Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Linda Crotchett for her many years of service to the citizens of Jersey County, IL as County Clerk. Linda will retire this year after 44 years of service as the Jersey County Clerk.

For the past 44 years, Linda has greeted the citizens of Jersey County with a smile as they entered her office to conduct business. She has always lived up to her motto, ``Happy to meet you, eager to serve you.'' Her friendly and courteous service will be missed. It is with gratitude that I thank her for her service and congratulate her on retirement. I wish Linda all the best in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Congressman Kirk for helping arrange this and my colleagues who are making their way to the floor to honor a great friend and a great leader, someone who sometimes there are people here who you just don't feel you are worthy enough to speak in support of.

Chairman Hyde has been an ardent spokesman for what is good about America. He has been a believer in democracy, in freedom, and the rule of law. He has been an outspoken supporter of the right to life and protecting those who have no say in our society. And I guess as colleagues come to the floor on both sides of the aisle, I think they will agree with me that Chairman Hyde is an ideologue but has never allowed his ideology to get in the way of his ability to be honorable, respectful, thoughtful, open, and in such a way that he has earned great respect from this institution.

Many people have legacies that they leave throughout life in very different areas of careers. Chairman Hyde's legacy will be one of a conservative beliefs and one who put his heart and soul not only into his values and beliefs but into this institution. He cherishes it. He loves it. And it would be good for us, all Members, to remember the life that Chairman Hyde led in his chosen career, field, which is as a legislator at this level, and emulate that type of service. And I think we will be well served as a Nation to follow Chairman Hyde's lead.

I wish him the best, God's blessings on him, and thank him for his service to this great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Tom McMurray of Springfield, Illinois, on his retlrement on September 30, 2006 as a Taxpayer Advocate for the International Revenue Service. He has more than 33 years of federal service and has spent a majority of that time as an advocate for the American taxpayers.

Mr. McMurray has been a friend to citizens having disputes with the Internal Revenue Service, and through his work as the IRS' Taxpayer Advocate, Mr. McMurray has assisted countless citizens with tax questions. I congratulate Mr. McMurray, his wife Patti and their children, Traci and Scott, on his retirement from the Internal Revenue Service's Taxpayer Advocate Office. I wish Mr. McMurray all the best for an enjoyable retirement.

Mr. Speaker, as a delegate of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and very active in its defense subcommittee, and also the chairman of the Baltic Caucus, I am excited and extremely pleased with NATO's recent announcement in a letter of intent after 6 months of negotiation.

Thirteen Nations have developed a plan to create a NATO Strategic Airlift Capability based at Ramstein Air Force Base. Initially comprised of three to four C-17s, the SAC will be flown by multinational air crews, pilots and loadmasters, and a multinational military structure will be created to command and control these aircraft.

Boeing, who builds the C-17, is a great U.S. company. This aids in NATO's transformation and jobs for U.S. workers.

Mr. Speaker, this weekend brings the opening of the 100th Annual Saline County Fair in Harrisburg, Illinois. For the past century, the Saline County Fair has served as a community event unlike any other in this southeastern Illinois county. From its agricultural shows, to the popular floral hall, to the first-rate music and entertainment, to the all-American experience of strolling a traditional carnival midway with a corn dog and a lemon shake-up, the Saline County Fair has brought a spirit of community and fun to the residents of Saline County for 100 years.

I want to congratulate Saline County Fair Manager Dennis Wilson, and the fair staff: Allison Wilson, Connie Harbison, Lori Wilson, Brad Henshaw, Marjorie Dotson, George Henley, Mike Williams, Danny Evans, Dwight Mezo, Chris Harbison, Chris Evans, Jane Richey, Jodi Wilson, Darlene Stafford and Rona Littlefield, as well as all the hard working members of the Saline County 4-H, the University of Illinois Extension, the Town and Country Lions Club, the exhibitors, the contestants, the vendors, the sponsors and the good people of southeastern Illinois who have made the Saline County Fair such a great event over the past century, and I wish them another hundred years of success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Boy Scout Troop 85 in Moweqaua, Illinois on 50 years of service and success. On Saturday, August 12, 2006, the troop celebrated their 50th anniversary.

Over the past 50 years Boy Scout Troop 85 has produced 69 Eagle Scouts. Among former members are the two doctors in Moweaqua, a career military officer, preacher, lawyer, dentist and many other outstanding members of the workforce.

The scouts of Troop 85 work hard each year and participate in many hours of community service. They annually conduct a food drive for the Moweaqua Food Pantry and assist the Rotary Club in recycling efforts.

It is my pleasure to congratulate Boy Scout Troop 85 on 50 years of success. I wish them all the best in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, from a second lieutenant platoon leader in Iraq: ``If you watch the news, you know that the greater Baghdad area is in turmoil. We are on the outskirts of the city, controlling the rural area between Baghdad, Ramadi and Fallujah. We believe the area became hostile when terrorist cells fled here during the coalition invasion of the urban areas.

``Now our task is to control this area and give the enemy no safe haven. We are spread thin, but we are getting the job down. The television highlights every explosion and loss of life. But you miss what we do. You miss my soldiers giving water and food to local nationals. You miss my soldiers giving the little kids high-fives and soccer balls. You miss my soldiers replacing sewer systems and rebuilding roads. You miss my medic treating the locals for injuries.

``The news shows death, murder and violence, but daily I see smiles, hard work and hope. Is the area in turmoil? Yes. Is it lost? No, and every day American soldiers bring hope to these people. You won't see it in the morning paper or the evening news, but I am telling you it is here. I know it. I am seeing it, and I am doing it.

``I miss everyone and look forward to coming home. Know that your Army is making you proud to be an American. God bless America.''

However, we spend our new found time planning and running missions into unoccupied territory, looking to bring the fight to an enemy who likes to stay hidden. I like the new tempo, because its aggressive and suits the guy's personality much more than a defensive campaign. I am positive that my guys would choose to air assault onto a hostile objective before they would want to defend a quiet base. They are good at their jobs, and love being challenged under pressure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the twenty fire departments from Washington, Clinton, Marion and Jefferson Counties in Illinois that, through strength and courage, worked together to put out a massive fire at a warehouse in Nashville, IL. The paint, aerosol cans and paint solvent in the building made the fire especially dangerous. 190 firefighters, of whom 180 were volunteers, worked to put out flames in 800 degree heat to stop the fire from spreading past the 18,000- square-foot section of the warehouse where it initially started.

Under the leadership of Nashville Fire Chief Alan Holt and Assistant Chief Ric James, these men spent 12 hours fighting the fire and accomplished their goal of keeping it contained. Most of the 104,000- square-foot building was saved, and the room next to the fire suffered only smoke and water damage.

I am pleased to thank the fire departments of Nashville, Centralia, Mount Vernon, Hoyleton, Addieville, Okawville, Ashely, Bartelso, Breese, Aviston, Carlyle, Beckemeyer, Germantown, Wheatfield Township, Hoffman, St. Rose, Trenton, Albers, New Baden, and Huey/Ferrin/Boulder for their tremendous effort. I commend them on their display of bravery and dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Cpl Ryan J. Buckley who was recently killed in action fighting for freedom in Baghdad, Iraq.

Corporal Buckley was a 21-year-old from Nokomis, Illinois and was assigned to B Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He graduated high school in Hillsboro, IL.

Buckley paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country. He is survived by his wife, Tina of Oak Grove, KY; mother and stepfather, Sally and Russell Nation of Hillsoro, IL; his father, Dennis Buckley of Hannibal, MO; a brother, Cody Buckley; a stepbrother, Aaron Nation; a stepsister, Danielle Nation; and many other family, friends and loved ones. I am proud of the service this young man gave to his country and the service his fellow troops perform everyday. Not enough can be said about Corporal Buckley. It is soldiers like him that are risking their lives day in and day out to ensure our freedom here at home and to others throughout the rest of the world. I salute him and my best wishes go out to his family and all the troops fighting to ensure freedom and democracy. God bless them and may God continue to bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Colonel Benjamin Stephenson House in Edwardsville. This Sunday, July 2nd marks the dedication of Stephenson House and the completion of a successful community effort to reopen her doors to the public. The House is 186 years old.

The Stephenson House is on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered to be the oldest brick home in the county. The House was also a gathering place for many of Illinois' early political leaders. Benjamin Stephenson came to the Illinois Territory in 1809 where he was appointed the first sheriff of Randolph County. During the War of 1812 he attained the rank of Colonel. Stephenson also served in Congress as a representative from the Illinois Territory from 1814- 1816.

Edwardsville's Historic Preservation Committee learned in 1998 that they succeeded in receiving a grant to restore the historic House. Since that time, it has been a community effort to complete the restoration. The House is now restored and furnished as it would have been in 1820, allowing visitors to learn about Illinois in its earliest days. Visitors to the House are given a tour by volunteers who dress in period costumes, giving a glimpse into 19th century life in Edwardsville.

It is my pleasure to congratulate the Stephenson House on her dedication. I wish the volunteers and staff at the Stephenson House all the best in the years to come.

Mr. Chairman, more than 80 percent of the area in the Outer Continental Shelf is off-limits to energy development, while the Department of Energy estimates that maintaining U.S. economic growth through 2025 will require a 40 percent increase in natural gas.

I rise in support of H.R. 4716, the Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act-- a vote for H.R. 4761 is a vote for agriculture. Currently, natural gas makes up 90 percent of the production cost of anhydrous ammonia, a nitrogen fertilizer and the chemical building block for all other nitrogen fertilizer products.

Nitrogen fertilizer is used on all crops produced in this country, but it is a key plant nutrient to produce corn a critical crop to Illinois farmers.

Since 2002, thirty-six percent of the U.S. nitrogen fertilizer industry has been shut down or slowed. This loss of U.S. production has had a significant impact on the American farmer. The continued loss of production from the domestic nitrogen industry would force U.S. farmers to rely on a highly uncertain and highly volatile world market with no assurance that they will be able to obtain enough product to meet their full demand.

This is particularly important when considering the importance of nitrogen to farmers. For example, according to the University of Illinois, 30-50 percent of corn yields can be directly attributed to nitrogen fertilizer.

Farm input prices have not gone down but have escalated at a record pace. Nitrogen prices have climbed over 80 percent during this time period resulting in over a 50 percent increase in a typical corn farmer's fertilizer bill.

Just as disturbing, since 2003--Illinois has lost more than 56,000 manufacturing jobs. Natural gas availability and skyrocketing price increases the cost of doing business and hurt the ability of Illinois manufacturers to compete in the global economy.

New supply of natural gas from the Outer Continental Shelf is needed to give U.S. agriculture and manufacturing sectors access to affordable and reliable sources of fertilizer and energy. Please support H.R. 4761 to ease the burden on U.S. farmers. A vote for H.R. 4761 is a vote for agriculture.

First of all, Mr. Speaker, let me apologize to my colleague. I have been doing this for 9 years, and I am just trying to be efficient. That is all.

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, along with my colleagues, Representatives Wynn, Bono, English, and Melancon, I introduced the House version of the Warning, Alert and Response Network Act, also known as the WARN Act. The Emergency Alert System has not kept pace with our increasingly wireless and mobile society.

The WARN Act will help bring the Emergency Alert System into the 21st century by ensuring that, regardless of where an individual is or what kind of communication technologies they are using, they will receive a life-saving alert. Some examples of instances where they would receive an alert would be in response to all threats to public safety, including natural disasters, man-made accidents, and terrorist incidents.

The act also establishes a network for transmission of alerts across a broad variety of communication technologies, including wireless communication devices like cell phones and BlackBerrys; also things such as the Internet, digital, analog, cable, and satellite television, and satellite and terrestrial radio, as well as nontraditional media such as the public warning sirens.

This is in response to the recommendations of the White House on the Katrina report. I encourage all my colleagues to join me in supporting the WARN Act.

Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. Chairman, I have great respect for Dr. Gingrey. We have talked about this amendment prior to him bringing it up; and I know he is very, very sincere. But there is more that has to be told about the visa waiver and the success of not the program itself but in the way in which it is moving to get to an arena where we all want it to be, where we want biometric passports, where we want identification.

I chair the Baltic Caucus. The Baltic Caucus has about 45 Members of this body. The Baltic countries are Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Some of the newly emerging democracies have only been in existence after the fall of the Soviet Union, and yet they are some of our strongest allies in the war against terror. They have had successful integration into NATO, NATO membership. They are members of the European Union. They have soldiers that have not only fought and died in Afghanistan but also in Iraq. In fact, Lithuania is leading one of the provincial reconstruction teams. These countries are doing everything that we are asking them to do as a nation, as part of the coalition of the willing.

How does this relate to visa waiver?

Well, we have other allies who aren't part of the coalition of the willing, who already have this venue of visa waiver. So what kind of message are we telling these new emerging democracies, those that are, by percentage of soldiers, committed by far outstripping some of the larger countries that are part of our alliance? We say, these countries have this visa waiver process, but you can't have access to that; and I would say that that sends a terrible signal that we, in essence, now are asking some of our strongest allies, and we are discriminating against them.

And the point that really, the point about the amendment is that Chairman Sensenbrenner, I think, is going to come down and speak on this amendment. We disagree on some of this visa waiver debate. I would like to see it happen now.

He wants to proceed on the plan with the State Department which says there has got to be a road map. Let's bring in these new countries, but let them meet these requirements, requirements like recidivism. Get their numbers down. Process like biometric passports, things that countries that have visa waiver now aren't even required to do.

So when you pull the money and freeze it from the developing of the road map, then what you are, in essence, doing is stopping the encouragement of people to do the very things we want to do to secure our borders.

So, with that, I am going to strongly oppose this amendment.

I would like to yield to my colleague from Chicago for as much time as he may consume, Mr. Lipinski.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I will just end in saying it is about these new emerging democracies. It is about our friends, the smallest countries and the new emerging democracies and the former captive nations. If anyone understands freedom and democracy, it is the governing officials of these Baltic countries who had fathers and grandparents enslaved in Siberia. They know what it is about to defend and fight for freedom. And you know what? They have chosen sides. And you know whose side they have chosen? They have chosen the United States.

What this amendment does is just like capital formation. You show that there is no ability of return, you lose the investment. And this is a loss of investment for our friends.

Mr. Speaker, I would like the pages to come on down and join me in the well of the Chamber, please. If you could fill in the seats in these first two rows and try to stay in the central part if you can.

Well, I have had the great privilege over many years, some people would say a great curse, but I would say great privilege, to be chairman of the page board for now a good handful of number of years. And so I have been able to experience this time in thanking the pages a couple times now and it is never easy. It is never the thing you want to do, but it is the thing that we all learn in life, that life goes on.

We as Members of the House want to thank you for your service first and foremost. You are an integral part of what we do here, and as we have said to many of you when we welcomed you here months ago, you have a unique opportunity to see the inner workings of the House of Representatives, an opportunity that I am sure many people would pay to do, but you do it as a service rendered to your country.

Hopefully, we at the Federal level continue to support this program, not just so you at this moment and this time of your life see how we operate and what we do, but then we do believe that somewhere in the future you will continue in this public service part of your experience to help make the world and our country a better place. And whether that is involved in partisan politics, which I think is an honorable cause, or that is running for office

yourself or being a good voter, being somewhat involved in the process, being concerned about your local community, it really takes individuals to step up to be leaders. And you really cannot be a member involved in the page program and not experience all those aspects about commitment to the government, to your country and as service to other people.

So thank you for what you have done. To highlight that for future generations, I am going to submit the list of the page program for the year 2005 to the Clerk so that it gets placed into the official Congressional Record from now on so when you have children or grandchildren and they ask you what you did as juniors in high school, you can say, oh, I was a page. And they would say, no, you were not. And you say, check the Record, there is my name.

Mr. Speaker, the following is the list of the page program for 2005- 2006:

U.S. House of Representatives, 2005-2006 Pages

1. Stephen Archer (NY)

2. Arielle Askren (OR)

3. John Atsalis (NH)

4. Katelyn Baird (FL)

5. Jack Barnhill (MI)

6. John Bell (SC)

7. Katie Bellantone (IL)

8. Vitaliy Benz (AL)

9. Adam Brault (MA)

10. Elizabeth Breen (CA)

11. Phoebe Brosnan (VA)

12. Sarah Brehm (MN)

13. Susan Carr (PA)

14. Sara Dillion (CT)

15. Rachel Douglas (PA)

16. Michelle Elkins (CA)

17. Linwood Fields (TX)

18. Stephanie Fleming (MO)

19. Robert Forsythe (WI)

20. William French, Jr. (VA)

21. Kelly Freund (PA)

22. Richard Frohlichstein (MO)

23. Jeanette Garcia (NY)

24. Elizabeth Gartzke (FL)

25. Chelsea Goldstein (MD)

26. Jorge Granillo (TX)

27. Christopher Guizlo (KS)

28. Travis Hargett (OH)

29. Shataya Hawley (NJ)

30. John Hayes (KY)

31. Steven Henderson (NC)

32. Sieglinde Hindrichs (VA)

33. Nathaniel Hutcheson (FL)

34. Lap Huynh (CA)

35. Eric Imhof (VA)

36. Sergio Jimenez (AZ)

37. Ellen Johnson (WI)

38. Taylor Krebs (OH)

39. Henna Mahmood (NY)

40. Hannah Marrs (CA)

41. Jenna Matecki (IL)

42. Emily Medcalf (CA)

43. Ryan McHenry (WI)

44. Frank Moran (MA)

45. Mary Ellen Nocero (NY)

46. Elliot Osgood (CT)

47. Jody Owens (NC)

48. Liliana Pereira (NJ)

49. Mary Jo Pham (MA)

50. Michelle Ramirez (AZ)

51. Ivvette Rios (AZ)

52. Alixe Ryan (LA)

53. Joseph Schmitz (NE)

54. Matthew Sheppard (FL)

55. Stephanie Shifalo (MS)

56. Saul Spady (WA)

57. Andrea Spencer (AZ)

58. Christopher Stergalas (MI)

59. Travis Trawick (TX)

60. Nancy Waters (WA)

61. John Vance (TX)

62. Michaela Wilkes Klein (MD)

I yield to the gentleman from Illinois.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mr. Davis from Chicago, but I am a legislator and I believe that the big chair is the Speaker's chair. So I am an article I guy, not an article II guy.

But having said that, with living and working and sweating and being together for all these opportunities, there are some very important historical events that have occurred here and I said that when you came in. I am not sure what they will be, but here in Washington there is always something that happens that is unexpected. Like surviving the Page Plague I, where it was hard for us to find a page because you were all sick. And then we had at the second semester, mini-Page Plague which affected a good number of folks. I see my friend Jim Kolbe here, but maybe we can take some lessons here on bird flu and epidemics based upon studying the page class and how they survived the illnesses.

You got to attend a State of the Union address, and probably it is historical in the fact that we had so many, four, joint sessions of Congress with leaders from around the world, just most recently the President of Latvia, but the President of Liberia, the Prime Minister of Italy and the Prime Minister of Israel. All very momentous occasions.

You all really being in tune to the current cultural climate have been able to observe and participate in many of the celebrity sightings that occur here which is always a challenge as we work around here because we really do not want you trying to seek out these celebrities but somehow you know where they are at and where they are going. Like Dave Chappell or Chuck Norris, Queen Latifa, Glenn Close, George Lucas, Bono, I pronounced it right, Jessica Simpson, and of course we cannot forget Brangelina. I read this and I said, Brangelina? And they followed up as they knew I was going to say this. For those of you who do not know, like me, that is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Some of you had the opportunity to see numerous cities, New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, to name a few; and then there was the black- out in the Capitol. Always momentous. And then I still cannot get true clarification of what occurred, but there was something about being locked out of the page cage for some reason. But Ms. Ivester and Miss Sampson, they are around here keeping an eye on you, would not elaborate on it any further, protecting you. All I could get from them was some mumbling and shaking their heads and walking away without comment.

I know you all had a great time on your prom. I didn't know I was that powerful, but I was able to make sure that we had no votes that day so all you young ladies could spend all the hours you needed to get prepared for the prom event.

Being a page is a special program. We love having you here. We know you are going to do great things in the future. It is a great investment that we make. But we also understand that you are high school juniors, and that balance between adulthood and adolescence, there are trials and tribulations, but you all have performed well.

One of the worst things that I have to do as the head of the page board is the disciplinary actions, and it is great for me to say that you all have stuck together and I haven't been able to exercise the full force of my authority and that you are to be commended for that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend, the gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Jim Kolbe, who has always had a great relationship with the page program. I appreciate his mentorship and this will be his last farewell also.

If the gentleman would yield, you would not have survived my mentorship as the chairman of the page board.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his comments, and every time Jim Kolbe speaks, as you have heard in the last comments at the end of the appropriation bill, the Foreign Ops bill in which Members from both sides, especially the Democrats, talked about his integrity, his commitment, his honesty, and those are comments from the heart, and you will get to hear him one more time at the graduation ceremony.

I bring you thanks from all the folks who you have worked with, the dorm staff, the school staff and of course, the floor staff here who are always well represented in keeping track of where you are.

Thank you for keeping track of each other during this time. Thank you for keeping each other safe and being friends to those who needed friends at that time, and thanks for keeping each other out of trouble. Those things that you have learned during this time, let us hope that you carry them on with you, that you will just make this world a better place.

So thank you. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. We appreciate your service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Harrisburg High School Bulldogs Boys Track Team. The Bulldogs won their Sectional Track Meet on May 19, 2006 by a substantial margin.

Continuing their tradition of success, this is the Bulldogs' seventh consecutive team sectional track title. The Bulldogs finished first in the 4 x 100 relay, 100 meter dash, 4 x 200 relay, 400 meter dash and 4 x 400 relay. The Bulldogs team members also had many personal best times.

It is my pleasure to congratulate Coach Clint Simpson and the Bulldogs Track Team which includes Alex Maddox, Brett Brachaer, Caleb Joyner, Tony Cossette, Michael Woning, Nick Bebout, Madison Medley, Blake Fitts, Aaron Winters, Kyle Alexander, Luke Ragan, Dustin Moulton, Michael Muggee, Logan Cummisky, Mitchell Berry, Jake Stevers, Nick King, John Fuller, Jacob Sais, and Jeremy Martin on their success. I wish the Bulldogs continued success as they compete at the Illinois High School Athletic Association State Track and Field Tournament.

Again, congratulations!