Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in proud recognition of the St. Vincent de Paul Center on the occasion of its 2005 Fleur de Lis Ball-- an annual charity dinner to benefit underprivileged children, seniors and the homeless in the city of Chicago.

The St. Vincent de Paul Center is a pillar of our community and a shining example of public service for the Nation. For the past 90 years, the Center's dedicated staff--led by Dr. Renard I. Jackson, Chief Executive Officer, and Sister Catherine Mary Norris, Site Director--has established a strong record in meeting the daily challenges faced by low-income families and disadvantaged individuals in our community. The Center's programs cover a broad array of services from day care services for children through health care programs for the elderly.

The Center's child care programs, for example, serve low-income families by providing a safe and enriching environment for children, giving parents the time to enroll in job training classes and pursue employment opportunities. The Center's social services programs offer violence prevention, family counseling and support groups.

The homeless outreach programs provide day-to-day essentials such as food and clothing, counseling services, job search assistance and a mailbox for those who do not have their own addresses. Additionally, the senior services program assists Chicago's elderly with health care and money management decisions, and provides social interaction and friendship for isolated seniors.

The wide variety and high caliber of services offered by the St. Vincent de Paul Center serve as a national model of community outreach and are made possible by the selfless contributions of 3,200 volunteers who commit 50,000 hours of service annually. This strong sense of community service continues today in the new Center located at the corner of Webster and Halsted Streets in Chicago.

I commend the dedicated people at the St. Vincent de Paul Center for their faithful service to our community, and I wish them continued success in meeting the needs of disadvantaged Chicagoans well into the future.

Mr. Speaker, the administration has told us Social Security is in a crisis, headed for an iceberg, going broke, yet last week's revelation that the Medicare drug bill will cost nearly three times more than its original price tag, for a total of $900 billion, known in the real world as a $500 billion overcharge, calls into question the notion of privatizing Social Security.

Apparently the leaders here in Washington are content to ignore the 900-pound gorilla in the room. I would like to remind everyone that it was none other than the Fed Chairman, Alan Greenspan, who told the House Budget Committee in February of 2004, the concern is not so much about Social Security, the outlook for Medicare is much more difficult to assess. We really do not have a clue about the outlook for Medicare and never have.

The distinguished Fed Chairman is an expert on the challenges facing Social Security. He is undoubtedly getting tremendous pressure today to change his story.

Mr. Chairman, Federal Chairman Greenspan, do not get weak in the knees today, or ever. This is no time to change your judgment. Your integrity is a precious asset. I was there at the Budget Committee hearing when you said Medicare is a more serious problem.

Mr. Speaker, we have a health care crisis in this country. Privatizing Social Security is not an ideological solution in search of a crisis.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 23, a resolution that honors the contributions of Catholic schools and supports the goals of Catholic Schools Week.

The many accomplishments of Catholic schools and their positive impact on students and communities throughout the nation is evident in the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, where schools such as St. Pascal Elementary, St. Bartholomew Elementary and Gordon Technical High School provide a quality education while instilling values that will serve their students throughout their lives. These schools provide strong academic curricula and promote significant parental involvement. They teach students the importance of academic achievement while also providing a balanced perspective on life that promotes responsibility, justice and social service.

Catholic schools also promote ethnic and racial diversity. An increasing number of children in Catholic schools in my district come from our minority communities. Students in Catholic schools achieve exceptionally high graduation rates, and an increasing number are advancing to college and giving back to the community through volunteer service.

Catholic schools foster more than scholastic excellence alone. They provide spiritual guidance to students by encouraging fundamental ideals and an appreciation for family values, community service, and faith in their own lives. This, in turn, shapes Catholic school students into leaders of tomorrow.

I want to take this opportunity to applaud the recent accomplishments of the 2005 ``Heart of the School'' award winners. Each year, the Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools presents these awards to recognize outstanding and innovative accomplishments of individual teachers at Archdiocese of Chicago schools.

I am very proud that four of these award winners currently teach at Catholic schools in my district. Kevin Carroll of St. Patrick High School was recognized for his contribution to Arts Education, Marilyn Ann Skowron of Guerin College Preparatory was recognized for Innovation and Creativity, and both Kevin L. Booth of Notre Dame High School for Girls and Christopher E. Perez of St. Patrick High School were recognized for Leadership. I thank these outstanding educators as well as all of the dedicated Catholic school teachers in my district for their devotion to their students and for setting the standard for teaching excellence.

Mr. Speaker, I support H. Res. 23 and encourage Catholic schools in my district and across the United States to continue contributing to the development of strong moral, intellectual and social values in America's young people. I thank the National Catholic Educational Association and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for their sponsorship of Catholic Schools Week.

Madam Speaker, we have all done it. We all make mistakes. They are unavoidable. Yesterday we learned that the White House budget made a tiny little mistake, a $750 billion ``rounding error.''

According to the President's budget, the new Medicare prescription drug benefit is now going to cost the taxpayers $1.2 trillion, not the $400 billion they told us just last year. That is quite a difference from last year when the White House budget director, the man responsible for the money, assured everybody, ``The Congressional Budget Office estimate for the prescription drug bill was and remains $395 billion.''

And lest we forget, last year during debate on the Medicare benefit, our distinguished colleague, the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson), chairman of a House subcommittee on Ways and Means, ``I am pleased that the President has proposed to strengthen Medicare with a $400 billion plan which adds prescription drug coverage.''

Well, the joke is on the taxpayers and the senior citizens of America. Rather than funding $400 billion, it is a $1.2 trillion ``rounding error.'' What is worse, this mammoth new program does nothing to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. We need reimportation legislation to deal with the affordability and cost of prescription drugs.

These are the same individuals who are now trying to sell Americans on their fix for Social Security.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to call the attention of the House to a wonderfully written column by Norman Ornstein about the memory of our colleague, the Honorable Robert T. Matsui, who passed away on January 1. Mr. Ornstein's column, published in the January 26 edition of Roll Call, captured the very essence of Bob's spirit and reminded us why we all will miss him so much--because he was an ``all-around great guy'' whose warmth, wit and bipartisanship will live on and inspire future leaders in this chamber to serve with the same kind of grace and style that Bob possessed in spades.

[From Roll Call, Jan. 26, 2005]

Bob Matsui: Wonk, Fighter, and All-Around Great Guy

(By Norman Ornstein)

Some years ago, I had the good fortune (or misfortune) of

appearing on the cover of a now-defunct glossy magazine

called Washington Dossier, wearing a fancy tuxedo while

dancing with an elegant model (who was about 6 inches taller

than me).

A couple of weeks later, I got a call from the office of

Rep. Bob Matsui (D-Calif.) asking me to come by for a meeting

on some issue he was dealing with on the Ways and Means

Committee. I dutifully showed up, to find that it was a

pretext for Bob to give me a nicely framed picture with the

Dossier cover and the inside picture.

I treasure that picture--but I treasure even more the

photograph I received later. It was taken by one of Bob's

staffers, showing Matsui giving me the gift, beaming about

the surprise he'd managed to pull off.

That was vintage Bob Matsui: a delight in surprising one of

his friends, a warmth and goodness that is rare in any group

of people but even rarer at the top reaches of rough-and-

tumble politics. Weeks after the fact, I am still having

trouble coming to grips with the reality that he is gone.

I first met Bob and his wife, Doris, soon after he was

elected to the House in 1978. Bob drew people to him because

he was so warm, open, unpretentious and bright. I shared with

him a love of baseball and of politics. He and Doris and my

wife and I became good friends, sharing news of our kids

growing up, dissecting current events, talking about the

Orioles and sometimes going to games.

Unlike many people in elite levels of politics, television,

law or business, Bob was not self-absorbed. The line, ``But

enough about me. What do you think of me?'' applies: to many

(as each of us could name) but it did not apply to him. He

was genuinely interested in others, and took genuine delight

in their achievements.

Through the years, I watched Bob up close as his career in

Congress soared. He first shot to national prominence when he

led the effort to get reparations for the Japanese-Americans

who had been forced into internment camps during World War

II. Of course, he had been among them, spending the first few

years of his life in such a camp. He and his House colleague

Norm Mineta (D-Calif.) handled that issue with determination

and drive--but without bitterness or recrimination. The

process became a template for reconciliation. It also showed

Bob as a proud American, not cynical or bitter but simply

wanting to see his country make amends for a huge mistake.

That alone would have made a terrific career. But Bob made

his mark in so many more areas. In trade, he was a model

bipartisan, willing often to take on his own party as he

fought for the free-trade ideals he believed in, looking to

find common ground with allies such as Reps. Jim Kolbe (R-

Ariz.) and David Dreier (R-Calif.), and looking as well to

find common ground on issues such as labor and environmental

standards as a way of broadening the free-trade coalition.

(He was disappointed to find that the current House was not

interested in broadening coalitions beyond the majority of

the majority party.)

Bob became a world-class expert on welfare and Social

Security. He was a policy wonk who loved politics, a gentle

man who had a fierce attachment to his values and policy

views, a partisan who also wanted to work with those across

the aisle, and a man who could use ferocious rhetoric to

defend the downtrodden but who seemed to have no enemies,

even among those he excoriated.

I have had the privilege of having many members of the

House and Senate as friends, spanning both parties and all

viewpoints. They have included many currently serving or

recently retired, along with such now-deceased leaders as

Speaker Tip O'Neill (D-Mass.) and House Minority Leader John

Rhodes (R-Ariz.), and superstars--of public service like Rep.

Barber Conable (R-N.Y.) and Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-

Mr. Speaker, today I sent a letter to the Secretary of State requesting an investigation into how an individual, a professor at Northern Illinois University who is known for anti-Jewish comments, was selected to participate in an official U.S. delegation to the inaugural ceremonies of Ukrainian president, Viktor Yuschenko.

For those who might not be aware of this story, last week the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun Times reported that Myron Kuropas, an adjunct professor at Northern Illinois University, accompanied former Secretary of State Colin Powell on a presidential delegation to the Ukrainian inauguration.

At first glance, the professor's selection as a member of the delegation seems perfectly normal. He is of Ukrainian decent and a well-known expert in the region. Furthermore, the professor is a former Ford administration official and had served on the staff of a Senator. Yet Professor Kuropas also has a disturbing history of anti-Jewish remarks.

In 1998, he said, ``Let the Jews go on the defensive for a change. The crimes of their people cannot be explained away easily.''

In 2000, he said, ``Big money drives the Holocaust industry. To survive, the Holocaust industry is always searching for its next mark. Ukraine's turn is just around the corner.''

He also accused the Jewish people of being ``instrumental in the rise of Soviet Communism and the horrors of Stalinism,'' which is an interesting take for a professor of history.

It is pretty clear where Professor Kuropas stands. He is entitled to his views, but it is disturbing that an individual whose views are not only inconsistent with those of most Americans but also dangerous would be selected to represent the United States on a presidential delegation to the Ukrainian inauguration.

Inexplicably, when asked whether or not he renounced his previous statements, the professor stood by his previous comments. What is more, it is unclear to this date who selected the professor to go on the delegation, which was the basis of the letter I sent to the Secretary of State.

The State Department, when asked, said, ``I think that's really a White House question. It was a White House delegation.''

When the White House was asked, they said that they had no idea how he was selected.

He comes from Northern Illinois University, in the Speaker's district. The Speaker said he had no involvement in this, which I believe to be true.

But the question is, how does a known anti-Semite walk on the plane of the United States Government with the Secretary of State as a representative of a presidential delegation, representing the American people, who constantly and consistently has published and speaks out in a vile way, in my view, against the Jewish people and yet nobody from the State Department to the White House or anybody else involved can tell us how he got there or who recommended him? And yet he represented the United States, and I would assume some would say our values of democracy, while in the Ukraine as a part of that delegation and yet consistently refuses to back away from comments that, in my view, are just one individual's take, are neither pro to the Jewish people or to those who border, in my view, on anti-Semitism.

It is ironic that the professor who has done the best job of summing up the issue, because he wrote criticisms of Jews, and I am quoting him, ``All of a sudden I do not have a right to be a part of the American delegation?'' I could not have said it better myself. The United States should not and does not condone anti-Semitism or discrimination of any kind.

Allowing a known anti-Semite to represent America, which I find ironic on the same week that we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, is an embarrassment and a contradiction of all of our values regardless of party.

Mr. Speaker, the issue before us is how did the professor get on the plane and who recommended him to represent the United States of America? We deserve an answer. And in the letter I ask the Secretary of State to provide that answer and to look into this. And I look forward to that answer so we can clear up the question of how a professor who does not hide his views when it comes to the Jewish people was selected to represent the United States with the Secretary of State on an official plane in an official delegation, whose views are abhorrent to our values of decency and respect for people of diverse ethnicity.

Mr. Speaker, in December of 2003, Josh Bolton, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget wrote, ``With the adoption of the President's policies, our projections show a solid path toward cutting the deficit in half within the next 5 years.''

Fact: this year our deficit will increase for the fourth straight year, to a record $427 billion. The Webster's dictionary defines a crisis as ``an unstable state of affairs.'' If you are looking for a crisis to solve, look no further. Look at the President's budget deficit.

The President's reckless policies are damaging our Nation's future. Our annual interest payments on the national debt are more than six times what we spent on education last year. They are more than 12 times what we spent on veterans.

What are we doing with this $7 trillion debt that keeps running up? We are asking our bankers, Japan and China, for more money. They control our future. It is a very fascinating economic strategy.

The President has indicated that his budget will be tough. I agree. With 3 years of record deficit and a record national debt accumulating, it is tough. It is tough on America's future.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the President and the economy, the truth is, we will forever be in his debt.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Rory David Deutsch Foundation and the outstanding work it is doing to eradicate pediatric brain tumors and assist families who have felt the devastating effects of this condition.

The Rory David Deutsch Foundation was named in memory of Rory Deutsch, the beloved son of Mindy and Ross Deutsch. In 1998, at the age of seven, Rory passed away from a brain stem glioma, a type of pediatric brain tumor. Even the very best medical treatment and care from the finest specialists was not successful in curing Rory's illness. Rory's tumor grew within the brain stem itself and was not surgically accessible. Sadly, standard chemotherapy and radiation did not offer a cure either.

The day after Rory's passing, his family established the foundation that bears his name. Aimed at eradicating pediatric brain-stem gliomas, the Rory David Deutsch Foundation has developed relationships with two of the most prestigious medical research centers for children: Duke University's Brain Tumor Center and Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital. Due in large part to the Deutsch's generous contribution of the Foundation, these two medical centers have already conducted ground-breaking research on brain-stem gliomas.

The Rory David Deutsch Foundation has been tremendously successful in raising funds to advance this research. In doing so, it has received the support of many large national companies that have donated a generous share of their profits on days dedicated to the foundation.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the research supported by the Rory David Deutsch Foundation on behalf of children afflicted with brain tumors. The promise of a cure borne from this heart-breaking tragedy serves as a source of inspiration and hope for the future of our children. I join with the Fifth Congressional District and indeed all of Chicago in wishing the Foundation and the Deutsch family continued success and happiness in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in order to recognize the long and distinguished career of a great writer and thinker--and a close and dear friend--Mr. William Safire. This week marks the last of his columns on the Op-Ed page of the New York Times, closing out one of the most respected, thoughtful and longest-running series of commentaries in the history of American media.

Bill Safire has worn many hats throughout his career, starting out as a radio and television producer, then as a U.S. Army correspondent, and later as a speechwriter and political strategist in the Nixon Administration. Bill Safire is best known, though, for his column which first appeared in the New York Times in 1973. Even among the all-star line-up at the Times, Bill Safire's star shines brightly, as he stands out among the Nation's most celebrated and thought-provoking writers in the newspaper business.

While we might find ourselves on opposite sides of a policy or political debate, I have always enjoyed reading Bill Safire's opinions. I've also looked forward to his Sunday column, ``On Language,'' in the Times' Magazine which has spun off into 10 books and ranked him among the world's most widely read commentators on English grammar, etymology and usage.

I am sure that Bill's wife, Helene, will be glad to have him around more often and to spend more time with their two children and granddaughter. While the rest of us will miss his words of wisdom, his thoughtful insight, and the discussion prompted by his opinions, we can still look forward to his ``On Language'' column each Sunday, and hopefully, well into the future.

Mr. Speaker, I wish the best of luck to Bill and his family during his retirement and throughout his future endeavors, including his ongoing written works and as chair of the Dana Foundation, a philanthropic organization promoting science, health, and education, particularly in the area of brain research. Bill Safire's voice in America's commentary will not be easily replaced, and I am among the many devoted readers who will miss him dearly.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my warmest congratulations to Mr. William Stapka of Chicago on the occasion of his 75 birthday.

Mr. Stapka has been an outstanding resident of the Norwood Park community for the past 45 years. Working at O'Hare for the City of Chicago's Aviation Department as well as in the precincts of Chicago, Mr. Stapka has been an ever present fixture of our community. His contributions to public service deserve our recognition and gratitude.

Born in Poland, Mr. Stapka understands the struggles facing immigrants in America. Like those who achieved success through hard work and a determined spirit, Mr. Stapka provided a pleasant and prosperous life for his family. After 33 years of working for the City of Chicago, Mr. Stapka retired as a chief operating engineer at O'Hare Airport.

Throughout his life, Mr. Stapka has demonstrated his firm commitment to public service, particularly through his contributions to Chicago's political system since 1960. He is an active member of Committeeman Tom Lyons and Alderman Pat Levar's 45th Ward Democratic Organization. He served as campaign treasurer for the beloved late Congressman Roman Pucinski, in his races for both the Chicago City Council and the U.S. House of Representatives. His loyalty to the Pucinski family continues to this day through his service as treasurer for Judge Aurelia Pucinski.

Taking an active role in all aspects of his life, Mr. Stapka is also a member of the Immaculate Conception Church and serves as a member of the Holy Name Society within this parish. Still young at heart, Mr. Stapka also volunteers as a referee for local men's college soccer teams.

Along with his late wife, Marcela, he raised three children: Susan, Andrew and Tom. Mr. Stapka is now the proud grandfather of three wonderful grandchildren: Nicole, Rebecca, and Randy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 75th birthday of William Stapka. He is a man who has stood tall in the face of great challenges and difficulties, built an impeccable reputation, and after 75 years, he still maintains a youthful spirit. On behalf of the people of the northwest side of Chicago, I thank Mr. Stapka for all he has given to those around him, and wish him continued happiness in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn the loss of a beloved leader of the Chicago Archdiocese, Monsignor Ignatius D. McDermott, who passed away on December 31.

Monsignor McDermott, known affectionately as Father Mac, was born on Chicago's South Side on July 31, 1909. He was ordained in 1936 after studying at Quigley Preparatory Seminary and Mundelein's St. Mary of the Lake Seminary.

Demonstrating a lifelong commitment to helping those most in need, Monsignor McDermott often walked the streets of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods in order to comfort the homeless and help recovering drug addicts and alcoholics return to sobriety, happiness and meaningful lives.

In 1946, Monsignor McDermott was appointed assistant director to the Chicago Archdiocese's Catholic Charities. Advancing his commitment to helping individuals with substance abuse problems, he founded Catholic Charities' Addiction Consultation and Education Services and the Central States Institute of Addiction.

After nearly four decades of service, Monsignor McDermott cofounded the Haymarket Center in 1975. Named for its location near Haymarket Square in Chicago, the detoxification center offers residential and outpatient services. As a direct result of Monsignor McDermott's compassion and dedication, the center has continued to expand over the years and now serves over 14,006 people each year.

Mr. Speaker, I join with the people of Chicago in recognizing the life of Monsignor McDermott. Together we honor his service and lifelong dedication to community service as well as the lasting impact he has had on the countless individuals he touched and whose spirits he lifted throughout his distinguished career. His many contributions leave an indelible mark on our community that will always be remembered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished Chicago resident, Rita Canning. Rita has worked tirelessly for the rights of women and families in Chicago. Her advocacy and contribution to public service deserve the recognition and thanks of this Congress.

Rita currently serves as President of WINGS, Women In Need of Growing Stronger. This transitional shelter offers support to homeless and abused women and children in Chicago through training programs as well as job placement services to women in need. Under Rita's leadership, WINGS helps marginalized women re-enter the workforce with greater job skills and with the resources necessary to achieve economic self- sufficiency.

Rita also founded the Palatine Home of the Sparrow, a shelter for women and children in Chicago, and she is in the process of establishing the first domestic violence shelter in Chicago's northwest suburbs.

In addition to her work with the homeless, Rita does great things for education in our community through her work with the Canning Foundation. She serves as Vice-President of this foundation, which awards over 100 private school scholarships annually to inner-city children.

Rita is also a member of the Women's Board of Northwestern University, the Women's Board of the Field Museum, and is a Director of Harris Bank. Her husband, John A. Canning, Jr., is the Director of the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago and shares Rita's passion of giving back to the community by pursuing several philanthropic endeavors.

Rita's tremendous dedication to public service has been recognized with various awards of excellence. In 2001, for example, Rita received the Sears Distinguished Leader Award for exemplary volunteer work and contributions. She also recently received the Illinois state treasurer's ``Woman to Woman Making a Difference Award.''

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to call Rita Canning a good friend and to recognize her invaluable contributions to public service. On behalf of the Fifth Congressional District and indeed all of Chicago, I thank her for her selfless dedication and hard work on behalf of women and families in our community.

Mr. Speaker, as this Congress convenes, I am proud to rise in honor of the brave men and women of the Illinois Army National Guard's 933rd Military Police Company. I was honored to be invited to attend this unit's holiday ball on the evening of Saturday, December 11, 2004, in Chicago, Illinois.

While serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom, members of the 933rd MP Company were assigned to the 504th Military Police Battalion--the active component based in Fort Lewis, Washington. The 504th MP Battalion was assigned to the 220th Military Police Brigade of the U.S. Army Reserve--the theater military police brigade that is assigned to the 377th Theater Support Command, which supports the entire theater of operations.

I want to thank all soldiers and the families of those who served in the 933rd MP Company for the strength and courage they have demonstrated since Operation Iraqi Freedom was launched. We are very proud of their impeccable service record as well as their skill, bravery and professionalism, each of which have directly resulted in saving the lives of innumerable U.S. soldiers, Coalition troops, and Iraqi civilians. The 933rd is a credit to the Military Police Corps.

It is fitting that my first statement in this new Congress recognizes the brave men and women of the 933rd MP Company. Accordingly, we in Congress will endeavor to measure up to the valor of the soldiers of the 933rd, who make the city of Chicago and indeed the entire state of Illinois so very proud. We shall strive to make sure that maximum production and surplus equipment is provided to our troops to safeguard their lives as they carry out the crucial mission of maintaining the peace across Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a dedicated public servant and great friend, Robert T. Matsui.

It was a privilege and honor serving with Bob. Although we only served together for one term, I learned a great deal from Bob--starting when I worked at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue--about protecting Social Security, expanding free trade, welfare reform, and giving American families more opportunities to prosper.

His selfless determination, borne from his early childhood experiences--resulted in a lifelong commitment to heal our Nation's wounds and make amends for past wrongs.

Answering President John F. Kennedy's call, Bob inspired generations of Americans who dedicated themselves to public service, including minorities and the Asian-American community in particular.

His leadership in this Chamber resulted in a formal apology for the treatment of Japanese-Americans interned and discriminated against during World War II.

Bob never shied away from difficult debates. While seeking innovative ways to help America's employees stay competitive in the global economy, he championed President Clinton's North American Fair Trade Agreement and secured a strong, bipartisan vote in the House for permanent free trade relations with China.

His efforts helped fuel the largest economic expansion in our Nation's history, and opened new lines of communication and cultural understanding around the world.

We will miss Bob's strong and uncompromising leadership on Social Security, a void in this Chamber that will be very difficult to fill.

Mr. Speaker, Robert Matsui was a man I was proud to call my friend. May God bless his wife Doris and the Matsui family in this difficult hour as we honor the memory of a man truly loved and respected by his peers and his country, and whose contributions will always be remembered in this Chamber.

Mr. Speaker, today's New York Times reports on instant payday lenders who set up shop outside the gates of our military bases and charge staggeringly high interest rates to our troops. The Times found 200 payday lenders surrounding the Norfolk and Hampton naval bases in Virginia, two dozen surrounding the Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton, California, 36 located within 3 miles of Fort Lewis, in Washington State, and one is even located on the edge of a small parking lot near a base.

One example is of a Navy petty officer and her husband who borrowed $500 with an annual interest rate of 390 percent. This couple racked up $4,000 in debt, and their house was foreclosed upon.

In September, this body passed a bipartisan piece of legislation, which I sponsored, to protect our troops from high-cost contractual mutual funds and life insurance policies that they need not have gotten. Unfortunately, before we left, the Senate did not take up this legislation. I would hope that today's article would add an impetus that the House again, in the Committee on Financial Services, take up the legislation, pass it again, and move it over to the Senate so we can protect the men and women who have served our country so proudly.

Mr. Speaker, it is our duty to provide them the type of services and stability they expect in return for the dangers they face and the financial burdens they willingly assume in order to serve.