Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to recognize Mrs. Elizabeth R. Rusin of Chicago. Mrs. Rusin will be retiring after four decades as an educator and administrator with the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Mrs. Rusin grew up at Maryville Academy in Chicago where she graduated high school. After attending 1 year at Clark College in Dubuque, Iowa, she left college to raise a family. She later returned to college to earn a bachelor of arts in speech therapy and education at Mundelein College in Chicago.

In 1971, Mrs. Rusin taught at St. Viator School in Chicago, where she served as assistant principal from 1974 to 1979, when she left to attend Northern Illinois University, where she earned a master's degree in educational administration. From September 1980 to June 1988, Mrs. Rusin served as principal of St. Francis of Assisi School in Chicago, where she met her husband, Ben Rusin, who was actively involved in the parish. In 1989, Mrs. Rusin returned to the classroom to teach junior high school science for 2 years at St. Edward School in Chicago.

In 1991, Mrs. Rusin came to St. Josaphat School in Chicago, where she has served as principal for the past 15 years. When Mrs. Rusin began her tenure, St. Josaphat had 85 students and was on the brink of closing. Today, St. Josaphat is flourishing with over 250 students. Through a groundbreaking program with DePaul University, Mrs. Rusin has brought new learning methods to St. Josaphat. Mrs. Rusin and Dr. Akihiko Takahashi joined forces to train St. Josaphat teachers, as well as DePaul student teachers, in the methods of learning and teaching utilized in Japanese schools.

During Mrs. Rusin's time as principal of St. Josaphat, the school has been widely recognized throughout the Archdiocese and the city of Chicago as one of the premiere educational facilities for pre-school through 8th grade. Mrs. Rusin was recently awarded the Sheffield Star Award, presented each year to two individuals who bring distinction and leadership to their profession and make the Sheffield Neighborhood a multi-faceted and desirable place to live.

Under the leadership of Mrs. Rusin, St. Josaphat continues to achieve its mission to educate and challenge its students to see beyond themselves and go beyond the familiar so that they may lead responsible, fulfilling lives. Mrs. Rusin has been devoted to preparing her students for academic excellence in their continuing educations.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a deeply grateful community and with enormous appreciation for decades of dedicated service to students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends, I thank Mrs. Elizabeth Rusin for her extraordinary leadership and selfless commitment to learning and to the city of Chicago. Mrs. Rusin left a mark on each school she was a part of and will not be forgotten. We will remember her countless contributions, and wish her continued success in her retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Kevin M. McCann of Chicago for his many years of service and dedication to education. After 32 years in elementary education. Kevin is retiring from his position as principal of Jamieson Elementary School in the 5th District's Lincoln Park neighborhood.

A lifelong Chicagoan, Kevin attended St. Patrick High School on the City's west side. He graduated in 1969 and went on to earn a degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from DePaul University in 1973.

While earning his Masters in School Administration at DePaul, Kevin began teaching General Education at Bell Elementary School in 1974. In 1977 Kevin moved to LaSalle Language Academy, where he taught Upper Grade Mathematics. During his tenure at LaSalle, Kevin earned many distinguished awards including Teacher of the Year in 1979, the Kate Maremont Dedicated Teacher Award in 1989, and the Milken Family Foundation Illinois Distinguished Educator Award in 1990.

In 1991, Kevin moved into school administration when he was named the principal at Jamieson Elementary School. As principal of Jamieson, Kevin immediately challenged his teachers and students to help make Jamieson one of the premier schools in the Chicago Public School system. Under his leadership, Jamieson earned awards in the Academic Bowl, Athletics, Oratory, Robotics, the History Fair, the Science Fair, and the Math Competition. In 1999, Kevin qualified as a finalist for the Outstanding Leadership Award given by the Chicago Principals Association and the Chicago Public Schools.

In addition to teaching, one of Kevin's other passions has been his love for his alma matter, DePaul University, the place his father called home professionally for many years. Our educational community will continue to be served by Kevin as he begins his new job next fall at DePaul, coordinating the student teaching program.

The same year Kevin began his position as principal of Jamieson Elementary School, he married his wife, Carol. Together they are the proud parents of three daughters, Maggie, Rachel, and Bridget. Kevin's family has always been a priority in his life, and Kevin plans to spend much time with them as he begins the next phase of his life.

Mr. Speaker, I join with all of those Kevin has influenced throughout his career as an educator in recognizing Kevin M. McCann for his years of devotion to education and service to our community while at Jamieson School, and wish him continued happiness in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 409, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the ascension to the throne of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej ascended the throne on June 9, 1946 and is the longest-serving monarch in the world.

His Majesty King Bhumibol will receive a special Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award from the United Nations Development Agency for his dedication to social justice, growth with equity, human security, democratic governance, and sustainability.

During his reign, Thailand has become a constitutional democracy in which Thai citizens enjoy the right to change their government through periodic free and fair elections held on the basis of universal suffrage.

His Majesty King Bhumibol has always enjoyed a special relationship with the United States, having been born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where his father, Prince Mahidol of Songkla was studying medicine.

The United States and Thailand have enjoyed over 170 years of friendship since the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1833, the first such treaty signed between the United States and any Asian country, and on December 30, 2003, President George W. Bush designated the Kingdom of Thailand as a major non-NATO ally.

Mr. Speaker, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has proudly led the people of Thailand for 60 years. I rise today to offer congratulations to His Majesty King Bhumibol and best wishes for continued health and prosperity to his Majesty and the Kingdom of Thailand as we continue the historic friendship between the Thai and American people.

Mr. Speaker, as United States citizens, we are blessed with many freedoms. Among those is the right to freely speak our minds. While freedom of speech is one of the things that makes our country great, it also means we have to endure the words of a hatemonger like Ann Coulter.

In her new book, the goddess of the right slanders the 9/11 widows, writing, ``These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief-arazzies. I have never seen people enjoying their husbands' death so much.''

Lest Ms. Coulter forget, more than 3,000 Americans were killed simply because they lived in the United States. That doesn't matter to Ms. Coulter, because she is doing it to enrich herself.

But there is something more sinister in Ms. Coulter's words. The hate she spews is the same kind of hatred we are battling in the war on terror. As a country of thought and reason, I urge all of us to reject it.

I must ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, does Ann

Coulter speak for you when she suggests poisoning Supreme Court Justices or slanders the 9/11 widows? If not, speak now. Your silence allows her to be your spokesman.

She should apologize to all of us who have lost our fellow citizens on 9/11.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House out of order.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked the 62nd anniversary of D Day. On that day, thousands of young Americans made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our Nation.

In the words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, each of these heroes stand in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase in its blessings.

This unbroken line continues today as 2,778 brave American men and women have fallen in their service to our Nation in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Last year, I led a bipartisan group of 21 Members of Congress in reading the names of our most recent fallen into the Congressional Record. We made a commitment to continue this reading as long as the fighting continues.

God bless and keep each of the brave Americans whose memory we honor today in our hearts:

1. Sergeant 1st Class Eric P. Pearrow.

2. Private 1st Class Marc A. Delgado.

3. Staff Sergeant Steven C. Reynolds.

4. Specialist Javier A. Vallnueva.

5. Specialist Gregory L. Tull.

6. Master Sergeant Brett E. Angus.

7. Sergeant Donald J. Hasse.

8. Sergeant Jerry W. Mills, Jr.

9. Corporal William G. Taylor.

10. Staff Sergeant William D. Richardson.

11. Corporal Joshua D. Snyder.

12. Sergeant Gregorz Jakoniuk.

13. Sergeant 1st Class Brent A. Adams.

14. Lance Corporal Craig N. Watson.

15. Sergeant Andy A. Stevens.

16. Lance Corporal Andrew G. Patten.

17. Lance Corporal Scott T. Modeen.

18. Corporal Anthony T. McElveen.

19. Lance Corporal Robert Alexander Martinez.

20. Lance Corporal Adam Wade Kaiser.

21. Lance Corporal David A. Huhn.

22. Lance Corporal John M. Holmason.

23. Staff Sergeant Daniel J. Clay.

24. Specialist Marcus S. Futrell.

25. Staff Sergeant Phillip L. Travis.

26. Sergeant Philip Allan Dodson, Jr.

27. Corporal Jimmy Lee Shelton.

28. Staff Sergeant Daniel M. Cuka.

29. Sergeant 1st Class Richard L. Schild.

30. Private 1st Class Thomas C. Siekert.

31. Specialist Brian A. Wright.

32. Sergeant Michael C. Taylor.

33. Corporal Joseph P. Bier.

34. Staff Sergeant Milton Rivera-Vargas.

35. 1st Lieutenant Kevin J. Smith.

36. Sergeant Spencer C. Akers.

37. Sergeant Adrian N. Orosco.

38. Sergeant Kenith Casica.

39. Staff Sergeant Travis L. Nelson.

40. Sergeant Clarence L. Floyd, Jr.

41. Sergeant Julia v. Atkins.

42. Staff Sergeant Keith A. Bennett.

43. Sergeant 1st Class James S. Moudy.

44. Staff Sergeant Curtis A. Mitchell.

45. Specialist Lex S. Nelson.

46. Specialist Jared William Kubasak.

47. Specialist Peter J. Navarro.

48. Specialist James C. Kesinger.

49. Sergeant Brian C. Karim.

50. Staff Sergeant Michael S. Zyla.

51. Corporal Michael B. Presley.

52. Staff Sergeant Kenneth B. Pospisil.

53. Sergeant Timothy R. Boyce.

54. Specialist Joseph Alan Lucas.

55. Corporal Adam R. Fales.

56. Lance Corporal Samuel Tapia.

57. Staff Sergeant Johnnie V. Mason.

58. Specialist Richard Jr. DeGarcia Naputi.

59. 1st Lieutenant Michael J. Cleary.

60. Specialist William Lopez-Feliciano.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize and thank the brave men and women who continue to serve our Nation with distinction in Iraq and Afghanistan and throughout the world and thank their families also for their sacrifice.

Our thoughts, our prayers are with you and your families both during your service and after you come home.

Mr. Speaker, if I mispronounced any of our members' names who I know the family take pride in honoring, I apologize. I want to thank again each of these men and women who have served our country and their family for their ultimate sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the long and distinguished career of Joel M. Carp, one of the leaders in the Chicago nonprofit community. Mr. Carp will retire next month from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago after almost thirty years of service.

Mr. Carp has dedicated his career to creating public policies and sustaining quality, comprehensive health and human services for all people, including refugees and immigrants. For the last 28 years, he has been working towards these goals at the Jewish Federation/Jewish United Fund, most recently as Senior Vice President for Community Services and Government Relations.

His dedicated service includes managing the Government Affairs Program, planning and budgeting for the Federation's numerous social welfare programs and services, and supervising State of Illinois programs for immigrants, refugees and the homeless.

In addition to his work at the Jewish Foundation, Mr. Carp has served on numerous important task forces tackling welfare reform, hunger, housing, and emergency food and shelter for both the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois. Mr. Carp has also taken the time to write and publish many articles on the topics about which he is most passionate, sharing his invaluable perspectives with all who work in this important field.

In recognition of Joel Carp's hard work and tireless dedication, he has received the Melvin A. Block Award for Professional Distinction from the Associated YMYWHAs of Greater N.Y., the City of Chicago's Commission on Human Relations Award, and a special award from the YMCA of the USA for helping to restore Agency for International Development funding for human services in Lebanon.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, I thank Joel Carp for his many outstanding contributions to our social service network and to the Chicago area Jewish Community. His efforts have had a profound impact on the lives of his co-workers, friends, family, and countless other individuals. I wish him continued happiness in all his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, this may sound strange coming from a Democrat, but I am here to applaud the Wall Street Journal for its work in uncovering a major corporate scandal.

After Enron and WorldCom, we enacted Sarbanes-Oxley to usher in a new era of corporate responsibility. But now a new scandal is brewing, this time involving the backdating of stock options.

When a company backdates stock options, it deliberately moves option grants back to dates when the stock price was lower, ensuring the options will make money for executives while hiding its real cost from shareholders and the IRS. It is free and cheap money for the CEO, and securities fraud for everyone else, plain and simple.

So far, United Healthcare appears to be the biggest perpetrator, but the problem now is spreading to 15 other public companies that are under investigation at this point.

Madam Speaker, the American people don't deserve another Enron or WorldCom. They deserve an era of corporate responsibility that they were promised from this institution. As the SEC and the Justice Department pursue these cases, I hope they will take swift and decisive action to punish those involved and restore investor confidence in our markets.

Mr. Speaker, today marks the one year anniversary of the House passage of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. By a vote of 298-134, the House overwhelmingly approved the stem cell bill, which would expand the Federal Government's investment in vital promising research.

Embryonic stem cells hold the key to the treatment of diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, ALS and many other currently incurable diseases. An overwhelming majority of Americans support this research.

This is not a traditional Democrat versus Republican issue, it is about a right versus a wrong. Yet a year after House action, America is still waiting on the Senate.

Two weeks ago, the Senate held its ``Health Week,'' a series of votes, but the Republican leadership refused to take a vote on stem cell research that would have saved lives in the area we are talking about. Health Week in the Senate will be known from now on as the ``Hoax Week.''

When the Senate majority leader refused to hold a vote, despite his past public support, the majority leader showed America his priorities, and I am afraid it has little to do with funding treatments for incurable diseases.

Mr. Speaker, if the majority leader is as committed to stem cell research as he says, then it is time for an up or down vote on this important research that will save many lives, and then the Senate will earn the title ``Health Week'' back again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Hakki G. Gurkan of Chicago, Illinois, on the occasion of his 30th birthday. Currently serving our Nation in Iraq, Hakki is continuing an impressive career in many areas of public service.

Petty Officer, 2nd class Gurkan joined the United States Navy Reserve in 2002 and is now serving overseas in Iraq as an Intelligence Specialist. He is fiercely proud to serve his country and I am certainly proud of him.

Before being mobilized, Hakki served as a Chicago Police Officer for 6 years. As a patrol officer in the 11th District, he worked tirelessly every day to respond to emergencies and keep our community safe and secure.

Last year Hakki added to his already considerable background in public service by using his vacation time to serve as an intern in my Washington, DC office. He was a strong addition to the office and assisted my staff in many important ways.

Hakki received his bachelor of arts degree from Columbia College in Chicago and earned a master's degree in law enforcement administration from Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, I thank Hakki for his devoted service to our country, both at home and overseas.

I ask my colleagues to join me in sending best wishes to Petty Officer, 2nd Class Gurkan and all American men and women in uniform serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today I order to recognize the long and distinguished career of Jim Farrell. Jim retired this month as chairman of Illinois Tool Works, Inc., ITW, after a 41-year career with the company, and has spent a lifetime making a positive impact on the Chicago-area community.

After graduating from the University of Detroit with a degree in electrical engineering, Jim joined ITW in 1965. He originally intended to work there for the few months he had before reporting for military service, but he would ultimately return after 2 years in the Army. Rising steadily through the ranks, Jim served as ITW's chief executive officer from 1995 and chairman from 1996. Based in Glenview, Illinois, the company now operates in 45 countries and employs almost 50,000 people.

As CEO and chairman of a Fortune 200 company, Jim was known for an unusual but highly successful approach. At ITW he oversaw the purchase of more than 200 companies. He resisted the prevailing wisdom to consolidate operations and instead gave the 600 division managers a high degree of autonomy. This allowed Jim to cultivate an environment that remains highly conducive to entrepreneurship and allows managers to stay closely connected to employees and customers.

Jim has always found time and energy to give to the community. For more than a decade he has chaired and worked with the Chicago branch of Junior Achievement, a world-wide organization dedicated to educating young people about business, economics, and free enterprise. In addition to serving on numerous other business and civic boards, Jim also instituted a generous matching policy under which ITW matches $3 for each $1 donated to charity by an employee.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Jim for his many successes, I thank him for his role within the business community of Illinois and for his dedication to civic duty, and I wish him and his family the best of luck in all future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, sometimes it takes a heated exchange to reveal the truth. People say things they would not normally say, or reflect their true thinking.

For instance, while debating the budget the other night, a member of the Republican leadership said, ``If you earn $40,000 a year and have a family of two, you don't pay any taxes.'' Well, that would be news to that middle-class family.

According to the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities, middle-class families paid an average of 13.6 percent of their income in Federal taxes in 2003. Additionally, these hardworking families pay State income taxes, property taxes, gasoline taxes, and sales taxes. If anything, middle-class families are paying too much in taxes.

But the truth serum clearly did not wear off, because the next day the same member of the Republican leadership sent out a press release titled ``Fiscal Responsibility is Not an Option in This House.''

After 5 years of record budget deficits of $3 trillion in new debt, for a total of $9.6 trillion of debt, never were truer words spoken in that press release.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the truth about the Republican Congress has finally come out. Now the American people have a choice between leadership and the Republican Party that cuts taxes on the wealthy and leaves trillions of dollars of debt for the rest of us.

As Ronald Reagan once said, ``Facts are a stubborn thing.'' Mr. Speaker, it is time for a change. It is time for new priorities. It is time to give the people back their House.

Mr. Speaker, it seems the President has found a new use for the Guard, dealing with his Presidency.

On Monday the President announced his intention to send 6,000 National Guardsmen to secure the border. Never mind that his budget cuts the National Guard by 17,000, and that the Guard has been stretched to the breaking point by the war in Iraq.

Never mind that the President's own budget this year fails to provide adequate funding for new border agents, and never mind that Michael Chertoff, the head of Homeland Security, thought this was a bad idea just 6 months ago.

In December 2005 Michael Chertoff told Bill O'Reilly, ``The National Guard is not trained for the border mission.''

Now it is an election year, the President's poll numbers are down, so the President has decided to deploy the Guard, regardless of what his own budget and the Homeland Security Director has said.

This is an election year, of course. Michael Chertoff is now changing his tune. ``What the President did last night was to put on the turbo chargers in dealing with and focusing on this illegal immigration effort that we have got, on a comprehensive basis.''

Mr. Speaker, I have been in politics a long time. I have seen my share of political gestures. Having failed to do anything on immigration for 5\1/2\ years, the President has decided to act with just 5\1/2\ months to go before election day.

It is time for a change. It is time for new priorities.

Mr. Speaker, it's deja vu all over again. Another windfall for the wealthy while everybody else gets to work for a living. By my count, this Congress has now financed three wars with four tax cuts. How else do you get $300 billion in annual deficits, $3 trillion in new debt accumulated in just 4 years and a budget that raises the debt ceiling to $10 trillion?

Middle-class families care about gas prices. They care about the war in Iraq that has now cost $450 billion. Health care costs are up 58 percent. College tuition, 38 percent. The median income in this country has dropped 2.3 percent.

So what's the number one priority for the Republican Congress? None of the above. The top 1 percent, whose average income is $5.3 million, will save an average of $82,000 under this bill. Those who make $1 million or more will get $42,000 in tax cuts. But the middle-class families, who work hard and play by the rules in this country, will get $20. That is the epitome of the wrong-headed priorities and fiscal insanity.

But there is more. This Congress has come up with yet another tax shelter for the wealthy when it comes to savings. The Wall Street Journal last week, here is their headline, ``Wealthier Taxpayers to Gain.'' If you make a six-figure income, your retirement prospects may be getting a boost, while for 55 percent of the country, all they have is Social Security. But for the wealthiest people in this country, we are giving them a boost to help save, while other people have no retirement savings.

It is coming up to Mothers Day. Sometimes I wonder what your mother thinks you are doing here on the floor. People working, people dying in Iraq fighting for this country. And what do we do? We have three wars, one in Afghanistan, one in Iraq, good men and women of our country fighting. And we are going to give another tax cut to the wealthiest 1 percent.

Mr. Speaker, the defining characteristic of this Congress is its shameless devotion to the special interests. Instead of working to extend the middle-class AMT relief for another year, for more than just 1 year, they also snuck in a provision to exempt certain overseas income for active financing to businesses to the tune of $5 billion.

What did we not do? Extension of key middle-class tax incentives for higher education, for hiring welfare recipients and for offsetting aggressive State and local sales taxes, not to mention the research and development, R&D, tax credit that is so critical for our innovation, our technology and manufacturing.

Mr. Speaker, to govern is to choose. And leadership is about priorities. This Congress has made the wrong choice. It is time for a new direction, a new set of priorities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in proud recognition of Northside College Preparatory High School, recently selected by Newsweek Magazine as one of America's best high schools.

Northside College Preparatory High School, found in 1999, was the first new Chicago public school to be built in 20 years. This magnet school on the North Side of Chicago provides a well-rounded education to bring out the best in the exceptional young adults who fill its classrooms.

The school achieved the highest score in Illinois for 5 straight years from 2001-2005 on the Prairie State Achievement Exam. Last year, 415 students at Northside took 905 AP exams, with 83 percent scoring a three or better. It also has a great deal of National Merit, National Achievement, Hispanic, and Illinois state scholars. And in 2003, Northside won the division three National Academic Decathlon Championship.

Northside College Preparatory High School's exemplary academic instruction produces world-class graduates: 92 percent of the 2005 graduating class continued on to a 4-year institution. To equip students for a lifetime of success, the school partners with DePaul University, Northeastern Illinois University, North Park University; Mayer, Brown, Row & Maw; OWP&P Architects; and S&C Electric.

Mr. Speaker, Northside College Preparatory High School is a shining example of public education at its best. I am proud of the students, faculty, and families of the schools and I wish them continued success in the coming years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in proud recognition of Lincoln Park High School, recently selected by Newsweek Magazine as one of America's best high schools.

Lincoln Park High School, formerly named Robert A. Waller High School, has served the students and families of Chicago's North Side for over 100 years. The students at Lincoln Park High School have established an impressive record of academic achievement. Eighty-seven percent of the school's 2004 graduates enrolled in a college or university. Lincoln Park High School has had the most National Merit Semi-Finalists out of all the Chicago Public Schools over the last 15 years.

In addition to its academic prowess, the school helps create well- balanced individuals through its active participation in community service through donating to schools in Mali, and working for the National Runaway Switchboard. These activities and experiences teach students the importance of academic achievement while also providing a balanced perspective on life that promotes responsibility, justice and social service.

Students at Lincoln Park High School enjoy the support of strong parent and alumni associations which take an active role in over 60 extra curricular activities and clubs. Community partnerships with institutions such as Children's Memorial Hospital and the Lincoln Park Zoo also provide learning opportunities outside of the classroom in a wide range of disciplines.

Mr. Speaker, Lincoln Park High School is a shining example of public education at its best. I am proud of the students, faculty and families of the schools and I wish them continued success in the coming years.