Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5987, the Seniors Protection Act of 2010.

Earlier this year, the Social Security Administration announced that for the second year in a row, Social Security beneficiaries would not be receiving a Cost of Living Adjustment, COLA, increase for the second year in a row. This legislation provides seniors with an additional $250 payment, equivalent to about a 2 percent COLA, to Social Security beneficiaries next year.

A COLA increase is imperative for seniors who rely on their benefits to support themselves and their families. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 3.5 million seniors are below the poverty level. The Department of Labor estimates that almost half of the 2 million workers over the age of 55 have been unemployed for 6 months or longer. Yet as more seniors experience poverty as a result of the economic downturn, the calls for privatizing and cutting Social Security in the name of fiscal responsibility have grown louder. Privatizing Social Security will hurt the most vulnerable Americans such as women, minority communities and children--those Americans that are currently experiencing disproportionately the effects of the recession. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the program is fiscally sound for another 40 plus years.

It is our responsibility to guarantee seniors an adequate income after a lifetime of paying into Social Security. We must shift the focus from cutting vital programs such as Social Security to reviving our domestic manufacturing sector as a means to put Americans back to work.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3082, Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2011 and the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2010. I support the underlying purpose of this bill: to keep the government running through September 30, 2011 and I support a number of provisions in it.

H.R. 3082 contains the Food Safety Enhancement Act, a bill that would greatly

strengthen the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) ability to demand recalls of tainted foods, increase inspections on domestic food facilities, and secure accountability from food companies. It also allows the FDA to create new regulations governing the sanitary transportation of food. I applaud the inclusion of a program to develop a nationwide food emergency response laboratory network to better monitor dangers to our Nation's food supply. While I regret that this bill has been weakened relative to the version that passed the House earlier this year, I welcome the overall improvements to the FDA's authority to protect public health.

I strongly support the funding included for the National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA). I am concerned, however, about the possible neglect of NASA's research centers, such as the NASA Glenn Research Center (NASA Glenn) located in my congressional district, as a result of the distribution of funds under this bill. The allocation of funding reflects the significant changes made to NASA's programs as requested by the President. The language in this bill makes vulnerable funds for in-house research and development (R&D) programs such as the Life Science, Human Research and Exploration Technology Development under the Technology Demonstration and Space Technology Missions. Ensuring NASA Glenn's health is vital to the workers at NASA I represent, as well as to the economic health of the State of Ohio. Adequate support of the agency's research centers is key to protecting NASA's legacy as the premier aeronautics R&D agency in the world.

However, I cannot support the $159 billion contained in this legislation to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have heard about fake negotiations between the Karzai government that we prop up and a fake Taliban leader; this, while we conduct a record number of airstrikes to wipe out Taliban leadership. We know that millions of dollars--some believed to be U.S. taxpayer money--have gone and are going unaccounted for as Karzai and his cronies purchase villas in Dubai. We also know that our night raids and airstrikes only foment hatred toward the U.S. and our presence in the country, further endangering our troops and allies. And yet as reasons to get out of Afghanistan continue to mount, so do the calls for a prolonged presence in the country beyond the initial proposed 2011 withdrawal date. The war in Afghanistan, like the war in Iraq, is taking place in a world where facts and common sense seem to have no place.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of John Lennon, a musician, songwriter, entertainer, international icon, and father, who will be remembered as one quarter of The Beatles--on the 30th Anniversary of his death. His contributions as a songwriter, musician, and artist span every facet of the musical industry and his work is beloved around the world.

John Lennon was born on December 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England and was killed on December 8, 1980 outside of his apartment in New York City. During his lifetime, John was passionate about making the world a better, safer place. He had strong convictions that war was always wrong and that peace was achievable. The ideals he held still resonate today. His music, whether produced alone, with the Beatles, or with Yoko Ono continues to be played on the radio.

John Lennon was a passionate man whom millions of people have come to admire. His death still weighs deeply in the hearts of millions of those who loved his music. He has been the recipient of many awards and honors, including an appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) with the other Beatles in 1965. Numerous albums that he had a hand in crafting have been listed on Billboard charts. They have helped put him on lists of the greatest musicians and songwriters of all time. John Lennon was posthumously inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honor and recognition of John Lennon. Mr. Lennon's brilliant artistry, unwavering activism and spirit continue to lighten hearts and enlighten minds by bringing enjoyment and hope to millions. His influence spans continents and generations. Thirty years after his death, his fans are still grieving. John Lennon and his legacy have made and continues to make our Nation and our world a better place.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Rafael Reyez Davila of Cleveland, Ohio, on the occasion of his being honored by the American Nationalities Movement, and for his lifetime of service and commitment to his community.

Mr. Davila attended local elementary and high school and graduated from Cuyahoga Community College in 1965 with an associate's degree in accounting. He worked at the Lowe Marschalk Advertising Agency, where he rose to the position of Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration before leaving in 1986. By the end of his fifteen-year career with Marschalk, Mr. Davila was directly supervising fifteen staff members and was instrumental in hiring the entire office staff of about 100.

In 1989, Mr. Davila founded Davila and Associates Advertising Agency. His experience and knowledge of the Latino community gave him the expertise to start Ohio's first advertising agency with a specialty in the Latino market. Davila and Associates has been very active in the Cleveland community since its founding, hosting its First Annual Latino Business Seminar in 1992, first publishing its monthly Hispanic Entrepreneur Bulletin the same year, and currently working to publish ``The Latino Entrepreneur Business Directory of Ohio'' in 2011.

Mr. Davila has held many positions in Cleveland's Latino community; some of the local organizations in which he has served include the Hispanic AIDS Task Force, Esperanza, Image, the Hispanic Business Association, the Cleveland Hispanic Republican Party, Latino Entrepreneur International, and the Ohio Bicentennial Advisory Council. He has also been a member of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from 1988 to the present, the president of the Hispanic Athletes Network, which he founded in 1991, and founder and current president of Latinos Unidos.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Rafael Reyez Davila for his lifetime accomplishments and service. His commitment to the Latino community and the greater Cleveland area shows in his clear dedication to helping others, and his leadership in community organizations has changed the lives of countless people in a positive way.

Madam Speaker, this prose by Laurel Krause is entered into the Congressional Record at the request of Laurel Krause, whose sister Allison Krause was shot and killed as she protested the Vietnam War at Kent State University on May 4, 1970. Laurel is the co-founder and director of the Kent State Truth Tribunal.

Truth Emerging in the Kent State Cold Case Homicide

The government crossed the line

in the killing of four young people

in the killing of our Allison

as she rallied against the war on May 4, 1970

A civil rights battle on U.S. soil in our times

Kent State is personal for us yet important for all

Arthur Krause knew the importance

of the Kent State Tape

My dad knew it held the truth

of what happened at Kent State

even though back in 1970

and until just recently

truth from the Kent State Tape was locked up

in a jumbled maze of analog antiquity

Dad passed away over 20 years ago

He knew the truth in the Kent State Tape

A patriot and WWII soldier

Dad believed the American dream

When Allison his firstborn

a freshman at Kent State University

was protesting the Vietnam war on her campus

He never anticipated the American apocalypse

our family would endure

at the hands of our government

Like Sandy, Jeff and Bill

our Allison was shot dead at Kent State

Homicide by national guard gunfire

Dad knew they got away with murder

at Kent State University

just after noon on May 4, 1970

Over the next ten years

Dad sought truth and justice at Kent State

demanding to know what happened to our Allison

Taking it to the courts yielded only

road blocks, cover-ups and threats

Every effort to uncover and face

the deadly inhumanity of Kent State

was completely thwarted

A series of seamless stonewalls

Never examining the wrongs of Kent State

No accountability for the killings of Kent State

Not one person or group ever held responsible

Not one apology uttered

Yet governmental claims were consistent:

There was no order to fire

The Guard reacted to sniper fire

The Guard felt under attack from the students

A government-fabricated pack of lies

that has now transformed

into the recorded history

of the killings of Kent State

That is . . . until 2010

and the examination of the Kent State Tape

40 years after the shootings

the Kent State Tape that Dad held so dear

that was evidence in his court cases

finally examined using

tools of state-of-the-art audio technology

unlocking the true record of what occurred

at Kent State on May 4, 1970

Sounds expertly analyzed by

world-class forensic scientist Stuart Allen

commissioned by the Cleveland Plain Dealer

to explore the Kent State Tape

for the very first time

Whether copy or original is moot

Truth is recorded in the Kent State Tape

A tape does not remember, forget or change its story

The Kent State Tape does not lie

At the Kent State Truth Tribunal in NYC

October 2010 with Stuart Allen examining

Hearing and unraveling the labyrinth of deadly sounds

including shots and national guard commands

and a violent altercation with FBI-paid Terry Norman

all contributing to the shootings at Kent State 1970

The government denied

orders to fire were isolated, heard and verified

orders of Guard, Prepare to Fire

orders of Alright, Guard, Fiii-

with the last word of the deadly order stepped on

by a barrage of 67 shots over 13 seconds

At unarmed students changing classes at noon

At unarmed students more than a football field away

At unarmed students rallying against the Vietnam War

At unarmed students rallying against the military occupation

of their campus

in a battle where American dissent was also slaughtered

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Alex Machaskee of Warren, Ohio on the occasion of his being honored by the American Nationalities Movement, and for his lifetime of service, commitment, and dedication to the greater Cleveland community.

Mr. Machaskee graduated from Cleveland State University with a bachelor's degree in marketing. He worked at the Warren Tribune before joining the Plain Dealer in 1960. He moved up the ranks, becoming Publisher and President in 1990. In this position he initiated a large expansion program, in which the Plain Dealer improved the quality of its service by investing in a new facility, a redesigned distribution system, and expanded coverage of local news. He retired in 2006, capping a 46-year career at the Plain Dealer.

As a result of his prolific career in journalism, Mr. Machaskee has been recognized by many local organizations and institutions. He has received honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Cleveland State University, the University of Akron, and Heidelberg College. Some of his honors and awards include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition Organization, the Whitney M. Young Humanitarian Award from the Urban League of Cleveland, and the Nonprofit Board Executive of the Year Award from the World Trade Center Cleveland. He has also been inducted into the Northeast Ohio Business and Cleveland Journalism Halls of Fame.

In a further demonstration of his dedication and commitment to the Cleveland community, Mr. Machaskee has been welcomed into the boards of many local nonprofit organizations. Some of the cultural institutions whose boards he joined include the Musical Arts Association of the Cleveland Orchestra, the International Orthodox Christian Charities, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, the Cleveland Opera, and United Way Services.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of Alex Machaskee for his decades of commitment and service to the greater Cleveland area. His leadership of the Plain Dealer and his efforts in greater Cleveland area nonprofit organizations demonstrate the strength of his character and the dedication he feels to his community. I commend Mr. Machaskee and wish him success in his future efforts.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the developers and sponsors of ClevelandPeople.com on their recognition at the American Nationalities Movement's Christmas Luncheon. ClevelandPeople.com was selected for this honor because of the website's crucial role in supporting the social life and cultural richness of the city.

Founded in 1959 by Ralph Perk, the American Nationalities Movement consists of representatives of over 50 nationalities in the Cleveland area that come together to celebrate their unique heritages. Each year during its Christmas Luncheon, it recognizes individuals and groups that have contributed to supporting ethnic groups and celebrating diversity.

Debbie, Dan, and Pat Hanson formed ClevelandPeople.com in 2001 when they decided to condense information about local cultural events and support services onto a few web pages. Over the past nine years, it has grown into a social hub connecting 64 different groups and receiving thousands of views each day. The website's developers explain that supporting Cleveland's distinct ethnic communities is important not only for maintaining the cultural wealth of the city, but for ensuring its economic prosperity. Cleveland has always been strengthened by its diversity.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in congratulating ClevelandPeople.com on their recognition at the American Nationalities Movement's Christmas Luncheon. Their creative and spirit and their devotion for their community continues to support for the cultural diversity that makes this city great.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4853, the Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010. This legislation permanently extends the tax cut provisions passed in 2001 and 2003 for individuals with incomes below $200,000 and $250,000 for couples. It would permanently extend the 10%, 23% and 28% marginal tax brackets, as well as the 33% bracket as it applies to income of less than $250,000. It would also continue the maximum $1,000 child tax credit and the maximum 15% rate on capital gains and dividends where income is less than $250,000. It would permanently reduce the tax known as the ``marriage penalty,'' and it includes a 2-year ``patch'' intended to prevent more than 25 million Americans from being subject to the alternative minimum tax over the next two years. It also permanently extends expensing rules for small businesses.

I am glad to see so much focus on the unemployed and underemployed during debate on the potential extension of the tax cuts. However, the myth that we must pass tax cuts to the wealthy in order to help those without jobs has been disproven several times over. If the concern is about the plight of the 15 million unemployed Americans, the estimated 12 million underemployed, and the estimated 6 million long-term unemployed, we should do the humane and economically efficient thing: extend and expand unemployment assistance.

Instead, the debate is about whether to extend tax cuts to the wealthy. Nearly a quarter of all the income in America today goes to the top 1% of Americans. In recent years, the highest-income Americans have received by far the largest pre-tax raises of any group. They have also had their tax rates drop by far more. Americans have said in polls that they want to see the Bush tax cuts on households making more than $250,000 per year expire. For the wealthiest 3% of Americans, expiration would simply mean a return to 1990's tax rates if that were to happen. Yet, many of the same advocates for passing a massive tax cut for the wealthy are bemoaning a growing budget deficit.

We must not ask the middle class, the working class, those who are not fortunate enough to make $200,000 or $100,000 or even $20,000 a year, to pay so that the wealthiest Americans can enjoy the lowest income tax rates that any wealthy American has had since the 1960s. We must not tell the poor, the unemployed, and the underemployed, that we cannot help you, because we have decided that the wealthiest Americans need a tax cut more than you need a lift to get you through these brutal times. Those that need our help must not hear from Congress: go and figure it out for yourselves.

Madam Speaker, I am saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Edward G. Keshock. Dr. Keshock was Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Cleveland State University. He was also Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic for the State of Ohio since his appointment in 1999.

Ed Keshock received his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Detroit in 1958 and began his career in July of that year with the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland. There, he worked as a research engineer in the Heat Transfer Branch of the Nuclear Reactor Division. He participated in some of the earliest studies dealing with boiling heat transfer processes in low- or fractional-gravity fields, relating to applications in the newly emerging field of space exploration.

In 1964, Ed began his studies at Oklahoma State University where he earned his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering in 1966 and 1968, respectively. After a distinguished career as professor at Old Dominion University, the University of Tennessee, and the Air Force Institute of Technology, Dr. Keshock returned to Cleveland in 1990. He was appointed Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Cleveland State University where he served until his death.

Throughout his academic career, Dr. Keshock focused on research while teaching graduate and undergraduate classes in Mechanical Engineering. His research on the effects of microgravity on heat transfer processes spanned his career of more than 50 years.

Dr. Keshock was actively involved with the Slovak-American communities of the State of Ohio and the country of Slovakia. Dr. Keshock served as President of the Cleveland Bratislava International Sister Cities organization for most of its existence. In 1995, Dr. Keshock was appointed to be co-host to a 35-member delegation from the Slovak Republic at the White House Conference on Trade and Investment, attended and sponsored by the U.S. Government, including President Clinton and members of his White House staff.

In 1999, Dr. Keshock was appointed the Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic for the State of Ohio. In this capacity, he not only represented the country of Slovakia in all official matters in the State of Ohio, but was involved in extensive community and international cultural programs that contribute to the improvement in the quality of life for citizens throughout the State of Ohio and Slovakia. He is also a member of the City of Cleveland Consular Corps, thus interacting with many ethnic and nationality communities.

Madam Speaker and respected colleagues, please join me in mourning the loss of a deeply respected scholar and statesman, Dr. Edward Keshock. Our condolences go out to his wife Mary Jo, their three children Kathleen of Knoxville, Tennessee; Carolyn of London, England; and Michael of Mobile, Alabama; and their three grandchildren. He leaves behind a significant and memorable personal and professional legacy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Albert Cimperman on his induction into the Legion of Honor by the President of the French Republic. The most prestigious award that France bestows, the medal of the Knight of the Legion of Honor is reserved for soldiers and civilians who have demonstrated remarkable talent and character. Mr. Cimperman fought bravely in World War II, displaying courage and discipline in some of the most grueling battles.

Napoleon Bonaparte conferred the first medals of honor on the civil servants of the French Republic. These first medals realized his vision of a merit based award that would spur soldiers and civilians alike to pursue endeavors that would do credit to their country. The Legion of Honor is the only remaining national order remaining in France.

Mr. Cimperman fought bravely in nine campaigns during World War II, including the battles of Normandy and Ardennes. He has received six awards from the United States government for his efforts, including the Bronze Star Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. Today, Albert and his wife of 65 years, Zora, are active Parma residents. They were awarded the Joined Hearts in Giving Award in 2007 for their dedication to community volunteer work, and continue to teach a weekly line-dancing class at the Donna Smallwood Activities Center in Parma.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in thanking Mr. Albert Cimperman for his service. Without the sacrifice and perseverance of soldiers like him, the Allied Forces could not have prevailed and we would live in a much crueler, culturally impoverished, and oppressive world. It is my honor and my pleasure to congratulate Mr. Cimperman on his great accomplishment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Dr. Roberta

Steinbacher, Ph.D., for her life's work as a Professor of Urban Studies at the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University.

Dr. Steinbacher received her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from St. Louis University in 1967. She taught at Marillac College and St. John's College, as well as St. Louis before coming to Cleveland State University, where she was appointed to the Psychology Department and the Institute of Urban Studies. After becoming Director of the Institute, she was instrumental in establishing the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs. While she was the Chair of the Department of Urban Studies, she helped create the B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. programs in Urban Studies at the College.

Dr. Steinbacher also served the people of Ohio as the Administrator of the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services. After her tenure as administrator was over, she took the position of Director of Undergraduate Programs, where she established many new programs, including 4 new undergraduate majors, 20 degree completion programs with local community colleges, and a credit-for-life-experience program.

The benefits of Dr. Steinbacher's scholarship to the field of urban studies are undeniable; her research has been published in a number of scholarly journals, and she is the co-author of both Introduction to Urban Studies and Man-made Women, An Analysis of New Reproductive Technologies. As a result of her work and research, Dr. Steinbacher has been honored with awards from several local organizations, including the Greater Cleveland YMCA, the City Club of Cleveland, Northern Ohio Live magazine, and Cleveland Magazine.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of Dr. Roberta Steinbacher for her dedication to the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs. She has touched the lives of countless students with her work in the classroom, and her continuing research and work as Director of Undergraduate Programs will allow future students to study in the important field of urban studies.

Madam Speaker I rise today in honor of Martin Lentz, Police Chief of Cleveland Heights, as he celebrates retirement after 51 years of service.

Martin Lentz served on the Cleveland Heights police force for 15 years before being appointed Chief of Police. Mr. Lentz worked tirelessly to improve the safety of Cleveland Heights. Some of his accomplishments include obtaining federal grant money to apply computer analysis to crime statistics, staggering shifts to handle times of increased demand and allowing officers to park their cruisers in front of their homes to deter crime.

In honor of his dedicated service and accomplishments while working for the city of Cleveland Heights, the Cleveland Heights Police Academy will be renamed the Martin G. Lentz Police Academy.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of Cleveland Heights Police Chief Martin Lentz, whose dedication, expertise and concern for the people of the City of Cleveland Heights has helped to protect our community. I am grateful for his service. I wish Chief Lentz, his family and friends health and happiness.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Ms. Jean Veloria Giordano, a generous spirit and a devoted mother, daughter, sister, and friend. Even during the hardest parts of her long struggle with cancer, she lived life with uncommon joy and appreciation for those around her.

Jamie, as her friends knew her, was born in Dededo, Guam, on February 6, 1962, to David and Juanita Veloria. She moved to Ohio as a young adult and soon became well-known in Cleveland as a vivacious hairdresser who always saved an open ear and an open heart for her clients. She had a special connection to the natural world and frequently visited Bridal Veil Falls in Walton, Ohio to reflect and renew her spirit.

Even during her final days, Jamie always put her best face forward. On her way to chemotherapy sessions, she made sure to stop to pick up coffee and donuts for the hospital's parking attendant. According to a close

friend, ``her life was constructed around kindness and caring. She was always ready to help anyone in need.''

Jamie's life philosophy is faithfully expressed by two verses of the Linda Ellis poem, ``Dash,'' read at her memorial service.

If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and

real.

And always try to understand the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more And

love the people in our lives like we've never loved

before.

If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a

smile . . . Remembering this special dash might only

last a little while . . .

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of Ms. Jean Giordano. I offer my condolences to her sons, Joey and Brandon Giordano, her parents David and Juanita Veloria, and her siblings David, Mercy, Ana, Tina, Dyna, Dulcie, Chris, David Jr. II, Sinder, and Mark. Ms. Giordano inspired all those around her with her deep appreciation for all of life's miracles. She will always be remembered for her grace and generosity.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Incarnate Word Academy.

On September 11, 1935, the school opened for 33 pupils. In December of 1940, a new building was dedicated to the church to act as a convent and boarding residence for students. The school has been using the current convent and boarding facility since 1952. Seventy-five years after the first students enrolled at the Incarnate Word Academy, enrollment today has reached 467 students.

Inspired by the teachings of Jeanne Chezard de Matel and her Sisters of the Incarnate Word, the Incarnate Word Academy community nurtures the spirit, intellect, creativity, values and social consciousness of children for the benefit of society. The Incarnate Word Academy provides a positive learning environment for all of its students. It is a school committed to excellence in all things as an expression of their devotion to their faith.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of all students, staff and administrators of the Incarnate Word Academy of Parma Heights, Ohio, past and present, as we celebrate their 75th Anniversary. The Academy exists as a vital source of opportunity through academic achievement, and also as a springboard of personal strength, confidence and integrity for every student who has ever entered its doors--brightening their futures, and ultimately, strengthening the foundation of our entire community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the contributions of Park Commissioner Fred Rzepka, a twenty-two-year servant to Cleveland Metroparks, on the occasion of his retirement. A local developer, Mr. Rzepka is credited with ferreting out the corruption and nepotism that plagued the park system in the years before his appointment.

When he joined the all volunteer board over two decades ago, Mr. Rzepka had his work cut out for him. Overspending, questionable hiring practices, and dubious budgeting had taken their toll on both the reputation and the quality of the parks. But Mr. Rzepka was no stranger to adversity. According to the Plain Dealer, the Commissioner was just a young child when his parents moved him and his three brothers from their comfortable home in Rozan, Poland to northern Russia to escape Nazi death camps. For over six years, the family moved from shelter to shelter, at one point taking refuge in a stable in Siberia. After successfully evading both the Nazi and Soviet regimes, Fred and his family finally escaped war-torn Europe and made their way to the United States. All four brothers have enjoyed successful careers and contributed to the prosperity and character of the Cleveland community.

Since Mr. Rzepka took office, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration has three times named Cleveland Metroparks the best-run park system in the country. Over 21,000 acres in size, the park features children's activities, hiking trails, environmental science classes, and multiple conservation programs. The staff is dedicated to preserving biodiversity by protecting the park's natural ecosystems and educating visitors about the importance of a healthy environment.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in applauding Fred Rzepka for his outstanding service to the Cleveland community. The talents and the dedication of citizens like him are essential to preserving the character of our government, from the local level, up. Native violets, yellow iris, and white trilliums will bloom each year as a testimony to his integrity and good work.