Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the unveiling of a new Bureau County monument dedicated to the contributions of the 45 African American soldiers who served honorably in the Civil War, and whose service, up until now, was not recognized alongside other soldiers from Bureau County who had their names listed on the Bureau County Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

Located in the historic district of Princeton, Illinois, this new monument pays tribute to Civil War Veterans from Bureau County who were members of the 29th U.S. Colored Infantry and 8th and 13th U.S. Colored Artillery units. The contributions made by these units supported military efforts in multiple battles, including but not limited to the Battle of Appomattox. These men include-Jack Allen, Robert Atkins, George Baker, James Blake, Robert Bland, Horan Brown, William Cofield, John Coleman, John Connor, John Cummings, Joseph Davis, John Edwards, Abram Harrison, Thomas Heckley, James Henry, Thomas Houston, King Howard, Henry Jackson, Thomas Jackson, Dennis Johnson, Jacob Johnson, Samuel Johnson, John Jones, Franklin Lindsay, Andrew Manly, Lewis Masters, Charles Moses, Wesley Patterson, Henry Prosson, Robert Rhodes, Joseph Sanders, Jesse Smith, Richard Smith, Hamilton Stokes, Alexander Thomas, Libby Thompson, Washington Turner, William Washington (Concord Township), William Washington (Westfield Township), Aaron Wellcome, Charles West, John Williams, Thomas Williams, James Wilson, and James Winson.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the service and sacrifices of these 45 Civil War soldiers from Bureau County and expressing my thanks to those who made it possible for this monument and long overdue recognition to happen.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor and congratulate Gary Kroeschen on his retirement as Marshall County Board Chairman.

Gary has dedicated much of his career to serving the people of Marshall County. Throughout his incredible career. Gary served on the Marshall County Board, Bennington Township Board, and Toluca Park District Board. Serving on the Bennington Township Board and the Toluca Park District Board for nearly 20 years, Gary also served on the Marshall County Board for 16 years and 11 of those as Chairman. He retired from this role on September 14, 2023, marking the end of his exceptional tenure serving the Marshall County area.

Like his work serving the people of Marshall County. Gary was a small business owner of Kroeschen Plumbing and Heating Inc in Toluca, Illinois. Gary exemplifies the values of public service and hard work.

I want to express the utmost gratitude to Gary. I am certain that my fellow Illinoisans feel the same pride and respect towards him that I do. He has undoubtedly improved the lives of Marshall County residents and Central Illinoisans more broadly. Most importantly, Gary accomplished all this while being a loving husband, father, and family man. I congratulate Gary, and wish him happiness and relaxation in retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the Village of Capron, Illinois, for celebrating their 150th anniversary.

On December 3, 1873, the Village of Capron was established in Boone County, Illinois. The Village of Capron was named after Colonel Capron who purchased the land from Nancy Scott and Nathan H. Wooster served as the village's first president. Today, the village serves as the third largest municipality in Boone County with a population of 1,400 residents.

The village celebrated significant achievements throughout its history, such as the drilling of its first municipal well in 1881, the building of its original water tower in 1900, and electricity coming to the village in 1911. We are grateful for Capron's commitment and investment in agriculture and business development in northern Illinois.

The Village of Capron is known throughout northern Illinois for the services that it has provided for the community over the last 150 years. Today, we celebrate the village and their residents for their dedication to their community. I extend my sincere congratulations to the Village of Capron, Illinois for a successful 150 years, and I wish them even more success going forward.

Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to recognize World War II Veteran, Dean A. Preston for receiving the French Legion d'honneur, which honors World War II Veterans for their service as they fought to secure France's liberation.

The National Order of the Legion of Honour was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 and serves as the highest order of merit awarded by the French government for military and civil honors. The Legion d'honneur has been awarded to Veterans from various countries for their bravery and service during D-Day military operations who assisted in the security of France.

Dean A. Preston graduated from Pekin Community High School and enlisted to serve his country. He attended an advanced radio repair school which equipped him with a skillset to manage wireless radio networks following his completion of basic training. Dean was inducted into the United States Army on March 20, 1943, and served as a member of 927th Signal Battalion, Separate, Tactical Air Command.

Dean earned several distinguished honors throughout his service including the American Campaign Medal, the European African Middle East Campaign Medal with 5 Campaign Stars, the Army Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. Dean's strong communication, bravery, and commitment to service distinguishes him as a recipient of the French Legion d'honneur.

We live in the greatest country in the world because of men and women like Dean. Dean is proud to have served and contribute to liberty and freedom. I extend my sincere congratulations to Dean A. Preston for receiving the French Legion d'honneur.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor a remarkable organization, the Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System. The Veterans Affairs Illiana expands across central Illinois and is a vital organization that provides care to Veterans in Illinois and Indiana. After many years of success and service, the Veterans Affairs Illiana is celebrating their 125th anniversary.

The Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System has united Veterans in the area since 1898 to successfully provide primary and specialty care to Veterans. Originating in Danville, Illinois, Veterans Affairs Illiana serves as the 8th oldest Veterans Affairs facility. The Veterans Affairs Illiana expanded services across central Illinois beginning in 1977 with outpatient clinics targeted to serve Veterans residing in rural areas. Today, the members of the organization work hard to support, serve and care for the Veteran community throughout 34 counties in Illinois and Indiana.

Illinois has become a state of advocacy for Veteran groups like Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System that come together and enhance opportunities for Veterans, their families, and the community. I extend my sincere congratulations to Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System for a successful 125 years, and I wish them continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I had to miss votes today to travel back to Illinois for a funeral. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 287, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 288, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 289.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, today, Republicans are following through on our promise to the American people last fall in our commitment to a government that is accountable.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 1163. This long-awaited bill is needed to address the unprecedented levels of fraud in pandemic unemployment programs.

Every dollar going to fraud is a dollar that did not go to those who actually needed it. My home State of Illinois paid out nearly $2 billion in Federal funds for fraudulent unemployment claims, nearly half of the money paid out by the State.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an audit by the State of Illinois Department of Economic Security from June 2020.

Those fraudsters acted with intent and malice and diverted critical relief for unemployed workers. Early on in the pandemic, multiple red flags were raised by law enforcement agencies about the threat of fraudsters using stolen identities to file false unemployment claims.

The U.S. Secret Service raised the first alarm issuing an alert memo in May 2020 warning of a well-organized Nigerian crime ring exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to commit large-scale fraud against State unemployment insurance programs.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record that memo from the U.S. Secret Service.

May 14, 2020.

From: United States Secret Service.

Massive Fraud Against State Unemployment Insurance Programs

The United States Secret Service has received reporting of

a well-organized Nigerian fraud ring exploiting the COVID-19

crisis to commit large-scale fraud against state unemployment

insurance programs. The primary state targeted so far is

Washington, while there is also evidence of attacks in North

Carolina, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Wyoming and

Florida. It is

extremely likely every state is vulnerable to this scheme and

will be targeted if they have not been already.

In the state of Washington, individuals residing out-of-

state are receiving multiple ACH deposits from the State of

Washington Unemployment Benefit Program, all in different

individuals' names with no connection to the account holder.

A substantial amount of the fraudulent benefits submitted

have used PII from first responders, government personnel and

school employees. It is assumed the fraud ring behind this

possess a substantial PII database to submit the volume of

applications observed thus far.

This fraud network is believed to consist of hundreds, if

not thousands, of mules with potential losses in the hundreds

of millions of dollars. The banks targeted have been at all

levels including local banks, credit unions, and large

national banks.

Please communicate the information regarding this fraud to

the appropriate office at your local state level and liaison

with local financial institutions to identify mules and

potential seizures.

Mr. Speaker, the public needed to know what was happening to these funds, yet not a single oversight hearing was held at the time. Democrats turned a blind eye to the fraud and rejected Republican efforts to stop it.

While considering the American Rescue Act in committee, Democrats rejected Republican amendments that would have stopped the ``pay and chase'' model of benefit delivery.

In September of 2022, Democrats voted against a resolution of inquiry demanding communications showing the Department of Labor had knowledge of unemployment insurance dollars flowing to international crime syndicates.

Now, today, Republicans are taking action.

We will not turn our backs and walk away from the greatest theft of taxpayer dollars in American history.

Currently, State workforce agencies have little incentive to pursue costly investigations and prosecutions that do not pay out. This bill here today, H.R. 1163, will jump-start efforts to recover what we can by making the juice worth the squeeze for States still working through a backlog of suspicious unemployment claims and appeals.

The number of individuals or entities facing UI fraud-related charges has grown since March 2020 and will continue to increase as these cases take time to develop.

Based on an analysis of the U.S. Department of Justice from January 13, 2023, Federal charges were pending against up to 240 individuals for attempting to defraud pandemic UI programs.

States that take the initiative will be allowed to retain a portion of the recovered funds to prevent future fraud by using the recovery reward to improve program integrity, including hiring investigators to go after criminals and modernizing State systems.

Mr. Speaker, this bill allows a State to retain 5 percent of the recovered UI overpayments. This includes having commonsense procedures in place, like preventing UI benefit payments from going to incarcerated people and deceased people.

We have an opportunity today to gain some restitution for American taxpayers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1163.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Jeannette ``Jan'' Smith of Peoria, Illinois, who passed away on March 11, 2023 at the age of 88.

A native of Peoria, Illinois, Jan Smith attended Bradley University where she was actively involved as a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, as well as a member of the Dean's List. She graduated summa cum laude from Bradley University in 1975.

Jan's commitment to her community led her to become a teacher in Peoria area schools. In 1980, she left her teaching career and founded the Family Resources Center, which provided free-loan resources that taught about the sanctity of life. Her dedication to education and for the respect of life led her to serve at the Family Resources Center for over 35 years. For her tireless service, she received a papal honor in the form of the Pro Ecclesiae et Pontifice Medal as well as the Pere Marquette Award from the Diocese of Peoria.

I want to offer my condolences to the Smith family and the people of Peoria on the loss of a great woman. Jan's leadership, commitment, and dedication has made a lasting impact on the Central Illinois community that will last for generations.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor and congratulate Police Chief Jamie Evans on her retirement from the Roscoe Police Department after 25 years of service to the community. Jamie Evans was hired as a Police Officer by the Village of Roscoe on August 31, 1998.

Starting as a Patrol Officer and eventually working her way through the ranks of Sergeant and Lieutenant, Chief Evans played an essential role in our community--working to keep citizens safe, upholding the rule of law, and responding to emergencies. On November 6, 2008, Chief Evans was unanimously approved by the village board as the first female chief of police in Winnebago County.

Under Chief Evans's leadership, the Roscoe Police Department grew and modernized, including an expansion of its community outreach efforts, and the building of the new police department facility for better accessibility to the public. In 2021, the department achieved accreditation through the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ILEAP) through the hard work of Chief Evans. The Roscoe Police Department is 1 of 44 agencies with an ILEAP accreditation in the State of Illinois. As a testament to her leadership, the Village of Roscoe Board will rename the police department facility as the ``Jamie Evans Public Safety Building.''

Chief Evans has always been committed to her work and her community. It is my privilege to congratulate Chief Evans on her service to the Roscoe Police Department. I want to thank her for her leadership. The Village of Roscoe is a better place because of her service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 2022 recipients of the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Presented annually, the Ellis Island Medals of Honor pay tribute to our Nation's immigrant heritage, as well as individual achievement. The Medals are awarded to U.S. citizens from diverse ethnic backgrounds who exemplify outstanding qualities in both their personal and professional lives, while continuing to preserve the richness of their particular heritage and culture.

Since the Medals' founding, more than 2,500 American citizens have received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, including seven American Presidents, numerous United States Senators and Congressmen, two Nobel Laureates, and many athletes, artists, clergy, and military leaders. This Medal is not about material success, nor is it about the politics of immigration; it is about the people who have committed themselves to this Nation, embraced the opportunities America offers, and most importantly, who have used those opportunities to not only better their own lives but make a difference in our country and in the lives of its people.

Citizens of the United States hail from every nation known to man. The iconic metaphor of this Nation as a veritable melting pot of cultures continues to ring true, and it is this diversity that adds to the unique richness of American life. The Ellis Island Medals of Honor not only celebrate select individuals but also the pluralism and democracy that enabled our forbearers to celebrate their cultural identities while still embracing the American way of life. This award serves to remind us all that with hard work and perseverance anyone can still achieve the American dream. In addition, by honoring these remarkable Americans, we honor all who share their origins and we acknowledge the contributions they have made to America. I commend Ellis Island Honors Society and its Board of Directors headed by Chairman Nasser J. Kazeminy, for honoring these truly outstanding individuals for their efforts to promote a sense of common purpose in our nation.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the good works of the Ellis Island Honors Society and in congratulating all of the 2022 recipients of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. I include in the Record the names of this year's recipients.

2022 Ellis Island Medal of Honor Recipients

Pouria Abbassi, Cyrus Ansary, Esq., Dr. Brahim Ardolic,

Maestro Igor Babailov, Hon. RAA, MFA, KStA, D.Littl, Dr.

Robert Bard, Dean John Belcher, Nazanin Boniadi, Honorable

Denis Boyle, Ambassador Nancy

Brinker, Sarah Beth Brown, Kathy Buckley, Honorable Salud

Carbajal, Martino Cartier, Dr. Tom Catena, Lieutenant General

Brian Cavanaugh, Rear Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, Bonnie

Comley, Chief Robert Contee, Wendy Bingham Cox, Howard Cox,

Administrator Deanne Criswell, Eduardo Del Riego, Shahla

Ettefagh, John Farahi, Ambassador David Fischer, Jennifer

Fischer, Chief Joseph Gallucci, General Michael Garrett,

Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Chief Rodney Harrison, David,

Hryck, Dr. Joseph Jabbra, Craig Jackson, Carolyn Jackson,

Honorable Jeh Johnson, Sun Yup Kim, Liz Koch, Charles Koch,

Frank LaFerla, George Liu, Eduardo Martinez, Professor

Michael Massimino, Margie McHugh, Flint McNaughton, Doris

Meissner, Dr. Reza Mohajer, Edward Montero, Monica Morales-

Mayer, Joseph Morrone, Professor Cherry Murray, Dr. Souhel

Najjar, Larry O'Connor, Gholam Reza Odabaee, Ronald Offutt,

Dr. Demetrios Papademetriou, Nicholas Peppas ScD, Chief

Thomas Richardson, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Reza Rofougaran, Dr.

Martine Rothblatt, Commissioner Patrick Ryder, Kamil Salame,

Henry Samueli, Susan Samueli, Justice Patricia Satterfield,

Honorable Stephen Scalise, Adnan Sen, Dr. Michael

Shahnasarian, Vlad Shmunis, Dr. Greg Simonian, Dr. Greg

Thomopulos, Rear Admiral Andrew Tiongson, Lieutenant General

Giavani Tuck, Elizabeth Weymouth, Dean Michelle Williams,

Alan Willner, Richard Wilson, George Xu.

International Ellis Island Medal of Honor Recipient

Dr. Segenet Kelemu.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Missouri for yielding and for his leadership on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.J. Res. 27, providing for congressional disapproval of the Army Corps of Engineers' and the EPA's rule expanding the definition of waters of the United States.

This rule is one of the latest examples of regulatory overreach that the Biden administration has chosen to pursue, ignoring Congress' role in making policy decisions and vastly increasing Federal authority over private lands.

Expanding the WOTUS definition creates harmful uncertainty and increased administrative burdens for many parts of our economy, especially our farmers and agriculture sector.

On top of having to endure the effects of high inflation, supply chain disruptions, and labor shortages, farmers in my district and across the country now have to invest more time and money on compliance costs to protect themselves against potentially crippling legal penalties.

Between President Biden's attempts to repeal stepped-up basis, the SEC's onerous ESG proposal, and now this WOTUS rule issued by the Army Corps of Engineers and EPA, it is clear that family farms and small businesses are not being prioritized or heard by this administration.

Mr. Speaker, as the Representative of one of the largest corn- and soybean-producing districts in the country, I understand the importance our farmers have in feeding our Nation and the world. Our farm economy is the lifeblood of rural communities, and this resolution is a necessary first step in supporting our farmers and small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, today, I recognize former Congressman Robert H. Michel, the longest serving Republican Leader of the House of Representatives, born on this day 100 years ago. From his time in the U.S. Army on the front lines fighting for democracy in World War II to his long career in government service, Bob Michel sought to defend our freedom and the American Dream at every turn.

Leader Michel defined public service and bipartisanship during his 38 years serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. He cherished his time spent in the House, and he revered the institution. He was a product of Midwestern values that made our central Illinois community a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Often known for being a patient listener, flexible goal setter, and gentle persuader, he remained committed to legislative compromise and appealing to the spirit of bipartisanship. Building relationships across the aisle and promoting civility and debate helped move legislation through the House Chamber. His common sense, middle-of-the- road policymaking left a legacy that will continue for centuries.

Congressman Michel's steadfast work to improve the lives of citizens of central Illinois stands as a model for progress to further the greater good and prosperity of America and Illinois. Peorians were always proud to have him fighting for them in Congress. On what would have been his 100th birthday, the legacy he left behind should serve as a reminder for how we as public servants can continue our work to move our country and democracy forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a fellow Illinoisan, Dr. Lily P. Hussein, a physician who recently marked her 55th year of service at Chicago's John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, making her the longest serving physician in that hospital's 190-year history. In addition, Dr. Hussein is the nation's longest serving physician at one hospital and one of the nation's longest serving female physicians.

Dr. Hussein was born in Mosul, Iraq in 1937, the oldest of six children, five of whom would go on to become physicians. Dr. Hussein is a fifth-generation physician, whose father, grandfather, great grandmother and great-great grandmother all practiced medicine. Her father, Dr. Malcolm Parhad was a pioneer in neurosurgery who trained at The Yale School of Medicine.

In 1964, Dr. Hussein graduated first in her class from the University of Baghdad College of Medicine--a feat that was personally recognized by Iraq's President. Upon graduation, she immigrated to the U.S. to continue her medical career. After a year of training in Danbury, Connecticut, she arrived as a Medical Resident at the Cook County Hospital in 1965. She began as a Family Medicine Resident but soon discovered the field of Oncology and dedicated her career to fighting cancer. In 1967, she married a fellow Cook County Hospital resident, Dr. Jaafar Hussein, to whom she has been married for 55 years. Together they have five children, four of which are in the field of medicine.

Dr. Hussein is most proud of the relationships she has built with her thousands of patients over the past seven decades. Notably, Dr. Hussein has stayed at Stroger Cook County Hospital because its mission of serving the poor is aligned with her belief that every human being deserves world-class medical care. To this day, Dr. Hussein cites those famous words on the Statue of Liberty as inspiration to continue her public service: ``give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.''

Mr. Speaker, I'm honored to recognize a trailblazer and someone who embodies the best of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 11, Establishing the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.

As a member of the China Task Force in the 116th and 117th Congresses and a member of the House Intelligence Committee, this committee is long overdue, and I commend Speaker McCarthy for putting this together. A clear and dedicated focus on issues surrounding the strategic competition between the United States and China has never been more important.

I would make three observations.

One, make no mistake about it, Mr. Speaker, China has a plan to replace us, and they are working on it every single day in technology, national security, and in economics. The longer we go without addressing those issues, the further we fall behind.

Number two, look at the allies that Xi Jinping and the CCP align themselves with, Putin in Russia, who is a war criminal, and Iran. You talk about the unbreakable bond they have with Russia as it relates to the Ukraine conflict; they would want nothing more than to see the West lose in this conflict.

Number three, I hope this select committee looks at how we can use our economic power in the United States in the trade space working with our like-minded allies in the Indo-Pacific region: Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, and Indonesia. We have been asleep at the wheel when it comes to the economic power we should be using in the region.

Finally, China continues to exploit democratic norms and standards throughout the region, engages in economic manipulation of the global marketplace, and threatens global peace and security efforts. This select committee is more important than ever to ensure the United States does not continue to delay our focus on the true needs of our strategic competition with China.

I strongly support this select committee, and I urge adoption of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act.

This bill defends American taxpayers against an unchecked, supercharged IRS and prioritizes customer service and tax return processing, two of the agency's most important functions.

Included in the Democrats' reckless Inflation Reduction Act this past summer, the IRS received an additional $80 billion in funding, with over half directed toward enforcement.

What is worse, the Democrats' bill failed to include any safeguards to protect low- and middle-income taxpayers from being unfairly targeted for tax audits.

While the IRS continues to beef up their audit division, the agency still has 3.7 million unprocessed tax returns and a total of 11.1 million returns awaiting action. This is simply unacceptable. The IRS should focus on processing these returns, along with addressing the awful level of customer service currently available to taxpayers.

Law-abiding families and small businesses in Illinois need their tax returns processed and phone calls answered, not more IRS agents knocking on their doors with burdensome audits.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this bill.