Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Cleveland Pride Festival, just one of countless celebrations taking place throughout the country during LGBT Pride Month. June marks the 43rd anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, an event which is largely regarded as the catalyst for the modern day LGBT movement for equality.

There is a long history of systematic discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and questioning community in every state in the union. Discrimination against someone based on any part of their identity means that anyone who is expressing themselves can be discriminated against. It means we are creating a system in which everyone has to be the same, and everyone has to express themselves the same way. Boring and wrong!

Fortunately, over the last several years, we are beginning to see responses to the growing demand for protection against discrimination in all forms, including workplace protections to prevent discrimination based on actual or perceived gender identity and sexual orientation.

As a strong proponent of LGBT rights, I have supported legislative initiatives that work toward codifying equality for members of the LGBT community. I strongly support legislation such as the Employment Non- Discrimination Act (ENDA), the Student Non-Discrimination Act, the Respect for Marriage Act and the Social Security Equality Act, initiatives that simply provide members of the LGBT community with the same privileges, protections and benefits as everyone else. As one of over 100 members to sign onto an amicus brief challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court, I applaud the recent decision by a federal appeals court to rule DOMA unconstitutional.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me as people throughout the City of Cleveland and the country celebrate LGBT Pride Month. Let us work to ensure that all people are treated equally regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the members of the Greater Cleveland Community Shares for their years of service and dedication to social justice.

Community Shares of Cleveland is a workplace giving federation with a focus on social justice. It generates the operating funds for nonprofit organizations that work for positive community change such as providing education, promoting health care, and protecting women and children.

Founded in 1984, Community Shares is Cleveland's only such fund, and is the second largest in the country. Its philosophy is based on the power of participation and the individual's ability to shape change. Community Shares keeps its administrative costs low so that each contribution is responsive directly to the community's needs. It is governed by a Board of Directors which consists of representatives from member organizations and Community Directors. Greater Cleveland Community Shares is a member of Community Shares USA.

Greater Cleveland Community Shares has 41 area member organizations and more than 160 area employers include Community Shares in their annual workplace charitable campaigns.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Greater Cleveland Community Shares.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Joanna Trzeciak of Cleveland, Ohio, who placed among the final four contestants in the International category of Canada's Annual Griffin Poetry Prize Contest.

The Griffin Poetry Prize Contest accepts poetry that is either written or translated from other languages. The contestants are in either the Canadian or International category of the competition. Ms. Trzeciak competed with her translation of a book of poems by the Polish poet Tadeusz Rozewicz. Rozewicz was born in Ramomsko, Poland in 1921 and published his first collection of poems when he was 26. Rozewicz was Trzeciak's father's favorite poet.

Ms. Trzeciak is a native of Poland and currently lives in Cleveland Heights. She is a professor in the Implied Linguistics, Institute for Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies at Kent State University.

Trzeciak's scholarly research has been awarded Fulbright and Woodrow Wilson Fellowships. Her translations have appeared in The New Yorker, The Times Literary Supplement, Harper's Magazine, and The Atlantic Monthly, among others. Placing among the top four final contestants, Ms. Trzeciak won $10,000 and gained exposure for Rozewicz.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Joanna Trzeciak and congratulating her on her accomplishments in the field of poetry and in Canada's Annual Griffin Poetry Prize Contest.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the 21st anniversary of Slovenian Statehood. I am also pleased to be joined by the Consul General of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Jure Zmauc and his wife, Mrs. Janja Zmauc, to celebrate Slovenian Statehood Day.

The twenty-fifth of June is Slovenian Statehood Day, an annual celebration of Slovenia's independence and the sovereignty it gained in 1991. It is a commemoration of the struggles and triumphs of the people of Slovenia. It also serves as an opportunity for residents of Northeast Ohio to celebrate the customs, traditions and contributions of Slovenian Americans to our community.

This year's celebration of Slovenian Statehood Day will be held at the Rotunda at Cleveland City hall and is sponsored by the City of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Councilmen Michael Polensek and Joe Cimperman. This year's celebration will feature a musical performance by composer and saxophonist, Professor Oto Vrhovnik.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of the 21st anniversary of Slovenian Statehood. Slovenia has grown in many facets over the years and should be recognized for its prosperity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Gust Gallucci Company and its strong commitment to the Cleveland community.

The Gust Gallucci Company opened in 1912 when Gust Gallucci emigrated to Cleveland from Faeto, Italy. Mr. Gallucci longed for the authentic Italian food that he had been raised on and soon discovered that he was not the only one. Mr. Gallucci began selling his products from a large wooden cart which became so popular that he moved into his first store on the west side of Cleveland.

While the location of the store changed four times, Mr. Gallucci's friendly personality and great food kept Clevelanders coming back for more. The business has remained in the family, passed down from Mr. Gallucci to sons Frank and Ray after he passed away in 1952. Now the fourth generation has become involved and has worked to move the store into the 21st century.

Over the last 100 years, the Gust Gallucci Company has become ingrained in the lives of Clevelanders. Families have been enjoying the authentic Italian cuisine for generations. The Gust Gallucci Company has always maintained that it is neither an ``East'' or ``West'' business but a Cleveland business.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring the Gust Gallucci Company on its 100th anniversary and in honoring its never- ending support of the Cleveland community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Marine Week so that we may join in a celebration of the individuals who dedicate themselves to the service and defense of this great country.

Each year a city is chosen to host National Marine Week and to serve as a venue to showcase the achievements of our most elite service members. This year Cleveland, Ohio was chosen to bring together technology, history, Marines and the public they serve. Cleveland is a fitting location as currently more than 9,000 active duty or reserve Marines hail from the state of Ohio. By highlighting the community, country and Corps, National Marine Week is both an educational and civic event which fosters awareness and connection between the military and civilian communities.

A week including Marine sporting events, speakers, and bands demonstrates the wide array of talents which fuel the Corps forces both at home and abroad. Various demonstrations will showcase the Expeditionary Forces in Readiness. The week is a unique exchange of thanks and respect for soldier and citizen alike. By remembering the sacrifices of the past, as well as the missions which continue to require our forces in the future, National Marine Week is a sign of the gratitude and honor which these heroes deserve.

Mr. Speaker and Colleagues please join me in honoring National Marine Week 2012 to show our appreciation to those who give so much in service to their country.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 7th, 2012, the American Film Institute bestowed its prestigious 40th Lifetime Achievement Award upon actress Shirley MacLaine. I was privileged to speak at the event in tribute to my dear friend. I submit my remarks for the Congressional Record:

``I met Shirley MacLaine 33 years ago, with Congresswoman Bella Abzug at Elaine's Restaurant in New York City, the beginning of a magical friendship. She is my daughter Jackie's godmother. Seven years ago Shirley officiated at Elizabeth's and my wedding.

The Shirley MacLaine I know has an uncommon intellectual curiosity, borne of a courageous approach to life. She has the capacity, in an instant, to go very deep into human experience, into the cosmos, into herself. Her gift to her friends is her ceaseless call for authenticity, the challenge to take off the mask, and compassion for those who journey towards the inner truth.

``The poet, Walt Whitman, may have anticipated Shirley when he wrote ``I contain multitudes.'' Shirley brings an extraordinary emotional coloration to the Art of Life and to the performing arts that is so vivid that she has the ability to light up a character, light up stage and screen and light up our lives.

``In a world where most people play it safe, Shirley pushes the envelope, to pierce the veil which covers reality itself, to explore and to guide us to other dimensions. She has lived a life out on the limb, picking apples that most would fear to reach, and tonight. Shirley, you are harvesting an orchard.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in celebrating Shirley MacLaine's extraordinary career and her attainment of the AFI's 40th Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mr. Speaker, FirstEnergy, which operates the Davis- Besse nuclear power plant, has consistently misrepresented to the public structural defects in the building that shields its reactor.

Their latest fable is that cracks in the circumference of the shield building were caused by a snowstorm that occurred in 1978.

In 2002, FirstEnergy covered up information about a hole in the head of a reactor that jeopardized the safety of millions of people, for which they were fined $28 million. FirstEnergy caused the blackout in August 2003, which put 50 million people in the dark, because they were too cheap to hire people to trim trees.

Can they be believed when they claim a snowstorm 34 years ago created cracks that appear today? Are buildings all over northern Ohio falling apart today because of the blizzard of '78, or is this just another in a series of desperate lies used to keep a plant going that should be either shut down or massively repaired?

How long before FirstEnergy's 34-year snow job is fully exposed?

I thank the Speaker.

I spoke here a minute ago on the floor of the House concerning my deep and abiding concern about a nuclear power plant in the State of Ohio called the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant.

This power plant, from the time it was first licensed, has experienced a series of shutdowns, so much so that there was a period when the companies that originally owned it had massive losses because the plant was not up and running. They had so many difficulties that it became an embarrassment to the nuclear industry, itself.

We are now at a point when this plant is trying to get a new license for its nuclear facility. There are over 104 nuclear power plants in America. Some of them have achieved re-licensing. Others are in the process of applying.

One of the things that we have to be concerned about, because we are talking about nuclear power plants, is the structural stability of the plants, which includes the shield building and reactor, and that the structural stability of these plants is going to be assured.

In the case of FirstEnergy, they have a shield building, and there have been questions raised about its structural stability. Unfortunately, FirstEnergy went out of its way to tell one story to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and another story to the public. They told the public that the cracks that were seen in the shield building were not really substantive, but they told the Nuclear Regulatory Commission another story.

Understanding that we have a lack of candor on the part of a nuclear reactor permit holder here, we have to be very concerned about their public statements, about their private disclosures, and about the implications for relicensing.

These cracks in the shield building, which are in the circumference of the building, they're telling the Nuclear Regulatory Commission the reason these cracks occurred is because there was this blizzard in 1978, where the wind direction was--if I'm correct--primarily out of the southwest, that this is responsible for the cracks. But the cracks are around the whole building. They're not able to explain that.

Nor do we know whether or not their sister reactors on the other side of Lake Erie at the Perry nuclear power plant have, in fact, been adequately inspected to see if the same winter storm adversely affected them. If the winter storm did not adversely affect them at the Perry plant, then how is it that you had cracks only at Davis-Besse? And why were the cracks around the circumference of the building, instead of just in one area where the wind was driving the snow?

In 2002, FirstEnergy covered up information about a hole in the head of the reactor.

I want to ask my friend from Minnesota if he needs any of this time right now, because I can conclude.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota.

I'm going to shortly yield and ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Minnesota would be able to have the balance of the time.

I ask the Chair if it would be possible for me to have unanimous consent to yield the remainder of my time to the gentleman from Minnesota.

I would just ask for a moment to conclude here.

Why am I bringing this up about the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant? Some people would say: Why shouldn't you give FirstEnergy the benefit of the doubt?

This is a company that 10 years ago covered up information about the hole in the head of a nuclear reactor. They were this close to having a breach, a fraction of an inch from having a breach of the reactor. They had files that were in a photo, and Federal investigators weren't given access to that. It ended up where this company gets fined $28 million because they weren't candid with the government and could have put the people of Ohio and Michigan and Indiana and Canada and the water of Lake Erie in jeopardy.

Many people remember, particularly in cities in the east, that time in August of 2003, where all the lights went out in the east. Remember, some people were sitting on their door steps for the first time with no city lights, looking up at the stars, but it wasn't particularly all that beautiful because what was not beautiful is the fact that there was this massive loss of power all over America's east coast that came about because of a series of technical glitches, the root cause of which was that this company, FirstEnergy, wasn't properly trimming trees because they didn't want to hire the people to do it.

This is the same company that's telling us the reason why they have cracks in a shield building is because of a blizzard 34 years ago. Hello.

We have to be very careful before we let a company that operates so fast and loose with the truth be in a position to have a license to continue to operate this nuclear power plant. In the alternative, they're going to have to make massive repairs. If they won't make the massive repairs, then the NRC ought to do the right thing for the American people and have this shut down.

I do not want to see another Fukushima in the United States of America. I do not want to see the people in my district at risk. I do not want to see the people in Ohio put at risk because you've a got a company like FirstEnergy operating in the shoddy way in which they operate, misrepresenting conditions to the public, and telling the NRC one thing and the people another.

I can promise you, Mr. Speaker, I intend to stay on top of this.

I appreciate the opportunity here, and I yield the remainder of the time to the gentleman from Minnesota, the co-chair of the Progressive Caucus of the Congress, a person who has done a lot to take the message of the Progressive Caucus across this Nation in a way that's been very dynamic, the Honorable Keith Ellison.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the International Services Center of Cleveland, Ohio, which is observing World Refugee Day on June 20, 2012, with an evening of international food, music, friendship, and celebration of all refugees who call Northeast Ohio ``home.''

The International Services Center (ISC) was founded in 1916. The ISC settles refugees through the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), of which it is a partner agency. Thousands of refugees are brought to the United States every year because they cannot return to their home countries and do not enjoy basic rights in the countries where they sought refuge. Hundreds are resettled in Ohio.

The International Services Center helps these refugees integrate quickly into the Greater Cleveland community by providing them with the tools of self-reliance: housing, job placement, employment skills, clothing, medical attention, education, English-language classes, and community orientation. The ISC offers other services as well, including immigration consultation and representation, interpretation and translation, citizenship preparation, acculturation classes, anti- trafficking, and urban agriculture for entrepreneurship.

The International Services Center has helped resettle 106 refugees in the past year alone. Since the office opened in 1916, more than 13,000 refugees from many countries have embarked on a path to reach their full potential and enjoy safety, security, and a second chance in life.

World Refugee Day is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees domestically and throughout the world. Refugees are a testament to the United States' long, proud history as a sanctuary for those who seek lives free from violence and oppression. World Refugee Day is an opportunity for the entire Cleveland-area community to come together to celebrate the contributions of our friends and neighbors who are immigrants and refugees who bring great diversity to enrich the Northeast Ohio region.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in celebrating World Refugee Day and acknowledging the important work of Cleveland's International Services Center.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Rosary Hall, on the occasion of its 60 year anniversary of providing important services to individuals struggling with the destructive disease of addiction.

Founded by Sister Ignatia in 1952, Rosary Hall has remained at the forefront of effective and innovative behavioral therapy programs, developing shortly after the founding of the first Alcoholics Anonymous in nearby Akron. In affiliation with St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, Rosary Hall works with families, friends, and co-workers of patients in a supportive and compassionate environment. Since the Hall's founding it has helped to save over 50,000 people from the debilitating and deadly grips of addiction.

Rosary Hall's success is facilitated by a process which spans the entire road to recovery: from inpatient detoxification programs in a hospital setting, to outpatient rehabilitation and finally to community-centered support networks. Rosary Hall is staffed by a team of dedicated professionals who constantly seek to develop skills in order to ensure that each patient receives the personalized care and strategies which will leave them equipped to handle this difficult disease. Rosary Hall continues to be a pioneer in the field of addiction treatment research.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, join me in honoring Rosary Hall as it enters its 60th year of saving lives, families, and providing people the freedom to live healthy and happy lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Scottish Rite Masons of New Mexico on the occasion of the Centennial Celebration of the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Santa Fe, New Mexico. On this occasion they also celebrate New Mexico's 100th year as a State of the Union.

The celebration at the Scottish Rite Temple includes tours, outdoor activities, a parade, a private reception, a brunch, a public exemplification of a Scottish Rite Degree and a Period Dress Ball in the evening.

Though the exact time of the beginning of Freemasonry is unknown, many of the symbols and language come from the Middle Ages. It has become a worldwide fraternity which focuses on self-improvement and social betterment. Freemasons partake in philanthropy, service, funding of research, and spreading ideals in which they believe.

Currently, there are four million Masons worldwide. Notable Masons throughout time are George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, John Hancock, John Paul Jones and Chief Justice John Marshall to name a few. Notable actions of the Masons include spreading the ideals of the Enlightenment, the formation of the democratic government and supporting the first public schools in both Europe and America.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring the Scottish Rite and all Freemasons on the joyous occasion of the Centennial Celebration of the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Mr. Stuart J. Greenberg on the occasion of his retirement as executive director of Environmental Health Watch (EHW).

As an EHW founding board member, staff member for 28 years, and chief executive for 19 years, Stu became a pioneer in the field of healthy housing leaving a rich legacy and a number of accomplishments which have led to healthier children and families both in and around the Cleveland area and across the country. Stu was instrumental in establishing the first national conference on healthy homes and, with a small group of peer experts, literally coined the term ``healthy home.''

Stu's work with EHW was not limited to the inside of the home. As part of his work with EHW, Stu helped to develop Local Emergency Planning Committees, or LEPCs, which facilitate collaboration and information sharing among partners in emergency response. Stu helped to get provisions for LEPCs in the 1986 ``Right-to-Know'' amendments to the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, better known as ``Superfund.'' Stu's participation and leadership in Cuyahoga County's LEPC over the last 25 years has contributed to the safety of local communities in Northeast Ohio.

EHW, formerly the Council on Hazardous Materials, was not the first organization which Stu took from concept to reality. Stu was a co- founder and first executive director of Spectrum of Supportive Services, formerly Panta Rhei, Inc., a rehabilitation agency now affiliated with Recovery Resources, Inc., for people re-entering the community following long-term mental health-related hospitalizations.

Stu began his college education at Western Reserve University, where he graduated cum laude in 1966 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Sociology. Then, in 1970, Stu

graduated from the Case Institute of Technology, earning a Master of Science degree in Organizational Behavior.

Stu has served on many councils, committees, and boards and has received numerous awards and distinctions for his expertise, activism, and dedication to social justice, such as the 2005 Howard Metzenbaum Citizen Action Award by Ohio Citizen Action.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in congratulating Stu Greenberg on his path-forging and inspiring career and service to the Greater Cleveland community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Thomas ``Tommy'' Gregory, a man who devoted himself to the well-being of his family, friends, community and nation.

Born on October 1, 1949 in Lubbock, Texas, Mr. Gregory dedicated 35 years of his life to public service with the United States Department of Agriculture. He was Director and Head Statistician of the National Agricultural Statistics Service Mississippi Field Office for 18 years. He developed programs, systems and publications of great use to the agricultural community. One of his priorities was to enlist, encourage, and mentor new employees to secure the future effectiveness of the Agency.

Mr. Gregory was highly respected in the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), and was known for making special efforts with colleges in his area to encourage minority students to apply for work there. He recently received recognition for being the first white man in Mississippi to join the Black Employees of NASS Organization.

Additionally, Mr. Gregory was an active and courageous supporter of reforming our nation's broken monetary system. This year the Board of Trustees of the American Monetary Institute bestowed the Courage of Conviction Award to him, in honor and lasting memory of his active support in promoting monetary reform for the benefit of all Americans. He is survived by his wife Lanet, his three children Kelsey, Britny, and Garrett, and four grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of Tommy Gregory, a man of unwavering faith and vision who had the courage to live by his convictions and make a difference. He will be remembered for his outstanding and enduring service for the greater good.

Mr. Speaker, the very mechanism dictated by the Prescription Drug User Fee Act and the Medical Device User Fee Act is flawed. It is an inherent conflict of interest for drug and medical device manufacturers to pay millions of dollars in fees to the FDA that are designed to speed up regulatory approval, when the FDA is charged with making sure those drugs are safe and effective. H.R. 5651, the Food and Drug Administration Reform Act, perpetuates that flawed model.

At the same time, we have a shortage of affordable, and in some cases life saving drugs that must be addressed immediately. Currently, while the pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers are allowed to pay to expedite approval, no such privilege exists for generic drugs. Such a competitive disadvantage has the result of keeping much less expensive and equally effective drugs off the market while boosting profits for pharmaceutical manufacturers. Our seniors deserve better than to have to split pills because pharmaceutical companies have an exclusive right to manipulate the market to pad their already massive profit margins at the expense of those in need to pharmaceuticals. This bill corrects that imbalance. This bill also begins to address the increasingly prevalent sudden episodes of shortages of drugs that are life-supporting or life-sustaining. Such episodes are immediately life- threatening if caregivers are not given sufficient notice to identify alternative supplies or treatments.

I support the Food and Drug Administration Reform Act of 2012 and will continue to work for FDA reform.