Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise because the fiscal cliff is upon us. And one thing that I know is clear in talking to my constituents, time and time again, they're looking for solutions to the problems that we face. I believe that the solutions that are out there aren't going to come from one party or the other party; they're going to come from us working together, forging a bipartisan solution to the problems that we face. And I hope that we can go bigger than what is simply asked of us.

Mr. Speaker, one of the great pleasures of being here is to be able to work with good friends, and I want to thank my good friend Steve LaTourette for his leadership and Jim Cooper as well for the thought of putting together the Cooper-LaTourette budget based on Simpson-Bowles, that talks about a solution that really helps us get our entitlements under control, helps raise revenues, and puts a solution on the table.

So today, I'm asking my colleagues to join with me to try to make sure that together we put a bipartisan solution on the table. And I want to thank my good friend, Steve LaTourette, for his leadership, and Jim Cooper as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work that Sheriff Mark Curran and the Robert Crown Center are doing in Illinois' 10th Congressional District.

Heroin and prescription drug abuse are on the rise in our local communities. Families of all backgrounds are being affected by this epidemic in the Chicagoland region. As a result of the increase in heroin deaths and prescription drug overdoses, Sheriff Mark Curran and the Robert Crown Center and other individuals in the community have come together to raise awareness of the dangers of these drugs.

Throughout the past 2 years I've had the privilege of working with these leaders so that we can help educate our communities and to help get help for those who are struggling with addiction. From roundtables to awareness events and a recent community forum--which we held in Vernon Hills, Illinois--I'm proud of the work that's being done to end this epidemic. We do have much more work ahead of us, but I'm confident that Sheriff Mark Curran and others will continue to champion this cause and provide valuable resources to our community. I look forward to helping in any way possible.

I want to thank my good friend for yielding, and I certainly want to thank my colleague Mr. Lungren, who is the chairman, for his leadership over the course of these many years.

It is, indeed, one of the highest honors and privileges of my life to be able to represent the people of Illinois' 10th Congressional District in this esteemed body. I've always remembered who I work for and what they wanted to see accomplished, and the importance of bringing thoughtful, independent leadership to the Congress.

When I first ran, I saw far too many people--far too many Americans-- who were struggling and out of work in a tough economy. As a small business owner, I certainly understand firsthand the pressures that small business owners and family businesses are facing all across the country. I felt that the Federal Government was making it harder and harder for me to put the key in the door and open up my business each and every day. Frankly, they should be doing quite the opposite. We here should be trying to make it easier for businesses to open up their doors, easier for them to hire that next individual.

I've talked at length in this Chamber about my Main Street Jobs Agenda. With its focus on pro-growth tax reform, increasing exports and manufacturing, access to capital for small businesses, making investments in infrastructure, utilizing domestic energy resources, the importance of STEM education, and implementing smarter regulations as opposed to simply more of them, I do believe that this is the best recipe for moving our country forward and for getting our economy back on track. Now, there is certainly much more work to be done in the future, but I do want to recognize two important steps that we have taken in the 112th Congress.

This Chamber has advanced--and I have been proud to support--a framework for tax reform that is focused on economic growth and on providing much-needed tax relief to American families. The realization of this tax reform will be essential in helping our economy reach its full potential in the future.

I am also proud of the work that we have been able to do to promote domestic manufacturing, exports, and jobs created by them. As the second-largest manufacturing district in the Nation, we know how important it is to have trade agreements, which we passed with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, and we are already seeing the positive impact that these agreements are having today on jobs back home.

I would also like to take this time to highlight a number of more locally focused achievements, specifically noteworthy for the people of Illinois' 10th Congressional District.

For nearly 20 years we've been working closely with the local coalition of stakeholders and the Army Corps of Engineers, with the U.S. EPA and the Illinois EPA to try to clean up Waukegan Harbor and to delist it as an area of concern. For Lake County, it is the gateway to the Great Lakes. I am pleased to say that that cleanup has begun and that we are going to delist that. That did happen under our watch, and it's something that a number of us are very, very proud of.

Of vital interest to every person in the 10th Congressional District is our transportation system. In this Congress, we passed a 2-year transportation bill, one which I can say is good and fair for our district. I fought hard and, yes, even broke with the party when I felt that the legislation that was drafted would jeopardize our priorities and the people in the district. Fortunately, these concerns were remedied in the final legislation, and I am proud that we were able to come together in a bipartisan fashion to pass a transportation bill.

I also want to highlight the STOCK Act, which included some legislation that I had fought for--my ``no pensions for felons'' language. This provision strengthened existing Federal law to ensure that taxpayers are not funding congressional pensions for lawmakers convicted of public corruption crimes. As residents of Illinois are all too familiar with our recent Governor, Rod Blagojevich, this provision has special meaning, unfortunately, to the constituents of Illinois. Yet the interests of the people of the 10th District and, I would argue, of our country obviously carry beyond our own borders.

I was proud to lead an early effort in showing a commitment of the House freshmen to make sure that foreign aid in this early budgetary crisis would not be jeopardized for our one true ally in the Middle East, the State of Israel. This included showing some support for what has now become widely known as the Iron Dome rocket defense system, but our focus in the Middle East certainly has not stopped there.

We have gone to great lengths in this Congress to zero in on what I believe is the greatest threat we have to our own national security, and that is a nuclear armed Iran. I've been pleased to team with Representative Ted Deutch and Senator Kirk on a number of bills to confront this threat. Our actions have ranged from strengthening sanctions on Iran's energy sector to promoting human rights and democracy inside Iran and much more. In fact, one of our most important accomplishments in this Congress will have been a strong sanctions package, which passed both Houses this summer and which included these provisions that we authored.

Finally, I would like to highlight the ongoing work to pass a bipartisan budget agreement. This is an initiative that I have been proud to advance, starting with a bipartisan letter that urges the supercommittee to go big--to put everything on the table--with a debt reduction agreement that puts literally everything that people don't

want to talk about out into the open and on the table in order to try to structure a deal that will, in essence, put our economy on a course to fiscal solvency.

I certainly look forward to continuing these bipartisan efforts. Yet again, we find ourselves today at the fiscal cliff. Just today, I had an opportunity to sit down with Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson and other members of the ``brave 38'' who voted for the only bipartisan budget to come to the floor in, I guess, a generation. I hope that we can come together and talk about something bigger--bigger solutions, not deals. We want solutions to the problems we face because that's what the American public, I believe, needs.

Governing in a democracy is not easy. It requires compromise, and it requires working together. Yet, as I've often said, putting people before politics and progress before partisanship is the only way that we can truly move this country forward and to have a better future.

I rise today to address the recent events in the Middle East. Our ally Israel, like every nation, must have the right to defend itself and its citizens against ongoing acts of terror.

We know now that the international community frequently looks for opportunities to delegitimize Israel's actions, which is why it is essential that we here in the United States of America loudly and publicly express our support for Israel's right to defend itself in the face of Hamas' terror.

Hamas is responsible for over 800 rocket attacks on Israel in 2012-- with over 250 rockets indiscriminantly fired on Israel's citizens in the past 5 days alone. Because of this escalation, 1 million men, women and children in southern Israel have been forced to live under the threat of attacks and must now know where the nearest rocket shelter is located. As I speak, thousands of Israelis are sleeping in bomb shelters out of fear for their lives and the lives of their children.

Mr. Speaker, no nation would sit back and tolerate its population living under such threatening conditions. Certainly, we here in the United States would not.

Today, I rise to recognize a woman who embodies dedication to public service and the best of what we hope for in our public officials.

Recently, Mayor Arlene Mulder of Arlington Heights announced her retirement, ending a long and successful tenure. Mayor Mulder served her community as village president for 20 years--the longest-serving village president in Arlington Heights history. She is respected by her colleagues and constituents alike for her commitment to work together and to better her community. She has been an advocate for local businesses and has helped transform downtown Arlington Heights into the beautiful and vibrant area that it is today.

I want to express my appreciation for Mayor Mulder's 34 years in public service as village president, as trustee, and as park district commissioner. Her commitment to making Arlington Heights a better community is exactly what we look for in our public officials. I know she will continue to contribute in great ways to our communities, and I look forward to working with her in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a tremendous milestone in the 10th District of Illinois in the Chicago area.

Recently, the Solomon Schecter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago celebrated its 50th anniversary. Founded in 1962 with only 27 students in its first class, Solomon Schecter has grown over the years to provide education to over 2,500 proud graduates.

As a school that integrates general and Judaic studies, Solomon Schecter has promoted a love of learning and unique sense of community amongst its students, parents, educators, and volunteer leaders.

Schecter students also forge valuable connections with students at Keshet, a Jewish day school that serves children with developmental disabilities. Mr. Speaker, I recently visited Keshet and was very impressed by the incredible work that they do in meeting the needs of the children there.

But Solomon Schecter is more than just a school; it's a community, the strength of which can be seen in the fact that over 700 people came to proudly show their support at its recent 50th anniversary celebration.

I'd like to wish Solomon Schecter Day School continued success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, from day one my focus in Congress has been on

jobs and the economy. I believe that the best thing Congress can do is to find common ground to move our country forward. This week, I'm happy to say, we did just that.

On Wednesday evening, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan jobs bill--which I am pleased to say I championed--which would encourage global investment here in our country. This means jobs in our local communities. Companies in the 10th District like Astellas and Takeda and Siemens are able to invest here in America and put people to work.

This bill passed with broad bipartisan support. And I certainly want to thank Representatives Roskam, Peters, and Barrow for reaching across the aisle and coming together and helping to pass a commonsense bill that helps businesses to grow right here at home. When we put people before politics and progress before partisanship, we can get things done for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2827) to amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to clarify provisions relating to the regulation of municipal advisors, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 2827, which would clarify the definition of a ``municipal adviser'' to reflect the intent of the United States Congress. This bill received unanimous support and passed out of the Financial Services Committee with a vote of 60-0. I would like to urge my colleagues to support this important bipartisan legislation.

Municipal advisers are consultants who advise local municipalities about bond issuances, bond-proceed investment, financial derivative uses, and other financial matters. Like traditional financial advisers, municipal advisers must comply with an existing legal and regulatory framework while owing their clients a fiduciary duty.

But before Dodd-Frank, certain municipal advisers were not subject to any regulations--State, Federal or otherwise. Obviously, this legal and unjustified discrepancy between regulated and unregulated municipal advisers created a significant and, I would

argue, unfair competitive advantage in favor of the unregulated municipal advisers.

Even more importantly, the regulatory gap gave a few bad actors the opportunity to take advantage of the State and local government officials who, like most people, aren't familiar with advanced and technical financial products. Dodd-Frank section 975 addressed this problem by requiring these unregulated advisers to register with the SEC and to follow rules written by the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.

The provisions generally have bipartisan political support as well as widespread industry support. However, most of us, both Republicans and Democrats, believe that the SEC's interpretation of the law has gone far beyond what Congress intended by, among other things, requiring volunteer members of local governing boards, engineers providing technical and comparative analysis, and bank tellers to register with the SEC as municipal advisers. In response to its proposal, the SEC received over 1,000 comment letters from across the industry that were overwhelmingly critical of the proposed rule.

This is why I introduced H.R. 2827. H.R. 2827 takes important steps to address these widely acknowledged concerns and specifies the scope and limits of Dodd-Frank's municipal adviser provisions.

After introducing our original version of H.R. 2827, we asked everyone on both sides of the aisle--and industry participants as well with a wide variety of perspectives--to give us their comments and suggestions for improving the legislation. My colleague and cosponsor from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore) and I have spent countless hours working and listening to all concerned parties to ensure that we have fully considered all the viewpoints in order to come up with the best possible legislation that could also pass with broad bipartisan support. At this time, I certainly want to thank her for all of her efforts.

Mr. Speaker, there were two concerns about the original version of H.R. 2827 that were the most significant. The first was that the original version of the bill would strike the Federal fiduciary duty for municipal advisers, leaving in place just the State-based fiduciary duty standards. Second, even when explicitly engaged to provide municipal adviser services, the original bill would have excluded certain parties from regulation as municipal advisers.

During the subcommittee markup, Ms. Moore and I articulated our plan for going forward with the legislation, and we invited more comments and suggestions from industry and all concerned parties. We were very pleased with the genuine engagement of the parties from across the industry and with their willingness to generously share their time, experience, effort, and knowledge with us. All of these contributions ultimately produced a better and stronger amended bill. We believe that this new version of the bill addresses the points raised since the subcommittee markup while still maintaining our broad coalition of bipartisan supporters.

This new bill preserves the Federal fiduciary standard and removes the blanket status exemptions while still maintaining a bright-line municipal adviser definition. It protects issuers by establishing clear lines and rules for municipal advisory activity and provides clarity in the marketplace.

In addition to the amendment's substance, I am very proud of the process that we've been able to undertake to get us to this point. I would like to thank my colleague again, Ms. Moore, and her staff for working with me and my staff, and I thank all of those who worked with us to get us to where we are in this process. They were so generous in sharing their time, and I am confident that what we have is a good bill with which we can move forward. Again, I urge my colleagues to support

Mr. Speaker, I just want to again thank the gentlelady for her help and support with regard to this process which, as she aptly points out, was at times a little strenuous; but I believe in the end we were able to come together in a bipartisan fashion to produce what I hope is quality legislation that will be better for municipal advisers all across the country.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I don't have any other speakers, but I do want to wrap up with a couple of thank-yous.

I certainly want to thank Chairman Bachus for allowing this markup to move forward, and I certainly appreciated his help and support. I want to again highlight how this was able to move forward in a bipartisan fashion, and I certainly want to thank my good friend, Ms. Moore from Wisconsin, for all of her work and efforts to work with me on what I hope is going to be a bill that everyone here in this Chamber will support.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I ask every one of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 2827, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to thank my good friend from California for yielding the time and for her leadership on the subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, global investment grows our economy right here at home. It means good-paying, solid American jobs. The United States is the premier location around the world for companies to invest and establish operations, but the reality is that other nations are getting better at challenging the United States for foreign direct investment opportunities. In fact, the United States share of global foreign investment has declined, as my friend from California pointed out, from over 41 percent in 1999 to what is under 18 percent--actually 17.6 percent in 2009.

While America still leads the way in attracting this inbound or inward investment, the data make it clear that we must do better in order to remain the premier location for global investment in the 21st century. That's why I am proud to introduce and champion H.R. 5910, the Global Investment in American Jobs Act. I urge my colleagues who are focused on improving our economy and creating American jobs to vote in support of this legislation so that it can get signed quickly by the President.

The Global Investment in American Jobs Act has earned broad bipartisan support both here in the House and in the United States Senate. And I want to thank Congressman Roskam, Congressman Barrow, Congressman Peters, as well as Senators Kerry and Corker, for helping lead the push for this legislation. I also want to thank the many cosponsors who recognize how important this legislation is to growing our economy and keeping jobs here at home.

This legislation provides a road map for enhancing the U.S. competitiveness and attracting foreign direct investment into the United States. It does this by expanding on an existing Commerce Department report and charges the Commerce Department to identify certain policies and regulations--whether those are in existence intentionally or, more importantly, indirectly or unintentionally--that might uniquely create a barrier for investment here in the United States. It also helps us gain a better understanding of which current policies promote this much-needed global investment into the United States and into our communities.

Mr. Speaker, in Illinois, insourcing currently accounts for a little over 273,000 direct jobs, including many great jobs in the 10th District of Illinois. But it's not just in Illinois. The benefits of this inbound investment is seen in literally every State, helping us to sustain innovation, manufacturing, trade, supplier networks, and over 5 million direct jobs throughout our Nation.

But with other nations actively reforming their policies in an effort to make their countries increasingly more competitive for these global investments, it's critical that the United States do the same.

Promoting and encouraging global investment into our country, and the jobs that will come with it, is something that we all should promote. It is something that has been identified as key to economic growth in our country, certainly in the Chicago region, and it is something that I'm proud to lead the charge on in Congress.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yea'' on the legislation, and I want to thank my colleague from Georgia for his help and leadership as well.

Mr. Speaker, this is not what economic recovery looks like. Last Friday's painful jobs report showed for every one American job that was created, four people simply exited the labor force. In fact, the percentage of Americans participating in the labor force today is lower than it has been at any time since September 1981.

Mr. Speaker, this is a national crisis. Over 23 million Americans remain unemployed, underemployed, or have simply given up looking for work. Our Nation's GDP growth was lower in this year's second quarter than the first. The average monthly jobs created is less this year than last.

Washington has tried a trillion dollar stimulus, 4 straight years of trillion dollar deficits, yet unemployment has remained above 8 percent for over 43 consecutive months. The American people are honestly asking themselves: Am I better off today than I was $6 trillion ago?

Mr. Speaker, we need to work together to empower businesses to create jobs and grow our economy, which is why I've introduced a bipartisan, bicameral jobs bill, the Global Investment in America Jobs Act. This isn't about politics. It's about the millions of Americans who are unemployed and seeking opportunities for a better future.

Mr. Speaker, this is a tragic day for the United States and for all people across the world who stand for freedom--the freedom of speech and religious tolerance. It is also a day that serves as a powerful reminder of why we hold these core principles, of why each generation of Americans over the past two centuries has proudly fought to preserve and advance them, and of why we must confidently answer the call to do the same today.

My thoughts and prayers are with Ambassador Stevens' family and with the families of the three American diplomats murdered in the attack in Libya.

There is simply no excuse or rationale to be found here. There is absolutely no justification for violence and murder against Americans. This act of terror stands in direct opposition to the freedom and liberty that we champion throughout the world.

This is an extraordinarily volatile time in the Middle East. As Americans, we should expect--we should demand--nothing less than strong leadership from the United States. As is shown by the murder of American officials in Libya today, by the storming of the U.S. Embassy in Egypt yesterday and, most certainly, by Iran's flagrant march toward nuclear weapons, this is no game. I am sickened and outraged by these recent events. It is time to lead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in honoring Congressman Jerry Costello on his 24 years of service to this body and the great State of Illinois. As dean of our delegation, Congressman Costello set a great example, especially for me and other freshman Members from our State. He has been a helpful institutional resource and a strong champion for the needs of Illinois.

Congressman Costello has a long tradition of legislative leadership, particularly on transportation issues. During his time in the House, he worked diligently with Members on both sides of the aisle to improve transportation infrastructure across this country. I appreciate his strong work ethic, and commitment to achieving results through a bipartisan manner, and believe this chamber and this country is better for it.

Most importantly, I want to applaud Congressman Costello's unwavering commitment to his constituents in the 12th District of Illinois. For the last quarter century, he has been their strongest advocate in Congress, and the communities in southern Illinois have benefited greatly from his leadership.

I would also like to recognize Congressman Costello's family--his wife, Dr. Georgia Costello, and his three children, Jerry, Gina, and John Patrick--for supporting him during his storied tenure. I wish Congressman Costello and his family all of the best as he leaves Congress, and hope that he finds happiness and fulfillment in all his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2139) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the centennial of the establishment of Lions Clubs International, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and add extraneous material on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 2139, the Lions Clubs International Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act.

Mr. Speaker, this bill, which authorizes the minting and issuing of commemorative coins in 2017, celebrates the 100th anniversary of the world's largest service club organization, Lions Clubs International. Lions Clubs International empowers volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace, and promote international understanding through service in Lions Clubs.

The Lions Club was established, Mr. Speaker, in 1917 by Chicago business leader Melvin Jones after he posed this simple question to his local business club: ``What if people put their talents to work improving their communities?'' Now headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, the organization has grown over the years from that simple question, Mr. Speaker, to 46,000 clubs and 1.35 million members globally. In that time, the Lions Club has organized local youth programs, taken up the banner to try to eradicate blindness, and participated in the drafting of the United Nations charter.

The Lions Club has worked in countless ways to improve the lives of people all over the world, Mr. Speaker. Here are just a few of the highlights from this storied and generous organization. In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions Club at their international convention in Cedar Point, Ohio. She challenged them to become the ``knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.'' The Lions embraced this challenge and have since helped in the effort to save the sight of more than 15 million children through eye screenings, glasses, and other treatments. They have established eye care centers that have reached more than 120 million children and prevented serious vision loss for more than 30 million worldwide.

In 1945, the Lions Club became the first nongovernmental organization invited to assist in the drafting of the United Nations charter. Since then, the Lions Club has worked closely with the United Nations, providing aid and manpower for the United Nations Children's Fund; the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; and the World Health Organization.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation does not merely recognize the accomplishments of Lions all over the world. The people who voluntarily buy Lions Club coins each will pay a surcharge on top of the cost of producing and marketing the coin. The coins will be sold at a price which will recover all taxpayer costs, and the surcharges go to the Lions Club to further its work.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of a truly selfless organization and all of its members, who give so much of themselves each and every day. I am proud to be one of the 292 cosponsors of this bill and of the 69 senators who have sponsored the companion bill introduced by my good friend, Senator Moran of Kansas. I look forward to its swift passage in this House and over in the Senate, and I want to make sure that it gets to the President's desk for signature.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to another Member from the State of Illinois, the chief deputy whip, (Mr. Roskam).

I just want to wrap up by saying it is indeed an honor to be able to stand up here in a bipartisan way to pay tribute to literally the millions of members of the Lions Club that are doing such great work all across the globe.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

U.S. House of Representatives,

Committee on Ways and Means,

Washington, DC, August 1, 2012.

Hon. Spencer Bachus,

Chairman, Committee on Financial Services,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Bachus, I am writing concerning H.R. 2139,

the ``Lions Clubs International Century of Service

Commemorative Coin Act,'' which is scheduled for floor action

the week of July 30, 2012.

As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means maintains

jurisdiction over matters that concern raising revenue. H.R.

2139 contains a provision that establishes a surcharge for

the sale of commemorative coins that are minted under the

bill, and this falls within the jurisdiction of the Committee

on Ways and Means.

However, as part of our ongoing understanding regarding

commemorative coin bills and in order to expedite this bill

for floor consideration, the Committee will forgo action.

This is being done with the understanding that it does not in

any way prejudice the Committee with respect to the

appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives

on this or similar legislation in the future.

I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming

this understanding with respect to H.R. 2139, and would ask

that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be

included in the Congressional Record during floor

consideration.

Sincerely,

Dave Camp,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science for 100 years of educating and training physicians and health care providers.

Since they opened their doors in 1912, Rosalind Franklin has had a nondiscrimination policy in place and has embraced a diverse student body. These students have gone on to treat patients throughout the world and contribute to vital research.

At Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, their focus is on interprofessional education, where students are encouraged to learn and share experiences with members of the health care team outside of their chosen profession. This provides a strong foundation for graduates of the program and enriches their clinical practice. The president, Dr. Michael Welch, has received numerous accolades for his leadership, including winning the 10th District Congressional Leadership Award for education this year.

I want to congratulate Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science for an impressive 100 years of educating some of our best and brightest health care providers, and for giving back to the community and working to better the world around them.