Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the World War II veterans from across the country who are traveling to Washington, D.C. with the Honor Flight Network, a program whose goal is to provide as many World War II veterans as possible the opportunity to see the World War II Memorial here in Washington, D.C., a memorial that was built to honor their courage and service.

The American veteran is one of our greatest treasures. The Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsman traveling here today answered our nation's call to service during one of its greatest times of need. From the European Campaign to the Pacific Asian Theatre to the African Theater, these brave Americans risked life and limb, gave service and sacrificed much, all while embodying what it is to be a hero. We owe them more gratitude than can ever be expressed.

I welcome these brave veterans to Washington and to their memorial. I am proud to submit the names of these heroes for all to see, hear, and recognize, and I call on my colleagues to rise and join me in expressing thanks.

Irwin L. Abelson, William Ahearn, Norm Albaugh, Frank Albert, William G. Anderson, George Anderson, Joseph Ansaldi, Dante Argenti, Charles Aschmann, Jr., John Bacik, Sr., Francis R. Bailey, William Banta, Ted Barnes, Benjamin Bauer, Irving Berge, Donald Bergeron, Leroy F. Berkebile, Carmine Biondi, George H. Bitting, Alfred Blake, Henry L. Blim, Eugene G. Bonetti, Edward Borucki, Francis L. Bouthiette, Edward A. Branning, Jr., George W. Briggs, Lionel Brindamour, Blair B. Brooks, George Brown, Carl Brown, Douglas Bryant, Eldon Burgess, Jack F. Bussert, Anthony V. Caggiano, Adone T. Calderone, Sam M. Calucci, Alex Campbell, James J. Carbone, James S. Cardone, Lloyd E. Carpenter, Henry C. Carroll, Edwin Cartoski, Bert L. Casagrande, Pasquale Cassetta, Charles Catyb, Albert Catyb, Carmine J. Cella, Salvatore Chiarelli, Salvatore A. Citrano, Harold Cohen, John J. Colleary, Russell N. Collins, Robert F. Colvin, Victor Coronella, William Coronella, Vincent F. Costello, Edward T. Coyne, Arthur A. Cozza, Don Cruse, Robert Curtis, Raymond D. Daniel, Robert L. Davis, Carl E. Davis, Ralph M. Day, Frank Dezenzo, Fred P. Dickinson, Russell E. Diefenbach, Joseph G. Doherty, James J. Donnell, Joseph E. Donnelly, Calvin B. Double, Gerard Doyle, Clifford W. Drumm, Charles du Moulin, O'Neal Duffey, Gordon R. Dunbar, William R. Elwinger, Alvin R. Engelhardt, Raymond J. Enser, Julius J. Erdos, Karl Esler, Peter Fabregas, Peter J. Fantacone, Edmond G. Farah, Mike Florio, Dennis Focas, John E. Franklin, Jerome Freund, Arthur G. Fulte, John Fulton, Paul Gaither, Albert F. Gallo, John R. Giarrusso, Monroe Glazer, James Goins, Edward V. Golien, Frank M. Gondela, Jr., Milton R. Gore, Albert P. Greenwald, Victor Grillo, Don Griswold, Vaclav S. Gursky, Edward A. Haas, Robert B. Hagerman, Howard E. Haines, Charles Hamblin, Richard L. Hamel, Milton S. Harrell, Calvin N. Hartz, William T. Hay, Eugene J. Henleben, Kenneth Herrington, Ivan E. Hertle, Lawrence Hickey, William F. Hill, Edward R. Hodgman, Jr., Charles Holdstein, William B. Howell, Elmer Hurt, Walter H. Ingham, James Inglis, Bart Ingoglia, Thomas J. Jarecki, Elbert I. Jaudon, Jr., Warren Jenkins, Otto Jensen, Frank F. Jurek, Joseph L. Keller, George Keys, Paul J. Kieffer, Victor F. Kilkowski, Robert D. Kistler, George A. Klein, Robert Knight, Christos A. Kourambis, John L. Kraus, Leo Kukiela, Lewis A. Kull, Charles Lafferty, James L. Lange, Carman Laspata, John P. Lauriello, James H. Leidig, Harold C. Levenberg, Lawrence J. Levy, Clifford Lewis, Walter Lightcap, Edward Lindstrom, Harry Lines, Joseph Locurto, Vincent J. Lombardi, Thomas A. Long, David Loree, Alfred Maccheronio, James D. Maniatis, Anthony A. Marchitelli, Robert M. Marraccini, George Martin, Joseph McGinnis, William McCarron, John W. McCormick, Elijah McKelvin, Marion F. Merrick, Robert Meyer, Richard Miller, Arthur Minichiello, Glen A. Mohler, Blasco Molle, Carl Montensen, John ``Jack'' Mueller, Thomas Murphy, Edward L. Norton, Paul E. Novak, Ed Novak, Felix A. Novelli, Dennis J. O'Keefe, Thomas J. Oliva, Raymond J. Olley, Frank H. Otremsky, Neil L. Pallante, Edlen C. Pearson, Edlen Pearson, Arthur Pendleton, Henry J. Pepe, Salvatore O. Perrone, Arthur Petterson, Clinton Phillips, Lawrence M. Pinto, Dale Pottorff, Edward D. Radbill, Ellenor Rennell, Samuel W. Revels, William Rimshaw, Charles F. Romano, Fred Rose, Philip Roston, Robert Roy, Glenn J. Royer, George W. Sarlitto, Glenn E. Sauers, Angelo N. Sauro, Lawrence Schechter, Herman F. Schult, Nick Schweitzer, Elliott Sears, Andrew Serrell, Burton L. Showers, Fred B. Simonson, Calvin L. Simpson, Daniel Siraco, William D. Sitman, Richard Skovira, William W. Sleezer, William Sligo, Emil Sliwa, Clarence Smith, Nicholas Smith, Kenneth W. Soderstrom, Frank T. Spero, Theodore W. Stathis, Gilbert Stead, Donald B. Stearns, Charles H. Stewart, John D. Stover, Shirley Sutherburg, Arthur J. Sutton, Morris B. Sweet, James B. Tedrick, William J. Toohey, Arthur P. Travis, William Tully, Richard L. Usinger, Frank G. Valentine, Earl N. VanDyke, John E. Vargo, Nicholas J. Velardi, Albert J. Vicarelli, Anthony Vieceli, Lowell R. Wagner, Nicholas J. Waters Jr., Richard E. Watkins, John H. Webb, Robert H. Wetter, Robert White, Cecil F. Wigmore, Raymond W. Wike, John C. Witty, Milton S. Wolchuck, James M. Zirakian, Leon Zochowski.

Mr. Speaker, the Constitution makes clear: Only Congress can declare war. While no one can dispute that we are at war, Congress has never been asked to make this declaration.

I disagree with the Congressman from Ohio's policy position; to leave Afghanistan at this moment would undermine our national security and imperil our troops. However, the War Powers Resolution is an important check on unfettered executive authority.

It is worth remembering the period in our Nation's history during which this act of Congress was passed. In 1973, during the height of the Vietnam War and following the Gulf of Tonkin, Congress overrode a Presidential veto to pass this measure into law. It did so because it was concerned with the erosion of congressional authority to decide when the United States should become involved in a war. While Vietnam was a very different war, the frustration felt by the American public and Members of Congress at that point in time is similar to that of today.

In overriding a presidential veto and passing the War Powers Resolution, Congress was reclaiming a critical responsibility the Founding Fathers had granted to it: that such a declaration would be a product of robust discourse, one in which our leaders would identify the nature of the threat posed by our enemy, define the objective of the mission before us, and fully weigh the prudence of sending our troops into harm's way.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Elmwood Park resident Gene Schultz on his sterling driver- safety record and subsequent induction into the United Parcel Service Circle of Honor. Gene's induction commemorates 25 accident-free years as a UPS delivery driver. Gene's accomplishment is especially impressive when we consider that his job requires him to be behind the wheel of a truck for many hours each week.

Gene grew up as the 14th of 15 children in Chicago's Galewood neighborhood near Harlem and Grand Avenues. He has lived with his wife Theresa in Elmwood Park for the last 11 years. Mr. Schultz serves as a model for responsible driving in the city of Chicago and deserves commendation for his consistent safety record. It is with great pride that I recognize Gene Schultz for his contribution to the safety of Chicago's roadways.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the anniversary of an important milestone in our shared cultural history.

December 17, 2009 marked the 20th anniversary of the debut episode of ``The Simpsons.'' The Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs the show, spent the entirety of 2009 commemorating this milestone, and ended the celebration on January 10, 2010 with an hour-long special.

In 1989, Fox took a chance and gave ``The Simpsons'' creator Matt Groening an opportunity to produce a half-hour primetime animated show for the network.

Since then, the program has become world renowned. It has been honored with 25 Primetime Emmy awards, a Peabody award, and was named the 20th century's best television series by Time Magazine.

It holds the distinction of being the longest running American animated program, the longest running American sitcom, and the longest running American primetime television program. In 2007, a feature- length film entitled ``The Simpsons Movie'' was released to worldwide box office success.

While the show is renowned for its cultural references, it has achieved a cultural iconic status in its own right. A testament to this is the addition of ``Doh,'' a frequently used exclamation of the show's lead character Homer Simpson, to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2001.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate ``The Simpsons'' on its milestone, and I thank creators Matt Groening, James L. Brooks and Al Jean for the many years of laughs and the many more to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a fallen hero of Chicago, police Sgt. Alan Haymaker. Alan was killed in the line of duty Sunday night in a tragic car accident while responding to a burglary call. A husband and father of three, Alan was just 56 years old.

Alan was a third generation police officer, but before he was an officer he was a man of the cloth. A graduate of both the Moody Bible Institute and Trinity Evangelical University, he spent the early part of his life as an associate pastor at an evangelical church on the Northwest Side. In 1988, he traded in his robe for a badge, but his faith made him a different kind of police officer.

Alan's commitment to his community never wavered for an instant after he changed career paths. He stood out for letting neighborhood meetings run sometimes hours long just so he could hear from everyone in the room. Twelve years ago he was promoted to Sergeant, where he mentored countless young officers ensuring that Chicagoans will benefit from his counsel, service and wisdom for years to come.

Today, I offer my deepest sympathy and most profound condolences to the Haymaker family and anyone who ever knew or worked with Alan and grieves his passing. Portage Park and all of us in the 5th district have lost one of our finest. May Sgt. Alan Haymaker rest in peace.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Congressman Charles Wilson, who passed away on February 10th, 2010. Representative Wilson was a great statesman who served the 2nd Congressional District in Texas from 1972-1996.

Charles was born in a small town in Texas, where he developed a deep sense of pride as a Texan and a strong dedication to the American way. As a young man he served in the United States Navy where he rose through the ranks and was given the privilege to serve as part of a Soviet Union nuclear intelligence unit based out of the Pentagon. While serving in the military, 27-year-old Charles was able to effectively run for and win the office of State Representative in his native Texas. This began a 12-year political career in Texas that earned him the nickname ``liberal from Lufkin''.

In 1972, Wilson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he became most recognized for his role in the dismantling of the communist Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan. He deeply believed in the sovereignty of the Afghani people and was able to use his influence on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense to help provide the funding for their liberation. Although the media has primarily focused on his accomplishments abroad, Charles always maintained Lufkin, Texas as one of his number one priorities. Some of his greatest domestic accomplishments include the creation of the 100,000-acre Big Thicket National Preserve and the Lufkin VA Hospital.

Madam Speaker, Charles Wilson was a political giant who brought his Texas-sized gusto for democracy and his passion for serving the American people to our Nation's capitol. He will be greatly missed not only by his wife and sister, but by the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Congressman John Murtha, who passed away on February 8th, 2010. Representative Murtha was an exemplary leader and an American patriot.

Born into an Irish-American family, John left college in 1952 to join the Marine Corps. Here he would begin his course in leadership, becoming a Marine Corps drill instructor. His military career not only led him to receive a degree from the University of Pittsburgh, but also placed him on the front lines of service in the Vietnam War. During this time, he was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor device, two Purple Hearts, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

In 1974 John was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and had an extraordinary 36 year career, obtaining the distinction of Pennsylvania's longest serving Congressman two days before he passed. A fiercely independent-minded public servant, John strived for bipartisan solutions to our nation's struggles. He had no fear of partisan attacks and as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee he courageously spoke out against the Iraq War. His fearless calls for the withdrawal of American forces in Iraq, in the face of strong partisan confrontations, earned him the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.

I thank John for his service to our nation. I extend my deepest sympathies to John's wife Joyce, his children Donna Sue, John, and Patrick, and his grandchildren in this difficult time. John was a tremendous public servant who exemplified the spirit of America. He will be greatly missed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Chicago-native Shani Davis on his two speed skating medals at this year's Winter Olympics. Shani defended his 2006 gold medal in the 1000m and skated to a silver medal in the 1500m. He became the first man ever to win consecutive golds in the 1000m.

Born on Chicago's South Side, Shani overcame long odds to become the first African American to win an individual winter Olympics medal. His unique and historic story has inspired millions of Americans across the country and led to the founding of D.C. Inner City Excitement, a program that introduces Washington, D.C. youth to the sport of speed skating. It is an honor to recognize his remarkable road to glory and honor his groundbreaking career.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Evan Lysacek on winning an Olympic gold medal in men's figure skating. Evan skated a breathtaking routine in both the short program and free skate to reach the pinnacle of his sport on its greatest stage. All of us in the Chicago area are proud not only of what he has accomplished but also the way he has represented himself, his family, the state of Illinois and all of the United States.

Born in Chicago and raised in Naperville, Evan attended Neuqua Valley High School, where he graduated with honors. In Vancouver, he became the first American man to win gold in figure skating since Brian Boitano in 1988. Evan was the U.S. Champion in 2007 and 2008 and World Champion in 2009, but did not skate his best at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, finishing fourth. His story of triumph and redemption is one we can all learn from. I wish Evan the best of luck in his figure skating career and beyond, and am so proud to recognize him today.

Mr. Speaker, today I had the honor of speaking with Chicago Firefighter Annette Nance-Holt and Chicago Police Officer Ronald Holt.

On May 10, 2007, their 16-year-old son Blair was shot and killed when a gang member opened fire on a crowded city bus. Blair jumped in front of another student to shield her.

When the child of two public servants gives his life to save another child from the scourge of gun violence, I have to ask, What are we prepared to do for these kids?

Over 500 Chicago public school students were involved in gun incidents over the last 2 years. That is two students for every Member of this House who signed a brief urging the Supreme Court to put even more guns in Chicago's streets and schools.

This Congress has allowed unlicensed gun dealers to sell guns at gun shows to people on terrorist watch lists and refuses to reauthorize the assault weapon ban. Congress has failed to hold the middle ground on guns.

Blair Holt was willing to take a bullet to protect a stranger. Is it too much to ask this House to take a tough vote to protect our kids?

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extensive and distinguished career of Janice Gould. She has been a teacher and a vital part of the Chicago community for 35 years.

Ms. Gould teaches art at Lawrence Hall Youth Services, a school that treats, educates and provides a home to at-risk youth. Using the power of art, she shows her students that great accomplishments are possible. Her former students have participated in and won national art competitions and the Chicago City Clerk vehicle sticker contests.

Ms. Gould herself has a long list of special honors and awards. She received the Kohl International Teaching Award, the Golden Apple Teaching Award and the Exceptional Teachers Award, as well as being a member of the National Teachers Hall of Fame. She and her students also started the ``Permanent Children's Art Collection'' for the Illinois State Board of Education, an exhibit designed as a reminder of what special-needs children can accomplish and create when given the ability to blossom.

Under Ms. Gould's guidance, troubled youth can transform into self- confident, competent young men and women. When most aspects of their lives have shrouded them in darkness, her art classes provide them the environment to develop their artistic talents and shine.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Janice Gould and her extraordinary career, and thank her for her many outstanding contributions to the City of Chicago and its youth. Her passion and dedication serve as an example for us all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the success of Northside College Preparatory Academy, recently named number one high school in Illinois based upon its students scoring in the highest average percentile on the Prairie State Achievement Examination.

Led by principal Barry P. Rodgers and assistant principal Dr. Margaret E. Murphy, Northside Prep has worked tirelessly since 1999 to help foster student values. The school teaches students that vital leadership skills, critical problem solving skills, a passion to learn, and the ability to balance all these attributes are tantamount to a successful adult life.

In addition, Northside Prep helps its students further explore their individual interests and heritages by offering an array of extracurricular clubs that cater to various hobbies, nationalities, and human rights issues. Northside Prep has shown that focusing on developing a well rounded student, can and does improve the education they receive, something evidenced by their recent success on the Reading, Science and Math achievement tests.

Madam Speaker, for these reasons, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the important contributions that Northside College Preparatory has made in shaping and educating Chicago's youth, and in enriching the communities surrounding it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Chicago Chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights, AVER, an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, on the occasion of the City of Chicago's annual Salute to LGBT veterans.

Founded in 1992, the Chicago Chapter of AVER provides support to LGBT veterans in the Chicago metropolitan area. Members of AVER have served in every war from World War II to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Each year, AVER members march in Chicago's Memorial Day Parade and in Chicago's Gay Pride Parade. By doing so, AVER members bear witness to the fact that gay and lesbian Americans have served throughout our history to defend the United States in time of war and to preserve our freedoms and democracy.

AVER fights not only for LGBT veterans but also for gay and lesbian soldiers currently serving in our Armed Forces, especially those who are in harms way in Iraq and Afghanistan. AVER members travel to Washington every year to lobby members of Congress for an end to the ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy.

For 15 years, AVER has fought against this detrimental policy that requires gay and lesbian service members to deny who they are and to lie about their lives. Our democratic allies--from the United Kingdom to Israel--allow gay and lesbian soldiers to serve openly without any adverse effects on military preparedness or morale. This is the basic fairness and justice that AVER seeks for gay and lesbian American soldiers.

Madam Speaker, I also want to recognize Jim Darby, the founder of the Chicago Chapter of AVER and a Korean War veteran. Jim served in the Navy as a Russian-language specialist. Along with all the other AVER members, Jim has fought tirelessly to educate the general public and the Congress about the plight of LGBT veterans and active service members. What AVER seeks is what we should all seek: respect and honor for all those who have served and who are serving the United States of American through our Armed Forces.

Madam Speaker, every day families across the country make sacrifices to stay within their household budgets. They know you can't spend what you haven't saved. But for the past decade, Congress has failed to grasp that simple premise. That failure has led to what the President has aptly described as a deficit of trust. It's hard to govern when you don't have the public trust, and it's hard to borrow when you have lost the trust of world markets.

During the 1990s, PAYGO forced Members to make hard decisions. However, PAYGO rules were waived in 2001 on the theory that we could pay for two wars with two tax cuts. Today, thanks to years of hard work by the Blue Dogs, we're taking the first step to win back the public trust.

Madam Speaker, today I am a Blue Dog.

Mr. Speaker, this week, the President unveiled his 2011 budget, along with the promise to cut nonsecurity discretionary spending for 3 years. I actively support the President's initiative to rein in spending and to tackle our ever-growing deficit. However, the President and Congress must go further. In order to understand our next steps, we must understand how we got here.

Eight years of fiscal irresponsibility, a blatant disregard for pay- as-you-go budgeting, and sky-high tax cuts have left us with a debt that is over 50 percent of GDP. To add insult to injury, we work in a town that thrives on pet projects and individually directed spending. We recklessly spend on defense projects that are intended to keep us safe--the government's number one duty--but actually help make us vulnerable and that are often untested and ineffective. In a March, 2009, GAO report assessing selected weapons programs, researchers estimate that cost overruns totaled nearly $300 billion. GAO continued to recommend that DOD move towards sound, knowledge-based acquisitions.

The President should continue on this path toward reform spending by recommending cutting programs like expensive warships, planes, and flawed missile defense systems that don't help in the fight against terror. Congress must also reassert its constitutional right to provide for the common defense by denying money to produce any weapon before it is thoroughly tested. If we are smart with our dollars, we will not only be safer but we will be stronger.

We're fighting two wars while simultaneously attempting to reassert our power as a global economic influence. Now is not the time to pick and choose where we cut our spending. Now is the time to reinvent, streamline, and reform the way we do business in Washington. Now is not the time to protect sacred cows. Nothing should be beyond our scrutiny. Now is the time to subject tax expenditures to budget discipline. I agree with the President that we must extend middle class tax cuts, but end the support for those making over $250,000 a year. And we must refocus domestic spending so that our number one priority is job creation.

Next month, the Secretary of the Treasury will submit to Congress and the President an audited financial report for the U.S. Government. Similar to those required of publicly traded companies, this report projects our unfunded liabilities, or the present value of future expenditures in excess of future revenues. This report helps us understand the true expense of promising to pay Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits at some future moment, even if no cash is disbursed today.

The 2008 report projects our unfunded liabilities at $56 trillion. Our large and growing deficits continue to increase government debt levels as a percentage of GDP to unprecedented and unsustainable heights. The most troublesome and crippling outcome of all, however, is that in this process of unethical and unabashed spending we have lost the public's trust. Without this trust, we simply cannot govern.

Tackling this deficit of trust must be our first priority. ``Let's try common sense,'' the President said. ``Let's invest in our people without leaving them a mountain of debt. Let's meet our responsibility to the people who sent us here.'' Our responsibility, then, is to take the more difficult road--the road that includes reform, the road that includes reinventing government, and the road that includes the Members of this House leading by example.