Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to pause to remember the American POWs who arrived in Japan 73 years ago today. These heroes were survivors of the infamous ``death cruise'' of the Oryoku Maru. These men were prisoners since the American territory fell to the Japanese in the spring of 1942. Of the over 1,600 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and civilians who left Manila on December 13, 1944, barely 400 arrived at the port of Moji, Japan on January 30, 1945.

``Hell Ship'' is simply the only way to describe the vessels and conditions the POWs endured. These men were packed in dark holds of freighters, usually with coal or animal waste. They were given little water, food, or fresh air. Sanitation was non-existent. Men driven insane were quickly and brutally quieted. I became familiar with this story by assisting my constituent, Ms. Jan Thompson, who is the daughter of a survivor of the Oryoku Maru journey and is the President of American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial Society. Her father, Robert E. Thompson, was a Navy Pharmacist's Mate who had been assigned to a submarine tender in Manila Bay, the USS Canopus. He was surrendered on Corregidor. It has been my honor to help preserve the memory of the American POWs of Japan and of their experience aboard the Hell Ships to Japan. The 400-plus men who died during the stop at Takao Harbor, Formosa are currently buried in 20 graves marked simply as ``Unknowns'' at Hawaii's National Cemetery of the Pacific. Soon there will be a memorial plaque on the Memorial Walk at this Cemetery to these men who died aboard the Enoura Maru in Formosa on January 9, 1945, which was one of the Hell Ships that took part in the Oryoku Maru journey.

Mr. Speaker, as a father and a grandfather, I know firsthand how important it is that our Nation's children have a safe environment to grow and learn. That is why, this week, I introduced the bipartisan SOS Act.

My bill makes panic buttons available to local school systems. Response time is vitally important during emergency situations. The SOS Act provides a lifesaving technology to contact first responders immediately when an incident takes place in our schools.

Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to building support for this commonsense bill to protect our children in the days and weeks ahead.

Victoria Mueller Is a Brave Young Lady

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a brave young lady from my district. She lives in Johnston City, Illinois. Her name is Victoria Mueller. She is class president. She is an A student. She plays in three sports, including football. She is a member of countless school clubs and activities.

Two weeks ago, I called Victoria to let her know that she had received our nomination, as well as Dick Durbin had called her to let her know about his nomination, for the U.S. Naval Academy.

Unfortunately, her answer was: I am sorry. I can't accept that at this time. You see, in October, I had an accident in a car and my arm was damaged severely and severed.

She has gone through a number of surgeries, but here is what she promised. She will recover from the accident; she will continue to work hard; and she will be receiving that letter and getting that nomination next year.

Her strength, her courage is something that I wanted to make sure that I brought up before this House and before this Nation as truly an inspiration, and it should be an inspiration to all of us.

I am truly inspired by Victoria's strength, her grit, and I wish her the best in her recovery. We will be praying for her.

Victoria, southern Illinois is proud of you, and this Nation is proud of you.

March for Life

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about the fact that tomorrow is the March for Life.

As a Member of this body and as a member of the body in the State of Illinois, I have always stood proud to stand up for the rights of the unborn.

We are working on and will vote to eliminate taxpayer-funded abortion through the Hyde amendment and everything as well as that goes, but also cosponsoring the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which is being voted on this week.

This is an issue that quite often brings controversy, Mr. Speaker. Each one of us on this floor--and no matter what our position is, I am sure there are reasons why we hold to those beliefs. Mine are my faith, but they are also experiences that I have had in life, especially when we start talking about the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.

Fifteen years ago, Mr. Speaker, I was present when my twin granddaughters were born. They were 25\1/2\ weeks. We were hoping they would make it to 26. We lost Ellianna in the womb. Losing her caused labor to start, and then Hallie was born. We held Hallie while Hallie passed.

Now, according to some laws that are in this Nation, you should be able to abort a child at that age. Well, I can tell you that you have never held one at that age. We can sit and say: Oh, well, I don't agree with abortion.

But let me tell you something else that has taken place. I think we have a responsibility to take care of those young women who have children who might not be at the best time in their life and issues that come up.

And let me also say this. I want to talk about a group that was formed called Tender Mercies that ministers to women who have lost a child, have aborted a child, had miscarriages, all of these issues. And why do I want to talk about that? Because my daughter runs that not- for-profit to take care of the mental and physical needs that occur after something like that occurs.

It is important that we as members of the United States Congress understand that, when we stand for life, not only do we stand for life, but we also stand for those people who are in those situations, to help them through those times. We are a nation that cares. We are, as many times as we argue back and forth on this floor. Mr. Speaker, I pray that everyone on this floor on both sides of the aisle remembers that.

I thank the people who are walking tomorrow to stand for the right to life.

Mr. Speaker, this week, we celebrate National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Law enforcement officers answer the call to public service. They enter into situations that put their lives on the line. When the natural human response to danger is to run away, these brave men and women run toward it, and they do this to protect their communities.

Our law enforcement officers occupy that thin blue line between good and evil. They stand between us and those who wish to do us harm and harm to our families.

To the 780,000 police officers across this country who put on the badge every day, thank you, and God bless.

Congratulating Helen Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, I also rise today to congratulate Helen Hawkins of Edwardsville, Illinois, for being inducted into the Senior Illinoisans Hall

of Fame. The recognition commemorates the achievements and contributions of citizens age 65 and older. Inductees are selected through a statewide nomination and judging process. The program distinguishes individuals in the areas of community service, education, the work force, and the arts.

Helen is a true public servant who has devoted many years to serving the residents of Madison County and Nameoki Township. Her no-nonsense style may have ruffled some feathers throughout the years, but she has never been afraid to fight for her constituents.

Helen, thank you for your public service.

Honoring Bob Butler

Mr. Speaker, I also rise today to honor the longest serving mayor in the State of Illinois, Bob Butler, who is a very good friend of Marion. Now, he is a very good friend, but, whenever he first took office, he didn't know me well because I was only 2\1/2\ years old. He was first elected in April of 1963, and Bob is retiring this month after 55 years of service.

Bob has always been a straight shooter and a good public servant. His progrowth agenda has helped turn Marion into a regional powerhouse along I-57 in the State of Illinois. In fact, the industrial park in Marion is named after him, and Bob fondly refers to the city of Marion as the hub of the universe. He represents the dedication to public service that should serve as an inspiration to all of us.

Mayor Bob Butler, we honor you, and wish you a happy and well- deserved retirement.

Recognizing Sam and Eva Jones

Mr. Speaker, I also rise today to recognize Sam and Eva Jones of Marion, Illinois. This remarkable couple was first married on September 27, 1936. Now, if you think about that, that was 80 years ago.

Sam worked for Central Illinois Power Service until he retired in 1978. Eva worked at Norge in Herrin and later as a cook for Washington Elementary School. Pillars of the community, they were longtime members of First Baptist Church in Marion and the Williamson County Farm Bureau. In 1993, their farm was honored as Family Farm of the Year by the Farm Bureau.

Sadly, Eva passed last month, at the age of 101. My prayers are with Sam and the entire Jones family. Thank you for making southern Illinois a wonderful place to live. God bless you.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Peoria, Illinois, for hosting this Special Order on the State's bicentennial year.

You know, Illinois is a State of threes. You know, we had three State capitals: Kaskaskia, Vandalia, and Springfield. We have three State seals. A lot of people don't know that.

If you know Illinois well, you know that there is three distinct parts of Illinois involved. Whether you are in politics or business, it is always referred to as Cook County, the Collar counties, and southern Illinois. In southern Illinois, we like to capitalize the ``S'' on ``southern.''

There is one other thing that is in threes. If you listen to the Illinois song, three people are mentioned: Lincoln, Grant, and Logan.

Now, the reason why I bring those up is because, tied with southern Illinois and Illinois' 12th Congressional District--the district that is the most southern and most western of the State of Illinois, which I am proud to represent--actually was and had the first State capital. Also, it has John A. Logan in that mentioning of those three names.

John A. Logan, if you heard that name before, if you are in D.C., there are many things that are named after Logan, including ``Logan Circle.'' Logan was actually the gentleman who was laid in state--the eighth person laid in state here in this Capitol, and that was because he had established himself from deep southern Illinois. As a matter of fact, his hometown was--my hometown was his farm, which was subdivided to make that hometown.

As a matter of fact, the deed in abstract of the home that I was born and raised in and the house that I later bought from my parents and raised my children for the first 10 years of my marriage in that home, my great-grandmother actually bought that property from his father.

John Logan established himself, which is really wild, and he actually was such a large part of Illinois history. He first ran as a Democrat; he was a district attorney. He then became a State representative, then a State senator, then went on to be a Member of the U.S. Congress and later a U.S. Senator.

It was during the time of the Civil War, when the Civil War broke out, that there were questions on what would happen, because deep southern Illinois was split during the war, though stayed united as a State.

John Logan came back and led troops for the North. What is really wild is after becoming a field grade general and a decorated war general, he came back to southern Illinois, then went back into politics as a Republican, and stayed a U.S. Senator but as a Republican and was part of the reconstructionists.

The amazing thing about John Logan is that he actually ran for vice president. They lost, he and Blaine. He then was running for president and gave a long speech, actually, in the gentleman's hometown who is hosting this tonight, for about 8 hours in the rain, got on a train, came back to the capital here, and passed away with pneumonia.

Another great thing that happened in deep southern Illinois in the Illinois 12th is the Lincoln-Douglas debates. I am blessed to have the only district in the State of Illinois that has two Lincoln-Douglas debate sites.

I am being questioned here that maybe there is one other.

Jonesboro, September 15, 1858; Alton, October 15, 1858. Very proud of that. And, you know, these two went on after Douglas wins as Senator, but then Lincoln ends up winning the Presidency.

There are several other things, but one other thing about deep southern Illinois, look, many people don't realize that deep southern Illinois has the smallest national forest in the Nation. The Shawnee National Forest is located in John Shimkus' and my district. We share it. It is truly a beautiful part of Illinois, wonderful rolling hills, deep forests, much good there.

Also the Illinois 12th has Murphysboro, my hometown, which is the barbecue capital of Illinois. We have teams that have won as many as four grand championships and went on to create businesses all over this Nation in that business and in the barbecue business, and we are very proud of that. I would argue that maybe it is the barbecue capital of the world. There may be others that would argue different with that.

How many of you, as children, remember the cartoon ``Popeye'', who came from Chester, Illinois, in the Illinois 12th?

I am sure many of the other people who speak here tonight, Mr. Speaker, are also proud of their home districts in the State of Illinois, and should be, because I am going to tell you, whether it is from Cairo, to Galena, to Chicago, to Mulkeytown, from Danville, to East St. Louis, the State of Illinois is a great State. We love it.

We have good things and bad things that happen, but it has been a great State that has helped this Nation, provided great leaders, provided great people involved in all kinds of fields throughout this Nation and this world.

I have no reservations in saying, and I am sure others would say this about theirs, but I am so blessed, because I live in the most beautiful part of Illinois, the most beautiful part of Illinois where it starts out as the flatlands, what is commonly known as the prairies of Illinois up around St. Louis and Alton, and it comes south. When you get down to my area, it turns into rolling hills, rolling hills that produce peaches and apples and grapes, the beautiful wineries, areas of tourism, the land between the lakes, the land known as Little Egypt, and I am so privileged to be able to represent that part of the State of Illinois.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I know we are going to have a lot of other speakers tonight, but I do want to tell you that Illinois, as I said, has had good times and bad times, but there are a whole lot more good times to come. It is a great place to live, it is a great place to raise your children, and I thank God that I had the opportunity to be born and raised there.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to lend my support to the flood insurance reform legislation that we considered on this floor yesterday and passed.

Let me tell you the reasons and the importance of that particular legislation. One is, the problems that it deals with is FEMA's flood plain maps can be inaccurate and are based on old technology. Property owners in the insurance flood plain plans are required to pay flood insurance premiums, even though they may not be at risk under the old maps whenever you look at it.

For example, today I brought a map from my district--one of the places in my district where these maps are wrong. This is actually Carterville, Illinois. If you will notice, as the flood plain comes down here from the north, actually, that is really unique because, if you will notice right beside it, out of the flood plain is the creek that actually flows and the ditch that is the creek, and the flood plain is not in that. Yet it is over in the other area here, where it affects homes that are actually charged larger amounts of money on their flood insurance when they are not even in the flood plain. Yet it never even continues to flow on down to Crab Orchard Lake, where the natural water flow goes. So those areas are out of the flood plain, according to this mapping.

The flood zone maps--here is the problem: property owners can challenge the map under existing law, before we sent this over, and you can challenge it, but it would cost you $2,000 to challenge that. Or if you wanted to participate with your city, the city taxes would then be charged $17,000 to challenge the map.

Flood insurance is vitally important and necessary to the people around this Nation and the security that it gives to others that are not in flood plains for not having a cost dropped on them. But the accuracy of these maps are vitally important.

Two things the legislation did that were vitally important, it is easier and more affordable to appeal FEMA about their maps and whether or not something is in a flood plain. It also uses its higher technology to truly draft the flood plain maps in a way that they are fair, and that the costs are not unbearable to many homeowners.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding as well. The VA currently requires veterans in need of organ transplants to travel to VA transplant centers to receive their transplant. Waiting times at these centers average 32 percent longer than those non-VA transplant centers.

In addition, we have reports that show that the further the veteran is from a VA transplant center, the less likely the veteran is to receive the organ transplant. This can ultimately prove fatal. We owe it to our Nation's

heroes to provide them the best possible care, regardless of where they live.

Mr. Speaker, I support the legislation offered by my friend and colleague from Florida, Dr. Dunn, to solve this problem. I am just amazed that we have waited this long to realize we had one.

The VICTOR Act allows veterans who live more than 100 miles from one of the VA's 13 transplant centers to seek care at a federally certified, non-VA facility. I am proud to cosponsor the VICTOR Act because our veterans shouldn't be punished just because of where they live.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Donald Gillen's honorable service to our nation during World War II.

Born April 14, 1927 in Lincoln, Nebraska, Donald graduated from Lincoln High School and joined the U.S. Army on July 26, 1945. Faithfully serving our country at Camp O'Donnell, Philippines from November 1946 until June 1947, Donald was a part of the 12th Philippine Scout Division before becoming a company commander in the 57th Infantry Regiment in Manila.

Becoming a reservist and member of the National Guard, Donald returned home to Lincoln to graduate with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism from the University of Nebraska. He began a new career with the York News-Times in 1969 and eventually became the publisher of the newspaper, retiring in 1988. Husband to his college sweetheart Marilyn Gillen, father to one, and grandfather to four, Donald is known as a family man--moving to Belleville, Illinois to be closer to his child and grandchildren. Today, he is a guest editorial staffer for the Belleville News-Democrat and writes occasional editorials while supporting his wife's singing in the St. George Episcopal Church choir.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the service that Donald dutifully gave to our nation during World War II. We are forever grateful for his service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of one of my constituents, Donald Gillen, who is in Washington, D.C., today to receive the Congressional Gold Medal for his service to our Nation during World War

Mr. Speaker, this last week on Sunday, southern Illinois, the State of Illinois, and I believe this Nation mourned with the family and friends of a friend of mine by the name of Tom McNamara.

About 2 weeks ago, we lost this local hero who spent decades on the front line of law enforcement combating the drug trade.

Tom began his career in Carbondale as just a local police officer with the department while he was in college. Over the years, he became an author, instructor, investigator, an expert witness, and an undercover agent. Even after retirement, he continued to serve the public as an adviser to local police departments that are still fighting the drug trade.

I came to know Tom, the good friend that he is, on November 23, 1988.

Mr. Speaker, you might ask, how in the world would you remember the day that you first met someone?

Well, I can remember that day because it was the day after my youngest daughter was born. Tom then was the head of what was known as the MEG unit--Metropolitan Enforcement Group--a drug task force that had been assigned, and he had been an undercover agent for quite some time.

And my sister actually was the secretary for that unit. So she had brought Tom over to see the new baby. While my wife was out of the room and I was in the room by myself, Tom came in. When he came in, he was introduced to me, and I told him how glad I was to finally meet him. Tom is a very big man, and at the time, he was an undercover agent, so his hair was grown out, his beard was grown out, and he was actually undercover in a motorcycle gang. He was all dressed in black, which he commonly did--actually, always did.

When my wife returned to the room, he is leaning over the top of the bassinet there where our daughter lay, looking at the baby. My wife came in and had this startled look on her face because she didn't see me and my sister in the room, and instantly she kind of had that mother reaction to try to protect a child. All of a sudden my sister jumped up and said: It is okay. This is Tom McNamara. Tom McNamara is a police officer.

Her first words to Tom, who, as I said, became a very good friend with me and very good friends with her: Well, I want to let you know that I would not run to you in an alley if I am in trouble at night. You would not be the one I would run to.

He said: Then that is good. I am doing my job.

Tom McNamara taught other police officers the dangers and concerns. He served proudly as a police officer and as an undercover agent, but he also studied in great detail the harmfulness of certain drugs.

When I was a State legislator, he came to me in 1997 and said: Mike, I need to talk to you and then-Senator Luechtefeld. I need to explain to you about a drug that is so awful, that if a mother and a father would use it, it would make them not have any concerns for the safety of their children, because they are so focused on trying to get more of this drug. And they can actually make it in their kitchen. They can make it in their cars.

That was methamphetamines. That was when we first started drafting laws in the State of Illinois, under Tom's guidance, to try to deal with the meth problem that still exists.

Tom was also one of the first leaders that realized that there were these drugs like bath salts and all of these that are being used.

I don't even know how many people Tom McNamara has saved over the years. We will never know, I am sure, let me tell you, because of his ability and his willingness to work and always to stand in the back, not to be recognized, sometimes for his own safety. But, Mr. Speaker, he did it for the betterment of this Nation, and that is why I stand to recognize him today.

I thank his wife, Judy; his daughter, Rachel; his son-in-law, and their children for giving up this man to serve us, and serve us so well, for all the lives that he saved.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Shawnee Community College, located in Ullin, Illinois, for its 50th anniversary.

For half a century, Shawnee College has provided opportunities for quality higher education, community education, training, and services that are accessible, affordable, and promote lifelong learning. The college is cutting edge and provides training programs that incorporate the most recent technologies to meet the ever-changing needs of students and the local economy.

I visited the community college last month and met with the faculty and their directors, and their passion is clear.

Congratulations to Shawnee College President Dr. Peggy Bradford, faculty, staff, and students on 50 years of excellence. I know that more than 50 years from now they will still be working and providing for the students of southern Illinois.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Alli Ragan, a native of Carbondale, Illinois, on winning a silver medal at the 2017 World Wrestling Championships in Paris last month.

Alli, the Pan American champion, won silver for the second straight year, and her strong performance helped propel the U.S. team to a second place finish in the tournament.

Alli, southern Illinois is extremely proud of you, and we look forward to cheering you on for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, on August 21, a total solar eclipse will stretch from coast to coast in the United States for the first time in 99 years, and I am proud to say that my district in southern Illinois is the prime viewing spot.

In fact, my home county of Jackson County near Carbondale, and also my front yard, is where the eclipse will be at its apex.

For 2 minutes and 38 seconds, it will be like total darkness in the middle of the day. The city's population of 26,000 is expected to multiply many times over from visitors around the world coming for tourism and to see this astronomical Super Bowl.

So I would encourage my colleagues and the American people to visit for some world championship southern Illinois barbecue, the beautiful outdoors, the wonderful wineries, and welcome one and all people for the best viewing moments of this solar eclipse.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for hosting this Special Order on rural America.

I am a proud resident of a rural district in southern Illinois. If you are from Illinois, you understand that the ``S'' is capitalized on the word ``southern''; and that is because it is a unique area in itself. It is nowhere near--and there are great people in the Chicago area, but we are farther--well, actually the district starts just across from St. Louis and goes south to where the Mississippi River and the Ohio River come together. There are a lot of farming communities there.

In my opinion, though, we don't talk enough about our rural communities here on the House floor. So, I am really glad that we are having that opportunity tonight.

In so many ways, you have to realize that our rural areas are the backbone of this country. But if you listen to the media and the advertisers and the Hollywood producers, you would think there wasn't anything between the East Coast and the West Coast. But, let me tell you, I am here today to say that there is.

Too many of these small communities are struggling, trying to get through, and, quite often, are weighed down by things that we do here in Washington. They want investment. They care about the growth of their communities and they care about jobs.

But when the press talks about jobs, the same industries that come up every time are the tech startups, the consulting firms, the real estate companies, and the new restaurant chains. Those are all good, but one group that doesn't get talked about enough is our farmers.

And let me tell you, that is not something new. It has happened over many years. This Nation's farmers have planted and kept us fed for all the years this great Nation has been in existence.

And I am going to tell you that Benjamin Franklin called farming the only honest way to acquire wealth. Thomas Jefferson said our government would remain virtuous as long as it remained chiefly agricultural. Illinois' own Abraham Lincoln was born into farming and described agriculture as a great calling.

In southern Illinois, beginning farmers tell me their cost of doing business is climbing and their income is shrinking.

This is not the first time this has happened. I want to kind of express a story that took place several years ago.

Right now, in the Agriculture Committee, we are working on the farm bill. Well, the first farm bill came into existence because then- President Ronald Reagan began to hear from the farmers around this Nation of the problems that they were facing and the concerns that they had. And one in particular farmer, a man by the name of Herman Krone, who lives in a little town called Du Quoin, Illinois, about 18 to 20 miles from my home, wrote a letter. Because back then you didn't send emails and you didn't send texts. You actually wrote letters. He sent it to the

President, not thinking that he would get a response, but he just wanted to voice his concern of his son Rick, and was Rick going to stay in the family business. Well, he really couldn't because of the high risk of doing business in our agricultural communities.

Well, one night--as a matter of fact, it was a Sunday night, if I remember correctly, because I heard this story from Herman himself before he passed--the phone rang. Now, I understand it wasn't a cell phone, like we have now. It was actually hardwired to the wall. The phone rang, he reached over and picked it up, and someone asked: Is this Herman Krone? Mr. Krone?

He said: Yes.

They said: Can you hold for the President?

Herman said: The president of what?

The man on the other end said: The President of the United States, Mr. Ronald Reagan.

He said: Well, you are kidding me?

The man said: No, Mr. Krone. It really is.

Sure enough, the President himself called Herman.

He said: Herman, I read your letter, and I realize that you understand what the problems are that the rural farmers are facing today.

He said: I will tell you what I would like to do. I would like to come to your farm. You bring a group of your agricultural people together and I want to talk with them.

And, sure enough, the next month or so, President Ronald Reagan came. The conversation he had, along with other conversations he had around this United States, led to the first farm bill.

We are working on that farm bill right now. But farming and ranching operations are getting squeezed, due to low commodity prices, just like they were then. And the need for increased credit, in order to expand the diversity, has to be done.

Small family-owned businesses are most affected. We hear about corporate farming, but the fact is, 97 percent of American farms are family-owned farms.

That is why one of the bills that I have introduced is known as the BALE Act, which is to modernize the Guaranteed and Direct Loan program at the USDA to better reflect the costs of farming because times have changed. It is our job here in this House to remember that we are dealing with those rural areas and the farmers that are in them.

Now, this will help the next generation of producers make their mark on the industry. As Republicans and Democrats, we need to work together on more ideas like this one. We need to keep focused on the heartland because these are the red-blooded Americans who love their country and deserve a voice.

By addressing the needs of hardworking families who are too often forgotten, we can strengthen these communities for generations to come. It really is all about the next generation.

Each one of us in this House hopes and prays that this Nation holds and grows, and the next generation has to come up. We need that generation of farmers to make sure that they stay on the farm.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2781, the Ensuring Veteran Enterprise Participation in Strategic Sourcing Act.

This important legislation clarifies that veteran-owned small businesses should be given proper consideration for contracts with the Department of Veterans Affairs. It will help to ensure that our contracting is efficient and fair to our Nation's veterans.

The VA has a special responsibility to maximize business opportunities for our heroes when they come home from serving abroad. Helping veteran-owned small businesses succeed is a bipartisan effort, as you have heard already here today. I am happy to see so many of my colleagues support it.

I want to thank my colleague, Dr. Dunn, for offering the commonsense fix to contracting at the VA, and I look forward to voting in favor of it. I urge Members to support H.R. 2781.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to advocate for the victims of human trafficking and for the law enforcement and organizations who are on the front lines combating this growing problem. Human trafficking is a growing problem in Illinois where we rank ninth in the Nation in reported trafficking cases.

Cases are on the rise nationwide. As a father of three and grandfather of 11, I am angry. We must wipe out this evil before it does any more harm.

I am proud that Republicans and Democrats came together to pass three antitrafficking bills this week.

Our work is far from over, but these bills are vitally important to help protect American families.