Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my appreciation to the House Democratic and the Republican leadership and to our colleagues in the Senate for the bipartisan effort that has produced timely, targeted, and temporary legislation to stimulate our Nation's slowing economy. I am also pleased that the legislation we are about to consider ensures that our Nation's senior citizens and disabled veterans are not left out of this worthwhile package.

Because of my concerns that the bill we considered last week did not include the low-income seniors and the disabled, I led the effort in the House to ensure that those who depend entirely on their Social Security checks were included in the final version of this legislation. I am very pleased that the Senate agreed and expanded the economic stimulus package to provide these Americans with much-needed relief. I urge my colleagues in the House to do the same.

Our Nation's seniors and disabled veterans are facing difficult economic times. For years, these men and women have been forced to survive on less and less as their costs continue to increase and their incomes remain the same. These Americans need cash rebates just as much as the individuals originally included in the stimulus package.

I am also pleased to see that the legislation we are about to vote on includes language that would ensure that illegal immigrants do not receive cash benefits that should only go to those who rightfully deserve it. This language mirrors legislation that I introduced in the House today.

Finally, the bill before us today contains an important provision that I helped to craft as the chairman of the Subcommittee of Capital Markets, Insurance and Government-Sponsored Enterprises. This reform will temporarily increase the conforming loan limits of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to enhance the liquidity of our mortgage markets. I support this short-term change.

Madam Speaker, once again, I wish to applaud the efforts of both the Members of the House and the Members of the Senate in crafting legislation that will spur our economy, provide rebates to those that need them most, and ensure that those ineligible for Federal benefits do not receive them.

Further, Madam Speaker, I have great pride today that the Congress of the United States could bring this most important legislation in this very short time in a very bipartisan way, and we should all have that pride as we vote on this package today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to applaud the President and the bipartisan House leadership for quickly coming to an agreement to stimulate the economy through legislation that is timely, targeted, and temporary.

The bill before us today contains an important provision that I helped to craft as the chairman of the subcommittee of jurisdiction. This reform will temporarily increase the conforming loan limits of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to enhance the liquidity of several local mortgage markets. I support this short-term change.

I would, however, also like to take the opportunity to encourage the Congress to expand the economic stimulus plan to include cash benefits for those citizens whose only source of income is Social Security. Our Nation's seniors and disabled individuals are facing difficult economic times. For years these men and women have been forced to survive on less and less, and their costs continue to increase and their incomes remain the same.

In my home State of Pennsylvania, home heating prices are up 19 percent in the last year. Gas prices are up 86 percent in 5 years. Food prices continue to rise. And seniors continue to struggle with high prescription drug costs. Low-income senior citizens and disabled individuals are forced to make terrible choices to try to cope with these realities. These Americans need cash rebates just as much as the individuals currently included in this stimulus bill.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I applaud the bipartisan effort that brought this economic stimulus package to the floor. We should also work to ensure that our Nation's seniors and disabled individuals are included in this worthwhile legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to recognize Robert C. Hay, CRB, e-PRO, GRI, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, for achievements in the real estate industry in Pennsylvania and his appointment as the 85th president of the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors' on January 15, 2008.

Mr. Hay has been active in the real estate industry for more than 28 years. At the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors', he chaired many committees and task forces including Grievance, Strategic Planning and the Convention Committee. Mr. Hay also served as a Realtors' Political Action Committee trustee for many years, and he is Federal political coordinator.

Mr. Hay served as president of his local association, the Pocono Mountains Association of Realtors', in 1982, 1983, and 1999. He chaired most committees in the association, and he was named Realtor' of the Year in 1982, and again in 2000. This award is given annually to a local member of the association in honor of his or her distinguished and unselfish service while displaying outstanding leadership, vision, and ability. Mr. Hay promoted the consumers' best interests in the real estate market while strictly following the code of ethics.

About 4 years ago, Mr. Hay created his own company, Bobhay.com Realtors', where he is the broker and owner. Because of the changing nature of the real estate industry, Mr. Hay saw the desire for home buyers and sellers to obtain real estate information through the Internet, and he created a real estate Web site.

Mr. Hay previously worked at RE/MAX before he decided to develop his own company.

Mr. Hay is also active in his community of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, and I cannot begin to calculate the number of hours that Bob and I have spent together while working on important community projects. In 2006, he served as the chairman of the board of the Pocono Mountains Chamber of Commerce. He continues to work diligently to try to restore the passenger rail service from northeastern Pennsylvania to New York City as the chairman of the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority.

On a personal note, let me mention how much I have enjoyed getting to know Bob and his wife, Beverly, over the years. They represent the community spirit that makes places like northeastern Pennsylvania great areas to live.

Mr. Hay is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He lives with his wife, Beverly, in Mt. Pocono.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Mr. Hay for his distinguished career in the real estate industry and his inauguration as the 85th president of the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors'.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2761, now known as the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007.

Terrorism insurance plays a critical role in protecting jobs and promoting our Nation's economic security. This bill will extend the terrorism insurance program for 7 years. This length is more than double the duration of the program to date. This length is also in line with my original position of a 6- to 8-year extension. Seven years is both long enough to provide greater certainty to the marketplace and short enough to encourage the private sector to develop our own solutions to the problems posed by conventional terrorism.

Importantly, the legislation eliminates the distinction between foreign and domestic terrorism. Terrorism, regardless of its cause or perpetrator, aims to destabilize the government. This change, therefore, has much merit, and the terrorism insurance program will now protect against these losses.

This Chamber has worked diligently and thoughtfully throughout this year on legislation to extend the terrorism insurance program. I am disappointed at the end of the day we are unable to incorporate some of the provisions that we initially agreed upon before. This final product, for example, fails to provide stronger coverage for nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological terrorism events. TRIA currently provides a backstop to insurers for these losses, but only if insurers cover the losses.

Our Nation needs to better plan for a potentially devastating act by NBCR means by putting in place an explicit program rather than an implicit promise now or a chaotic response later. Instead of taking action, as I would have preferred, the legislation before us requires a study and a report on the availability and affordability of insurance coverage for these losses. We will have a study. I look forward to it. I hope when we receive that study we will then get to work on this proposition.

Members of the Senate, however, have supported this provision, but it was not included in the final package, and that provision is the coverage for group life insurance. Nonetheless, I include this letter by four Members of the Senate, sent to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, for the Record.

U.S. Senate,

Washington, DC, December 12, 2007.

Chairman Christopher Dodd,

Senate Banking Committee, Dirksen Building, Washington, DC.

Ranking Member Richard Shelby,

Senate Banking Committee, Dirksen Building, Washington, DC.

Dear Senators Dodd and Shelby: The risk of terrorism is a

persistent and evolving reality that we will be required to

confront for many years to come. It light of this reality, we

greatly appreciate your efforts to pass an extension of the

Terrorism Risk Insurance Act before it expires.

Congress created the TRIA program in the aftermath of

September 11th to ensure the viability of our nation's

property and casualty insurance market in the event of

another catastrophic terrorist attack. Without reinsurance

through TRIA, these carriers could be forced to restrict the

availability of the coverage they provide, or face losses

that could undermine their ability to honor their policy

commitments. Unfortunately, our economy remains vulnerable

due to the current exclusion of group life insurance from the

TRIA program.

Nearly 170 million Americans receive nearly $8.3 trillion

in group life insurance protection through their employers.

For many, group life coverage is the only form of life

insurance they have. But because of the concentration of

employees at insured worksites, the companies which provide

group life coverage are especially vulnerable to the

catastrophic losses which could result from a terrorist

strike. In this respect, group life insurance resembles

workers' compensation insurance, which is a TRIA-covered

line.

Before September 11th, group life insurers were able to

purchase catastrophe reinsurance to protect against such

losses. Since those attacks, the decreased availability and

increased costs have made private reinsurance more difficult

to obtain.

We believe that the inclusion of group life coverage in

TRIA is prudent to ensure that life insurance benefits for

American workers are not jeopardized by a terrorist attack.

We understand and appreciate your efforts to secure a timely

extension of the TRIA program, and respectfully request your

support for inclusion of group life as the Senate resolves

its differences with the House on this crucial legislation.

We thank you for your consideration of this matter.

Sincerely,

Susan M. Collins.

Olympia J. Snowe.

Tim Johnson.

Ben Nelson.

U.S. Senators.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to recognize David J. Williams of Scranton, PA, for his lifetime accomplishments and his extraordinary contributions to the vaccine industry in the United States.

On January 16, 2008, after 30 years of service, David J. Williams will retire as the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Sanofi Pasteur.

Mr. Williams, born in Scranton, PA, received his accounting degree from the University of Scranton in 1973 and joined Connaught Laboratories in 1978 as the manager of financial services.

As a member of the executive team, Mr. Williams distinguished himself as a leader willing to make courageous decisions to build the vaccine industry, and he was named chief operating officer of Connaught Laboratories in 1989.

Mr. Williams successfully steered the company through several mergers and acquisitions. As an organization that began with just 100 employees and sales of just over $5 million in 1978, Connaught eventually merged with today's sanofi pasteur, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer with 11,000 employees and more than $4 billion in sales in 2007.

Under Mr. Williams' guidance, more than a billion doses of Sanofi Pasteur's lifesaving vaccines were administered to more than 500 million people around the world each year, representing more than 25% of the global vaccine market.

Mr. Williams encouraged innovation and he has been at the forefront of the development of many of the world's vaccines, including the world's first licensed conjugate and combination vaccines, vaccines to protect against meningitis and Haemophilus influenza type B, and most recently, a vaccine to combat avian influenza.

Mr. Williams recognized his company's ability to address current and future public health needs by investing in a robust research and development program and an ambitious production plan for pandemic preparedness in the event that a public health emergency strikes the United States.

Mr. Williams has been a visionary in the vaccine industry, building the domestic infrastructure necessary to protect millions of Americans from deadly diseases and showing a commitment to vaccines that goes beyond his own company to the broader industry and to public health around the world.

Mr. Williams, in his dedication to the larger immunization community, created the Vaccine Policy Committee of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and is a founding member of the Partnership for Prevention, a leading organization of public and private sector representatives who focus on preventative health care policies.

Mr. Williams served as the first liaison member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which sets immunization policy in the United States.

Mr. Williams also served on the board of directors of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and on the Board of Regents of the University of Scranton. He is also one of the founding Board Members of the Medical Education Development Consortium.

Mr. Williams cultivated a culture of community involvement at sanofi pasteur and demonstrated a commitment to philanthropy through the company's contributions to United Way and donations of vaccines through UNICEF, the Global Alliance for Vaccines Immunization, GAVI, the World Health Organization's Global Polio Eradication Initiative and various humanitarian relief efforts.

Mr. Williams has been committed to the economic growth and development of Northeastern Pennsylvania and to expanding the campus in Swiftwater to maintain a domestic manufacturing base for many vaccines, including influenza. Under his guidance, sanofi pasteur grew to become the largest private employer in Monroe County and a purchaser of over $145 million in goods and services from Pennsylvania-based vendors.

It has been a pleasure working with Dave over the years as his company expanded not only in Monroe County, but also in Scranton, his hometown. He has made an enormous contribution to his community, and on behalf of all my constituents, I would like to express my gratitude.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Mr. Williams for his distinguished career and extraordinary leadership as chairman, president and chief executive officer of sanofi pasteur and for his tireless efforts toward the advancement of immunizations and the eradication of vaccine preventable diseases.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Mr. Robert Uguccioni, who is retiring after an illustrious career with the Pocono Mountain Vacation Bureau where he served for more than 40 years as its executive director.

Mr. Uguccioni spent several years early in his life in the Lake Wallenpaupack region. After graduating from Hawley High School, he entered the United States Air Force where he served 4 years supervising a material control department in Japan.

Upon returning to the Pocono Mountains, he was hired as public relations director for the Lake Wallenpaupack Association and then the Pike County Tourist Promotion Agency.

In 1967, he became executive director of the Pocono Mountain Vacation Bureau which spans four counties including Monroe, Pike, Wayne, and Carbon and is the largest tourist promotion agency of its kind in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Uguccioni represents nearly 800 members and associate members in promoting the Pocono region as a travel destination. He represents the area nationally and on the State level working toward favorable tourism legislation, government-sponsored advertising programs for tourism as well as in all facets of the tourism industry affecting the Poconos and the State.

Mr. Uguccioni serves or served on a host of boards of directors of tourism related organizations and is a past president of the Pennsylvania Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus.

On the national level, Mr. Uguccioni is involved with the American Bus Association, the American Culinary Association, the American Hotel and Motel Association, the American Society of Association Executives, the National Tour Association, the Travel Industry Association of America, National Travel Marketing Task Force, the Federal Administration Tourist Advisory Council and he is a national member of the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Uguccioni for many years of service to the travel and tourism industry and in extending to him best wishes for a well-deserved retirement. Mr. Uguccioni's contributions to the travel and tourism industries have made a major impact on our regional, State, and national economies and have helped to create many job opportunities that have improved the quality of life in northeastern Pennsylvania as well as the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to former Pennsylvania Gov. William W. Scranton who is being honored as this year's recipient of the Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan Cornerstone Award.

This prestigious award honors an individual who best exemplifies the spirit, leadership and service of Msgr. Andrew J. McGowan as a catalyst for social, cultural and economic growth, and to promote the charitable ideals of philanthropy and collaboration in northeastern Pennsylvania.

The Monsignor McGowan Cornerstone Award was designed through the efforts of the nonprofit organizations throughout northeastern Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region that benefited from Monsignor McGowan's participation as a board member and a mentor for community improvement.

Governor Scranton has distinguished himself in so many ways throughout his eventful life.

In 1941 he interrupted his law school education at Yale to enter the United States Army Air Corps where he served as an Air Transport Command pilot during World War II.

Following the war, he completed his law school education and began private legal practice as well as participation in several businesses.

In 1959, he was appointed by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to serve as special assistant to U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. A year later, he ran and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from the 10th Congressional District of Pennsylvania.

In 1962, he was elected governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and, during his term, he signed into law sweeping reforms in the State's educational system including creation of the State community college system, the State board of education and the State Higher Education Assistance Agency. In addition, he created a program designed to promote the State in national and international markets and to increase the attractiveness of the State's products and services.

In 1967 and 1968, Governor Scranton participated in the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention and helped write a new constitution for the State.

Since then, he has served on the boards of directors of some of America's most influential companies including A&P, IBM, the New York Times, Pan American Airways and the H. J. Heinz Company. He also served as president of the Northeastern National Bank and Trust Company.

In 1976, U.S. President Gerald R. Ford named him U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations where he served with distinction until his retirement.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Governor Scranton for the contributions he has made to the northeastern Pennsylvania community he cherishes so much and to this Nation which owes him a profound debt of gratitude for his years of service and his remarkable achievements.

And let us also recognize the late Msgr. Andrew J. McGowan who labored tirelessly to improve the quality of life in his beloved community and to inspire others to share in the joy of service to mankind.

It is indeed fitting that the first Monsignor McGowan Cornerstone Award be presented to an outstanding Pennsylvanian who shares the same zeal for community service as the man for whom this award is named.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I've long said that predatory lending is a complex problem that requires a comprehensive solution. The adoption of my amendment will make this bill more complete.

This amendment is based on the Escrow, Appraisal and Mortgage Servicing Improvements Act, H.R. 3837, which the Financial Services Committee approved last week on a voice vote. In brief, this amendment would improve mortgage servicing, better escrowing practices, and enhance appraiser oversight.

I am pleased that several Members of both sides of the aisle have joined me to put forward this worthwhile amendment. This proposal also has the support of many outside of this Chamber, including the Appraisal Institute, the National Association of Realtors, the National Association of Mortgage Brokers, and the Center for Responsible Lending, to name a few.

While there are many components to this proposal, I would like to highlight three of its key provisions. First, it would mandate the establishment of escrows for those borrowers who meet certain tests to protect them from tax liens and costly force placed insurance. We have learned that the subprime borrowers are substantially less likely than prime borrowers to have escrows, even though they are more likely to need help in budgeting for these substantial expenses.

Secondly, the amendment reforms mortgage servicing by mandating swifter response times to consumer inquiries. This change ought to help ensure that those homeowners who need help in the coming months will receive expedited assistance from their mortgage servicers.

Third, the amendment would establish enforceable national appraisal independence standards with sufficient penalties. The appraisal field is one that demands reform, as evidenced by 90 percent of the appraisers reporting pressure to inflate values. Appraisals verify the value of the collateral for the buyer, the seller, the lender, and the investor. Protection from pressure is, therefore, vital.

Two other issues in this amendment that deserve mention today include the prompt crediting of payments by servicers and providing borrowers with timely access to all appraisals. Going forward, we will work to polish the wording of the former. We will also conform the language of the latter to the existing standards of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.

In sum, Mr. Chairman, my amendment should be part of the legislative response to improve lending practices and enhance accountability. I encourage every one of my colleagues to support this.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, may I inquire what time we have left.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Hodes).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).

I thank the ranking member and the ranking lady of the subcommittee. What a pleasure it was to work on this.

I want to say to all my colleagues that may be listening to our discussion today, this is a perfect example of how this House can find bipartisan support for a very complicated issue.

This amendment sounds like an amendment, but it's a 44-page bill standing on its own, which we are hoping to attach to Mr. Frank's bill so that we solve all of the major problems remaining that can be solved today and then move on to mitigation of loss in the future.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Mr. Neno Sartini, of Wilkes-Barre, PA, who is being honored for his many years of service to military veterans that stems from his unyielding love of country and those who serve to protect it.

Mr. Sartini graduated in 1948 from Plains Township High School. He subsequently enlisted in the United States Air Force and is a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He retired after 26 years of service with the rank of TSgt.

During his military service he was stationed in Greenland, Guam, Japan, and several stateside bases.

Mr. Sartini is a recipient of the Bronze Star, Republic of South Vietnam Medal of Honor, Army/Air Force Good Conduct Medal with silver clasp, Air Force Commendation Medal with silver clasp, and the Vietnam Campaign Service Medal with two stars.

In 1977, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the highest peacetime award given by the U.S. Air Force.

Mr. Sartini is a recipient of the ``Chapel of Four Chaplains'' Legion of Honor Award, the American Legion's William Brace Award for Public Service, and the American Spirit Award for patriotism and service to country.

Mr. Sartini has logged more than 2,300 hours of volunteer service at the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Medical Center over a period of 13 years.

He was a driving force in the creation of the Luzerne County Vietnam War Memorial that reposes on the south lawn of the county Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre.

Mr. Sartini has been a tireless advocate for all military service veterans and he has been an active member in the Italian American Veterans of Luzerne County where he served as commander. He served as vice commander of the Veterans of the Vietnam War Post 2 and is a member of the Korean War veterans of Luzerne County, Plains Township American Legion, Order of the Sons of Italy and Masonic Lodge, No. 61.

Mr. Sartini has been cited repeatedly over the years for his aggressive style of approaching all challenges, whether it be keeping military operating equipment in peak electrical condition and readiness; recruiting other young men and women for service in the United States Air Force; advising community leaders on important issues of the day, or volunteering his time and expertise to improve the quality of life in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Sartini. His love for this Nation and the men and women who have served in uniform to protect this land and the freedoms we enjoy as United States citizens knows no bounds. Clearly, Mr. Sartini has improved the quality of life for all with whom he comes into contact and, as such, he has earned our respect and deepest gratitude.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Scranton Tomorrow, an organization celebrating its 15th anniversary and whose mission it is to establish the city of Scranton as the premier urban center in northeastern Pennsylvania.

As part of Scranton Tomorrow's celebration, they are honoring their past presidents, who include Monsignor Joseph Quinn, Judge Terrence Nealon, Attorney Barbara Sardella, William Bender, Phil Condron, Glenn Pellino and Carlon Preate.

Scranton Tomorrow has launched several initiatives designed to fulfill its mission including Artspace, City Pride, the Lackawanna Riverfront Revitalization, First Night and support for the Scranton Business Alliance.

Artspace is a project designed to produce affordable space for artists to live, work, perform and conduct business while creating a sustained economic impact for the city of Scranton.

City Pride is an annual cleanup and beautification effort that showcases the extraordinary community pride underlying the effort to make Scranton a visually attractive city.

The Lackawanna Riverfront Revitalization project and the Downtown Heritage Greenway project involve a coalition of major stakeholders, including the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority, the Scranton Area Foundation, the Lackawanna River Corridor Association, the Scranton Office of Community and Economic Development, Lackawanna County government, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, as well as riverfront property owners. The stakeholders are committed to creating a master plan for the revitalization of the river corridor.

First Night is an initiative aimed at celebrating the arrival of the New Year in a safe and family friendly environment that features food, fun and entertainment and brings together the business and residential communities in a festive atmosphere.

The Scranton Business Alliance is a collective of more than 200 city businesses dedicated to improving all aspects of the central business district through solid economic management, strengthening public participation, and making downtown a fun place to visit. By building on the central city business district's inherent assets, rich architecture, a solid infrastructure, a core of financial, government, and human/social service outlets, and a firm sense of place, the Scranton Business Alliance aims to rekindle entrepreneurship, cooperation, and civic concern.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Scranton Tomorrow and those who have inspired it. Their zeal to return the city of Scranton to a prominent place in the region has captivated the imaginations of Scranton's citizens and has been an important catalyst for the renaissance Scranton is currently enjoying.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Seth S. Gross, who was named ``Man of the Year'' by the B'nai B'rith Amos Lodge No. 136 of Scranton, PA.

Mr. Gross graduated from Scranton Central High School in 1959 and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1962. After attending the College of Insurance, he worked for Chubb and Son in New York City before returning to Scranton to join his father, Abraham, his mother, Lillian and his uncle, Bernard Gross, in Gross- Brown Associated Agencies, Inc.

He remained associated with Gross-Brown until 1994, when it merged with Chamberlain Insurance. Mr. Gross continues to be associated with Chamberlain and Reinheimer Insurers, Inc.

He is a past president of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters and has taught classes for the CPCU designation.

Mr. Gross has served as president of many Jewish and community organizations over the years, including the Scranton Lions Club, the Lackawanna Audubon Society, Jewish Family Service of Lackawanna County, Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Temple Israel of Scranton and the Scranton Jewish Community Center. He is currently president of the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania and he serves on the boards of Jewish Family Service, the JCC and Temple Israel.

Mr. Gross previously served on the board of the Scranton Hebrew Day School and on the United Way allocations panel.

He has also worked on the Pennsylvania Film Festival/Scranton Tomorrow Committee and the First Night Celebration in Scranton. Mr. Gross was the recipient of the Scranton Jewish Community Center Young Leadership Award, its Man of the Year Award and its Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mr. Gross is married to the former Sheryl Jacobowitz. The couple has two daughters and three grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Gross. His contributions to the business and community sectors in Scranton and the northeastern Pennsylvania region have earned him well-deserved respect and admiration, which are reflected in this honor being bestowed on him by B'nai B'rith Amos Lodge No. 136.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute

to Mrs. Donna Doherty, this year's recipient of the Sam and Jane Cali Star Award presented by the Broadway Theatre League of NEPA in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Each year the award is presented to a distinguished community leader who has demonstrated exemplary dedication and service to the arts in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Named for the current president of the Broadway Theatre League of NEPA, Sam Cali and his late wife, Jane Nicolais Cali, the award is sponsored by the Fidelity Deposit Discount Bank and will be presented this year at the BTL's season opening gala on November 3.

Married to Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty, Donna Doherty has a long history of dedicated service in promoting the arts. In addition to serving on the board of trustees of the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Mrs. Doherty served as Scranton coordinator for ``Miles of Mules,'' an initiative of the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor that combined history and art, linking communities in eastern Pennsylvania.

Her long-standing enthusiasm for the arts is evidenced by the success of her numerous arts related community efforts. In 2001, Mrs. Doherty committed herself to ``Art and Jazz on the Ave,'' a project that showcased the energy, diversity and skills of the region's many artists. Using empty retail stores on a historically preserved block of downtown Scranton as gallery space, the event offered juried competition that included over 100 local artists. Accompanied by a street festival featuring local jazz musicians and culinary stylists, the event attracted the attention of thousands of people.

Mrs. Doherty has also served as co-chair of ``Arts in Bloom,'' a fund raising event that benefits the Everhart Museum. Mrs. Doherty is currently the owner of Heart to Art, a full service design and marketing company dedicated to building better communities through collaborative art experiences. Mrs. Doherty and her husband are the parents of six children.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mrs. Doherty on this auspicious occasion. Her selfless devotion to the arts has been an enriching experience for so many and has had a lasting positive impact on improving the quality of life for all who live and work in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Rev. Louis S. Garbacik, pastor emeritus of St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church in Hazleton, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, who will be the guest of honor at a celebration hosted by the Greater Hazleton Area Polonaise Society on Sunday, October 14, 2007.

Father Garbacik is being honored for his dedication and support of Polish tradition, heritage, and culture during his 53 years in the priesthood.

A son of Polish immigrants, Father Garbacik grew up in a loving home where his mother cared for the family while his father labored in the anthracite mines of northeastern Pennsylvania and also worked as a talented carpenter making and repairing violins.

Throughout his years as a parish priest, Father Garbacik has endeavored to educate his parishioners in the customs and traditions of Poland.

From numerous trips to the country of his ancestors, Father Garbacik has collected a variety of Polish artwork which he proudly displays in his church rectory and shares with all who express an interest.

Father Garbacik was honored when he met with the late Pope John Paul II, himself a native of Poland and the only non-Italian to hold the position of Pope since the 1520s.

Committed to teaching members of his parish about Polish spiritual traditions, Father

Garbacik routinely shares with his flock information about Polish worship services rooted in his ancestral homeland.

A humble man who enjoys the love and devotion of his parishioners, Father Garbacik demonstrates through his own life the true meaning of Christian love which leaves those whose lives he touches inspired and comforted.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Father Louis Garbacik and the Greater Hazleton Area Polonaise Society which has recognized the value of Father Garbacik's ministry.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to J.A. Reinhardt and Company, Inc., of Mountainhome, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, on the occasion of its 60th anniversary in business.

From humble beginnings in 1947, two brothers, Jack and Bob Reinhardt, from Brooklyn, New York, returned from military service in the United States Army to relocate to Mountainhome in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. There, armed with only a dream and a small bank loan, they began manufacturing engraved signs for local resorts and banks in the basement of the family home.

By 1950, the company had expanded to 2,400 square feet and was supplying components to major aircraft manufacturers. Over the next half century the firm would undergo dramatic growth to meet the needs of customers.

Today, J.A. Reinhardt and Company, Inc., is proud to be associated with some of the premier aerospace and high technology firms in the world. Now at 75,000 square feet, the company boasts such customers as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Harris and ITT, as well as clients as far away as Israel and Turkey.

Before Jack Reinhardt passed away, he witnessed the company he and his brother founded develop into a premier producer of precision machined and fabricated products.

Since this world-class company was founded in the entrepreneurial spirit that helped build this great nation, it has provided hundreds of people with an opportunity to earn family-sustaining wages.

J.A. Reinhardt and Company, Inc., has also generated business for its neighbors and has become a major force in the economy of the Pocono Mountains. All this because two young men were willing to take a risk six decades ago, were willing to work hard and were blessed with the ability to encourage the best from themselves and their employees.

The J.A. Reinhardt Company, Inc. has truly been a partner in the defense of the United States.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Bob Reinhardt and the late Jack Reinhardt for having the determination and fortitude to persevere so that the business they founded could survive and flourish and serve as an example to aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Robert C. Cordaro, Commissioner of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, who was named ``Man of the Year'' by the Lackawanna County Columbus Day Association.

Mr. Cordaro is a 1979 graduate of Dunmore High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society, senior class president and a first team all league football player where he held the position of linebacker.

He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Rochester in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in history. At the University of Rochester, he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. He also was a member of the first team academic All-America Football Team where he held the position of linebacker.

In 1986, Mr. Cordaro graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law.

Mr. Cordaro went on to work for United States Congressman Charles F. Dougherty, Republican, of Philadelphia, before becoming a practicing attorney.

He was a founder of Landmark Community Bank where he served as a member of its board of directors.

Mr. Cordaro is a partner in Cord Realty, the owner and manager of a diversified real estate portfolio.

Mr. Cordaro was elected to the Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners in 2000 and was re-elected in 2004 after which he was named to the chairmanship of that board.

In 2006, Lackawanna County was the recipient of the National Award for County Arts Leadership, a first for Pennsylvania counties due to a program established in part by Mr. Cordaro.

According to Americans for the Arts, an innovative Education and Culture fee was created to encourage and support artistic endeavors within Lackawanna County, revenues from which are used to fund regional arts assets as well as arts and education activities.

The Lackawanna County Commissioners dedicated funds from this revenue source to support the Scranton Cultural Center, the Everhart Museum and the Lackawanna County Library System. ``We believe that fostering arts and cultural activities is critical to our area's revitalization and growth,'' said Mr. Cordaro.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Commissioner Cordaro. His commitment to his community is reflected in the fact that he has been chosen for this distinguished award.