Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H. Con. Res. 322.

As Israel celebrates the 60th anniversary of the founding of its modern state, I rise to recognize the bonds of close friendship and cooperation forged over the years between the United States and Israel.

Since declaring its independence on May 14, 1948, Israel has been the shining symbol of freedom and democracy in an area historically rampant with violence and oppression. In just 60 short years, Israel has become the economic leader of the Middle East by proving to its people the rewards of capitalism, while also leading the region in other facets of a free society, including human rights and freedom of the press.

Israel has worked hard to develop friendly working relationships with its neighbors, Egypt and Jordan, setting an example of leadership and peace while other countries around them spread hatred and terror. As the Middle East comes to embrace the liberties and freedoms of democratic societies, the United States will stand steadfast in its commitment to a free Israel.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize and congratulate the success of Israel on its 60th anniversary. It is vital the United States continue to develop its strong relationship with Israel so that many other countries around the world still oppressed and ruled by terror can see the true value of a free and democratic society.

Congressman Walberg, I want to thank you for your leadership during this special hour that we are enjoying this evening, talking to the American people about Tax Freedom Day. For a lot of people, they just can't believe it when they find out what the definition is.

I can't thank you enough for your leadership, not only for this special hour to talk about this very special day that is coming tomorrow with Tax Freedom Day eve, you might say this evening, but also with your leadership on the Tax Increase Prevention Act. I can't thank you enough for the work that you are doing, not just on behalf of the great constituents that you have in Michigan, but on behalf of all Americans, because the last thing Americans need right now is a tax increase. So we all thank you, and I thank you that I have had the opportunity to sign onto your legislation as well.

I couldn't help but think when Congressman Sali, our fellow freshman, was standing here earlier, he is a gentleman who fought for years in his own State assembly in Idaho for tax cuts and for fiscal sanity in Idaho. I think that is why the people in Idaho sent him here, because they knew they could trust Bill Sali. They could trust him to come to the floor and make the case for fiscal sanity in our country.

When we see tax increases around every corner, what was it, maybe 6 weeks ago we saw that the majority passed I believe it was a $683 billion tax increase for the budget, the largest tax increase in American history. I know I was flabbergasted when I saw that. Could it be possible that the Congress, in a time of a weakened economy, would come here to this Chamber, to this floor, and make a decision like that, that they would heap burden upon burden upon burden upon our constituents? I didn't think it would be possible.

Then when I listened to our fellow colleague, Congressman David Davis from the State of Tennessee, who has said so well so many times about the average American family, who sits

around their kitchen table wondering are they going to be able to fill up their gas tank tomorrow morning when they get up and go to work? What about buying that gallon of milk? You go to the grocery store and you see that grocery store prices have gone up 64 percent since the beginning of the year.

Well, I think the gentleman already knows the answer before he is asking the question, because it has been now hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of days since the majority said to the American people that they had a commonsense plan, they had a commonsense plan for reducing the price of gasoline. And as of today, the average price of gasoline across America is now a whopping $3.51.

I went with our family this weekend, we went to visit my father-in- law. It was his 84th birthday on Sunday. So we had my daughter's car, because it had the best gas mileage of any car that we had in our family, so we took her car. On the way back, we were in Baldwin, Wisconsin. We pulled up to a gas station. We put gas in. I could not believe it. It was $45 that I put in her little gas tank. Just a few years ago, that is what we spent on our big conversion van, our high- top conversion van. We are not alone. We are here as Members of Congress, but we hear this every day from people back home.

Let me give you just one example. You remember Art Linkletter and the show that he had years ago called House Party? He had a little segment called ``Kids Say the Darndest Things.'' I loved that segment.

I thought about that, because just recently I went to speak to Minnesota Pheasants Forever. It is a wonderful outdoor heritage group. I love to do that. That is one marvelous thing about being a Member of Congress, you can go to speak to great groups about things.

So I went to go speak to them. So I laid my notes, Congressman Walberg, on the island in our kitchen, and it said ``Minnesota Pheasants Forever.'' Our little daughter Caroline came, and she picked up the notes and she said, ``Mom, what is Minnesota peasants forever?'' And I said, ``Well, Caroline, that would be the taxpayers of the State of Minnesota.''

The reason I say that is because tomorrow will be Tax Freedom Day, and in Minnesota, we are a little bit worse off. Our Tax Freedom Day won't occur until next Sunday.

What that means for people across America that might be listening to our repartee as we go back and forth tonight, Tax Freedom Day is the first day the American people stop working for Uncle Sam and start working for themselves. When you average all your Federal, State and local taxes together, the American taxpayer spends the first 113 days of the year as a Federal employee. Basically, that is what it comes down to. We are all Federal employees because we are working for the man. We are not working for ourselves.

That is exactly right. You talked about Adams and Jefferson. We have the wonderful privilege, you and I and Congressman Davis, we have the wonderful privilege of being a part of that great cloud of witnesses that went before. They laid down the freedom.

Just think, it was a stamp tax that our founders were willing to lay down their lives for, their fortune, their sacred honor. They were willing to give up everything, just to throw off a stamp tax. My goodness, we do that just in the morning before we have even gotten to lunch yet around here. I can't believe the level of tax increases we have seen, can you?

Weren't you floored coming here as a new Member of Congress? I know if there is one thing that I have learned, Congressman Walberg, in the time I have been in Congress, what has been now maybe 15 or 16 months, it has been how easy it is to spend somebody else's money. How easy it is. I know it isn't for me. It is really hard for me to spend my own money, and it is really hard for me to spend other people's money. I am not there yet. I haven't drank that Kool-Aid. But I am floored when I see how easy it is for Members of this body to spend other people's money. What is your reaction to that?

If the gentleman will yield further, that has been my impression as well. It strikes me to think that the serfs in the Middle Ages paid over about 25 percent of what they earned in the year to a nobleman. We could only wish, many of us, that 25 percent was our total tax burden. We haven't seen that in this country for many, many years. It is almost unthinkable that the serfs in the Middle Ages would be better off from a tax point of view than the average American taxpayer today. We are far beyond 25 percent of our income.

As a matter of fact, don't you agree, Congressman, that it would be I think very enlightening for most Americans to learn that they spend more on their tax bill, they pay more on their tax bill, than they do for food, clothing and housing combined?

The average American works 108 days to pay for their food, their clothing and their housing. They work on average 113 days to pay their tax bill. Just think of that. Those are necessities that Americans can't do without. You have to have food, you have to have clothing, you have to have housing. But the one thing that will happen is that you will go to jail if you don't pay your tax bill.

I am a former Federal tax litigation attorney. I tried a lot of cases in Federal Tax Court. The reason why people showed up when it was time for their court date was because if they didn't show up, the judgment may be that they go to jail. Because in this country if you don't pay your tax bill, you have the potential of going to jail. So that is the first bill you have to pay, because if you don't pay it, you may end up in a place you don't want to be, so a lot of sacrifices have to be made by a lot of people.

I will tell you one thing, and I think you would agree as well, Congressman. You have probably seen a lot of waste, a lot of fraud and a lot of abuse in legislation that has gone through this body. We will be taking up legislation tomorrow that is trying to squeeze waste, fraud and abuse out of the Medicare system.

Don't you agree, Congressman, that is something that the American people have been looking for for a long time? I know you are a reformer. I know you came here because you did not want to be part of the status quo. You are an outsider, and you came here because you wanted to change the way that Washington does business. I feel the

same way. I know that Congressman Sali shares that opinion and Congressman Davis shares that opinion. We are not about continuing the levels of waste, fraud and abuse.

That is right. And if the gentleman would yield, I would absolutely agree. And that is why it is important and imperative, I believe, that we shout it from the rooftops. This is not a hypothetical we are talking about, this is reality that we are talking about tonight, the fact that these tax cuts right now are on automatic pilot. They are going away. They are the engines that have propelled the growth in this economy, both with the cuts on capital gains and on dividends, that has provided the jobs, the growth, the unparalleled level of prosperity that we have enjoyed. It is all going away if we don't stop that.

That is why I thank you again, Congressman Walberg, for being willing to sponsor this important legislation. It is why I am on it, it is why Congressman Davis and so many of our colleagues are on it. As a matter of fact, there is a piece of legislation that I believe you signed on recently as well as I signed on; this is one that our colleague John Campbell came up with, and that is putting a spending ceiling on what Congress can spend. Because I think that Congressman Davis said it very well earlier: We have a spending problem. That is what leads to our taxing program. And John Campbell came forward, the Congressman from California, and he said, let's put a ceiling on government spending, and let's make sure it is not more than one-fifth of GDP.

What is GDP? Gross domestic product. Well, what is that? That is basically everything that we produce in this country every year. Just think of that. Government eats up one-fifth, almost one-fifth, 20 percent, of everything that is produced in this country just to run the machine. Sometimes I think that government is just a big money eating machine, and we are all the people that are working to stoke that furnace to keep it going. But this legislation that we signed says that there is a limit. We are going to draw a line in the sand, and no more. And that is what your great legislation does as well, the Tax Increase Prevention Act, it draws a line in the sand and it says we are going to keep this prosperity going, and the way we do it is by cutting those taxes.

If the gentleman would yield. I want to thank you for your wonderful words and your eloquent statement and your deep passion that you have stated. And you are again to be commended for the Tax Increase Prevention Act. Thank you for doing that, and for putting this evening together to let the American taxpayer know that tomorrow is a day of freedom, but it is also a day of reality to realize, finally, that we are going to be able to take off our ball and chain and be unshackled and finally breathe again and be able to work for ourselves.

But when Americans go to the pump tomorrow, I just want to remind them, Congressman Walberg, when they go to the pump and they put $1 worth of gasoline in their vehicle, over 60 cents of that dollar will go to taxes in one form or another. Just think about that. We hear a lot about oil companies and about profits, but when you have $1 of gasoline, over 60 cents of that dollar goes to taxes. That is something we really need to think about here in Congress. We need to consider it. It is just a microcosm, just a picture of the heavy tax burden every day that impacts the average American. I can't thank you enough for putting this together this evening.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 9 o'clock and 58 minutes p.m.), the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, April 23, 2008, at 10 a.m.

Madam Speaker, last month, students from all over Minnesota met at the St. Cloud Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites to compete for the honor of traveling to Washington in May for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. I commend all of the students who participated for their extraordinary commitment to academics and their brilliance and poise under pressure.

In particular, I share in all of Minnesota's pride in 8th Grader Catherine Cojocaru of Holy Spirit Catholic School in Rochester, Minnesota, who will be participating in the National Spelling Bee for the second year in a row.

I also wish to commend the winners of the Central Minnesota Regional Spelling Bee who competed amongst 56 students in grades 5 to 8 from 34 different school districts. These students earned a spot at the State Bee: Ali Fuller of Chisago Lakes, Christina Huling of Annandale, Matt Schultz of St. Michael-Albertville, and Peter Doyle of Rocori. The skill these young men and women showed is truly awe-inspiring. They are a real example for us all.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize and pay honor to the immense service the Meals on Wheels Association of America, MOWAA, has made to the most vulnerable senior citizens of our Nation. The MOWAA represents a number of member senior nutrition programs in each State throughout the country, including several in Minnesota.

This organization represents America's commitment to community service by restoring dignity and respect to all citizens, regardless of race or religion. In addition, their annual March for Meals campaigns have served as a platform to raise funds, create awareness, and increase the number of volunteers to enhance the association and its critical objectives.

I would particularly like to commend the Meals on Wheels program run by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud. They provide hot, nutritious meals and deliver them to frail, homebound seniors.

Since its humble beginnings in Great Britain during World War II and the first American home-delivered meal program in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in January of 1954, Meals on Wheels has provided vulnerable senior Americans with not only a warm meal, but also a warm heart. There is nothing greater in life than a person's self-respect, and the MOWAA has made that ideal a cornerstone of their mission and organization.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize today the selfless commitment of the Meals on Wheels Association of America and its dedicated volunteers across the country. It is through their service that we can be proud to call ourselves Americans.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Todd and Joyce Brenny, owners of Brenny's Transportation and Brenny Specialized in St. Cloud, Minnesota, for their participation in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Highway Watch program. By dedicating the time and effort of their drivers, Todd and Joyce Brenny are helping to keep our Nation safe.

Highway Watch is a program through which truck drivers are trained to spot suspicious activity while on the roads and to report it to a national call center so that public safety officials can both address a particular issue and detect early if a pattern is arising. Minnesota was one of the first three states to join this program when it was first started by the American Trucking Association, ATA, in 1998. Then it was a safety awareness program, teaching drivers to report road hazards and accidents.

Following 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security worked with ATA to add an anti-terrorism component to the program's curriculum. Since 2004, about 800,000 drivers, State transportation workers, and toll booth operators, including 9,921 drivers in Minnesota alone, have been trained. That turns out to be a cost of about $31 per driver. In 2007, more than 3,000 calls were logged as part of the program nationwide, including 1,700 security-related calls.

All 60 of Brenny's drivers and office employees participate in Highway Watch. They have taken a real interest in supporting our efforts to keep our Nation safe and I commend them and all their fellow trucking companies who take part in this program for their efforts.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Tom Marchant of Hanover, Minnesota, who is this year's winner of the Minnesota American Legion Oratorical Contest. Tom was sponsored by Wayzata Post 118.

Tom spoke on the topic of freedom and responsibility: ``Our final responsibility is by far the most honorable and sacrificial. It is the duty to fight for the United States. Many great men and women have answered the call of freedom . . . In deserts and foreign lands,

through sleepless nights and lonely days, they hold high our blessed flag of freedom. We love freedom, and we don't want to lose it. But we must remember, always remember, that freedom didn't and doesn't come free.''

Tom was also recently recognized by the Bill of Rights Institute for his essay on Being an American. Tom was 1 of only 30 students chosen from more than 13,000 in 19 states and the District of Columbia for this honor.

The Bill of Rights Institute invited teenage students from across the Nation to write about the ideals that unite us as Americans. Tom wrote eloquently about the vision our Founders had for this Nation and where Tom and his own generation can lead America:

``Perseverance is a sign of great men, and the sign of free men. It is only by God's grace, and our forefathers' perseverance that we can enjoy the privileges of freedom as we do today. As Daniel Webster once said, ``God grants liberty only to those who love it and are always ready to defend it.'' The baton has been passed on to us. So the question is, will we persevere?''

Tom, who has been homeschooled and encouraged in all his pursuits by his parents Todd and Kim, is also active with the National Christian Forensic and Communications Association. He has been both a regional and State champion. Last summer, he participated in Boys State. Tom is also active in his church, where he is a worship leader, and he enjoys singing and playing piano and the guitar.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the 2007 Minnesota Associated Press Broadcasters awardees as leaders in radio and television broadcasting. In particular, I would like to recognize those winners serving Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District, including KNSI-AM, KVSC-FM, WJON-AM, KXSS-AM, KTLK-FM, MPR, KARE-TV, and KSTP-TV.

These winners are the elite in their field, and they should all be proud of their hard work and achievements. Specifically, I would like to recognize the contributions of KTLK-FM and their program director Steve Versnick for their outstanding accomplishments in radio, securing two awards for their work in 2007. Jeff Monosso and Jason Lewis were winners of the Radio Class Ill, Spot/Hard News category for their spot, ``35W Bridge Collapse,'' and Jeff Monosso won a second award for a Radio Class Ill Newscast, titled, ``2007 Newscast.''

In the years ahead, these news outlets will continue to provide Minnesotans with the best coverage of the events affecting our daily lives. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize these radio and television stations as among the best in Minnesota news broadcasting.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 838, welcoming His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on his first apostolic visit to the United States. For centuries, Popes have provided inspiration and a strong foundation of faith for millions of Catholics around the world and many non-Catholics as well. As spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope serves as the impassioned defender of Catholic doctrine and values, a role this Pope has taken to new heights.

On April 19, 2005, Catholics everywhere were introduced to Pope Benedict XVI, and in just 3 years, the Pope has emerged as a vocal and effective advocate, combating what many see as the world's sloping trend towards secularism. Rather than steering the Catholic Church towards a more moderate and relaxed approach to worship, Pope Benedict XVI has demonstrated the benefit and need of returning to fundamental Christian values. Certainly, it is not easy for a leader to take such a bold stand that bucks popular trends and culture, but it is an example of pure conviction and true leadership that inspires millions of Catholic believers.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to welcome Pope Benedict XVI to America as he continues to spread his message of faith, love, and service in Christ. Millions are inspired by his presence; and his passionate convictions cast a light that all Catholics strive to follow. Your Holiness, it is my honor to join in welcoming you to the United States.

Madam Speaker, as the Army Reserve celebrates its centennial, I rise to congratulate the Reserve on its dedicated service and sacrifice to ensure our Nation's freedom. Since its inception on April 23, 1908, the Reserve and its more than 1 million citizen- soldiers have protected American citizens at home and abroad. When tyranny raises its fist and liberty is threatened, the citizen-soldier answers the call to ease the suffering. For this, our Nation is forever grateful.

Today, more than 20,000 Army Reserve soldiers are deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and 18 other countries, with an additional 7,000 Army Reserve serving in the United States. In my home State of Minnesota, historic Fort Snelling is the proud home to the 88th Regional Readiness Command, comprised of Reserve units from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. America's greatness lies in her people, and the American soldier is the embodiment of hard work, patriotism and service, the finest of America's principles.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize today the selfless commitment and sacrifice of so many citizen-soldiers. It is they who lay down their lives to defend those who cannot defend themselves. It is they who lay down their lives to protect the rights of those who disrespect our flag and our Nation. And it is they who lay down their lives so that true freedom will never know extinction. As April 23 approaches, let us remember and be forever grateful for the Army Reserve's 100 years of noble service and sacrifice to our Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Mr. Glenn Dorfman, who recently retired from the Minnesota Association of REALTORS. Having served as the association's Chief Operating Officer for 25 years, his genuine dedication, endless passion, tireless work ethic, and commitment to his community absolutely embody the finest of America's bedrock principles.

Many would tremble at the thought of being responsible for a 26,000 member trade association, but those who have worked with Glenn know he succeeded beyond all expectations. Glenn's colleagues have characterized him as having the unique ability to make complex concepts more understandable; and his ability to help and work with others has directly contributed to his success.

Maybe that's why a 1992 Star Tribune article referred to him as ``a major player in shaping state tax policy,'' and why in the spring of 1995, a Star Tribune survey of Minnesota Legislators recognized Glenn as one of ``The Top Eight Most Influential Lobbyists'' in Minnesota.

Although Glenn has achieved so much in this line of work, some of his most significant achievements took place earlier in his career. Among those accomplishments, Glenn taught literature and mathematics to 7th & 8th graders in Kentucky, he was a college educator in Duluth, he served as Chief Executive Officer of a Catholic Charities Human Services Agency in Wisconsin, and he even held elective office.

Most recently. he was named the recipient of the 2005 21st Century Leadership Award from Minnesota Legal Aid. This honor recognized Glenn for the countless hours of pro bono work he has done for over 15 years to provide legal assistance to the poorest Minnesotans. A native of New York, Glenn has had a colorful and wide ranging career.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to rise today to celebrate Glenn Dorfman's extraordinary and noble career of service. His passion, commitment and enthusiasm for his work truly provide inspiration for us all. I stand today and join his family, friends, and colleagues in wishing him nothing but a fulfilled and blessed retirement.

I want to thank the gentlelady from Tennessee and applaud her and thank her for her efforts as she is leading this wonderful budget school for the people of the United States, and I would consider her the dean of our budget school, and she's doing a wonderful job as dean. And I think that Representative Steve King may be considered a tenured professor in the budget school that the gentlelady from Tennessee is quite brilliantly hosting for the benefit of the American people.

It's so important that we're taking up this topic and devoting this time, because what all Americans share in common is that we, generally speaking, all are working for a living. And the one thing that we're finding is that more and more of our time is being spent working on behalf of political subdivisions. Whether it's the Federal Government, whether it's State government, whether it's local government, quite often our taxes are taking up perhaps as much time as from when we get up on January 1 and go to work, or if it's January 2, until perhaps in May or June, almost everything that we make during that time period is going to government.

I know that's hard to believe. But when you add up all the money that we're paying in taxes, about that much of our time is going to earn money that will, in turn, be handed over to government to spend our money. That's what's happening, and that's what we're yielding in terms of our sovereignty, is the amount of time that we are spending working to provide for our families; that much time is being spent going to government, because someone is going to spend the money that we earn.

The question is, will we have the power over being able to make those choices over spending, or will political subdivisions, whether it is the Federal, State or local, have the ability to make those choices?

I want to show you now a chart that we have up here. This talks about how much the budget that has just been passed, which the majority, the Democrat majority has the largest spending increases in American history for the budget and the largest tax increases in American history.

Take a look at the numbers. On every State, from Alabama to Wyoming, there's an increase in taxes for every American across the board, on average, from Alabama to Wyoming. And these aren't small increases. This is over and above what the average American is already paying.

But take a look at these increases. If you're in the State of Alabama, it's over a $2,500 increase in taxes beyond what you're paying now. If you're in the State of Wyoming, it's over a $3,100 tax increase.

I represent great people, great people from the State of Minnesota in the Sixth Congressional District. In Minnesota, the average taxpayer in Minnesota will pay over $3,000 more in taxes than what they're paying now.

Well, take a look at what your grocery bill has been doing. It's been going sky high lately.

And take a look at what we're paying at the gas pump. I was in St. Cloud, Minnesota last week. The price of diesel gasoline was $3.81. The price of regular gasoline was $3.14. When I took office and was sworn in for the first time as a brand new freshman Member of Congress, I thought gasoline was too high then, and it was about $2.25 a gallon.

Well, what has this Congress yielded, the 110th Congress?

So far this Congress has gone for the largest tax increase in American history, the largest spending increase in American history.

And as the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn), and as Representative Steve King has said, from Iowa, and also the gentleman from Georgia, Representative Kingston has said, this Congress has failed to do anything to reform Social Security and Medicare. Every American should take pause right now and realize how sobering that is, because the United States Government has made a promise to the senior citizens of this country, has made a promise. I'm worried that this Congress will have difficulty keeping that promise with our senior citizens if we don't reform these important programs. We can't do that if we are raising the average American's taxes.

And I will yield back to the gentlewoman from Tennessee after I make this important point, and it's this: In the Budget Committee markup of Fiscal Year 2009 there was a unanimous vote to increase the marginal tax rates.

What does this mean?

Whether you are a low-income American, a middle-income American, or a high-income American, guess what? Your taxes are going up. That will impact you in an already weak economy.

Unanimously, unfortunately, the Democrats voted to cut the $1,000 child tax credit in half. That really hurts. My husband and I have five kids. We raised 23 foster kids. Do you know how important a $1,000 child tax credit is to the average family? That's really important. Well, they voted unanimously, unfortunately, the Democrats, to cut the $1,000 child tax credit in half. That will impact average Americans.

They also voted to eliminate the marriage penalty tax relief. Why would we do that? Why would we want to take away tax credits for people who are married? Married people are raising the next generation of Americans. We want to help them, not hurt them.

They also voted to eliminate the capital gains and dividends relief. This was the big driver. From 2000 until 2008, this has driven our economy forward. This has been a good thing.

And also, unfortunately, to bring back the death tax.

This is not the direction we want to go. The direction we want to go is one, a budget that the Republicans have put forward, and that's a growth budget, a budget to cut your taxes, cut wasteful spending, and put in place the mechanisms that will provide growth for this economy so that you can keep more of your income and start working for you, rather than working for the government.

And that's why I commend the gentlelady from Tennessee. As the dean of our budget school, she has been letting the American people know, in the plainest possible language, that we are here because we want to work for you. We hear you. We hear the difficulties that you're laboring under.

And I yield back to the gentlelady now to go on and continue to explain forthwith to the American people how important this ongoing discussion is.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 14 exemplary high school students from every corner of Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District. Last week, I had the privilege of meeting several of them when I presented them with the Congressional Certificate of Merit. This program is a time-honored tradition that so many Members of Congress have used throughout the years to recognize the academic achievements and outstanding citizenship of America's high school students.

Far too often, the evening news and daily papers are littered with stories of young America gone awry. It is easy to forget that these are just stories of the few bad apples. But just being in the presence of these tremendous students is enough to renew anyone's faith in our future. These young adults are shining stars, with strong academic records, extraordinary talents, great ambitions, and limitless energy.

It was a true honor to be able to present these students with this recognition: Geoffrey Bible, Apollo High School; Matthew Brown, Elk River High School; Erika Bullert, Holdingford High School; Melissa Cedarholm, Woodbury High School; Jessie Hansen, New Life Academy; Laura Kant, Delano High School; Kayla Kastanek, Kimball Area High School; Jennifer Klippen, Becker High School; Meggie O'Keefe, Andover High School; Kyle Oliverius, Monticello High School; Elizabeth Swanson, Stillwater Area High School; Dana Van Bruggen, Buffalo High School; Rebekah Wolden, Rivers Christian Academic; and Jacob Young, Howard Lake Waverly Winstead High School.

Each of these students was nominated by his or her school principal. Each of them has earned our accolades and admiration.

Madam Speaker, yesterday the House passed with unanimity a resolution recognizing March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. I was regrettably detained in Minnesota due to the snowstorm which blanketed the Midwest. But had I been here, I would have joined my colleagues in supporting the resolution to raise awareness of this terrible disease.

While colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, it is not as well known or frequently discussed as many other forms of cancer. Whatever the reason for this relative obscurity, we must recognize the fact that both men and women are at risk for colorectal cancer and that while most cases occur after age 50, it can strike at any age. Most important of all, however, when detected in its earliest, most treatable stages, colorectal cancer has a 90 percent survival rate.

That being said, in 2000, the Prevent Cancer Foundation partnered with champions in Congress to designate and commemorate the very first National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Consequently, over the past 8 years, awareness of the disease has grown. Moreover, the American Cancer Society now currently funds 113 colon cancer research grants nationwide totaling more than $62.1 million.

Nonetheless, while strides have been made against colorectal cancer, statistics show there is more work to be done. In fact, it is estimated that this year in Minnesota, 2,500 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 900 will die from the disease. However, screening tests can detect precancerous polyps, which, when removed, can stop colon cancer before it starts.

It is important that Congress support the observance of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in order to continue the progress that has already been made. Through increased awareness and education about this disease, a cornerstone of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we can dramatically decrease deaths and limit the suffering this disease inflicts on the United States. As Dr. David Perdue, of the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health stated, ``Bottom line, colorectal screening saves lives.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the teachers, parents, and students at Johnsville Elementary School in Blaine, Minnesota. Last week, before a crowd of proud neighbors, this school community was honored as a 2007-2008 Minnesota School of Excellence.

Minnesotans place a high value on education. It's engrained in our state psyche. And, this makes this already great honor still more phenomenal. Only 7 schools in the state achieved this level of excellence for this school year. And, since the program's inception more than 20 years ago, in 1986, only 125 schools have been recognized as Minnesota Schools of Excellence.

This high honor is a testament to the hard work of Johnsville's faculty, under the leadership of Principal Patrick Murray. It is also a testament to the commitment of the parents of Johnsville Elementary. Individually and through an active parent-teacher organization, these parents form a foundation of support for these teachers and students. Together they form a solid and interlocking network that excels in all areas of academics and community involvement.

The Johnsville Elementary community is a model for schools throughout Minnesota and, indeed, throughout the nation. I was proud to join them in celebrating this tremendous achievement last week, and I look forward to this school reaching still greater heights in years to come.