Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Ronda Guyton for her 28 years of service in the Peoria County Sheriff's Department. Law enforcement is an essential pillar of American society responsible for guaranteeing safety and stability for our communities and families. Ronda provided an integral part of this through the care, control, and custody of the Peoria County Jail. As superintendent, Ronda ensured that those in custody of the jail were properly detained. She also ensured that detainees were treated fairly and respectfully; so that justice could be served.

Ronda served in several roles while working her way up the ranks of the Peoria County Sheriff's Office. She began as a corrections

officer, served as a deputy officer, and was later promoted to jail superintendent. Her most recent promotion broke down multiple barriers as she was the first woman and the first African American to hold this position. The excellence she consistently demonstrated throughout her career not only set an example but paved the way for others in the future.

I am grateful for Ronda's leadership and commitment to the Peoria County Sheriffs Department where her presence will be deeply missed. I offer her my prayers and support in her ongoing battle with cancer.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Carl Cannon for his two decades of public service with the Peoria Park District and his continued efforts with ELITE Community Outreach. Carl founded ELITE Community Outreach in 2005 with the goal of keeping local kids out of the criminal justice system. Since that time, ELITE Community Outreach has mentored more than 1,600 children and expanded services including elementary, job training, and mentoring programs.

Carl is known throughout central Illinois as one of Peoria's tremendous mentors and educators. Under his leadership, ELITE programs have resulted in a 63 percent reduction in disciplinary referrals and a 67 percent improvement in GPA among students in the ELITE program. The Re-entry program is responsible for providing job skills to more than 120+ previously incarcerated individuals.

I am grateful for Carl's dedication to the Peoria community and his tireless efforts towards improving the lives of students and children across the city. The lessons taught by Carl will continue to spread hope, empowerment, and positivity in the Peoria community. I appreciate our friendship and, I wish Carl continued success in all his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize Illinois State Representative Tim Butler for his leadership and dedication to Central Illinois. Prior to his 4-terms as Illinois State Representative, Tim served as the District Chief of Staff for both Congressman Rodney Davis and former Congressman Ray LaHood. Representative Butler has long served as a distinguished voice on behalf of the people of Logan, Menard, Sangamon, and Tazewell countries and our entire state.

Throughout his time in the Illinois General Assembly, Representative Butler has been a strong leader for agriculture, small business, and other vital priorities for Illinois. He has twice been named a Friend of Agriculture by Illinois Farm Bureau ACTlVATOR and twice been awarded the Guardian of Small Business Award from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). In addition. Representative Butler served in a leadership roles as the Illinois House Assistant Republican Leader and as the Republican Spokesperson on the Transportation Committee.

During my time in the State House and Congress, I have been proud to call Tim a colleague and a friend. Representative Butler stands as a model for the values and priorities which current- and future-public servants should strive to uphold in order to better our communities. I want to thank Tim for his many years of dedicated service to the state of Illinois and wish him and his wife, Wendy, much success in all their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise on the House floor to congratulate the men's national soccer team on their win this past week against Iran at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

After missing out on the 2018 World Cup, the United States returned this year for the first time in 8 years.

With draws against Wales and England to start the group stage, the U.S. needed a crucial win against Iran to advance to the knockout stage. The U.S. team delivered a 1-0 victory with a stellar goal by Christian Pulisic and a staunch defensive performance from goalie Matt Turner.

I know I join with my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives and fans across the country in congratulating the men's national soccer team.

Throughout the World Cup, the team has shown class, respect, grit, and patriotism, inspiring a new generation of fans and youth across the country. Coach Gregg Berhalter and the entire team have made our country so proud. I look forward to cheering them on tomorrow as they face the Netherlands.

Go U.S.A. Beat the Dutch.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. Wenstrup and Mr. Davis for shepherding through this legislation.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 8876, the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022.

The MIECHV program has over 2,700 participants and has conducted over 17,000 home visits in my home State of Illinois, including in Peoria and McLean Counties and throughout my district.

I understand how important it is to support families, women, and children with evidence-based services to mitigate maternal and infant mortality risk factors and improve overall health outcomes, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Evidence-based programs, including home visits by nurses, social workers, or early childhood professionals, have improved maternal and newborn health services that mothers and infants can count on to help set them up for success in the future.

I also acknowledge and take a moment to recognize Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, the former ranking member of the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support. She was a wonderful colleague and friend who is deeply missed every day in this body. Passing this legislation today is a recognition of Jackie's tireless advocacy for the renewal of MIECHV and a testament to her remarkable legacy.

We honor her today by passing this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill and everybody in this body to honor Jackie.

Madam Speaker, due to a clerical error made by the clerk during an ongoing vote senes, my vote by proxy was not counted.

Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 489.

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate Keith Swartzentruber, the executive director of Snyder Village, who is retiring after 34 wonderful years of service across Central Illinois.

Keith Swartzentruber joined the staff as an administrator of Snyder Village when it opened its doors in 1988 and has held the position of executive director at Snyder Village for the last 17 years. Under his leadership, Snyder Village has grown from a modest organization offering a health center and six independent living cottages to the full-life plan community that it is today. Currently, over 400 residents call Snyder Village home, and roughly 240 staff members make up the Snyder Village team. Spanning over 48 acres, Snyder Village now encompasses a skilled nursing health center, assisted living, home care services, inpatient and outpatient therapy, and a retirement community with 40 apartments and 170 cottages.

As a true servant leader, Keith encourages and supports staff to embody the Snyder Village mission statement: to provide for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of others in a loving, dignified, and Christian atmosphere. Keith exemplifies the high level of care and service which has made Snyder Village the remarkable place it is. He can often be found visiting with residents and staff members, ensuring they feel valued and cared for. His leadership and service have been recognized by his peers and the community through several awards, including the Life Services Network Leadership Recognition Award.

Our community has been fortunate to benefit from the service and leadership of Keith Swartzentruber. I extend my sincere congratulations to Keith on his 34 years of service at Snyder Village. I wish him much success as he continues to lead a life of service to the Metamora community and central Illinois.

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate Keith Swartzentruber, the executive director of Snyder Village, who is retiring after 34 wonderful years of service across Central Illinois.

Keith Swartzentruber joined the staff as an administrator of Snyder Village when it opened its doors in 1988 and has held the position of executive director at Snyder Village for the last 17 years. Under his leadership, Snyder Village has grown from a modest organization offering a health center and six independent living cottages to the full-life plan community that it is today. Currently, over 400 residents call Snyder Village home, and roughly 240 staff members make up the Snyder Village team. Spanning over 48 acres, Snyder Village now encompasses a skilled nursing health center, assisted living, home care services, inpatient and outpatient therapy, and a retirement community with 40 apartments and 170 cottages.

As a true servant leader, Keith encourages and supports staff to embody the Snyder Village mission statement: to provide for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of others in a loving, dignified, and Christian atmosphere. Keith exemplifies the high level of care and service which has made Snyder Village the remarkable place it is. He can often be found visiting with residents and staff members, ensuring they feel valued and cared for. His leadership and service have been recognized by his peers and the community through several awards, including the Life Services Network Leadership Recognition Award.

Our community has been fortunate to benefit from the service and leadership of Keith Swartzentruber. I extend my sincere congratulations to Keith on his 34 years of service at Snyder Village. I wish him much success as he continues to lead a life of service to the Metamora community and central Illinois.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Stephanie Baptist, a district staff member of mine who runs and manages the Jacksonville office for the 18th District of Illinois.

Since coming to Congress, my office has prided itself on providing top-notch constituent services with four offices in our 19-county district. We all know this would not be possible without great staff in our districts, helping constituents with casework and being the front line of communication with our communities while we are here in Washington, D.C.

For the 18th District of Illinois, which includes many rural areas in central and west central Illinois, this is extremely important with long distances between towns and cities. In Stephanie's case, she manages our Jacksonville office by herself. Stephanie joined the office several years back, replacing Barb Baker, a longtime community advocate and a staff member who sadly passed away. To say Stephanie had big shoes to fill after Barb would be an understatement; however, she filled them incredibly well.

Stephanie served with professionalism and an unmatched dedication to the community, particularly during the extraordinary times that we have faced over the past two and a half years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stephanie served as the point person for our office on IRS casework and SBA issues over the last several years, which was not easy given the challenges our communities faced. Throughout it all, Stephanie handled her work with grace, compassion, and resilience.

Sadly, because of our redistricting in Illinois, our Congressional District will no longer have Jacksonville and our office downtown.

While we could not be happier for Stephanie as she embarks on a new and exciting opportunity, she will be missed dearly by our office. I want to thank Stephanie for all the hard work on behalf of constituents in 18th Congressional District. It has been greatly appreciated. Stephanie will always be a part of Team LaHood, and most importantly, a friend.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Morton High School in Morton, Illinois.

At Morton, classes past and present have achieved tremendous success and a legacy of excellence carried on by the students that followed them.

As the Morton High School athletics department has grown, so has the prominence of their girls' basketball team, known as the Lady Potters. In an unprecedented record of success in eight seasons from 2015 to 2022, the Lady Potters won four Illinois State championships, three in succession. In that time, they have won 244 games and only lost 23.

Coach Bob Becker has been awarded Coach of the Year multiple times by the Illinois High School Association and was named to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2020. This year, the class of 1972 also celebrates their 50th anniversary as graduates of Morton High School.

Morton continues to honor the legacy of the classes before them and their tremendous achievements throughout the year. Congratulations to classes past and present of Morton High School. The school pride is worthy of celebration. Keep up the great work, Potters.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Alabama (Mr. Carl) for yielding and for his terrific work on the Natural Resources Committee, and I thank the majority and Chairman Grijalva for their support.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bipartisan bill, H.R. 820, the New Philadelphia National Historic Site Act.

Located in West Central Illinois, near the Missouri border, in Barry, Illinois, is New Philadelphia. Founded in 1836 by Frank McWorter, this was the first town founded, platted, and registered by an African American in the United States.

Once an enslaved person himself, Mr. Frank McWorter also known as ``Free Frank,'' bought his freedom. Mr. McWorter went on in his life and in his legacy to establish New Philadelphia, but also to demonstrate the critical role many African Americans played in their own freedom efforts.

Through the sale of land in New Philadelphia, among other business ventures, Free Frank used his earnings to free 15 other family members out of slavery. Additionally, many of the residents of New Philadelphia, both European Americans and African Americans, later came together to assist freedom-seekers moving north from slave-occupied States and locations.

The 40-acre original townsite is now nationally and historically significant. It is an archaeological site, advancing our understanding of free, rural communities and the abolitionist movement in the antebellum area.

The New Philadelphia site has already been recognized for its historical significance. It is currently on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. The site is also included in the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program, and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History displays many of the artifacts unearthed from the area near New Philadelphia.

This bipartisan bill would establish the New Philadelphia National Historical Park in the State of Illinois as a unit of the National Park System.

Many local and regional organizations have worked tirelessly for many years to preserve and protect this site and they deserve so much credit. One organization in particular, the New Philadelphia Association, has done a tremendous job in improving, maintaining, and endorsing the site for the benefit of New Philadelphia descendants, those living in the surrounding community, and those visiting from afar. I am delighted to be here tonight to assist their efforts and support the continued advocacy of many of my engaged constituents on this issue.

Including New Philadelphia in the National Park System would provide certainty and ensure its continued preservation far into the future. The National Park Service will be able to provide the tools, resources, and expertise necessary to elevate the site to its fullest potential.

It is imperative that sites like New Philadelphia are preserved for years to come, so that future generations can better understand their important history as well as the lessons that history provides us.

In closing, I thank the Natural Resources Committee for supporting this important piece of legislation, and I urge the adoption of the bill.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor the Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) on their 50th Anniversary. The Illinois Corn Growers Association is a vital organization in our state that works to support the agricultural economy and advocate public policies that help promote success and sustainability for farmers across Illinois.

Ilinois farmers are leaders in the production of corn. The ICGA has united farm families since 1972 to increase market opportunities for corn domestically and around the world. The ICGA provides a voice for farmers in Illinois to help promote best practices in the industry and foster stewardship of the land. The association also educates the public and coordinates policies that advance the biofuels industry and drives innovation in how we produce and use corn throughout the world.

I extend my sincere congratulations to ICGA members for their achievements over the years. Agriculture is the number one industry in Illinois. Advocacy groups like ICGA have helped shape the industry into what it is today and will help lead the industry into the future. I wish the organization many more years of success.

Madam Speaker, on August 4, 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut in the capital city of Lebanon exploded, causing more than 220 deaths, 7,000 injuries, at least $15 billion in property damage, and leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless. Two years have passed and yet there is no closure for the families of the victims, and many are left behind to bear the burden of rebuilding their lives and their communities.

The United States Congress, the Administration, the Lebanese-American community, and many others worldwide responded with significant food, and humanitarian assistance, medical equipment, and reconstruction supplies. Today the need has only magnified given the continued obstruction by corruption and political instability--preventing an open judicial investigation.

The Lebanese diaspora community, the families of the victims, and the international donors urge the Lebanese government to enforce the calls from the United Nations, the International Support Group, and the American government, to move swiftly and effectively to complete the investigation and bring those guilty to justice. Lebanon needs a free, independent, and legitimate judicial system and government. Committing to conclude the investigation will serve as a major step in freeing the courts from the political entanglements and pressures that have for too long impeded justice and fairness in Lebanese society.

As the co-chair of the U.S.-Lebanon Friendship Caucus, which allows members of Congress to learn and engage on important issues related to the U.S.-Lebanon relationship, I ask all Members to join me in remembering those who died in the tragic blast as well as those survivors who depend on the comfort and support of others to maintain hope for the future of Lebanon. We urge the caretaker Lebanese government to remove the political impediments brought by others so that a complete and thorough investigation can be concluded, and that justice will prevail.

Mr. Speaker, I was recorded as ``nay,'' but I intended to vote ``yea'' on rollcall No. 267.

Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress

Amodei (Balderson)

Bustos (Mrvan)

Carter (TX) (Weber (TX))

Correa (Huffman)

Crist (Wasserman Schultz)

Davids (KS) (Neguse)

Davis, Danny K. (Beyer)

Deutch (Rice (NY))

Evans (Beyer)

Gonzalez (OH) (Meijer)

Granger (Weber (TX))

Johnson (GA) (Manning)

Johnson (TX) (Jeffries)

Kahele (Mrvan)

Kelly (IL) (Neguse)

Khanna (Watson Coleman)

Lamb (Blunt Rochester)

Lawrence (Stevens)

Lawson (FL) (Wasserman Schultz)

Lynch (Langevin)

Mace (Carter (GA))

McEachin (Beyer)

Meeks (Jeffries)

Moore (WI) (Beyer)

Nadler (Pallone)

Newman (Beyer)

O'Halleran (Schrader)

Palazzo (Fleischmann)

Payne (Pallone)

Peters (Jeffries)

Pingree (Wasserman Schultz)

Price (NC) (Manning)

Rice (SC) (Meijer)

Schneider (Stevens)

Stanton (Huffman)

Suozzi (Beyer)

Taylor (Van Duyne)

Tenney (Jackson)

Titus (Pallone)

Walorski (Bucshon)

Waters (Takano)

Wilson (FL) (Neguse)

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize Reverend Thomas (Tom) Zobrist, Senior Pastor of Liberty Bible Church in Eureka, IL, for being conferred an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Calvary University.

Prior to his service as senior pastor, Tom served in the U.S. Air Force for six years as a B-52 crew chief. After returning home from his time in the military, Tom graduated from Cavalry Bible College with a Pastoral Degree. Tom was later called as pastor of the Liberty Bible Church. As Senior Pastor of Liberty Bible Church for the past 34 years, Tom has faithfully been a shepherd for the congregation of Liberty Bible Church.

Tom's commitment to the Eureka community and central Illinois is unquestionable. Over the years, Tom has held influential roles with the Board for the Brazil Gospel Fellowship Mission, Calvary University Board of Trustees, and IFCA Board of Directors. He has selflessly dedicated his time as senior pastor to improving the lives of his congregation and strengthening his community. The religious values instilled through Tom's teachings will continue to strengthen our community for years to come.

Our community has been fortunate to benefit from the service and leadership of Tom Zobrist. I extend my sincere congratulations to Tom on being conferred an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Calvary University. I wish him much success as he continues to lead a life of service to the Eureka community and central Illinois.