Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Commander Constantine Tsoukatos on the occasion of his promotion to Commander of the 314th Maintenance Operations Squadron.

Commander Tsoukatos was raised by his parents Helen and Emanuel Tsoukatos in Oak Lawn, IL. In Oak Lawn, Constantine attended Richards High School, before moving on to the University of Illinois where he studied Engineering Mechanics. Upon receiving his Bachelor's degree, Constantine continued his schooling and obtained his Master's degree in Human Resource Development from Webster University in 1999.

Constantine began his service in 1997 when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant following Officer Training School. Serving as an aircraft maintenance officer, he has held a variety of flightline and backshop positions. His first tour began at Scott AFB, on the C-9 Aircraft. Commander Tsoukatos then taught in the Reserve Officer Training Corps as an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies at Detachment 560, Manhattan College in Bronx, New York, where he also served as the Commandant of Cadets. He was next stationed at Osan AB, ROK, serving both as maintenance flight commander and then as the A-10 AMU IOC. Commander Tsoukatos spent the following 3 years at RAF Mildenhall with the 100th Air Refueling Wing, before moving to his current position within HQ AFMC in June of 2006.

Commander Tsoukatos has been recognized previously with the following commendations: the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Korean Defense Service Medal.

Aside from his military service to our nation, Commander Tsoukatos is dedicated to his family as a loving father and husband. He and his wife, Jazmin, have two sons, Manuel and Joaquin and one daughter, Gabriela.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the outstanding service and achievements of Commander Constantine Tsoukatos. We acknowledge his accomplishments and express our gratitude for his dedicated service.

I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 554, reauthorizing the National Nanotechnology Initiative, the NNI.

I want to commend Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall for their hard work in crafting this important bill and thank all of the Members on both sides of the aisle and the Science and Technology Committee for their hard work last year on quickly doing a great job getting this done, getting it to the floor where we passed it. Now, hopefully this year, as we move quickly--we're off to a quick start thanks to Chairman Gordon. We can finally get this reauthorization done this year.

I really firmly believe that nanotech represents one of the most important--if not the most important--technological keys to improving our Nation's future economic growth and improving our way of life.

Now, a lot of people don't know what nanotech is. I want to really thank Ranking Member Hall for his great and impressive tutorial he gave on what nanotech is. It may be one of the most important things that people could learn from listening to the floor today.

Nanotech is the next industrial revolution. It is so critical that we take the necessary steps in this reauthorization so that our country remains on the cutting edge of this revolution.

Nanotech has the potential to deliver many revolutionary advances, from energy efficient, low-emission ``green'' manufacturing systems, to inexpensive portable water purification systems that provide universal access to safe water.

Nanotechnology has the potential to impact every sector of our economy. In just 6 years, the global market for nanoscale materials and products is expected to reach $2.6 trillion and to be incorporated into 15 percent of the global manufacturing output.

The NNI has been effective in supporting productive, cooperative research efforts across a wide spectrum

of disciplines. The Initiative has established a network of state-of- the-art national facilities that are conducting groundbreaking work in nanoscale research and development. These centers of excellence have helped the U.S. lead the world in development and expansion of nanotechnology, leadership that has been vital to economic development and essential to the creation of innovative jobs leading to a stronger and more competitive America.

My home State of Illinois is one of the leaders in nanotech research. Many universities and businesses have become deeply invested through programs like the NNI. For example, my alma mater, Northwestern University, houses the Institute for Nanotechnology, which supports research and facilitates collaboration in solving major problems such as finding more precise ways to deliver chemotherapy, along with other medical applications of nanotech.

The Institute includes the Center for Nanofabrication and Molecular Self-Assembly, a multimillion-dollar research facility and one of the first federally funded centers of its kind. It helps foster partnerships to encourage researchers and entrepreneurs to become involved in this cutting-edge field, creating jobs and potential for entirely new industries.

Now, the reauthorization of the NNI includes three significant adjustments. First, it strengthens the planning and implementation of research on environmental health and safety aspects of nanotech ensuring that possible unintended impacts of nanotech products will not defeat the enormous promise of this technology. We need to make sure that people are confident in nanotech, and we need to make sure we can be confident in the safety of nanotech. That's one of the critical things that this reauthorization does with the NNI.

Second, it requires the NNI to place increased emphasis on technology transfer, which entails moving basic research results out of the lab and into commercial products. From my own experience in Illinois with our national labs and research universities, I know that technology transfer is not simple, but it is an important part of ensuring that R&D investments serve the public. Remember, we, the American people, are making these investments. We need to do everything we can that we have technology transfers, that everything that is found, everything developed, is something that we can bring to market.

And finally, this reauthorization creates new education programs to attract secondary school students to science and technology studies and to help prepare the nanotechnology workforce of tomorrow. As a former educator and as chairman of the Research and Science Education Subcommittee, I understand the vital role of education in promoting the success of individual Americans, and more broadly, the economic competitiveness of our Nation.

The field of nanotechnology holds great promise for our future, and it's critical that we do all that we can to help ensure that America leads the way in nanotech innovation. H.R. 554 will place the U.S. in a key position to drive technology breakthroughs and go even further to ensuring our long-term competitiveness in the global economic marketplace.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 554, move this authorization forward and get this done this year so we can keep America moving forward on the cutting edge of this new revolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding, and I rise today in support of H. Res. 117, supporting the goals and ideals of the National Engineers Week.

As an engineer, I am proud to sponsor this resolution again honoring National Engineers Week, and I would like to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) for working with me on this resolution and on so many other important issues. Mr. Ehlers and I are the cochairs of the STEM Ed, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Caucus. STEM Ed is really critical to the future of our country and the future of American technology and leadership in the world. And promoting STEM Ed, especially in engineering, is a big part of what National Engineers Week is all about.

I want to begin by sharing a few statistics: Three hours, 44 percent, and 45,000 teachers. Three hours is the average amount of weekly science instruction currently received by early elementary school students in the United States, 3 hours; 44 percent of districts cut the time devoted to elementary science education since the enactment of No Child Left Behind; and, at the end of 2000, the last year that we have good statistics for, 45,000 math and science teachers left the teaching profession.

Couple these statistics with the projection that, by 2012, about 46 percent of all engineering jobs could become vacant due to retirement by the aging workforce, and it becomes clear we need a renewed emphasis on educating and exciting America's youth about engineering and science.

Next week is the 18th annual Engineers Week, a week which features events aimed at educating youth and fostering public awareness about the vital contributions made by engineers to our quality of life and our economic prosperity. Through programs like the Future City Competition, Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, and the first robotics competition, the National Engineers Week Foundation confronts the challenge of plugging the leaky pipeline and encouraging more students to pursue careers in engineering. We lose far too many students through this leaky pipeline, and we are not producing enough engineers right now through our educational system.

Engineers Week comprises numerous events. For example, students learn the value of teamwork as they work in groups to develop creative and practical solutions to some of the most important problems facing our world. Projects like designing future cities make engineering come alive for students, planting a seed that can lead to further studies or a career in engineering. Indeed, research shows that children's early experiences with science and engineering are a stronger prediction of long-lasting interest in science fields than aptitude tests.

I can attest that my own childhood experiences with science and engineering captivated me. As a child growing up in Chicago, I was fascinated with figuring out how mechanical devices worked. I remember that my high school calculus and physics teachers at St. Ignatius, Father Thul and Father Fergus, were the ones who helped mold this childhood fascination into an interest in engineering.

As a child, I also remember going to the Museum of Science and Industry. I

remember touring the coal mine exhibit. I remember seeing the enormous train set teaching about trains and setting out the tracks and about how locomotives work. I remember all the exhibits there, and how much that excited and captivated me. And all these experiences instilled in me the knowledge, confidence, and intellectual curiosity needed to pursue an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Northwestern University and then a master's degree in engineering from Stanford. One of the central goals of National Engineers Week is to provide this kind of inspiration for the next generation of students.

Engineers have played a critical role throughout our history, and there are numerous challenges facing our world that require immediate engineering solutions, including developing American energy independence, finding solutions to confront global climate change, and making our Nation more secure. We need to make sure that our country remains capable of designing, planning, and building these projects. We need to help grow the next generation of talent by removing the social, educational, and economic barriers that deter young students from careers in engineering and technology. Now more than ever we need to recognize the many contributions that engineers have made to our country and the role that they must continue to play if we are to remain competitive in an increasingly connected global economy.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to again thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), I would like to thank Ranking Member Hall, as well as the 37 other cosponsors of H. Res. 117. I would like to especially thank the engineers who have contributed so much to America. I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, and I am proud to have worked with him to offer this amendment.

This bill must be a jobs bill, a job-creation bill investing in transit is a certain way to create jobs and do things that are much needed in this country.

The CTA Chairwoman Brown told us last week she could spend $500 million tomorrow to make needed improvements. Likewise, Metra commuter rail and Pace Suburban Bus has ready-to-go projects, has new starts that are ready to go, to put people back to work, get them working, get people moving. So to create more jobs, we need to pass the Nadler amendment.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Iowa for yielding.

Today I rise in support of H. Res. 39, honoring Catholic Schools Week and recognizing the outstanding contributions that Catholic schools have made to America.

As a product of St. Symphorosa Grammar School and St. Ignatius High School and a strong supporter of Catholic education, I am proud to sponsor this resolution again this year. And I would like to thank my colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for joining me in working on this resolution.

Since 1974, Catholic Schools Week has celebrated the positive impact that Catholic schools have had on our country and recognize their outstanding contributions in providing a strong academic and moral education, as well as teaching the importance of responsibility to one's family and community.

As we heard in President Obama's inauguration address yesterday, responsibility is critical to our Nation's success, and responsibility requires service to others. Very appropriately, the theme for next week's Catholic Schools Week is ``Catholic Schools Celebrate Service.'' President Obama rightfully sees public service as a way to unify the country, to bridge divisions and to teach responsible citizenship.

This is nothing new to America's Catholic schools. They have always taught the intrinsic value of service to others. Nearly 95 percent of Catholic schools have a service program, and the average student completes approximately 80 hours of public service. My strong desire to serve was fostered by my dedicated teachers at Catholic schools. Nearly 95 percent of Catholic schools have a service program, and the average student completes approximately 80 hours of public service.

Today, almost 2.3 million elementary and secondary students are enrolled in nearly 7,500 Catholic schools. These schools have more than 160,000 full-time professional staff. Through individual attention and quality education, Catholic school students, on average, surpass other students in math, science and reading in the three grade levels tested by the NAEP test. The graduation rate for Catholic high school students is 99 percent, and 97 percent of Catholic high school graduates go on to college or technical schools. These are truly remarkable statistics in a country where we read all-too-many reports of deep problems in our educational system and worrying declines in our student's international competitiveness.

Catholic schools are known for embracing students from all walks of life and are highly effective at providing excellent educational opportunities for minority students and disadvantaged youth. Almost one in seven students of Catholic schools is not Catholic. And over the past 30 years, the percentage of minority students enrolled in Catholic schools has more than doubled. And the success of Catholic schools does not depend on selectivity, accepting nine out of every 10 students who apply.

In addition to producing well-educated students with a commitment to service, Catholic schools save American taxpayers billions of dollars every year by lessening the number of students in already overburdened public schools. In fact, it is estimated that taxpayers save over $1 billion from students attending Catholic schools in the Chicago area and approximately $20 billion nationwide. This savings is crucial to American taxpayers, especially during these harsh economic times.

Unfortunately, the current economic turmoil combined with much longer travails of middle class in our country have been hard on Catholic schools in some areas. Just like me, my wife Judy attended Catholic schools for 12 years. She went to St. Patrick's Grade School and Bishop McCort High School in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, less than 2 weeks ago it was announced that St. Patrick's would be closing. This closing is a great loss not just to the students of St. Patrick's, but the entire community of Moxham, demonstrating just how important Catholic schools are to the greater community.

I was born and raised and lived in the Chicago Archdiocese, which still has one of the most successful school systems in the country. More than 98,000 students attend 256 schools. In my district alone, there are seven Catholic high schools and approximately 50 grammar schools, including one of the best in my home parish of St. John of the Cross in Western Springs.

My experiences have taught me the important spiritual, moral and intellectual foundation that Catholic schools provide to students. Catholic education has granted me the knowledge, discipline, desire to serve, and a love of learning that enabled me to achieve my doctorate degree and become a teacher before being elected to Congress. In recognizing Catholic Schools Week, we pay a special tribute to dedicated teachers and administrators who sacrifice so much, in most cases working for much less than they could earn elsewhere. Many of my formative memories are of teachers who taught me the values of faith and service. After 35 years, I can still fondly remember Sister Diane, my Student Congress coach when I was in high school, and from Sister Mildred in first grade to Sister Xavier in eighth grade at St. Symphorosa. Throughout the United States, millions of others have similar memories of their dedicated sisters, priests and lay teachers who gave their hearts and souls to touch the lives of their students.

Madam Speaker, American Catholic schools deserve our praise, our support and our gratitude. I would like to thank everyone who has cosponsored this resolution. And to share our praise and support for Catholic schools, I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Spike O'Dell, retiring host of the Spike O'Dell program on WGN Radio in Chicago. Spike has brought his unique style of humor and knowledge to countless Chicagoans every morning for the past two decades. I have appeared on his morning show numerous times, and I can honestly say that it has been a pleasure working with Spike and his staff, especially his producer Jim Wiser. Spike will be sorely missed on the radio by all in Chicagoland.

A native of East Moline, Illinois, Spike graduated from York College in Nebraska before obtaining his certificate in broadcasting from a local vocational school. His first radio job was at WEMO in his home town of East Moline, Illinois, before moving on to KSTT in Davenport, Iowa. Next, he moved to WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina, then on to KIIK back in Davenport, Iowa. Spike's big break came in 1987 when he was offered the afternoon show on WGN Radio in Chicago. He flourished in this role at WGN, garnering a loyal following, and in 2000 he succeeded the late Bob Collins as the host of morning programming. Since his appointment, Spike's show is consistently rated the top morning show in Chicago.

The Spike O'Dell show did not just report the news, it was where the news was made. From exclusive interviews with everyone from entertainers to politicians, on sight reporting from across the globe and insightful editorials from Spike and a wide cast of contributors, the Spike O'Dell show was always both informative and entertaining.

The self proclaimed ``worst kept secret'' in radio, Spike announced his retirement nearly 2 years ago, telling listeners that on January 1, 2009 there would be a new host for the morning show. While a successor has yet to be named, it is going to be extremely difficult to find someone as hard working and who generates as loyal a fan base as Spike.

It is my great privilege to honor Spike O'Dell for his commitment to radio in Chicago. I wish the best to Spike and his wife Karen. May his retirement be as successful and rewarding as his show.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize a distinguished Member of Congress from the Illinois Delegation, Congressman Ray LaHood. Ray is a friend and a true example of leadership in public service.

Ray has served his country and his community in many ways throughout his lifetime. He was a dedicated teacher in both Catholic and public schools and he served as the Director of Youth Services in Rockford, Illinois. Ray was elected to the Illinois State House of Representatives in 1982 and then worked for House Republican Leader Robert Michel as District Administrative Assistant and, for four years, as Chief of Staff. Upon Rep. Michel's retirement, Ray was elected to the 104th Congress in 1994 where he has served the people of the 18th District for seven terms.

Here in the House, Ray is known for his efforts to establish a higher level of civility, decorum, and bipartisanship. His knowledge of congressional rules and procedures and his fair-handedness enabled him to be called upon many times to chair the House during proceedings on contentious issues including the impeachment debate in 1998.

Ray has also served his district with great bipartisanship and integrity, including working diligently on the creation of the Lincoln Presidential Library and supporting the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission in celebration of the 200th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln to be held in 2009.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve with Congressman Ray LaHood in the House of Representatives. We will miss his presence, especially in the Illinois delegation. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Ray and his wife Kathy as they embark on new beginnings and future endeavors, especially The Ray and Kathy LaHood Center for Cerebral Palsy.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize a distinguished Member of Congress from the Illinois Delegation, Congressman Jerry Weller. Jerry is a true friend and a valued member of the Illinois Delegation.

From his rural roots growing up on a farm in Dwight, Illinois, Jerry has dedicated his life to public service. He started in the office of Representative Tom Corcoran before moving on to the office of the Secretary of Agriculture before being elected to the Illinois General Assembly. In 1994 he was elected to represent Illinois' 11th District in Congress where he has served ever since.

Congressman Weller has been a strong voice for Illinois working tirelessly for such important projects as forming the nation's largest national prairie, the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, and creating the Abraham Lincoln National Veterans Cemetery.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve with Jerry Weller in the House of Representatives. We will all miss his presence, especially in the Illinois delegation. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Congressman Weller and his wife Zury as they embark on new beginnings and future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 421.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding educator in my district, Thomas Lizik. This past June, Mr. Lizik retired from the Archdiocese of Chicago school system after 40 years of distinguished service and leadership. His remarkable contributions to his students, colleagues, and the entire community will always be remembered and his presence will be sorely missed. I would like to extend my appreciation to Mr. Lizik for his decades of dedicated service.

After receiving a degree in business administration from DePaul University in 1968, Mr. Lizik began his teaching career at Visitation Catholic School in Chicago, IL. He continued on to teach at St. Ann Catholic School in Chicago, St. Denis School in Chicago, and Incarnation School in Palos Heights. Mr. Lizik's awareness of the importance of family, friends, integrity, and career is the foundation of his professional success, and has led his colleagues and students to hold him in the highest regard.

Mr. Lizik's tireless work has earned him numerous awards, including the ``Outstanding Teacher Award'' from St. Ignatius College Prep and the ``Most Influential Teacher Award'' from De La Salle High School and Queen of Peace High School. In 2002, he was nominated for the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. In addition to these special awards, he has also been featured in ``Who's Who Among American Teachers'' and has served as a distinguished member of the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Thomas Lizik as an outstanding educator, and recognize his tireless efforts to educate and develop generations of confident, responsible, and well-educated students. He has done nothing less than an extraordinary job in preparing future generations for their challenges ahead. I thank and congratulate Thomas for his service and dedication and wish him a happy, healthy, and fulfilling retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor JoAnne Kosey for her ongoing dedication to the community of Riverside, Illinois. JoAnne has been named Person of the Year by a combined committee made up of members from the Riverside Chamber of Commerce and the Riverside Township Lions club.

As a lifelong resident of Riverside, volunteering has always been a large part of JoAnne's life. Since high school, she has been involved in helping the community through volunteering at her church, school and for the village during her free time. Continuing into motherhood, she was able to balance her responsibilities as a working mother with her ongoing responsibility to the community. JoAnne was elected to two terms on the Riverside-Brookfield High School District 208 School Board and she also worked as a teacher at St. Joseph Grade School and Mater Christi School. Her dedication to education did not keep her from founding the local farmers market, co-chairing the 125th Anniversary Celebration, serving as the commissioner on the Historical Commission and the Economic Development Commission, and serving as a representative to the Des Plaines River Basin Steering Committee. Currently, she serves as the president of the Riverside Educational Foundation, and as a member of the Alumni Achievement Committee.

This award is a well deserved recognition of her dedication to the betterment of the village of Riverside. She is a sterling example of how the entire community benefits from volunteering. JoAnne is a credit to the village of Riverside and to the State of Illinois. She has

clearly shown how much of a difference to a community the help of one person can make.

It is my great privilege to recognize JoAnne Kosey for being named Person of the Year for the Village of Riverside, Illinois.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor two aviation pioneers, Stephen Darius and Stanley Girenas, on the 75th Anniversary of their historic trans-Atlantic flight that began at Municipal Airport--since renamed Midway Airport--which is located in Illinois' Third Congressional District on Chicago's Southwest Side.

Inspired by witnessing Charles A. Lindbergh's historic flight from New York to Paris, Stephen Darius returned home to Chicago after serving his country in World War I determined to fly non-stop across the Atlantic. In Chicago he met Stanley Girenas, a former Army airplane mechanic. Sharing a common Lithuanian heritage and military background, Darius proposed a first ever non-stop flight from New York to Kaunas, Lithuania. Girenas liked the idea and agreed to be Darius' co-pilot.

Securing adequate funding for their flight was especially difficult during the Great Depression. The two men pooled their savings and purchased a used six passenger airplane that required extensive repairs and modifications. Representatives of Chicago's Lithuanian community came to the aid of Darius and Girenas and formed a Flight Sponsors Committee in order to raise the necessary funds. The Committee raised approximately $4,200

to support the flight, a monumental sum in 1932.

Darius and Girenas embarked on the first leg of their journey from Chicago to New York on May 7th, 1933, on their newly christened airplane, the LITUANICA. After various weather and organizational delays, the two men took off from New York bound for Lithuania on July 15th, carrying a large bag of letters destined for friends and family in Kaunas. Sadly, their plane was lost over the town of Soldin, Germany, 70 miles northeast of Berlin due to heavy storms, and they never reached Lithuania.

It is my great privilege to recognize Stephen Darius and Stanley Girenas for their historic trans-Atlantic flight and their contributions to early aviation, to the American Lithuanian community, to Chicago--which has the largest Lithuanian community outside of Lithuania, and to the United States and Lithuania.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 80th anniversary of St. Richard Parish in Chicago, IL. This upcoming Sunday, the church will hold a celebration to commemorate eight decades of community, faith,

and service, and I am pleased to congratulate the parish on reaching this impressive milestone.

As the Archer Heights community grew in the 1920s, George Cardinal Mundelein of the Archdiocese of Chicago recognized the need for a new Catholic parish in the area, and on June 8, 1928, St. Richard Parish was established.

While services were temporarily held in a storefront, men from the parish built a church on Kostner Avenue. This type of hard work and commitment has been a hallmark of the church's parishioners ever since. In 1947 St. Richard Parish School was opened and to this day provides an outstanding Catholic education for children in Archer Heights. Today, the members of St. Richard Parish continue their dedication to the community, building meeting rooms and a new parish center to provide a safe environment for area children and a focal point for the community.

From their first pastor, Reverend Horace Wellman, to their current pastor, Father Thomas Bernas, St. Richard's diverse group of parishioners continue to enrich the lives of their fellow citizens by providing the community with outreach programs, a strong school, and an unwavering commitment to their faith.

It is with great honor and privilege that I recognize the 80th anniversary of St. Richard Parish, which continues to meet the needs of parishioners and the community through liturgies, programs, and services. The parish offers spiritual direction, hope, and compassion to all of its members. I am proud to have in the Third District of Illinois such a vibrant example of the values and good works that can be provided by a church with outstanding leadership and committed parishioners. May these first 80 years be only the beginning.

Madam Speaker, yesterday we witnessed a huge victory for American security, American workers and American taxpayers.

The GAO found what many of us suspected all along about the Air Force tanker decision. A flawed process unfairly disadvantaged the American- made Boeing tanker. The Boeing aircraft met or exceeded all of the Air Force criteria. An independent study found that it would create at least twice as many American jobs including, 3,300 in Illinois.

Other studies showed the Boeing aircraft to be 25 percent more fuel efficient than the Airbus, resulting in a savings of nearly $30 billion and over 2 billion gallons of fuel. On top of all this, I believe that we should not be exporting our national security.

So today I urge my colleagues to join me in urging the Air Force to listen to the GAO, reopen the process and select the best tanker for America.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, today I rise in strong support of H.R. 6003. I commend Chairman Oberstar, Chairwoman Brown, Ranking Members Mica and Shuster for this bill.

This bill provides a vision for the future of passenger rail in the U.S. It provides the necessary investments to modernize our antiquated system.

Of special significance is section 217 which provides significant resources to Amtrak and to the States to address key chokepoints that slow down travel and commerce and cause unnecessary pollution from stalled trains. Illinois has already dedicated more funding to improve Amtrak's service. So I am pleased that the committee report addresses several critical bottlenecks reported by Amtrak that affect Illinois residents, including the Heritage Corridor line, which links Chicago to Joliet, as well other key routes from Chicago to Carbondale, Detroit, Michigan, and Porter, Indiana.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6003 puts American passenger rail back on track, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and Amtrak to improve and expand passenger rail service in our country. I urge passage of this visionary bill.