Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to James J. Haggerty. Esq., recipient of the 2008 Governor Robert P. Casey Medal for a Lifetime of Service presented by the Neighborhood Housing Services of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.

For more than a quarter of a century, the NHS has faithfully served the greater northeastern Pennsylvania community by empowering individuals and families through home ownership, education and promotion, property rehabilitation and affordable lending. This work has resulted in thousands of educated homebuyers, over a hundred improved properties, and millions of dollars worth of investment into local neighborhoods.

NHS, as part of a national network of more than 230 community-based nonprofit organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, has created home ownership for lower income families, produced and managed affordable, high-quality rental properties, stemmed the tide of foreclosures that threaten to destabilize neighborhoods and local economies and helped to revitalize and strengthen neighborhoods.

Named as a tribute to the late Pennsylvania Governor Robert P. Casey, this award is intended to acknowledge the efforts of individuals who have faithfully invested their time and talents to the betterment of the quality of life in northeastern Pennsylvania and, equally as importantly, to allow others to learn from their service.

As a former Secretary of State for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, James J. Haggerty has a dedication to public service that is the hallmark of his professional life.

Attorney Haggerty served as general counsel to his friend, Governor Robert P. Casey and steadfastly advanced their shared values for the betterment of the common good in the civic arena.

He is a highly accomplished businessman, community leader and man of the law, though topping the list of his many accomplishments is that of devoted family man. As a father of seven and the grandfather of 12, his unique pride of heritage, ethic of service and spirited wit has been deeply instilled in his family and will no doubt continue to have a positive impact on the region for generations to come.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Attorney Haggerty on this auspicious occasion. His example and commitment to service is an inspiration to all whose lives he has touched.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Jeanne Bovard, recipient of the 2008 Governor Robert P. Casey Medal for a Lifetime of Service presented by the Neighborhood Housing Services of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.

For more than a quarter of a century, the NHS has faithfully served the greater northeastern Pennsylvania community by empowering individuals and families through home ownership, education and promotion, property rehabilitation and affordable lending. This work has resulted in thousands of educated homebuyers, over a hundred improved properties and millions of dollars worth of investment into local neighborhoods.

NHS, as part of a national network of more than 230 community-based nonprofit organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, has created home ownership for lower income families, produced and managed affordable, high-quality rental properties, stemmed the tide of foreclosures that threaten

to destabilize neighborhoods and local economies and helped to revitalize and strengthen neighborhoods.

Named as a tribute to the late Pennsylvania Gov. Robert P. Casey, this award is intended to acknowledge the efforts of individuals who have faithfully invested their time and talents to the betterment of the quality of life in northeastern Pennsylvania and, equally as importantly, to allow others to learn from their service.

Ms. Bovard is a special friend to northeastern Pennsylvania. As executive director of the Scranton Area Foundation, she has provided dynamic leadership to an organization that has served this community as a catalyst for change and as a vital convener of diverse groups passionate about community action.

Throughout her career, she has overseen direct and measureable improvements to our region's health. education, arts, environment, human services and civic affairs.

Although she consistently and humbly credits the foundation for its remarkable success, it is widely known that it is her own kindness, intelligence, compassion and love for this community that have been the key ingredients to its amazing impact on our region.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Jeanne Bovard on this auspicious occasion. Her example and commitment is an inspiration to all whose lives she has touched.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the amendments to H.R. 3221, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, which the House is considering today. This urgently needed legislation makes a number of surgical reforms to help address the problems we are currently facing in our Nation's housing markets.

In particular, I am pleased that one of the amendments that we will consider today contains H.R. 5579, the Emergency Mortgage Loan Modification Act of 2008. I have worked with the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) to refine his original proposal and introduce a new bill. We also held a productive hearing on H.R. 5579 before the House Financial Services Capital Markets Subcommittee and made a number of revisions to the bill before bringing it to the floor today.

During the hearings on H.R. 5579 and throughout its legislative development, I have been clear about the intended goals of this legislation: to provide servicers a safe harbor from investor lawsuits. Servicers, in turn, would have to meet prescribed duties and enter into a ``qualified loan modification'' or ``workout plan'' which the legislation defines. It is my firm belief that with such an arrangement in place, servicers will more readily assist troubled homeowners and will have more tools at their disposal to prevent defaults and foreclosures.

Moreover, I would like to be clear about what the bill does not intend. H.R. 5579 does not intend to create a statutory preference for loss mitigation activities generally, nor does it limit the ability of servicers to pursue the full scope of available options. In drafting this legislation we sought to create a bill that honors the terms of existing contracts while at the same time recognizing that foreclosure is not in the best interests of the investor or borrower.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, Americans have been hit hard both by the current housing crisis and by the broader credit crunch. We can delay action no longer. I therefore urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3221, and especially the incorporated language from H.R. 5579.

Parliamentary Inquiries

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Mr. Austin J. Burke, president of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, recipient of this year's Americanism Award from B'nai B'rith Amos Lodge 136 in Scranton.

The Americanism Award honors outstanding community leaders for their dedicated public service. Mr. Burke was selected for this honor by past Americanism Award recipients and representatives of various service and community organizations including the United Way of Lackawanna County, Scranton Rotary and Lions Clubs and UNICO.

Mr. Burke has worked in the community development arena since 1972. He was named president of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce in 1981. At the Chamber, he has worked with area leaders to craft responses to community needs with programs like Skills in Scranton and Leadership Lackawanna. Throughout the country, Austin is recognized as one of the most successful economic development leaders, and we are indeed fortunate that he chose to dedicate his career to serving Greater Scranton.

He was an incorporator of Montage Mountain Inc. and worked to bring Steamtown National Historic Site to Scranton. He has participated in national convocations including the White House Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber Business Civic Leadership Conference and the American Assembly: Retooling for Growth.

Mr. Burke is also a board member of the International Economic Development Council, Commonwealth Financing Authority and the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority.

He is the chairman of the Lackawanna County Workforce Investment Board, a past chairman of the Scranton Area Foundation and a member of the board of trustees of Marywood University. He is also a former trustee and chairman of the Facilities Committee of the University of Scranton which awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1998.

A veteran of the United States Air Force, Mr. Burke received his bachelor's degree in economics from Dickinson College where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He is a graduate of the Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management.

On a personal note, let me express my appreciation for the extraordinary friendship that Austin has extended to me over the years. I am grateful for his partnership in service to Northeastern Pennsylvania.

A resident of Archbald, PA, Mr. Burke resides with his wife, Marianne.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Burke on this auspicious occasion. Mr. Burke's extraordinary contributions to his community have earned him a reputation as a leader among leaders and his efforts have greatly improved the quality of life throughout the northeastern Pennsylvania region.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my distinguished colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Anna Cervenak and Max Bartikowsky, recipients of the Anti-Defamation League's Distinguished Community Service Award.

This award is presented to persons who are dedicated champions of human rights and have distinguished themselves by civic, philanthropic and other extraordinary activities.

Max Bartikowsky was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. His celebrity began at an early age, being the impish inspiration for a shoeshine boy character called ``Little Max'' created by the famous cartoonist, Ham Fisher, who originated the ``Joe Palooka'' comic strip once syndicated in over 900 newspapers nationwide. Fisher was also a native of northeastern Pennsylvania.

Bartikowsky graduated from Wyoming Seminary after which he attended the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and Wilkes College. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1951 to 1955. He went on to complete the Gemological Institute of America's Diamond Grading Class after which he took an active role as the third generation in the Bartikowsky family jewelry business. Today, he is president and CEO of Bartikowsky Jewelers, currently celebrating 121 years in business.

Bartikowsky has been especially active with the Jewish Community Center (JCC) where he has served as president, a member of the board of trustees and the board of directors. He is a supporter of the JCC's Fitness Center, JCC Camp, JCC Basketball Banquet and the JCC 5:30 Club.

He also serves on the board of Temple Israel where his grandfather was the first president in 1924. He is a past president of the Wilkes- Barre Lions Club and Jewish Family Services and has been a member of Masonic Lodge 655, Caldwell Consistory, and Irem Temple for 50 years. He is also a supporter of Wyoming Seminary.

Bartikowsky has been honored by the Knights of the Saber, JCC 5:30 Club, Wyoming Valley Family Service Association and the Jewish Family Service. He was also featured in articles in the Outlook and Pennsylvania Heritage magazines.

Anna Cervenak graduated from Forty Fort High School and College Misericordia where she earned a bachelor of social work degree. She went on to Marywood University where she earned a master's degree in social work. A member of Alpha Sigma Lambda, Social Work Honor Society, she was elected to Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Cervenak started her career at Bell of Pennsylvania while still in high school. She worked as an operator, in engineering, employment and as the company's public speaker. When she retired from Verizon in 2007, she was Director of Community Relations/Public Affairs.

A past president of Junior Achievement, she is currently a member of its board of directors. She is also a member of the board of directors of Penn's Northeast, Great Valley Technology Alliance, Pittston Chamber of Commerce, Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry, Athena Award Committee, Victim's Resource Center, Catholic Youth Center, Catholic Social Services, King's College President's Council, Luzerne County Community College Foundation, Penn State-Wilkes-Barre, Step-By- Step, Boy Scouts of America, Blond Association, Circle 200 and the Mountain Laurel Center for the Performing Arts. Ms. Cervenak also chaired the Blue Ribbon Committee to save Tobyhanna Army Depot, Burn Foundation and the Jewish Family Service Advisory Board.

Her awards include Athena Award, Top 50 Business Women in Pennsylvania, Top Business Women in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Arthritis Foundation Community Leader of the Year, Susan B. Roebling Distinguished Citizen Award, Wyoming Valley Woman's Pathfinder Award, NEPA Boy Scouts Woman of the Year Award.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Bartikowsky and Ms. Cervenak. Their extraordinary community service to northeastern Pennsylvania is both legendary and inspiring. They have clearly made a significant contribution to the improvement of the regional quality of life and, for that, we are all grateful.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Mr. Thomas G. Gallagher Jr. who is being honored by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, for 25 years of faithful service.

Mr. Gallagher has a long and distinguished history of service to his northeastern Pennsylvania community.

Mr. Gallagher was the President of the United Way of Lackawanna County from 1986 until his retirement in June of 2002.

A graduate of Scranton Preparatory School, Mr. Gallagher received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame and a masters of social work degree from Fordham University. He also completed post graduate work at the National Academy of Volunteerism in Alexandria, Virginia.

Prior to his work with the United Way, Mr. Gallagher served as a caseworker for the Lackawanna County Institution District's Bureau of Aging and Bureau of Children's Services.

He also served as assistant director of the Planning Council for Social Services and Associate Director of the United Way of Lackawanna County,

In addition, he also served as a lieutenant senior grade in the United States Public Health Service at the National Institute of Health.

Mr. Gallagher serves on the board of directors of St. Francis Kitchen and the Margaret Briggs Foundation. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Scranton and he is a past president of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Gallagher on this special occasion. His exemplary performance in the area of community service has improved the quality of life for all and is well deserving of this honor. Indeed, his example is an inspiration for future generations to emulate.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to U.S. District Court Judge William J. Nealon who was chosen to receive the President's Award from the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.

On December 15, 2007, Judge Nealon celebrated his 45th year as a United States District Court Judge. Appointed to the Federal bench by President John F. Kennedy on December 15, 1962, he was the youngest Federal judge in the country.

Judge Nealon served the Middle District as Chief Judge from 1976 until 1989. He has served on this court longer than any other judge in the history of the Middle District. Today, he is the third most tenured federal judge in the nation out of 1,100 federal jurists.

The proud product of Scranton Public Schools, he later served in the United States Marine Corps from 1942 to 1945 where he held the rank of first lieutenant. He received a bachelor of science degree in economics from Villanova University in 1947 and was awarded his Juris Doctor degree from the Catholic University of America in 1950. Prior to being appointed to the Federal bench, Judge Nealon served on the Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County.

In 1983, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, a professional society of more than 50,000 trial lawyers, named Judge Nealon the ``Outstanding Federal Trial Judge in the United States.'' He has been the recipient of numerous community awards and has served as chairman of several local boards, including the University of Scranton, Mercy Hospital, and the Catholic Youth Center.

Having served as president of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County some 44 years ago, his dinner in 1964 was regarded as one of the most memorable the society has ever held. Robert F. Kennedy, the United States Attorney General, made his first public appearance that evening just 4 months after the tragic assassination of his brother, President John F. Kennedy. Judge Nealon today is the most senior of distinguished past presidents of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Judge Nealon on this auspicious occasion. Judge Nealon's faithful service to his community and to his Nation is well known throughout northeastern and central Pennsylvania and has been an inspiration to all whose lives he has touched.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to recognize my wife, Nancy Kanjorski, for her dedication and outstanding work with the Lackawanna County Federation of Democratic Women. As her husband, I could not be more proud to

note that her peers recognized her efforts in support of Democratic candidates and policies by naming her the organization's Woman of the Year for 2008.

Nancy was born in Apopka, Florida, to Norman and Margaret Hickerson. She graduated from the University of Florida. We met while I was visiting Florida and we then married in 1962.

Nancy and I moved to Pennsylvania, where she taught school in Carlisle and Wyoming Valley.

Over the course of our time living in Pennsylvania, Nancy has always played an active role in my campaigns and many other Democratic campaigns. She constantly participated behind the scenes in grassroots efforts, from setting up phone banks to organizing literature drops. She has always been willing to help with any aspect of the campaign to make it run more smoothly. It is for her dedication, care, attention to detail, and many other reasons that Nancy will receive the award of Woman of the Year from the Lackawanna County Federation of Democratic Women.

Nancy has also been a member of various community organizations and boards. Among these, she was a particularly active member of the Lawyers' Wives Association, where she chaired multiple committees. Nancy has also been an avid tennis player.

Nancy is an essential part of our family, always willing to assist family members, from aiding those during times of illness to gladly babysitting our nephews and nieces.

We have one daughter, Nancy Kanjorski Bradley, Ph.D., who is married to Chris Bradley, Ph.D. They live in New Mexico.

On March 8, 2008, Nancy will receive the award of Woman of the Year at a brunch hosted by the Lackawanna County Federation of Democratic Women. The members of the organization elect the person to receive this award who they feel has done an outstanding job as a Democratic leader in the community.

On a personal note, I would like to acknowledge that Nancy has continuously given all that she can to help the Democratic Party. She has always been an active, devoted, and vital part of my campaigns, not just an essential component of the team for my staff, but of course for me as well. I am incredibly proud that she will receive this award, as it is very much deserved.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Nancy Kanjorski for her award of Democratic Woman of the Year from the Lackawanna County Federation of Democratic Women.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to William P. Burke, of West Pittston, Pennsylvania, who is the 2008 recipient of the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Achievement Award.

He graduated in 1956 from St. John's High School in Pittston and later from the Wilkes-Barre Business College where he majored in finance and accounting.

Mr. Burke served in the U.S. Army, First Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas, from 1961 to 1963. Mr. Burke has been an active member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick for 52 years.

President Harry S. Truman was guest speaker at the first Friendly Sons banquet Mr. Burke attended. Mr. Burke is a sustaining member and past president of the organization. He was the recipient of the Man of the Year Award in 1991.

Mr. Burke is a charter member of the Wolfe Tone Luzerne County Division I Ancient Order of Hibernians and is presently chairman of the standing committee. He is a member of the President John F. Kennedy Council 372 Knights of Columbus and its Fourth Degree, serving as comptroller for the past 40 years. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus Choir.

Mr. Burke is a member of St. Casimir, St. John the Baptist, St. John the Evangelist, and St. Joseph Parish, Pittston, where he serves as an usher and a senior altar server. He is also a member of the parish finance council.

Mr. Burke has been a baseball coach in the West Pittston Little League and a basketball coach for the Wyoming Area Catholic High School.

He has served as chairman of the West Pittston Democrat Organization and he is a former member of the Luzerne County Democrat Executive Committee. He also served as parade chairman for the Pittston Tomato Festival.

Mr. Burke is a member of Fox Hill Country Club and the West Side Social Club, Avoca. After 37 years of employment with Pope and Talbot Company, he served for several years as director of purchasing for Luzerne County, a post from which he retired in 2006.

Mr. Burke and his wife, Nora, are the parents of three children. They also have nine grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Burke on the occasion of this special honor. Mr. Burke's dedication to family and community has improved the quality of life and highlighted the value of service above self.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Attorney Joseph M. Cosgrove, a native of Pittston, PA, who has been honored by the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick with the W. Francis Swingle Award for 2008.

Attorney Cosgrove is a graduate of St. John's High School and the University of Notre Dame and its law school in South Bend, IN. He received a master's degree in theology from Notre Dame's graduate school and a master of arts degree from Marywood University.

Attorney Cosgrove was admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and the Federal court system including the United States Supreme Court. In 2005, he was appointed to the Lawyers Advisory Committee of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on the nomination of the Honorable Max Rosenn. He serves as conflict counsel for the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas and is engaged in the private practice of law with offices in Forty Fort, PA.

Attorney Cosgrove served two terms as president of the Luzerne County Law and Library Association and is immediate past president of the statewide Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys. As president of the county bar, some accomplishments include recognition of the importance of a local case that made history through a U.S. Supreme Court decision 70 years ago. The case, Erie v. Tompkins, involved a railroad accident in Hughestown where local resident Harry Tompkins was injured. Through Attorney Cosgrove's efforts, the Luzerne County Bar and the New York City Bar will conduct a special seminar in New York in September. In addition, Attorney Cosgrove created ``Maysie's Bike Program,'' based on Harry Tompkins' promise to his niece, Maysie Cochran. In honor of that promise, the bar now awards bicycles to locally needy children and is establishing a children's pro bono representation project in Maysie's name.

Attorney Cosgrove has also worked extensively in the local educational field, having served on the Pittston Area School Board for one term and is currently a member of the board of trustees for Marywood University in Scranton. In addition to this, Attorney Cosgrove has been an adjunct faculty member at King's College for more than 20 years and is currently a member of the selection committee for dean of the Wilkes University Law School initiative. He also serves on the ethics committee at Misericordia University.

Attorney Cosgrove is a former chair of the Luzerne County Election Board where he served three appointed terms. He is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild, AFL/CIO, and has appeared in several motion pictures. He also had a recurring role on NBC-TV's hit show, ``The West Wing.''

While an undergraduate student at the University of Notre Dame in the late 1970s, he served as ``The Leprechaun,'' the university's sports mascot. During his tenure, the ``Fighting Irish'' were football national champions, and their basketball team reached the ``Final Four.''

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Attorney Cosgrove on this auspicious occasion. The W. Francis Swingle Award is intended to honor those who distinguish themselves by honoring their Irish heritage and who commit themselves to a high level of community service. In that context, Attorney Cosgrove's selection for this award is indeed well deserved.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Dr. Patrick J. Kerrigan, D.O., of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, who was named 2008 ``Man of the Year'' by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Greater Wilkes-Barre.

Dr. Kerrigan's contribution to the field of medicine in northeastern Pennsylvania has been truly impressive. Since 1986, he has been engaged in the private practice of family medicine in Wilkes-Barre. He is a provider of geriatric medical care at several nursing homes in the greater Wilkes-Barre area. He is also active in sports medicine, having served as team physician at the little league, high school and college levels.

Dr. Kerrigan has also been active in medical education with the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. For 2 years, he served as a member of the board of directors for the Luzerne County Medical Society. Dr. Kerrigan has also lectured extensively over the years at nursing homes, institutions of higher learning and before the general public on topics that included AIDS, managed care, common orthopedic injuries, heart disease, preventive medicine and physician career choices.

Dr. Kerrigan was appointed medical director of the Heritage House, a skilled nursing facility, in 2003. In 2006, he became medical director of Erwine's Home Hospice Group. Dr. Kerrigan was named president-elect of the medical staff of the Wyoming Valley Health Care System in January, 2007, where he also serves as chairman of the medical executive committee and as a member of the board of directors.

In 2006, Dr. Kerrigan was awarded the ``Key to the City of Wilkes- Barre'' for 20 years of community service.

Dr. Kerrigan is a member of the Luzerne County, Pennsylvania and American Medical Societies. He is also a member of St. Mary's of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church where he served as a lector. He is also a former member of the board of directors of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Greater Wilkes-Barre.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Dr. Kerrigan on this auspicious occasion. Dr. Kerrigan's determination and commitment to benefit his home town is entirely evident in the vast contributions he has made over the years to improve the quality of life for his fellow citizens. His selection as ``Man of the Year'' is a well deserved honor.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Mr. Jay Delaney, of Hughestown, Pennsylvania, who was selected as the 2008 ``Man of the Year'' by the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.

Mr. Delaney is a lifelong resident of the Greater Pittston community and is a leader in business, civic, and government affairs. He presently serves as executive assistant to Pennsylvania State Senator Raphael Musto, a post he has held since 1994.

Mr. Delaney was associated with Wilson Foods Corporation from 1952 to 1994, retiring as regional sales manager for the northeastern United States covering eight States including Washington, DC. He was named manager of the year in 1987 after he earned a place in the ``General's Club'' of Wilson Foods in 1982. Also in 1987, he became president of the prestigious Wilson Foods Ring Club.

Mr. Delaney was mayor of Hughestown borough from 1982 to 1989. He served as a member of Hughestown borough council from 1969 to 1977. He was also chairman of the Hughestown Democratic organization for 4 years and successfully chaired the special election to the 11th Congressional District in 1980 on behalf of then State Representative Raphael Musto.

He is a member of the Blessed Sacrament Church, Hughestown; a former member of the Earth Conservancy Land Use Planning Committee; former member of the American Heart Association and former member of the Luzerne County Democratic Executive Committee. He has received national recognition by the American Cancer Society, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association, and St. Jude's Children's Hospital. He has served on the board of directors of the Harvey's Lake Yacht Club and is a charter member of the Nutty Buddy Club of Greater Pittston. He is a life member of the John F. Kennedy Council 372, Knights of Columbus and its Fourth Degree Assembly; the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick; life member of the Hughestown Hose Company; and a member of the Salvation Army advisory board.

Mr. Delaney and his wife, Dorothy, to whom he has been married for 51 years, are the parents of four children and seven grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Delaney on this special occasion. Mr. Delaney's service to family and community is extraordinary and an inspiration to all. His selection for this honor reflects the respect with which he is held by his neighbors and peers.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3521, the Public Housing Asset Management Improvement Act. This legislation works to provide flexibility to public housing agencies as they make the transition to the new asset management system.

As we are working to enact this legislation, I am pleased that we incorporated provisions to ease the potential burdens for many smaller public housing authorities, including many in my Congressional district. I am also pleased to see that the Manager's Amendment we are considering includes language that reaffirms current Federal law and ensures that illegal immigrants do not receive public housing benefits that should only go to those who rightfully deserve them.

Mr. Chairman, in closing, I would like to express my appreciation to Mr. Sires of New Jersey for introducing this legislation and to Chairman Frank for working to include language in the Manager's Amendment pertaining to illegal immigration. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 3521, the Public Housing Asset Management Improvement Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Serento Gardens Alcoholism and Drug Services in Hazleton, PA, for more than three decades of counseling and drug prevention work throughout the greater Hazleton area.

Edward Pane, president and chief executive officer of Serento Gardens, has always maintained that it is their mission to provide education, prevention, treatment, and support to all those affected by addiction.

The gravity of the substance abuse addiction problem was recently underscored when a study committee, chaired by Mr. Pane, discovered that 93 percent of addicts began their use before the age of 17. Sixty- three percent began before the age of 14. And, alarmingly, 80 percent of those in prison in the United States are there for drug-related offenses.

Serento Gardens is the sole provider of drug and alcohol counseling and prevention services to children, teens, and adults in the greater Hazleton area. In 2006, the agency's programs reached more than 22,000 individuals in Pennsylvania's 11th Congressional District. In its 30- year history, the agency has directly benefited hundreds of thousands of individuals in northeastern Pennsylvania.

In 2007, Serento Gardens was named the Pennsylvania Counseling Agency of the Year by the Pennsylvania Certification Board in Harrisburg. The PCB is the body which certifies all substance abuse counselors and educators in the Commonwealth.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Serento Gardens for the invaluable work that is done to prevent people from succumbing to the ravages of addiction and to rescue those already addicted so they can return to a productive life. The work being accomplished by Serento Gardens has improved the quality of life for thousands of people and has earned it the respect of a grateful community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my appreciation to the House Democratic and 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 low-income seniors and 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 them. This language mirrors legislation that I introduced in the House today.

Finally, the bill before us contains an important provision that I helped to craft as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on 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 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.