Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, last month we passed a bill that suspends the debt ceiling until May. I voted for that bill because I didn't want to plunge the credit rating of this country or have the economy plunge into another recession. But that vote was just a short-term fix in what has been a series of short-term fixes. And short-term fixes no longer cut it when it comes to running the world's biggest economy.

Instead of thoughtful, long-term planning, we have contented ourselves with political sideshows. We've budgeted with continuing resolutions and held endless partisan committee hearings aimed at dismantling so-called job-killing legislation like the Clean Air Act. We voted 33 times to repeal all or part of the President's health care plan, and we attempted to balance the Federal Government's budget by zeroing out Planned Parenthood. That's not careful planning. That's tired political dogma.

In a famous speech about the Vietnam war, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, ``We are confronted by the fierce urgency of now.''

We again find ourselves in a conflict that threatens the political fabric of our Nation, the integrity of our institutions. We face a mountain of debt. We lack a comprehensive approach to climate change, energy, transportation, Medicare, Social Security, defense spending, immigration reform, gun violence, and even our postal system.

We need to find that urgency to get started on creating a sensible energy policy that confronts climate change and reduces our reliance on foreign oil.

We need that urgency to formulate a transportation plan so that States can address their crumbling infrastructure and local businesses can get back to work.

We need that urgency of now to reconfigure our security policy, making sensible cuts and fashioning a force that prepares us for conflicts of the future and not the past.

We need the urgency of now to make sensible changes to Social Security and Medicare to ensure the vitality of these programs for generations to come.

That urgency of now will reward us with more than a sensible energy policy, good roads, a smarter defense department, and sustainable social welfare system. We will be rewarded with a stable economy and reduced market volatility.

We cannot wait to act. We are borrowing 42 cents for every dollar we spend. We have to take sensible steps to begin reducing our debt without stepping on a fragile economic recovery. We have to take steps that are big, bold, and bipartisan. That's why I signed onto the Cooper-LaTourette bipartisan budget agreement that would have saved $4 trillion over 10 years, and that's why my office authored a comprehensive plan to reinvent government and save taxpayers $2 trillion over the next 10 years.

No, government is not perfect. But I believe we need to reinvent government, not eliminate it. Or, as Grover Norquist says, make ``it small enough to drown in the bathtub.''

Government is important. The heroes of 9/11 were government workers. Government teaches our kids; it protects us, keeps us safe, helps keep our air clean, and protects the less fortunate.

The Tea Party has this wrong. The objective should not be to destroy government through reactive draconian cuts; rather, we should collectively rethink and renew this institution that touches all of our lives.

I recognize that not everyone I serve with would agree on how to cut defense and adjust social programs to make them sustainable over time. That's the whole point. You have to compromise. Sadly, that's not in vogue these days. My colleague from Chicago, Congressman Bobby Rush, said it best when he observed, ``In Congress, the view of compromise is that the other guy gives in.''

It simply can't be that way. Until we end the bickering, political preening, and brinksmanship, the deadlock that has paralyzed our political process will continue.

As Lincoln said, ``It is not can any of us imagine better, but can we do better?''

And those words are true today. We have to abandon the dogmas of yesterday to fulfill the promise of tomorrow.

``We cannot escape history,'' he said. ``We of this Congress and this administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves.''

Despite this immense challenge that confronts us, I believe we will prevail. If we can summon that urgency of now, if we can end the bitter partisanship and poor planning; we can solve our Nation's problems and make a brighter day for ourselves and generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Police Officer Ralph Schauf Star Number 2829, on his recent retirement from his position as the Labor Liaison Officer in the Intelligence Section of the Chicago Police Department.

For the last 35 years, Officer Schauf worked to protect the citizens of the City of Chicago. Ralph began his career January 3, 1977 working in the 12th District Monroe Street. Over time, he worked in Special Operations Group and Gang Crimes North, the Intelligence Division with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, the 18th District Chicago Avenue, and the 17th District Albany Park. When he worked at the Education and Training Division, Ralph was the original ``Red Man'' in the physical skills section. He would put on a protective red suit and during scenario and control tactics training was the subject the recruits had to control and place in custody. He taught recruit

and in-service classes in a variety of subjects. While at the 17th and 18th Districts, he worked in Community Policing. In the 18th District, he worked with the Police Explorers and youth programs, and in the 17th District, he was the community and elected officials liaison for quality of life enforcement. He was on a leave of absence for about 2 years as an inspector at the Illinois State Police. Ralph concluded his illustrious career on November 16, 2012 in the Intelligence Section as the Labor Liaison Officer ensuring proper police service for organized labor activities.

His dedication to his fellow officers, his job and the city he loves is an example of why Chicago is known as ``The City That Works.''

Ralph would be the first to tell you that his family is his first priority, and they have provided support throughout his career. He has been happily married to his wonderful wife, Antoinette, for 15 years. His family also includes his son, Ralph Schauf, Jr., who is now a Trooper with the Illinois State Police, and his wife, Jennifer, his daughter, Adriane, and his granddaughter, Olivia Ruth.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding Officer Schauf's years of service to the City of Chicago and the Chicago Police Department, I hope that his dedication and hard work inspire us all to see the difference we can make by serving our local communities. I wish him a happy and successful retirement and all of the best in the future.

Mr. Speaker, last month the city of Chicago lost a legendary canoe-maker and conservationist. Ralph Frese, known as ``Mr. Canoe,'' got his first boat when he was just 14, and spent the next 50 years championing the conservation of Chicago-region rivers.

Starting in the 1960s, Ralph was active with the Clean Streams Committee, reporting waterway conditions, pollution and blockages to government agencies. In recognition of his efforts, he was inducted into the National Rivers Hall of Fame, and in 2007 a stretch of the Chicago River was renamed ``The Ralph Frese River Trail.''

Ralph is responsible for introducing thousands of people to the pleasures of paddling a canoe across Illinois' waterways and loved nothing more than sharing his knowledge with other would-be conservationists.

I once had the pleasure of canoeing down the Chicago River with Ralph and learned so much during our time together. More than anything, I left fully inspired by his love for the natural world around us, even in big cities like Chicago.

We will miss Ralph cracking jokes or sharing his stories on the river trail. But his environmental legacy will live on for generations, and for that we should be forever thankful.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because 40 years ago our Supreme Court determined that every woman has the right to decide whether or not to continue her pregnancy. While that ruling stands today, we must remain vigilant.

As we speak, anti-choice activists are working to erode that right, not only by making abortions illegal, but by making them unavailable. In 2011, a record 92 abortion-regulating laws passed in 24 states, imposing onerous waiting periods, invasive ultrasounds, and dangerous parental consent requirements--All in an effort to make such services inaccessible.

As President Obama said on Monday, ``while these truths may be self- evident, they have never been self-executing.'' Yes, abortion is legal, but we have to fight to ensure it remains accessible. The good news is, most Americans are with us. A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll found 7 in 10 Americans believe Roe v. Wade should stand.

On the 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade let's reflect on the rights we have won, and renew the fight to protect them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because in the coming week, most of us will sit down to a holiday meal with our families, friends, and loved ones.

And most of us will take this meal for granted.

But for 46 million Americans who rely on nutrition assistance, this holiday meal is not a guarantee.

The vast majority--more than 85 percent--of these 46 million Americans are living in households making less than $22,000 for a family of four.

And of those 46 million, half are children, and three-quarters are households that include an elderly person, a disabled person, or children.

For these millions of families, food is not a certainty, and they struggle each day to make ends meet.

Sadly, due to the recession, an increasing number of Americans have lost their jobs and been forced to turn to the supplemental nutrition assistance program, or SNAP.

As the number of unemployed Americans increased 94 percent between 2007 and 2011, SNAP increased as well, rising 70 percent to meet demand.

At the food pantries in my district, pantry visits have increased between 8 and 30 percent from last year. While the economy is improving, the number of individuals in need of assistance is still elevated.

Rather than cutting food assistance right now, we should be bolstering it.

Unfortunately, some members of this body have targeted food assistance, arguing it should be cut to balance the budget and avert cuts to defense.

The Ryan budget proposed cutting SNAP by $133 billion.

A cut of this magnitude would cut almost 10 million people off from food aid, or would result in a benefit cut of $90 per month for a family of four.

For a family with a net monthly income of $338--the average for most SNAP households--a $90 cut would be devastating.

I agree with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: We must reduce the deficit.

And that means raising revenues and implementing cuts.

But both revenue increases and cuts must be strategic, not simple.

The tax code should be simplified, tax expenditures should be scrutinized, and tax increases should be progressive.

Similarly, spending reductions should be based on a reexamination of what we need to remain competitive in a global economy.

For instance, we should continue to invest in education, job training, infrastructure, and yes food assistance to keep Americans successful and competitive.

We should cut outdated spending on defense expenditures, such as our out-sized nuclear stockpile and permanent troops in Europe.

We should also reform our entitlements, such as Medicare, by paying providers for outcomes and quality, combating waste and fraud, and demanding higher rebates from drug companies.

The truth is, food assistance comprises just two percent of the federal budget.

And contrary to the claims by the some that food assistance is unsustainable--SNAP is expected to drop from .52 percent of GDP in 2011 to just .3 percent as the economy recovers. This is hardly an unsustainable trend.

In fact, according to Moody's Analytics every $1 dollar invested in SNAP yields $1.72 in economic benefit.

As we speak, negotiators are sitting down to determine what a final deficit reduction package will look like.

I hope that as they debate the final deal, and look forward to spending the holidays indulging with their families, they remember the millions of families that aren't as lucky.

I hope they remember the millions of children, parents, elderly, and disabled Americans who rely on SNAP to avoid going hungry.

I recently had the privilege of volunteering at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which provides food to over half a million Chicagoans every year.

I met some of the folks who rely on SNAP and I heard their stories.

And I can tell you, they are not takers.

They are our friends and neighbors who have fallen on hard times and need our help.

I won't soon forget them, and I hope those crafting the deficit reduction package won't either.

Madam Speaker, Albert Einstein once said, ``The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.''

Madam Speaker, we have looked on and done nothing. We in this body, we in this Congress, we in this government, have done nothing, nothing to protect the innocent lives of 20 defenseless children gunned down in Connecticut last Friday. Nothing to protect the 87 people killed each day from guns across America. Nothing to stop the epidemic of senseless gun violence that plagues not only our major cities like New York and Chicago, but countless small towns throughout our Nation, towns with names like Newtown, Aurora, Tucson, Dekalb, Blacksburg, and Littleton.

In the nearly 4 years I've been a Member of this body, this House has not held a single hearing, not one, to address gun violence, while over 30,000 Americans die each year from gun violence, while over 400 lives have been lost to gun violence in my hometown of Chicago. People are dying every day, and we in this body have been afraid to even talk about it.

This crisis demands our action. The time has come for us to stop listening to the gun lobby and start listening to the American people. The fact is, the majority of Americans, gun owning and not, desire commonsense, reasonable gun regulations.

Congress must no longer stand in the way of reasonable regulation. Instead, we must champion it. The American people want to see background checks required on all firearm purchases instead of the fraction of sales that get them today.

Forty percent of U.S. gun sales are by private sellers who are not required to perform background checks. You can be a three-time convicted felon, a serial domestic abuser, severely mentally ill, or even on a terrorist watch list and still go to a gun show or go on the Internet and buy whatever gun you want.

The American people want to strengthen databases to prevent the mentally ill from buying guns. But over a million disqualifying mental health records are still missing from the national background check database. Ten States have failed to flag a single person as mentally ill in their database, and 17 States list fewer than 100 people.

Americans want to see the assault weapons ban reinstated and keep military weapons off our streets and large capacity ammunition clips banned to keep dangerous ammunition out of the hands of madmen.

Let's face it, when you put a 30-round clip in an assault weapon, you're not protecting your home, you're not hunting deer; you are hunting people.

We have hid from this fight for too long. For too long we have used politics and the Second Amendment to cover up our lack of action. Yes, the Supreme Court affirmed that we have a right to bear arms, but in that same

ruling, the Court made clear that right is not unlimited.

We do not, as Justice Scalia put it, have an unlimited right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever, for whatever purpose. Our individual right to bear arms is limited by our right, among others, to keep our children safe.

Any of those children could have been one of ours, and for 20 parents, it was.

We may not be able to stop every crime. We know that no single law or set of laws can prevent every act of senseless violence in our society, but we have the ability and the know-how to prevent many of them. We must simply find the courage.

We can no longer be bystanders to injustice. We cannot continue to look on and do nothing.

As Shakespeare said, ``The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars but in ourselves.''

We must act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise because whether you call it a fiscal cliff or a slope, there's no denying the environmental wreckage hitting a metaphoric ledge will have.

Under the sequester, the National Park Service would likely have to close national parks, campgrounds, and visitor centers. Under the sequester, widespread rural job loss, weaker wildfire management, closure of trails and campgrounds, poor maintenance of forest roads, unprocessed recreational permits, and greater invasive species growth is forecasted.

Under the sequester, $148 million would be taken away from the U.S. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program, which would be equivalent to cutting the solar energy program in half or equal to eliminating the entire wind and geothermal energy programs.

Fiscal cliff or slope, the environment knows no difference. We must act and act now.

Mr. Speaker, the impact that independent, locally owned businesses have on our communities comes as no surprise. The lasting economic, social, and environmental outcomes are essential to the growth and sustainability of our neighborhoods.

More than 7 years ago, a not-for-profit organization called Local First Chicago was formed with one purpose in mind: to educate citizens, community groups, and policymakers about the positive impacts of choosing locally owned businesses. It is a network of locally owned, independent businesses, community organizations, and citizens that has grown to more than 3,000 local business owners. Studies have shown that shifting just a small percentage of our shopping dollars to locally owned businesses could keep millions in our communities.

This is something to think about as the holiday season approaches. Instead of going to a chain, why not branch out and get your coffee at Safari cafe on Southport? Why not get a hot dog at Gene and Jude's in River Grove? Buy a few holiday gifts at a family owned shop as well.

Local businesses are what help build thriving communities. I am honored to have organizations such as Local First Chicago fighting for ours.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the exceptional work of an organization operating in my district called Pits for Patriots. This innovative program strives to save not just one life, but two.

The Chicagoland organization currently trains rescued pit bulls to become service dogs for veterans in need. In addition to helping our country's patriots, the program is committed to educating the public about the loyalty, devotion, and commitment of the pit bull breed. Their service dogs are trained to help improve a veteran's quality of life in their day-to-day activities, such as opening and closing doors, retrieving items, and assisting with mobility problems.

I had the honor of attending a training session and meeting a dedicated veteran, Sergeant Danny Randall, and his companion dog, Shiloh. After serving for 9 years in the Army, Danny felt an emotional disconnect between military and civilian life. Reentering the civilian workforce had been a difficult adjustment. Danny suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder, making it difficult for him to remain calm in large crowds or tight spaces. He is not comfortable sitting with his back to a door or window and feels stress when strangers enter his personal space. But Danny has found a way to help battle some of the aftereffects of war. Danny's medicine is in the form of a four- legged pit bull dog that goes by the name of Shiloh. Shiloh helps Danny to remain calm when going out in public and increases his comfort level and socialization skills.

Shiloh and other pit bulls do more than just facilitate the day-to- day lives of the recipients; they provide a sense of independence and unconditional love. For the veterans, caring for a companion animal can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment, while lessening feelings of loneliness, isolation, and depression.

There are over 22 million veterans in America today. And although the number of servicemembers being deployed in today's wars are fewer than in wars of the past, those returning from war are suffering from increasingly severe disabilities, such as traumatic brain injury, numerous amputations, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Over the past decade, the number of vets in need of disability compensation has more than doubled, from 600,000 in

2000 to over 1.4 million in the year 2011. As more vets return home from multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, the need for assistance will grow even greater. We must do all we can to support inventive programs such as Pits for Patriots that provide essential support and assistance to our veterans in need.

I want to end with the words of Sergeant Danny Randall, who said about his pit bull, Shiloh:

He truly gives me a reason to be successful. Shiloh gives

me a great sense of calm and balance. He is an amazing dog,

not just where he has been and what he's lived through, but

all that he has overcome. In that sense we are a lot alike,

and I believe that is why we have such a strong bond. We

truly do everything together, and I could not have asked for

a better pittie partner.

Let's make sure other veterans in need have access to the same program that has done so much to help Danny and Shiloh.

Mr. Speaker, an estimated 50,000 people die every year as a result of seizures. Some of these victims are youngsters like Danny Stanton. Chicagoans Mike and Mariann Stanton founded the Danny Did Foundation after their 4-year-old son, Danny, died from a seizure while he was sleeping. The foundation is dedicated to preventing deaths caused by seizures and raising epilepsy awareness among the public and medical community. That's no small task, but one brave 7-year-old is taking a courageous step to help raise awareness of epilepsy's dangers.

Nick Curley never met Danny, but Nick's cousin Jenny suffers from seizures. Nick has always helped out epilepsy charities in small ways, but felt the need to do something bigger. As an enthusiastic hockey player, he decided to combine his love for the sport and passion for charity to create ``100 Miles for Danny.''

The 7-year-old athlete visited 20 different hockey rinks in the Chicago area and skated 5 miles, or 50 laps, at each rink. His goal has been to raise money and awareness for epilepsy, as well as the Danny Did Foundation. I had the honor and pleasure to skate with Nick on two separate occasions. Not only is he an impressive skater, but his dedication to educating the public about the perils of epilepsy is extraordinary. Nick's determination and warm heart set a powerful example for all of us--one that I will not soon forget.

On Danny's first day of preschool, he told his teacher, I just want to learn. Like Danny, the foundation aims to educate the general public and the medical community about this misunderstood disease.

I admire the efforts of the Danny Did Foundation and heroes like Nick Curley, who truly enjoys life, just like Danny did.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the long and distinguished career of Terry O'Brien, President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

Terry will retire this November, after 24 years of exemplary public service to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC). Mr. O'Brien's integrity, along with his proven ability to be an effective leader, helped him to be elected President of the MWRDGC in 1997 for a two year term. As of 2011, he has been re- elected President eight times unanimously by his fellow commissioners.

Stemming from a long career in the environmental field, Mr. O'Brien has been able to bring extensive knowledge to enhance and streamline many of the tasks and responsibilities of the District at the least possible cost to local taxpayers. Further, based on his highest possible standard of public service and strong business sense, under President O'Brien's leadership, the MWRDGC is one of the few governmental agencies in the State of Illinois to have an AAA bond rating. This is a testament to his dedication to the citizens of the Chicagoland area to secure the highest possible return on investment. During his term as President the MWRDGC has abated over $262 million dollars back to the taxpayers of Cook County. In addition, Mr. O'Brien is an aggressive vocal advocate for maintaining the health of area residents by preventing pollution in Lake Michigan, local rivers, and streams. He has actively pursued continuous funding for the MWRDGC's Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP); this large undertaking captures sewer overflow before it can pollute the drinking water supply. Since TARP's implementation in 1985, over 950 billion gallons of combined sewer overflow have been captured that otherwise would have polluted the area waterways. The system's final tunnel was completed in May of 2006, making all 109 miles of tunnel operational during rain events in Cook County.

Mr. O'Brien spent seven years initiating the successful introduction and enactment of a flood reduction bill, which now gives the MWRDGC the responsibility of dealing with flooding and stormwater issues throughout Cook County. After many setbacks, the bill was passed on November 19, 2004 thanks in part to Mr. O'Brien's relentless efforts and determination. He also instituted the (800) 332-DUMP pollution hotline number for citizens to report illegal dumping of materials into sewers and waterways, enabling the District to take immediate action against these violators.

Mr. O'Brien's strong interest in promoting fiscally sound, and taxpayer sensitive policies and programs, has led to a fiscally sound agency and to his promotion of aggressive use of District real estate holdings that are not needed for corporate use, again proving his commitment to reducing taxes that the District levies.

President O'Brien's finest and most enduring legacy will be his leadership in bringing this once-troubled agency forward to become one of the most well-respected, fiscally sound and forward thinking public agencies in the nation.

It is with great pride and respect that we salute President O'Brien for his many years of exemplary public service and dedication to cleaning up our Chicagoland waterways and Lake Michigan and we will be forever grateful for your vision and stewardship. We wish you great good luck in your years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Terrence J. O'Brien and his service to the Chicagoland area. His tireless commitment and dedication will be missed, and I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because we can no longer afford to treat oral health as separate from general health.

The mouth is a part of the body, and dental care must be part of comprehensive care. Oral diseases and disorders can cause severe pain, malnutrition, and even death if left untreated.

But because oral care has long been excluded from comprehensive care, thousands of families and children are left without dental care. Twenty-two percent of all out-of-pocket spending in the U.S. is spent on dental care, and dental decay is the most common chronic childhood disease.

Our workforce loses 164 million work hours each year due to dental problems, and close to half of military recruits in 2008 were ineligible for deployment due to dental issues.

This is unacceptable. We can, and must, do better than this.

We must preserve funding for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, and fully fund the many oral health care provisions in Health Care Reform. The mouth is part of the body, and must be treated as such.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the long and distinguished career of Charles ``Charlie'' Michael. For over 40 years, Charlie has served as a soldier in the United States Army, as a contractor at the Department of Defense, and as a civilian in the Department of the Army.

Charlie began his career in the United States Army as military policeman in 1968, serving in Okinawa, Vietnam, and Washington, DC. After separating from active duty in 1972, Charlie attended Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA, and earned a Bachelor's Degree in psychology. Following graduation from Lycoming, Charlie began working as a Family Court Hearing and Enforcement Officer. During that time, he also enlisted in the Army Reserve.

In 1981, Charlie entered the Army Active Guard Reserve Program as an executive officer, and held other posts throughout the 1980s. In 1998, Charlie retired from the Army Budget Office as the Army Reserve Liaison at the rank of Major.

After retiring from active duty, Charlie became a contractor and supported the Army Reserve Operations Division until 2003. Later, he became Deputy Division Chief for the Programming and Resource Division where he spearheaded significant improvements in readiness levels for Army units and individuals.

I first met Charlie when he arrived in my office in 2009 as an Army Fellow. During his time with us, Charlie worked on legislation important to veterans like H.R. 4279, which would allow veterans to receive educational assistance on an accelerated basis if they met certain criteria. Charlie's most important contribution to this office, though, may well be the delicious Coca-Cola Cake that he loved to make and that we all loved to enjoy.

As he retires from his long and distinguished career, I am certain that Charlie looks forward to moving to South Carolina with his wife Diane, and spending more time with his family including his son Brian, his daughter Christine, and his grandchildren Kaitlyn, Paige, and Samantha.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Charles ``Charlie'' Michael and his service to this country in so many different capacities. It was an honor to have him work in my office. His tireless commitment and dedication to public service and the Armed Forces will be missed, and I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

Mr. Chair, it's like we're stuck in some sort of time warp--a Groundhog Day to end all Groundhog Days.

This House has voted 302 times to block action to address climate change, to halt efforts to reduce air and water pollution, to undermine protections for public lands and coastal areas, and to weaken the protection of the environment in other ways.

But, not everybody's got their head in the sand. Richard Muller, a physicist at the University of California, Berkeley, and a prominent climate change skeptic, recently announced a change in his stance on the issue.

``Call me a converted skeptic,'' he wrote this July. ``Three years ago I identified problems in previous climate studies that, in my mind, threw doubt on the very existence of global warming. Last year, following an intensive research effort involving a dozen scientists, I concluded that global warming was real and that the prior estimates of the rate of warming were correct. I'm now going a step further: Humans are almost entirely the cause.''

The debate is over. Climate change is real. But this bill ignores sound science, and would actually speed up climate change rather than slow it down. This bill, despite sound science, tells us that we should decrease ozone standards nationally, and increase the risk of skin cancer.

This bill, despite sound science, tells us that the new CAFE standards--supported by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the automobile industry, states and others--aren't worth the 2.2 million barrels of oil per day that would be saved; or worth the $1 per gallon consumer savings that would be achieved by 2025.

Denying climate science, eliminating the EPA's ability to reduce carbon pollution, killing the high-paying, long-term green industry jobs we're working so hard to create, endangering public health by allowing coal ash and mountaintop mining removal materials to pollute our valleys and streams--these are not new topics to this Congress.

These are all bills we've passed before, bills that have no hope in the Senate, no hope on the President's desk, and no hope to do any good for this country. What would be new is a solution-oriented policy discussion surrounding the extension of the Production Tax Credit, or PTC, which provides tax incentives for clean, renewable energy sources.

I oppose today's bill, as I've opposed these devastating measures in the past, and will continue to fight to bring the PTC successfully across the finish line.

If this so-called ``war on coal'' was really all about jobs, then we'd be leaving in place important rules like the Mercury Air Toxics Standard, which actually creates jobs, as do all of the rules that pertain to pollution controls--jobs in expert science industries.

But we've become so focused on repeal, repeal, repeal, that we fail to listen to utility and energy industry experts who tell us that their bottom line is being impacted by this fervor to eliminate rules and regulations for fair play.

We fail to listen to nearly 100 prominent economists--including Nobel Prize winners Joseph Stiglitz, Kenneth Arrow and Robert Solow--who tell us we've got the tools of job creation at hand.

``The Antiquities Act of 1906,'' these economic leaders wrote in a letter to the President last fall, ``would establish new national parks and monuments that can be one of the quickest ways to spur local hiring and build productive communities.''

When the Antiquities Act of 1906 was established, Teddy Roosevelt was fighting with Congress over the importance of preserving the Grand Canyon as a national park.

Way back when, the fight was whether to preserve the canyon or mine it for zinc, copper, asbestos and the like. Sounds a lot like today. A similar threat loomed over the Canyons this year, where international and domestic mining companies were clamoring for the rights to extract uranium from the nearby national forest.

That was, until the President and Secretary Salazar instated a plan to ban new uranium and other mining claims on 1 million acres of federal lands bordering the Grand Canyon for the next 20 years. It is my humble estimation that President Roosevelt would approve these efforts, and so do I.

``We regard attic temples and Roman triumphal arches and Gothic cathedrals as a priceless value,'' Roosevelt wrote. ``But we are, as a whole, still in that low state of civilization where we do not understand that it is also vandalism wantonly--to destroy or to permit the destruction of what is beautiful in nature, whether it be a cliff or forest, or a species of mammal or bird.''

Mountaintop mining, ocean acidification, epidemic rates of asthma-- this destruction of nature is economic destruction at best, and vandalism at worst. Land, water, air--our economy, our lives--they're all at stake today.

I oppose this bill, I oppose this sentiment to cast aside rules and laws that preserve and protect, and I ask my colleagues to join me in the fight for green, clean energy.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor my dear friend and colleague Congressman Jerry Costello.

For 24 years Mr. Costello has served the people of Southwestern and Southern Illinois with a will and determination I have long admired. As a member of the Illinois delegation, I have often looked towards his bipartisan work ethic and unique ability to reach across the aisle as a reminder of what can be achieved when lawmakers put the American people before themselves. Congressman Costello ``gets it.'' He's a man of character who has never lost sight of his ultimate purpose: to serve the people of Illinois' 12th District.

Mr. Speaker, Congressman Costello is also a man who has never shied away from working hard to make his goals a reality. After high school, he worked full time as a law enforcement officer in order to pay his way through college. He went on to serve his community administering the region's court services system, and in 1980 he was elected Chairman of the St. Clair County Board.

After proving his ability as a leader, the good people of Southwestern and Southern Illinois saw fit to send Mr. Costello to Congress in 1988, and he took his vision for a new regional Illinois transportation network to the national level. As a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he has worked tirelessly to expand transit, having championed the $670 million Mississippi Bridge between Madison County and downtown St. Louis. In addition, through his role on the Aviation Subcommittee, he helped pass some of the toughest aviation safety laws our country has seen in over half a century.

It is because of efforts like these that Congressman Costello has established himself as one of Congress' most effective members, someone who can be counted on to get things done. For the past 24 years the people of the 12th Congressional District of Illinois could rest easy knowing that Congressman Jerry Costello was working hard for them in Washington. His constituents, and those of us who have had the pleasure of working with him, know that if there is a tough task or issue to address, Jerry Costello is the person to see it through.

Mr. Costello has spent most of his life serving the public. He is admired by his family, district and his peers and rarely is there a member who has worked so well across party lines and accomplished so much during his time in office. I want to thank him for setting an ideal example that we should all strive for when we come to DC. It is part of the larger legacy he leaves in Congress, which will stay with many of us as we continue where he leaves off in working for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, Jerry Costello's presence in the halls of Congress will be sorely missed. I am proud to call Congressman Jerry Costello a friend and wish him all the best as he heads back to Illinois to seek new endeavors.