Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the opening of a new Superman exhibit in Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

The history of Superman dates back to the 1930s when it was created by Glenville, Ohio natives, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The Superman exhibit will be a permanent display located in Cleveland Hopkins International Airport's baggage claim area. The exhibit will be highlighted by a Superman statue and the words ``Welcome to Cleveland-- Where the Legend Began'' and ``Superman, World's Greatest Super Hero.'' The display was created by the Siegel & Shuster Society and designed by Studio Graphique.

The Siegel & Shuster Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to commemorating and celebrating the creation of Superman in Cleveland, Ohio by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

The Society creates events and activities which celebrate Cleveland as the ``Birthplace of Superman'' and the importance of Superman to the community.

The dedication ceremony of the exhibit will be celebrated on October 11, 2012 and will feature a speech by the daughter of Superman co- creator Jerry Siegel, Laura Siegel. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, Airport Director Ricky Smith and other relatives of Siegel and Shuster will also speak. Additionally, Sean Jones from the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra will be performing.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing the opening of the Superman Exhibit in Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of St. John Nepomucene Parish of Cleveland, as they celebrate 110 years of worship and service. St. John Nepomucene is one of only two Czech congregations left in the Cleveland Catholic Diocese.

In 1898, 200 Catholic Americans of Czech heritage met at the East 52nd Street home of Frank Stepanik. The gathering, organized by John Jira and Charles Vana, sparked the beginnings of a new parish. In 1902, St. John Nepomucene Parish was established. Parish members were also focused on the welfare of their children. To preserve the culture, history and language of their Eastern European

homeland for their children, members organized again to establish a school. In 1903, St. John Nepomucene School was established, with an enrollment of 300 students.

As immigrants navigated their way through the difficult transition toward assimilation in America, St. John Nepomucene served as a haven of security, faith, support and assistance. As immigrants embraced the freedoms and ideals of their new nation, St. John Nepomucene served as a bridge between two worlds--connecting Fleet Avenue to their homeland across the ocean.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor, recognition and celebration of the generations of spiritual leaders and parishioners who founded, supported and sustained St. John Nepomucene Church for 110 years. The leaders and members of St. John Nepomucene Parish, past and present, continue their tradition of providing faith and hope to individuals and families throughout Slavic Village.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, ``Mother Church,'' in Cleveland Ohio.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church was founded in 1912 by Greek immigrants in the Cleveland area. Since its establishment, it has fostered a strong Greek School program. Following World War II, the Greek population in

Northeast Ohio began to grow and the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation was no longer able to cope with the number of parishioners. The result was four new churches, St. Spyridon, Sts. Constantine and Helen, St. Demetrios and St. Paul. Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church became the Metropolis or ``Mother Church'' for the new parishes and has brought together the Greater Cleveland Greek American community and Northeast Ohio's Greek American societies.

The centennial celebration of the Mother Church has been led by Fr. Dean Dimon Proistamenos, Fr. Peter Metallinos, Gust Sevastos, Chris Boukis, Pam Petsas, Antoinette Geanneses and Stelios Vitakis. Some of the events that have highlighted this year-long celebration include a Sunday School Reunion, Three Hierarchs Greek Letter's Day, the Tremont Greek Fest, the Centennial Banquet Celebration, and the upcoming Philoptochos Celebration.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing 100 years of service and worship of Cleveland's Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of St. Colman Parish as they gather to celebrate the November 23 feast day of St. Colman of Cloyne and honor the trades that built their historic church and community.

Born in Ireland, St. Colman converted to Christianity at the age of 52. Being quite devout, he quickly became a priest and later a bishop, establishing monasteries all over Ireland. St. Colman of Cloyne Cathedral in Cobh, County Cork, Ireland sits high above the harbor from which most late 19th and early 20th century emigrants departed. The cathedral is likely the last thing they saw of their home country. How reassuring it was to those immigrants who made their way to Northeast Ohio and found their new St. Colman Parish to be a welcoming place for worship, education, community celebrations and comfort.

Founded in 1880, construction began on the current church building in 1914. With skill, talent and dedication, the men and women in the building and construction trades completed the beautiful landmark St. Colman Church in 1918. Established in 1912, their Construction and Building Trades Council was responsible for some of Northeast Ohio's most beautiful structures. St. Colman Parish, in addition to the celebration of St. Colman's feast day, is also recognizing the contributions of the Constructions and Building Trades Council to the City of Cleveland throughout the past 100 years and honoring Executive Secretary, Loree Soggs, who is retiring this year.

Pastor Bob Begin and the parishioners of St. Colman are very giving to those in need. Annually, parishioners donate approximately

$40,000 to prevent evictions; provide housing; help to prevent utility disconnections; provide bus passes to work or school; pay for tuition and books and distribute school supplies. The funds also assist with obtaining birth certificates and state IDs, medical prescriptions, clothing and uniforms for new jobs and many other emergencies. Church volunteers dedicate their time to serving meals and to teaching computer, literacy, GED classes and English classes for immigrants and refugees.

The celebration will be held on November 3, 2012 and will be co- celebrated by Fr. Jim O'Donnell and Fr. Bob Begin, with Bishop Anthony Pilla delivering the homily.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing St. Colman Parish as they gather to celebrate St. Colman's feast day and honor Cleveland's construction and building trades.

Mr. Speaker, Members of Congress, as Congress goes into the Thanksgiving holiday, we are going to be deliberating what we can do to help our Nation avoid the perilous financial condition we're headed towards. I have a suggestion that in a small way can make a contribution towards saving billions of dollars.

Everyone here knows the problem we have with childhood obesity in America. Childhood obesity is at an epidemic level. We all know young people who have consumed various types of food that has left them in a condition that is unhealthy. And yet did you know that we are actually giving tax deductions out to big companies that go ahead and advertise and market products that contribute to childhood obesity? So what I'm doing is introducing a bill right now that would protect children's health by denying any deduction for advertising and marketing that's directed at children to promote the consumption of food at fast-food restaurants or of any kind of food that's of poor nutritional quality.

In this way, if this bill becomes law, or if it is adopted in the negotiations to try to avoid the fiscal cliff, we can find a way to not only reduce childhood obesity by blocking these deductions for the advertising, but we can also enable our children's health to be put on a better path and our country's health to be put on a better path.

American drones in Pakistan have killed as many as 3,378 people. Drones in Yemen have killed as many as 1,952 people. Drones in Somalia have killed as many as 170 people. We've not declared war on any of these nations, but our weapons have killed innocent civilians in all of them. Highly reputable research shows that the number of high-level targets killed as a percentage of total casualties is estimated at about 2 percent.

According to The Washington Post, the Obama administration is working on efforts to institutionalize the practice of targeted killings by unmanned drones abroad. The volume of these killings challenges the morality and the legality of the attacks. We are creating a precedent for other nations that are developing the same technology. China has just unveiled a new drone.

The drone program has thus far been conducted with no oversight from Congress or any judicial body. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that programs that are being conducted in the name of our Nation are legal, transparent, and accountable. We are holding a briefing tomorrow about this exact matter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of St. Emeric Church, one of the 11 Cleveland Catholic Diocese parishes that will be reopening this year.

In 2009 it was announced that several of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese's area churches, including St. Emeric, were to close. However, just months ago, the Vatican overruled this decision and St. Emeric reopening its doors on and celebrated its first mass on Sunday, November 4, 2012. St. Emeric was the last of the 50 churches closed and was be the last of the eleven to reopen.

St. Emeric Church was founded in 1904 and has been home to many of the Cleveland area's Hungarian-American Catholic community. Prior to its closing on June 30, 2010, St. Emeric Church was home to nearly 650 parishioners.

The celebratory mass that ushered in the reopening of St. Emeric Church was held on November 4th, which is especially significant for the parish because it is also the feast day of St. Emeric. The mass was led by the parish's former pastor, Reverend Sandor Siklodi, who was transferred to Chicago's St. Stephen King of Hungary parish in 2010. Siklodi had served as St. Emeric's pastor for 24 years after being sent to the church by a Hungarian bishop in Romania. The parishioners of St. Emeric appealed for the return of Rev. Siklodi because he performs mass in their native Hungarian language.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing the reopening of St. Emeric Church, a beloved parish that has returned to Cleveland's near West Side neighborhood.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Jerry A Vittardi.

Jerry was born on January 18, 1925 to Matio and Anna Vittardi. He was a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Jerry was married to his wife, Marianne, for 60 years and they had six children together: Richard, Renee, Gerianne, Marty, Mickey and Ed. Jerry and Marianne raised their family in Parma, a city in which they would remain and where he began a lifetime of public service.

In 1960, he was elected to the Parma City Council to represent Ward 2, serving as a councilman for 5 years. While serving the City of Parma, he gained a reputation as a trustworthy partner for others who were running for seats within the Democratic Party. He campaigned for Governor Richard Celeste, Senator Howard Metenzbaum, Congressman Ron Mottl, Attorney General Lee Fisher, Parma Mayor Michael Ries, for his son Councilman Martin Vittardi and for myself.

Jerry's dedication to public service continued throughout his life. In addition to serving as a Democratic Ward leader and Democratic Precinct Committeeman, he served as an electrical inspector for the City of Parma for 2 years from 1958-1960, and later served as a building inspector for the city from 1967-1980. From 1980 through the late 1990s, he worked for the State of Ohio, Ohio Lottery as a field representative. Heavily involved in the community, Jerry was also a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Cleveland and coached local baseball and softball teams. He strongly supported the local sports teams and loved watching the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Browns.

Jerry is survived by his children and 13 grandchildren: Joy, Greg, Amy, Vincent, Kristen, Jamie, Allison, Jessica, Mark, Leah, Michael, Holly and Eric. In addition, he was a beloved great-grandfather to 17. He had a very special place in his heart for his great-grandchildren baby Jack and baby Blake.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in remembrance of Jerry A. Vittardi. May his life of public service and his role as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather serve as an example to us all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Mr. Richard Grimmett, who is retiring after 38 years of dedicated service with the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

An Ohio native, Mr. Grimmett attended Kent State University, where he earned a Ph.D. in American history and focused on U.S. national security policy. Since joining CRS in 1974, Mr. Grimmett has been a specialist on defense and foreign policy issues. Specifically, his expertise lies in international arms trade, overseas U.S. military bases, war powers and intelligence. Throughout his time with CRS, Mr. Grimmett has worked intimately with Senate and House Select Intelligence Committees and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Mr. Grimmett has proven time and again that he is a vital asset to the U.S. Congress. His support and intelligence are evident in the

Arms Export Control Act, and the handling of the Iran-Contra Affair and aftermath of the attacks on September 11, 2001. Personally, Mr. Grimmett's vast knowledge of the War Powers Resolution has been of immeasurable value to me throughout my tenure in Congress.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring the distinguished career of Mr. Richard Grimmett. His support has been unparalleled and his absence will be felt by every Hill staffer and member of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. NEON, as it celebrates its 45th anniversary.

NEON was established in 1967 as a network of community health centers to provide medical and dental services to the uninsured and underinsured in the Greater Cleveland area. Since its founding, NEON has strived to create healthy neighborhoods through accessible community-based health care. In 2001, NEON was selected as a National Community Center of Excellence in Women's Health.

NEON currently operates six health centers in the Greater Cleveland area; the East Cleveland, Norwood, Hough, Collinwood, Southeast and Superior Health Centers. The centers employ 35 physicians, 10 dentists and a staff of Certified Nurse-Midwives and other support personnel.

The health centers offer accessible, comprehensive primary care services, including adult medicine, pediatrics, family practice, OB/ GYN, behavioral health, dental, optometry, podiatry services, x-ray, mammography, laboratory and pharmacy. Additionally, NEON provides patients access to social work, health education, family planning and nutritional counseling.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing the 45th anniversary of Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, Inc.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mrs. Mary P. Denihan, who is retiring after a long career of dedicated public service to the residents of Northeast Ohio.

Mary Denihan is currently the Senior Administrative Officer for the Cuyahoga Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). She has previously held a number of roles assisting the public. Early in her career, she worked as the assault prevention coordinator with the Lake County Sexual Assault Center. She later joined Mothers Against Drunk Driving where she served as their state administrator.

Mrs. Denihan initially joined the Cuyahoga Support Enforcement Agency on January 28, 1991 as a support officer in the Establishment Unit. She was instrumental in the success of the Teen Paternity Project. She worked as a public information officer and senior public information officer before becoming a senior administrative officer. Throughout her tenure with CSEA, Mrs. Denihan has been an invaluable resource to my office in assisting our efforts to

fulfill the needs of the residents of my district. Her dedication and intellect will be missed throughout the entire community.

Following her retirement, Mary plans on spending more time with her family. She has been married to her husband, Bill, who currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County for 23 years. She is the proud parent of 4 children, 7 step children and 34 grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing the storied career of Mrs. Mary P. Denihan and congratulating her on her retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Mr. Enda Kenny, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, on the occasion of the 2012 Mayo Society Banquet and Ball taking place on October 13, 2012.

Prime Minister Kenny was born in Islandeady, County Mayo on April 24, 1951 and obtained degrees from St. Patrick's College of Education and University College of Galway. Mr. Kenny boasts a long career in public service. Following a brief stint as a public school teacher, he began his public service career in 1975 when he was elected to the Dail Eireann to fill his late father's seat.

Throughout his long career, Prime Minister Kenny served as the Minister of State for Education and Labour between 1986 and 1987. Additionally, between 1994 and 1977 he was the Minister of Tourism and Trade for Ireland. In 2002, he became the leader of his political party, the Fine Gael.

On March 9, 2011, Mr. Kenny was elected as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland. He is married to Fionnuala O'Kelly, and has three children, Naoise, Ferdia and Aoibhinn. The Mayo Society Banquet and Ball will also honor Mr. James Boland as the 2012 Mayo Person the Year.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of Prime Minister Enda Kenny and in recognition of his visit to Cleveland, Ohio on the occasion of the Mayo Society of Greater Cleveland's Banquet and Ball.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of St. James' Church, one of the 11 Cleveland Catholic Diocese parishes that will be reopening this year.

In 2009 it was announced that several of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese's area churches, including St. Barbara's, were to close. However, just months ago, the Vatican overruled this decision and St. James' will be reopening its doors on Wednesday, July 25, 2012.

St. James Church was founded in 1908 as the founding parish for the cities of Lakewood and Rocky River. For more than a century, St. James has been a house of worship and gathering for the Catholic residents of Lakewood, Ohio.

After Bishop Lennon's 2009 announcement parishioners gathered together and formed Friends of Saint James/Save Saint James in an effort to stop the closing of their church. The members of Friends of Saint James/Save Saint James are committed to the preservation of Saint James as a parish and an architecturally significant structure in the City of Lakewood. They have dedicated themselves to the development of a long range financial plan for capital improvements and maintenance of the church and its programs.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing the reopening of St. James' Church, a beloved parish that has returned to the City of Lakewood.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Czechoslovak Independence Day, which is being celebrated at Cleveland's National Bohemian Hall on October 26 through 28, 2012.

Czechoslovak independence was declared on Wenceslas Square on October 28, 1918 and the Czechoslovak Republic was established. Thomas Masaryk was both the founder and the first president of the Czechoslovak Republic, often referred to as the ``First Republic.'' Although Czechoslovakia only lasted two decades because of Nazi Germany's occupation of the Czech Lands in 1938, Czechs continue to view October 28 as the day of their national founding.

Bohemian National Hall was built in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1897 to cultivate friendships, charity and benevolence among the Bohemian nationalities. Included in their priorities were gymnastics, education and the advancement of their culture. Thomas Masaryk made two visits to Cleveland in his lifetime, one in 1902 and another in 1918 where he spoke at the National Bohemian Hall. Located in Cleveland's Slavic Village neighbor, today Bohemian National Hall serves as the home to the Czech Cultural Center.

This year's celebration of Czechoslovak Independence Day will be celebrated by Cleveland's Czech community and Sokol Greater Cleveland at Bohemian National Hall between October 26 and 28.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring the anniversary of Czechoslovak Independence Day, October 28, 2012.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Polonia Foundation of Ohio as they unite the Polish community in remembrance and celebration of General Casimir Pulaski, for his legacy and dedication to the people of Poland and United States of America.

Born on March 4, 1747 in Warzka, Poland, General Pulaski achieved great military success in Poland with his focused leadership and strategies in fighting the Russian forces in Poland. By 1777, General Pulaski had become one of the most renowned cavalrymen in Europe and was actively recruited by Benjamin Franklin to assist in the American quest for liberation.

Sympathetic to the American cause, General Pulaski sailed to America and was made head of the newly formed American cavalry during the Revolutionary War. General Pulaski had a deep level of commitment to the American cause, spending his own money to feed and equip his troops. General Pulaski was involved in many significant battles during the Revolution. His ultimate stand took place in Savannah, Georgia on October 1779, where he led a valiant charge against British artillery. General Pulaski was shot and died a few days later.

This year's celebration will be held on October 20 at Cleveland's City Hall Rotunda and will feature Dr. Marek Dollar, Ohio's Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland. Dr. Dollar is also the Dean of the Engineering College at Miami University.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of General Casimir Pulaski, who made the ultimate sacrifice in his fight to secure the ideals of the American Revolution. An American hero, General Pulaski's life and legacy serves as a reminder of the vital contributions and great achievements by Polish immigrants within our Cleveland community, and throughout America.