Floor Statements

I rise today in support of our veterans and wish to focus in on a particular specific street in Silvis, Illinois. In the town of Silvis, Second Street holds so much history from World War II and the Korean War.

On Saturday, October 29, 2011, the people of Silvis celebrated the 40th anniversary of Hero Street Memorial Park.

In honor of the brave soldiers who lived on this street and whose families have made the park their own, I introduced a resolution to designate the park on Hero Street as ``Hero Street Memorial Park'' earlier this year, and I am pleased that we are able to honor these brave warfighters.

The brave men who fought in World War II and the Korean War from this little street were the sons of Mexican immigrants that came to the United States and volunteered their lives for their country. When America entered these wars, 78 residents from this street from 35 families helped defend the United States and her allies.

Eight of these brave men died for our great Nation. Their names are Tony Pompa, Frank Sandoval, Joseph Sandoval, Willie Sandoval, Claro Soliz, Peter Masias, Joe Gomez, and Johnny Munos.

In honor of these brave men and their fellow soldiers who fought by their sides, the community renamed this street in May of 1967. Four years later a memorial park was built on Second Street, and in 2007 a monument was added.

My resolution recognizes the sacrifices of these brave soldiers and what

their families did to support our country during that difficult time. We can never forget those who gave their lives for this great Nation, and this resolution will ensure we do not. This resolution will not cost anything--just the time we should spend in honor of our veterans and those brave men who gave their lives.

On behalf of a grateful Nation, we honor the 40th anniversary of Hero Street Memorial Park. The service and sacrifice of all of those who served and their families must never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our veterans and wish to focus in particular on a specific street in Silvis, Illinois. In the town of Silvis, Second Street holds so much history from World War II and the Korean War. On Saturday October 29, 2011 the people of Silvis will be celebrating the 40 Year Anniversary Celebration of Hero Street Memorial Park.

In honor of the brave soldiers who lived on this street and whose families have made the park their own; I introduced a resolution to designate the park on Hero Street as ``Hero Street Memorial Park'' earlier this year and I am pleased that we are able to honor these brave warfighters.

The brave men who fought in World War II and the Korean War from this little street were the sons of Mexican immigrants to the U.S. and volunteered their lives for their country. When America entered these wars, 78 residents of this street from 35 families helped defend our country and our allies.

Eight of these brave men died for our country. Their names are: Tony Pompa, Frank Sandoval, Joseph Sandoval, Willie Sandoval, Claro Soliz, Peter Masias, Joe Gomez, and Johnny Munos.

In honor of these brave men and their other fellow soldiers who fought by their sides the community renamed this street in May 1967. Four years later a memorial park was built on Second Street and in 2007 a monument was added.

My resolution recognizes the sacrifices that these brave soldiers made and what their families did to support our country during that difficult time. We cannot forget those that have gone before us and this resolution will ensure that we do not. This resolution would not cost anything, just the time we should spend in honor of our veterans and those brave men that gave their lives. On behalf of a grateful nation, we honor the 40th Anniversary of Hero Street Memorial Park. The service and sacrifice of all who served, and their families, must not be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to be removed as a cosponsor from H.R. 2966.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to speak on the floor of the House of Representatives about an incredible member of our Armed Forces.

Major General Yves J. Fontaine has served as Commanding General of the U.S. Army Sustainment Command (ASC), since September 2, 2009. As Commanding General of ASC, Major General Fontaine leads a global organization responsible for providing front-line logistics support to combat units. This important Command manages Army pre-positioned stocks located in strategic sites around the world; maintains weapons and equipment at bases in forward areas; and oversees the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP), which provides contractor support in theaters of operation. Major General Fontaine has diligently worked to bring together the Rock Island Arsenal community, both on and off the island. He has been a great asset to the Quad Cities community and his service as Commanding General of ASC will be greatly missed.

I would like to take this opportunity to share his incredible history with the American people. Major General Fontaine was born in La Louviere, Belgium and became a naturalized United States citizen in 1971. Major General Fontaine was commissioned as an Army officer in 1976 following his graduation from University of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was named as Distinguished Military Graduate. Along with the Bachelor of Science degree in Management which he earned from LaSalle, Major General Fontaine also holds master's degrees in business administration from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and advanced military studies from the Army's Command and General Staff College. He also completed the Training with Industry program at the Defense Contract Agency in Indianapolis, Indiana. His military education includes the Ordnance Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the School for Advanced Military Studies, and the U.S. Army War College.

Major General Fontaine has diligently and admirably served the Army and his country through previous assignments. Major General Fontaine came to ASC from Kaiserslautern, Germany, where he served as Commanding General of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command (TSC). Prior to that assignment, he served as the G4 (Logistics) for U.S. Army-Europe, 7th U.S. Army, in Heidelberg, Germany. Major General Fontaine also served as the G4 for the 82nd Airborne Division and the G4 and Chief of Staff for the U.S. Special Operations Command, both at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. During Operation Desert Shield, Major General Fontaine deployed to Southwest Asia with the 24th Infantry Division. When Operation Desert Storm began, Major General Fontaine acted as liaison officer with France's 6th Light Armored Division. He then became Support Operations Officer for the 24th Infantry Division's 24th Support Battalion at Fort Stewart, Georgia. After assuming command of the 1st Corps Support Command, Major General Fontaine deployed from Fort Bragg to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Other key assignments held by Major General Fontaine during his career include commander of the 82nd Forward Support Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division; maintenance officer for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle System Materiel Fielding Team, and materiel operations officer for the 19th Maintenance Battalion, 3rd Corps Support Command, in Vilseck, Germany; company commander and battalion maintenance officer with the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Carson, Colorado; and platoon leader, shop officer and battalion maintenance officer with the 8th Infantry Division in Germany. His entire service record is a credit to his training in the Army, his focus on education and the support of his wife and four daughters.

Major General Fontaine's awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal; the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters; the Bronze Star Medal; the Defense Superior Service Medal; the Meritorious Combat Action Badge; and the Master Parachutist Badge.

I appreciate the great service he has provided to Rock Island Arsenal and our nation

as a whole. I also appreciate the sacrifices that he and his family have gone through during his time in the military. We are very lucky to have folks like Major General Fontaine serving our country and I wish him and his family the best as they move on into this new adventure. On behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for your dedication and your service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a brave warfighter, Mr. Floyd D. Ragsdale. Mr. Ragsdale was born on September 9, 1925, in Waterloo, Iowa. He was drafted into the Army in December 1943 and went through basic training and advanced unit training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. In October of 1944, Mr. Ragsdale was sent to Europe and assigned to the 424th Regiment of the 106th Infantry Division--a division that was known as the ``Golden Lions.'' Mr. Ragsdale participated in combat operations in Northern France, the Rhineland Campaign, and the Ardennes.

For his bravery and diligence, Mr. Ragsdale received the National Service Defense Medal, the European Theater of Operations ribbon with three bronze stars, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal.

Mr. Ragsdale has earned yet another medal. After 66 years it is my honor to present the Bronze Star for meritorious service in Belgium during World War II to Mr. Ragsdale. This is the fourth-highest combat award the U.S. Armed Forces has and is given to an individual for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service.

I am also privileged to see Mr. Ragsdale receive the Belgian Fourragere for his service during the Battle of the Bulge in defense of liberty. The Belgian Fourragere is a military award given by the Belgium government and is a braided cord. It is considered one of the top awards.

We are very lucky to have had dedicated warfighters like Mr. Ragsdale in our Army. Our country owes him and those like him a great debt of gratitude for the sacrifices he and others made for us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of our brave warfighters, Mr. Ernest Wedell. Mr. Wedell entered the United States Army in July 1952 in Galesburg, Illinois. After he finished his training he was sent to Korea, where he was assigned to the 17th Infantry Regiment, nicknamed ``the Buffalos,'' of the 7th Infantry Division. They were nicknamed the Buffalos after one of the Regiment's Commanding Officers in the Korean War, Colonel William W. ``Buffalo Bill'' Quinn. This incredible regiment was an important part of the Korean War and continues to fight for our country to this day.

In April 1953, elements of the 7th Infantry Division were ordered to take and hold what would later become the famous battle for Pork Chop Hill. On April 20, during the first battle of Pork Chop Hill, Private Wedell was wounded in combat. During this battle the United States experienced 243 casualties and an additional 916 were wounded. Less than three weeks after the second battle, the Armistice was signed thereby ending hostilities.

On May 7, 1953, while recovering in a military hospital in Japan, Private Wedell was awarded the Military Order of the Purple Heart because of the wounds he sustained during this battle. In addition, Private Wedell was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, and the United Nation Service Medal for his exemplary service in the United States Army.

However, another award that every infantryman cherishes is the award that Private Wedell earns today. The Combat Infantryman's Badge, commonly called the CIB, is awarded to soldiers, both enlisted and officers holding the rank of colonel or below. Those who receive this award were personally present and under hostile fire while serving in assigned primary infantry or Special Forces duty in a unit actively engaging the enemy in ground combat.

On the 17th day of October, 2011, after fifty-eight years of waiting, it is my humble privilege and honor to present to Ernest Wedell on behalf of a grateful nation and the citizens of Illinois, the Combat Infantryman's Badge. We are very lucky to have had dedicated warfighters like Mr. Wedell in our Army. Our country owes him and those like him a great debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they have made for us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in the spirit of competition, in support of American workers and as an advocate for a government that seeks to provide economic certainty for the businesses that create jobs in this country.

Last night, the House voted on bipartisan trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. These agreements represent an opportunity to compete, grow jobs, and promote American exports.

Here is what we know: Ninety-five percent of the world's customers live outside this great country. Here is another thing: If America gives itself the opportunity to compete with other countries, like these three agreements will, American manufacturers and farmers will deliver, and we will all win. Job creation is red, white, and blue. It's definitely a red, white, and blue issue, and that is why you saw both Democrats and Republicans coming together yesterday to provide this opportunity for American exports to compete.

In the 17th District of Illinois, which I represent, I recently visited a company that makes the big mining trucks, and 80 percent of those trucks ship outside of the United States of America. This company employs 3,000 workers, which is equal to supplying jobs to 2,400 of those. These jobs are dependent upon exports. The same company also manufactures bulldozers. Eight out of 10 of those are sold to buyers from overseas. Yet again, this is an example of jobs being created because of the demand for American products by customers in a global economy.

These trade agreements will reduce tariffs on goods and will remove barriers that are currently in place. By leveling the playing field for our manufacturers and farmers, we can further promote these cornerstones of the American economy. We need to enact these policies that strengthen our manufacturing base, which is why I am cosponsoring legislation offered by my colleague and friend Dan Lipinski that will pave the way for our national manufacturing strategy.

Three million manufacturing jobs and almost 4 million ag jobs are dependent upon U.S. exports. The independent U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that these agreements will increase American-made exports by $13 billion and inject $10 billion into our GDP. President Obama estimates that these jobs could create a quarter of a million jobs. According to the Congressional Research Service, the last time the United States signed a trade agreement was back in 2006 with Peru.

These three trade agreements the House passed last night could have been sent to Congress back in 2009. Every day we delay is a day we deny American workers job opportunities to compete. These trade agreements aren't about rhetoric. They are about results. We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines anymore while other countries enter into trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea, causing us to lose more of the market share. Again, I support these free trade agreements. If as a country we are allowed to compete, I know we will deliver.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the spirit of competition, in support of American workers and as an advocate for a government that seeks to provide economic certainty for the businesses that create jobs in this country.

Later today, the House will vote on bipartisan trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. These agreements represent an opportunity to compete, grow jobs and promote American exports.

Here is what we know. Ninety-five percent of the world's customers live outside of our great country.

Here is what I believe. If America gives itself the opportunity to compete with other countries--like these three agreements will-- American manufacturers and farmers will deliver, and we will win.

Job creation is a red, white and blue issue. And that is why you see Democrats and Republicans coming together to provide this opportunity for American exports to compete.

In the 17th District of Illinois which I have the honor to represent, I recently visited a company that manufactures mining trucks. Nine out of 10 of these mining trucks are bought by customers overseas. These jobs are dependent on exports. This same company also manufactures bulldozers, 8 out of 10 of which are sold to buyers overseas. Yet again, this is an example of jobs being created because of demand for American products by customers in the global economy.

These trade agreements will reduce tariffs on goods and remove barriers that are currently in place. By leveling the playing field for our manufacturers and farmers, we can further promote these cornerstones of the American economy. We need to enact policies that strengthen our manufacturing base which is why I am a cosponsor to legislation offered by my colleague and friend, Dan Lipinski. Three million manufacturing jobs and almost 4 million agriculture sector jobs are dependent on U.S. exports.

The independent U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that these agreements will increase American-made exports by $13 billion and inject $10 billion to our GDP. President Obama estimates that these agreements could create a quarter-of-a-million jobs.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the last time the United States signed a trade agreement was back in 2006 with Peru. These FTA's could have been sent to Congress back in 2009. Every day we hold off on is a day we deny American workers the opportunity to compete.

These trade agreements aren't about rhetoric, they are about results. We cannot afford

to sit on the sidelines while other countries enter in to trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, causing us to lose market share.

Again, I rise in support of these trade agreements. If as a country we are allowed to compete, I know we will deliver.

Mr. Speaker, today we have an opportunity to take action and promote certainty in both our economy and the markets by passing H.R. 2560, the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2012.

Moody's and Standard & Poor's have warned the United States that our AAA credit rating is at risk if President Obama does not raise the debt ceiling by August 2. By passing Cut, Cap, and Balance, we can respond with confidence, create economic certainty, get our spending under control, and put America back to work.

Mr. Speaker, 6\1/2\ months ago, I left life as a small business man, and have had the honor of representing the constituents of the 17th Congressional District of Illinois. I come to the floor this morning with some observations about where we've made progress and where we've met frustration. During this time, we have seen tangible results.

This Congress repealed the onerous 1099 tax provision, which prevents our job creators from being bogged down in a nightmare of paperwork. This Congress cleaned up the mess left by last year's Congress by cutting billions in spending. This House has cut its own office budgets by 5 percent, saving taxpayers $35 million, and later this week, we'll cut our office budgets by another 6.4 percent. Most importantly, this House of Representatives fulfilled its responsibility by passing a budget. This budget cuts trillions of dollars in spending, but more importantly, it puts forth a plan to save Medicare instead of letting it go insolvent.

As a new Member of this House, there has also been frustration with the process. Our national debt is $14.3 trillion. Each child born today, including my new granddaughter, Reagan, already owes $46,000 as their share of the national debt. Yet there are some Members of this body--97 to be exact--who wanted to give President Obama the authority to raise the debt limit by $2.4 trillion with no questions asked.

Congress has raised the debt ceiling 51 times since 1978, and look where we are today. How can we see these next 2 weeks as anything but an opportunity to put our great country on a better fiscal path?

I did not come here to get my name on a wall plaque. I came here so that when my newly born granddaughter, Reagan, asks me, ``Grandpa, what did you do to help fix this country?'' I'll be able to tell her that I was part of a class that changed the focus of this town from bloated spending to spending cuts. I'll be able to tell her that, today, we took a vote on legislation that does three very important things:

It cuts spending. It promotes spending caps to 19.9 percent of GDP by 2021. It makes the raising of the debt ceiling contingent upon a balanced budget amendment.

We are only 2 weeks away from the deadline set by Mr. Geithner, but we've seen no plan from this administration or the Democrats in the House. Let me repeat that we have seen no plan from the administration or the Democrats in this House. We all know it's easier to criticize than to offer a plan of your

own. Now, before this plan to cut our spending and balance our budget is demagogued, let me tell you exactly how this thing works:

This plan makes no changes to Social Security and Medicare. This plan makes no changes to the veterans' spending. This plan will cut spending by $111 billion in fiscal year 2012.

We must use this debate as an opportunity to bring real change to Washington and to start paying down our debt. If you believe that cutting spending and providing a way forward for a balanced budget are commonsense ideas, vote for this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I come before the floor of the House this morning to talk about the top issue of the Illinois 17th Congressional District, and that is the debt limit. The debt limit has been raised 51 times since 1978. Mr. Geithner has indicated that doing the same thing over and over again is insanity, and I tend to agree with him.

Where are we at today? $14.2 trillion in debt. We reached the debt limit on May 16, 2011. Business owners such as myself share a message with people: it is time that we did the responsible thing and come up with some solutions so we stop the continuance of leaving this debt to our kids and our grandkids.

As a small business owner, I'm asking President Obama not to balance the budget on the backs of the small businesses across the United States of America. The thing that I understand as a small business owner is that in a downturn economy, the worst thing we can do here from Washington, DC, is raise taxes on small businesses. The reason why, and I use my business as an example is, in a downturn economy, I understand that raising prices on my product when people are already struggling to purchase a product is not the best thing to do. When my taxes go up, I can raise the price or I can let someone go. And, you know, as hard as it is to let someone go, that's what businesses will have to do because people won't be able to afford their product.

We need to try a different way, and that's why we are promoting a new train of thought here in Washington, DC. These 87 Members of Congress have changed the thought process of Washington, DC. We've changed the thought process from how much can we spend to how much can we cut. What we have also done is, we are trying to get Washington, DC, to focus in on wants versus needs and then prioritizing those out.

The President has even admitted that the overregulation needs to be addressed. Whether it is the EPA, OSHA, the overtaxing, the 1099 tax form that we just got repealed, the Small Business Administration says that businesses like my little pizzeria in Moline spend four-and-a-half times as much per employee to comply with environmental regulations than bigger companies. We spend three times more per employee on tax compliance than large businesses.

Congress needs to provide an environment with some economic certainties. We can do this by stopping tax increases on our job creators. My home State of Illinois, and quite frankly President Obama's State of Illinois, recently had the largest tax increase in the history of the State. It seems like every morning you open up the paper in Illinois and another business is threatening to leave. We can do something about this. We can provide our job creators with a certainty that with the unemployment rate at 9.2 percent, we don't need to add any more tax burden or further any more overregulation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible achievement of Aydin Turgut, an extremely talented 6\1/2\-year-old constituent of mine. Aydin is the son of Tansel and Ava Turgut from Decatur, Illinois.

At 6\1/2\-years old, Aydin won the United States Chess Federation National Elementary Championship that was held in Dallas, Texas from May 6-8th. He successfully completed a perfect tournament by winning all seven of his matches, securing first place out of 294 players.

Success does not come without hard work and dedication. Realizing this at a young age, Aydin spends a half hour practicing chess every morning before catching the school bus. While most of his free time outside the classroom is focused on chess, Aydin also plays the piano, soccer, and tennis.

When asked who his hero was in the game of chess, Aydin grinned and pointed to his father Tansel, who is the highest ranking correspondence chess player in the country. In a recent father-son chess match, the two competitors played to a draw.

Aydin is well on his way in following the footsteps of his father. I congratulate Aydin on his accomplishments and wish him best of luck in his very bright future.

I would like to thank the gentlelady from Alabama for giving me the opportunity to speak here tonight.

As a small businessman and a new Member of Congress, I believe that the people did not send us here to raise the debt limit without a clear path to fix this huge mess that we have. It's an honor to represent the people of the 17th District in Illinois. It's with great honor, of course, that even greater expectations come.

Future generations are depending upon us to get it right. You know, they didn't send us here to bury our heads in the sand and continue this path that we have been going on.

As one of the new 87 freshmen who was sent here to deliver a message from America that enough is enough, when it comes to the failed policies of the past, I will continue to persuade my colleagues that we must get this under control. We reached the statutory debt limit on May 16 of 2011. Secretary Geithner has said we have enough borrowing to get us through August 2 of 2011. After that, if the debt ceiling is not raised, then America will default on its obligations.

Secretary Geithner has said that it would be insane not to raise the debt limit. I believe the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. The debt limit has been raised 51 times since 1978. Today we are facing a crushing debt of more than $14 trillion. The insanity must stop here.

Thank you, Chairman.

I oppose this amendment for a very simple but serious reason. This amendment seeks to loosen the prohibition on detainee transfers from Guantanamo into the United States. I must strongly oppose it.

The amendment would permit the President to commence detainee transfers merely by producing a plan and receiving certification from the Attorney General. It gives Congress no authority to alter or disapprove such a plan once submitted. This is fundamentally no different from the state of affairs that existed in 2009 when President Obama and Attorney General Holder created a fiasco by trying to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to New York for trial.

By seeking to strike section 1037, this amendment would also pave the way for transfer of detainees to military bases inside of the United States prior to prosecution or civilian facilities like Thompson prison, which is in my home State of Illinois.

There is no reason to bring detainees to the United States of America. I have been to Guantanamo, and the detention facilities there are state-of-the-art facilities. They are safe and humane.

I want to thank our soldiers who stand guard day and night with the worst of the worst.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate the Rock Island High School Varsity Boys' Basketball team for their victory in the Illinois Class 3A State Championship. On Saturday, March 19, the Rock Island Rocks defeated Centralia High School 50-40 in a double overtime victory to clinch their first ever State Championship.

I would like to commend each player's commitment, hard work and dedication to their team. Royce Muskeyvalley, Cameron Ruiz, Romal Davis, Chasson Randle, DaShawn Banks, Marquel Beasley, Devon Jones, Darquez Bonner, Denzel McCauley, Greg Henderson, Keith Keesy, and Shaquille Jalloh. In addition, I would like to extend my congratulations to the head coach, Thom Sigel, to the assistant coaches, Dan Coyne-Logan, Tony Hickman, Chad Baker, Damon and Brandon Colvin, Rod Leatherman, and Keith Beck, and to the athletic trainer, Tim Mangold. Finally, I wish to extend a special thanks to the parents, teachers and classmates who provided support and guidance to all the players.

The Rocks finished their season with a remarkable record of 30-3. Their success was driven by incredible work ethic and devotion to team. For the nine graduating seniors, this memorable championship run will serve as the perfect conclusion to their high school careers.

Again, congratulations to the Rock Island High School Varsity Boys' Basketball team and go Rocks!

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to express honor and respect for Frank Woodruff Buckles. Frank was born on February 1st, 1901, and recently passed away on February 27, 2011 as the last of 4.7 million Americans who served in World War I. I rise today to memorialize and honor his amazing life.

Eager to serve his country, Mr. Buckles enlisted in the Army at the age of 16. Even though he was not old enough to serve in the military, Frank found a way. When asked for his birth certificate, Frank told the Army recruitment officer, ``...the public records were not made of births in Missouri at the time I was born, and my record would be in the family Bible.'' He was subsequently deployed to Europe in 1917 and returned home in 1921 to begin his career.

During WWII Frank worked in Manila. After the Japanese invaded the Philippines in 1941, Frank spent three-and-a-half years in a Japanese prison camp before being rescued in 1945.

Frank was a true patriot, and made it a priority to contribute to the success of the country he loved. He lived a long and accomplished life, and it is very important to commemorate the conclusion of this generation of American soldiers. As Frank Buckles is laid to rest today at Arlington National Cemetery, with full military honors, let us pause and reflect on the sacrifices of his generation.