John was the first to bring together officials from all levels for an exchange of ideas and best practices. In every game that he worked, whether it was a tournament, state playoff, or national championship, John served as an example of professionalism and commitment to excellence.

John continues to serve his community, now acting as a leader of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in his hometown of New Lennox, Illinois. I look forward to John's continued involvement in Illinois hockey and know that he will serve as a role model to many of Illinois' young hockey players and officials.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the tremendous accomplishments and contributions of Mr. John Opoka and to congratulate him for being inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by thanking Chairman Smith for all the work that he does, not just on this issue of protecting life of the unborn here in the United States but on human rights around the world.

We all know that the first human right is the right to life, without which nothing else is possible. I am very proud to support the legislation the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) talked about that we are trying to move forward here in the House, to protect life. What a large majority of the American people want to do is to stop taxpayer funding of abortion.

Today I want to talk about what is going on outside of the Capitol. Next week we have the March for Life here in Washington. Many people thought 41 years ago, with ROE v. WADE, that it was over, that the decision had been made and that there would be abortion and abortion on-demand here in the United States forever. But a year later, there was the first March for Life; now, the 40th March for Life. We will see hundreds of thousands of Americans come out here, so many young people coming out here to show their support for life, and I want to thank them for taking the time, making the effort to come out and speak for those who can't speak for themselves. I will be here next week to address the crowd before the march.

In Chicago this coming Sunday, there will be tens of thousands who can't go to Washington who will be out for a March for Life. I will be there to address the crowd and, again, call for all of our leaders to embrace life and protect life.

The gentlewoman from Alabama (Mrs. Roby) talked about the other things that people are doing in the pro-life movement that is just so vitally important because it is not just about legislation. It is just not about protecting life through law, which we must do, but it is about adoption. Mrs. Roby talked very eloquently about all those who are involved in adoption out there, the tens of thousands who give their time, give their lives to adopt babies.

We also have the crisis pregnancy centers who not only tell women who are pregnant about the option for them, but they provide for them. They provide food. They offer to provide diapers and other things, the trips to the doctor that are needed for women who are pregnant and who are considering having an abortion. I want to thank them for the work that they do.

So here we are, 41 years after ROE v. WADE, and there is a vibrant pro-life movement still going on. I want to thank everyone who is part of that movement. I will keep working for changing the laws in this country. We have to change the hearts and minds of our leaders so we can change the laws and take care of the unborn and all those women out there who face this most difficult choice.

I want to thank all of my colleagues who are standing up here with me today for the work that they are doing to protect the unborn.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Francis Cardinal George on the 50th anniversary of his Ordination to the Priesthood. Yesterday I joined more than 100 bishops from around the world and hundreds of members of the Chicago Archdiocese in congratulating Cardinal George as he celebrated this milestone with a Mass at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois where he has served as leader of the Archdiocese for almost 17 years. Francis Eugene George was born in 1937 to Francis and Julia George on Chicago's Northwest side. He grew up there with his older sister Margaret and attended St. Pascal School. At the age of 13 he was diagnosed with polio, and to this day wears a leg brace to support the muscles that were damaged by his battle with the illness.

But George persevered and kept his faith, enrolling at St. Henry Preparatory Seminary in Belleville, Illinois, an affiliated high school with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He would eventually join the Missionary Oblates and would make his solemn vow as a member of the order. George was ordained a priest in 1963 at St. Pascal Church where his Catholic education had started as a boy. The following year he received a degree in theology from the University of Ottawa, his first of many degrees including a doctorate in Philosophy from Tulane University and a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University.

After spending time as a professor, George continued to serve his order when he became the Vicar General for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. For 12 years, he traveled to missions in some of the poorest regions of Africa, Latin America and Asia. In 1990 Pope John Paul II appointed George as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Yakima, Washington. In 1996 he was appointed the ninth Archbishop of Portland in Oregon when he was installed by Pope John Paul II at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. George would serve there for less than a year before he was appointed by Pope John Paul II to the vacant See of Chicago. He was the first native Chicagoan to be appointed as the Archbishop of Chicago, which serves 2.2 million Catholics in 356 different parishes. Within the first year of his service in Chicago, George was elevated to the honor of Cardinal.

For almost 17 years Cardinal George has led his people in the Chicago Archdiocese with his unmatched intellect and warmth. At Mass yesterday, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, very aptly described George as ``intelligent and articulate, courageous and curious, humble, zealous.'' Kurtz continued, ``Like Pope Francis, we see in you a generous heart and zealous missionary spirit . . . a humble man of vision.''

Today I express my admiration for Cardinal George's devotion to the Archdiocese of Chicago and the entire community, and honor his lifetime of achievements. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Francis Cardinal George well as he celebrates the 50th anniversary of his ordination, and to thank him for his inspiring service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Maria Konopnicka Polish Language School in Chicago and Oak Lawn, Illinois. This year the school will celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Chicagoland is home to the largest population of people of Polish descent living outside of Poland. The Polish Language School, named for the great Polish poet, novelist, and activist, Maria Konopnicka, serves this population by offering kindergarten through high school students the opportunity to connect with and explore their Polish heritage. For forty years the school has excelled in teaching its students Polish language, history, and culture. Thousands of children have learned about Polish cultural heritage as well as the role Poles play in the United States and the world community, now and in the future. With its emphasis on civic responsibility, the school shapes students dedicated to supporting and improving Chicago's communities, and I am proud to have it in my district.

While the school stresses the importance of its students, the community surrounding the school appreciates the hard work and dedication of all the staff at the Maria Konopnicka Polish Language School. Parents and students understand the school's success is thanks to the unceasing devotion of teachers and administrative staff who work relentlessly for the benefit of the students.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the outstanding faculties and students, both past and present, at the Maria Konopnicka Polish Language School, and congratulating them on this special 40th anniversary. May the school continue to exhibit excellence in teaching students about Polish cultural heritage and language for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, we learned that the Obama Administration, along with representatives of the so-called P5+1 countries, had reached an agreement with Iran on freezing nuclear enrichment and relieving a portion of the sanctions that have been rightfully levied against Iran.

I think it is a positive step to have engaged Iran and to have reached a multilateral agreement. Certainly, freezing their nuclear enrichment, diluting the enrichment levels of Iran's uranium stocks, and reestablishing intrusive IAEA inspections are improvements over the current situation.

However, while I appreciate the need for a course of action that addresses the threat of a nuclear armed Iran, I maintain strong concerns about this agreement.

Foremost, I have serious doubts about the amount of trust we can extend to Iran. Engaging in negotiations that merely freeze their nuclear enrichment is a far cry from Iran foreswearing nuclear weapons, not to mention their abhorrent support for terrorism in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and beyond. We must recall that this is the same fundamentalist regime that has supported the murder of Israelis in Argentina, has cast doubt on the existence of the Holocaust, and that enabled attacks on American military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Amazingly, despite the supposed goodwill of the agreement, three Americans continue to be detained in Iran. I find it extremely regrettable that the release of these Americans--Pastor Saeed Abedini, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati and ex-FBI Agent Robert Levinson--was considered marginal to the nuclear issue, and could not be addressed simultaneously while negotiations occurred in Geneva. These Americans' families are understandably left in pain as they wonder about their loved ones' welfare, and what it will ultimately take to get them home. This speaks volumes about the intents and reputability of the Iranian regime--how can we trust a government to follow through on an agreement about nuclear issues when they continue to hold our citizens captive?

I am also very concerned about the implicit acceptance, if not endorsement, of Iran's right to enrich uranium. Numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions have stipulated that Iran must stop enrichment and set-aside its nuclear program. Yet, somehow, this agreement falls short of that previously established UN mandate. While it may be acknowledging the nuclear capacity that Iran has achieved, I cannot accept that.

It is unclear to me what peaceful need Iran has for uranium enrichment. There are international offers on the table to develop and fuel nuclear power plants and to provide medically necessary isotopes for Iran, in order to eliminate their purported need for indigenous nuclear capability. But Iran would prefer to deny those offers, and use the ruse of power and medicine to enable its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

This agreement even allows Iran to maintain the facilities, centrifuges and basic stockpiles that have enabled their nuclear pursuits. Remarkably, the Iranian military facility at Parchin, where research on a nuclear weapon has been widely suspected, is not included in the inspection program and imposes no restrictions on activities at this site.

Though the opportunity to use these implements may be forestalled for now, should a subsequent agreement not materialize, Iran could return to its current nuclear capacity in short order, and have billions of dollars' worth of sanctions relief in hand, with little long-term benefit to show from this short-term accord.

Yet, an agreement has been reached and we have to accept that as the reality at the moment. Nonetheless, I think it is important for the U.S. Congress to continue to pursue new sanctions that are contingent on Iran's absolute adherence to this agreement, and earnest engagement towards a deeper, longer-term agreement that further removes Iran's nuclear capacity. We must make clear that there will be swift and severe consequences should Iran deviate from the agreement. And, we must continue to aggressively counter their terrorism threat, meddling in the security affairs of the region, and abuse of human and religious rights.

We must maintain a strong posture towards the Iranian regime, as they have done nothing to earn the trust of the United States, or the western world in general. Iran remains a threat to regional and global security, and we must not neglect or forget that.

Implementing this agreement and pursuing any longer-term accord must be done with open eyes to the real threat that Iran has been and continues to be.

Mr. Speaker, twenty years ago this month, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act was signed into law on a wave of overwhelming bipartisan support. We gather today to celebrate passage of the law, which reaffirmed one of the core principles on which our nation was founded by prohibiting government from burdening the free exercise of religion without a compelling state interest. To this day, the law has remained a testament to religious liberty and has played a critical role in protecting our fundamental First Amendment rights.

But the same bipartisan spirit that championed the rights of the individual and carried the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law two decades ago is under assault today. The premise behind the Religious Freedom Restoration Act could not be more clear: Congress shall not pass laws that get in the way of Americans from exercising their religious beliefs and conscience rights.

Yet under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, commonly known as Obamacare, Americans are being forced to act in direct opposition to their religious and moral beliefs in order to comply with the law. Under the Department of Health and Human Services interpretation of Obamacare, nearly all employers will be required to cover, through their health insurance plans, abortion drugs, sterilization and contraception, even if such a provision goes against these moral and religious beliefs.

This is wrong; it is un-American. The mandate from the administration and subsequent inadequate efforts to rectify it clearly fly in the face of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that we honor today.

As the HHS mandate continues to be fought in the courts, I have been deeply disappointed by the administration's refusal to provide a reasonable exception to the rule. I have urged, and will continue to urge, an exception that protects the conscience rights of all Americans.

I ask my colleagues to join me in that fight. I am one of the original cosponsors of H.R. 940, the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, legislation that aims to ensure that no employer would be punished for refusing coverage for procedures or drugs that violate the employer's beliefs.

So as we take time today to celebrate the achievements of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, we also must be aware of the need to continue to be vigilant.

We must reaffirm the guiding principles of the United States of America and the rights to religious freedom guaranteed under the First Amendment.

It was the right thing to do 20 years ago. It is the right thing to do today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Village of Lyons, Illinois, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary.

Lyons enjoys a long and colorful history, beginning in the late 17th century when the explorers Louis Joliet and Father Pierre Marquette began their quest for a western passage to the Pacific. After deciding to return home to Green Bay, Wisconsin, the explorers learned about a path from the Pottawatomie Native Americans traveling with them, a path that connected the Chicago and the Des Plaines Rivers, and included the future site of the Village of Lyons. Two hundred years later this swampy path would become the Illinois & Michigan Canal, one of the most important canals in the history of the United States, and a primary reason why Chicago became the nation's transportation hub. The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, which replaced the Illinois & Michigan Canal, remains a critical link between the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes.

As Chicago grew so did Lyons, but the residents never forgot the historically important site on which their Village was founded and built. Today, a statue stands at the Chicago Portage National Historic Site to honor that history.

Along the banks of the Des Plaines River sits another historic site, the Hofmann Tower. Built in 1908, the tower sits next to the former site of an electric dam Hofmann built and was meant to attract visitors to the area to enjoy the river and its banks. In 1978, Hofmann Tower was named to the National Register of Historic Places and Mayor Getty is currently working on plans to restore it.

I am proud to represent the Village of Lyons as it prospers today under the leadership of Mayor Chris Getty. On November 15, I will join the mayor and the residents of Lyons at Crystal Sky Banquets to celebrate the village's 125th anniversary.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the residents of Lyons, Illinois on the 125th anniversary of their village. May they enjoy this weekend's celebration and may the village continue to thrive as a close community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sister Jean McGrath, the principal at St. John Fisher Elementary School in Chicago. For the past 50 years, Sister McGrath has tirelessly worked at St. John Fisher as a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Her work has not only benefited the school and the parish, but the entire community. This month, Sister Jean--as she is affectionately called-- was honored with a celebratory Mass and a street marked with an honorary sign bearing her name.

In 1963, Jean McGrath joined the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph. She joined because she ``wanted to be somebody who could do good'' and ``make a difference.'' Sister McGrath continued to make an impact when she began working as a second-grade teacher at St. John Fisher in 1986, just blocks away from her childhood home. Even as other nuns who she entered the congregation with left to pursue family and life outside the church, she followed her mother's advice to pursue her vocation and serve the community.

When Sister McGrath started at St. John Fisher, she was one of eleven nuns serving on the staff, today she is the only one left. After almost three decades working as a second-grade teacher, high school English teacher and in her current role as principal, Sister McGrath continues to guide and counsel students, teachers, and families with the same passion that inspired her to join the congregation a half century ago. This passion has been a fundamental reason why St. John Fisher Elementary School has flourished during the past 27 years.

During her time as principal, Sister Jean has succeeded in developing a new technology program, and created exemplary art and music programs to foster her students' creative minds. Throughout all the changes St. John Fisher has seen during her tenure, Sister Jean's welcoming and inspiring spirit has remained a constant.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Sister Jean McGrath for her 50 years of service to the South Side of Chicago and congratulate Sister Jean on her Golden Jubilee. May she continue to guide and inspire people for years to come, and serve as an example of the best qualities of the human heart.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate St. Michael School, an exemplary Catholic elementary school in Orland Park, Illinois, for receiving the prestigious 2013 U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School Award.

In 1982, The Department of Education established the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program to recognize public and private schools boasting high or significantly improved achievement. The program's goal is to identify aspects of thriving American schools in order to replicate their success. I am proud that St. Michael School in Orland Park in my district has been honored as one of those exceptional schools.

Since first opening its doors in 1949, St. Michael has been serving the community of Orland Park by providing a diverse, challenging curriculum that emphasizes academics, moral values, and discipline. The mission of St. Michael School has always been to provide students with a learning environment that will reinforce the principles and values of Church, home, and community in an effort to prepare them for lifelong and responsible citizenship.

Today, St. Michael School offers programs from preschool through eighth grade and attracts students from Orland Park and surrounding communities, currently enrolling more than 600 students. As a proud graduate of Catholic schools, I understand the rigorous and engaging curriculum that emphasizes Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Technology, Language Arts, and Religion. St. Michael's offers challenging educational experiences that foster success, promote unity, and respect the individuality of each student.

Last year I had the pleasure of visiting St. Michael School during Catholic Schools Week. I enjoyed touring the school and visiting with students, and I came away very impressed with the students, teachers, and administrators under the leadership of Principal Bernadette Cuttone. It made perfect sense to me when St. Michael's was chosen as one of only 50 private schools nationwide that received a National Blue Ribbon School Award. Everyone at the school and in the parish should be extremely proud.

Please join me in celebrating the accomplishments of St. Michael School and all the National Blue Ribbon award winners. Their pursuit of academic excellence is inspiring, and I hope that their success can serve as an inspiration for schools across the nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Palmer Place Restaurant & Biergarten in La Grange, Illinois on its 30th Anniversary. For the past three decades, Palmer Place has been the keystone of downtown La Grange as it has grown into one of the most vibrant communities in suburban Chicago. Since its founding, Palmer Place has served delicious food and quality beers in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

In 1982, Ruth Palmer returned home from a trip to Germany with the inspiration to open what would be the first Biergarten in Chicago's western suburbs. Despite the risky business circumstances, in 1983, Ruth and Mike Palmer founded Palmer Place Restaurant & Biergarten. In the past 30 years the Palmer family has been monumental in reviving downtown La Grange, and helping to make it the thriving business district it is today.

Though the restaurant has grown from 8 employees to 126, Palmer Place remains family owned and operated by Ruth Palmer, and after the passing of Mike Palmer in 1990, their sons Phil and Steve Palmer. Now, the third generation of Palmer's has begun work in the family business: Kyle Palmer, Merle Palmer, and Robert Palmer. The family's commitment to the community has been extraordinary over the past 30 years. In 2012 alone, Palmer Place donated over $50,000 in gift-certificates to local charities in addition to the family conducting and contributing to numerous charitable events. The family's commitment is further illustrated in the active role they have played in the La Grange Business Association, West Suburban Chamber of Commerce, and the Illinois Restaurant Association.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending Palmer Place Restaurant & Biergarten on its 30th Anniversary. The Palmer Family's flourishing restaurant is a shining example of the positive influence that local businesses can have on their communities. May it continue to thrive in La Grange and serve as an example to all small business entrepreneurs.