Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on March 22, 1880 the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis opened St. Joseph's Hospital in Bloomington, Illinois. Today, 125 years later, OSF St. Joseph Hospital remains open and ready to care for the sick.

From the very beginning, the Sisters faced adversity, but with the support of the community the hospital was able to endure. Even those outside the Sisters' religious community joined in caring for the sick, thus establishing a bond between the Sisters and the people of McLean County that is strong to this day.

Over the past 125 years, St. Joseph's Hospital has seen its share of changes. A new St. Joseph's Hospital opened in March of 1968 along Veterans Parkway. Since then many additions have been made, including two new medical plazas, an advanced medicine center, new physician offices, a surgery wing, two urgent care clinics and a musculoskeletal center. In 1987, the hospital's name changed to OSF St. Joseph Medical Center. While the structure and name of St. Joseph's Hospital has changed, the desire and devotion of the Sisters, employees, volunteers and physicians to serve God's people has remained steadfast.

In its 125-year history, OSF St. Joseph Medical Center has accumulated many accomplishments and ``firsts''. For example, the first successful blood transfusion and Caesarean section in Central Illinois occurred at St. Joseph's in 1929. In addition, St. Joseph's Hospital was home to the first radiation treatments in Bloomington-Normal.

Today, OSF St. Joseph Medical Center cares for over 6,000 inpatients and 250,000 outpatients annually. They also welcome more than 800 babies every year. The Medical Center is now a nationally-recognized leader in the reduction of adverse drug events and surgical safety.

Again Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the many generations of Sisters, employees, volunteers and physicians of OSF St. Joseph Medical Center. For 125 years this hospital has served as a tremendous example of the good that can be done when people come together to serve their communities.

Mr. Speaker, on November 28, 2004, the people of Danville, Illinois lost a beloved community member in Harold Nicholas O'Neil. Harold came to Danville at the age of 17 to attend high school where he was the captain of the track team and played football. He was also a sergeant in World War II as well as an engineer on the C&EI Railroad and L&N Railroad for 41 years. Harold founded O'Neil Brothers Construction along with his brother William O'Neil in 1946.

While his involvement in the bridge and road building business spanned nearly six decades Harold O'Neil will be remembered for more than his role as a trucking businessman. Harold was a lifetime member of the Danville Elks as well as the American Legion. He was a churchgoing man and a supporter and sponsor of youth athletics.

In addition, Harold played a vital role in donating the River Bend Preserve to the Champaign Forest Preserve. In his 86 years, Harold O'Neil accomplished many great things.

With his passing, Harold leaves three daughters and a community behind, but his contributions to the Danville area will be remembered for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to state that it was my intention to vote

against the objection raised against the electoral vote count in Ohio. Unfortunately, due to the timing of the vote, the short notice of the vote, and various weather related issues, I was unable to fly back to Washington, DC in time to cast my vote in the afternoon of January 6th. I am however, hand-delivering this message to the Clerk of the House in Washington, DC, today January 7th, in order to make my voice heard and to explain my absence. I wholeheartedly support the election results of 2004 and do not believe that this objection was the right course of action. Congress has repeatedly looked at the issue of election practices and fairness and has taken action where it sees fit; most recently with the Help America Vote Act. We will continue to look at these issues from the 2004 election and take necessary steps to ensure that our election process is a free, fair, and open one. I regret the fact that I was unable to cast my official vote, but it is my hope that these words will convey my strong beliefs on this issue and that by hand-delivering this message, my intent to personally partake in this debate will be reflected.

Mr. Speaker, on October 10, 2004 the University of Illinois College of Agriculture lost one of the most influential leaders in its history. Orville G. Bentley served as Dean of the College from 1965-1982. When Mr. Bentley took the helm, the facilities of the College were below par, making it hard to retain graduate students and faculty. However, he quickly became the College's champion for improving research and teaching facilities and as a result, the College of Agriculture, is today among the best in the country.

Apart from improvements on campus, Orville was most proud of the vital international work the University of Illinois provided during his tenure. Under his stewardship the University of Illinois made substantial contributions to creating new agricultural institutions in Africa and the Asian sub-continent.

Dean Bentley left the University of Illinois in 1982 to join the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but he will be remembered as someone who always made time for his colleagues and thoroughly enjoyed welcoming visitors from different parts of the world. In his 17 years of service to the University of Illinois, Orville G. Bentley was instrumental in improving the College's facilities and in making Illinois a leader in the international agricultural arena. His contributions will be treasured and his character will be missed.

Mr. Speaker, on September 21, 2004, Willard T. ``Bill'' Hodge got on his tractor to clear some brush and weeds from his farm. It would be the last time this prolific farmer would tend to his historic and treasured land, but his contributions to agriculture in Illinois will be remembered for many harvests to come.

Bill Hodge started farming in Champaign County in 1956 on his farm in Seymour, Illinois, which to this day remains one of the oldest farms in the county. In the 1970's, Bill served on the Champaign County Zoning Board where he had the opportunity to venture from township to township listening to the concerns of area farmers. Mr. Hodge used this experience to come to Washington, DC to tell agriculture's story to members of Congress. He also served on former Representative Ed Madigan's Farm Advisory Committee.

In 1981, The News Gazette named Bill Hodge Farm Leader of the Year. He served on the Champaign County Forest Preserve District from 1987 to 1993 during which he was credited for leading the district stably and successfully.

Bill Hodge cared deeply about what was good for his fellow farmer. This intertwined with his interest in local politics as he made successful efforts to get his colleagues involved in the process.

While many in Champaign County feel the loss of Bill Hodge, comfort can be taken in the fact that he passed away on a gorgeous Tuesday in September doing what he loved the most. Whether it was tending to his own farm or helping the agriculture community in Champaign County, Bill Hodge always left the land in better shape than he found it.

He will truly be missed.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 527 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Stated against:

Mr. Speaker, on February 1, 2005, James J. Stukel, will be retiring after 10 years of service as President of the University of Illinois. From his days as a teaching assistant in 1961 to his appointment as President in 1995, in his 43 years of service James Stukel has strived to make the University better. Without question, he has succeeded.

As University President, James Stukel has remained steadfast in his commitment to enrich undergraduate education. Under his guidance, the University expanded access to thousands of students through the creation of the University of Illinois--Online system. In addition, the creation of the University of Illinois at Springfield has provided access for an additional 4,500 students.

President Stukel was also tremendously successful in securing increased funding for academic purposes for the University. Under his leadership, the University of Illinois has established itself as one of the world's leading research institutions, meriting a national ranking as high as 5th and no lower than 7th in terms of federal research and development dollars received by any institution. On his watch, federal support for the University of Illinois has doubled.

President Stukel has strengthened the bonds between the University and the citizens of Illinois by logging over 200,000 miles and conducting 50 daylong community visits throughout the State. This unprecedented effort exemplifies why President Stukel is known as ``the people's president''.

Thus, it is truly impossible to quantify the number of people who have benefited under President James J. Stukel's guidance of the University of Illinois. However, as one of those positively affected and as an alumnus of the University, I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to President James J. Stukel. He will be truly missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of our 40th President and Illinois native, Ronald Reagan, and in strong support of H. Res. 664. Many words come to mind when President Reagan's name is invoked; principled, loyal, patriotic, compassionate, caring, and humble, to name a few.

His philosophy in life was the same philosophy that he employed in his approach to politics and government; believe in the good of people, believe that what is right will eventually triumph, believe in the value of each and every human life, and believe in the strength and the power of freedom and individual liberty. He once said that ``America is too great for small dreams''. He truly saw our great Nation as the shining city on the hill and as the beacon of freedom for oppressed people throughout the world. Nowhere else in the world and at no other time or place in history has one nation been so prepared and had the means to promote freedom, peace, and stability than the United States does right now. Ours is a heavy burden but one that must be borne. Reagan understood that.

He also once said that ``you can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans''. In this simple way, he told us that, in the end, character is what matters and that life is really a series of simple choices between what is right and what is wrong. No one person is responsible for another person's destiny. It is the choices that we make everyday that we must account for. Reagan believed, as I do, that an individual's personal initiative and the willingness to accept the consequences and rewards for their actions and, most importantly, the freedom to do so, is what make our Nation great.

He believed in people. He believed in America. He traveled to towns in what is now my Congressional district, like Charleston, Illinois in 1976 and Mattoon, Illinois in 1980 because every person was important to him. The people in rural Illinois and similar places across the country believed in him, because he believed in them. He often asked, ``did we forget that government is the people's business, and every man, woman and child becomes a shareholder with the first penny of taxes paid?'' Reagan constantly promoted this philosophy of government. The government of the United States belongs to all of us and public servants have an obligation to the people to be good stewards of their dollars, uphold the Constitution, and protect them from all enemies both foreign and domestic.

He believed in peace. When naysayers told him that building our military and our nuclear arsenal would finally push us into a war with the former Soviet Union, he knew that principled diplomacy, firm, yet reasonable rhetoric, the economic power of our nation, and the promotion of freedom would bring communism to its knees. And when it did, he called on the scientific community who gave us nuclear weapons to ``direct their talents to the cause of mankind and world peace to give us the means of rendering these nuclear weapons impotent and obsolete.'' He believed in peace through strength and he proved that it works.

I will miss President Reagan and I send my deepest sympathies and condolences to his family with the thanks for sharing him with me and the rest of the nation. He inspired many. He lived by example. Rest in peace, Mr. President.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the marriage of my good friends Ron and Sharon Eskew of Urbana, Illinois. April 3, 2004, marked the 50th anniversary of the day that they exchanged wedding vows and started a long, happy life together. Ron Eskew, of Urbana, met his future wife Sharon Campbell at Urbana High School in the early 1950's. They were married in the spring of 1953. The bond created by their marriage has only grown stronger in the past 5 decades, even during Ron's active duty in the United States Army. After his service, the couple returned to their roots in Urbana, picking up right where they left off. I have known the Eskews for many years. In fact, when I was a young man working for a real estate business, I had the pleasure of selling them one of their first houses in 1969. Throughout the years, Ron and Sharon have filled that house with love and a family so caring and appreciative of the example they set that they believe the rest of our country's citizens should know their happiness as well. Ron and Sharon's children certainly admire their devotion to one another after all these years. 50 years is an important milestone few married couples are fortunate enough to experience. I salute Ron and Sharon Eskew of Urbana, Illinois on their 50 happy years together, and wish them the best for many years to come.

Mr. Chairman, today is a significant day for families throughout the United States. Not just because the House of Representatives is passing the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005, but also because 3\1/2\ years of perseverance are beginning to pay off. Thanks to Chairman Duncan Hunter of the House Armed Services Committee, Chairman Chris Smith of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Chairman David Drier of the Rules Committee, their staffs, and mine, family members of those who are buried in an overseas United States military cemetery will finally have an avenue into the Department of Defense to present evidence that the decision to leave the remains of their loved ones overseas was based on a misunderstanding or error.

My amendment is simple and straightforward. It gives families with loved ones buried in an overseas military cemetery a way to present to the Department of Defense that they should be allowed to bring the remains of their family member home and, if ultimately approved, to do so at no cost to the United States. There is a 2 year period from the date of enactment of this bill for application and I believe that amount of time is sufficient and fair. In the coming weeks as this bill moves into conference, I will be commenting on my amendment and what I believe a ``misunderstanding'' or ``error related to the disposition decision'' means. I merely wanted to take this opportunity to thank the respective chairmen and my colleagues for supporting my amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 177 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 147 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to, and honor the life of, Elmer Arnold Brazelton of Paris, Illinois. When he died on November 6th of 2003, Elmer left behind his lovely wife Patricia, four children, and eight grandchildren. Elmer was one of those people who was a joy to be around and his optimism and love of life were contagious to all of those close to him. His life, Mr. Speaker, was an excellent example of love for country and family. Elmer joined the National Guard in 1947, a full 2 years before graduating from Brocton High School in 1949. He attended both Light and Heavy Weapons Schools at Ft. Benning, Georgia and later joined up with the California Guard and was sent to Korea where he received two Bronze Stars. He left the service in 1953 and came home to his beloved Edgar County, Illinois. Over the next five decades, Elmer would raise a family, farm, manage a filling station in Hume, drive a school bus for the Urbana school district, and retire from the University of Illinois in 1993 after 33 years of dedicated service; 23 of those years spent as a Custodial Foreman. Elmer was a 50-year member of the Paris American Legion Post #211. He was also a valued member of the Edgar County Historical & Genealogical Society, the Edgar County Farm Bureau, the State Line Christian Church and the Weber St. Church of Christ to name a few of the many organizations that were important to him. I will never forget Elmer, his personality, nor his dedication to his family and his service to his community. I ask that my colleagues join me in paying tribute to the life of Elmer Brazelton who was a good and decent patriot; truly, one of the good guys.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a truly remarkable group of young athletes. The University of Illinois Fighting Illini Men's Basketball Team has had a memorable 2003-2004 season ending March 7 with the winning of their first outright Big Ten Conference title in 52 years.

Having won regular season Big Ten cochampionships in 3 of the last 4 years, the pressure was on this young team and first year coach Bruce Weber to continue this championship success. After starting the Big Ten Conference season with a record of 3-3 and losing its first two road games, some began to doubt that this success would continue. However, credit must be given to Coach Weber and his staff and the unbelievable determination put forth by a team with only one senior, as the Illini concluded their season by winning ten straight conference games, of which six were on the road. I look forward to more Illini victories this weekend in the Big Ten Conference Tournament and later in the NCAA Basketball Championship Tournament and wish them continued success.

Coach Bruce Weber, his staff, and the entire University of Illinois men's basketball team are a great source of pride for their University, the Champaign-Urbana community and the 15th District of Illinois. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Coach Weber and the entire 2003-04 Fighting Illini Men's Basketball team.

Mr. Speaker, due to the ice and snow storm in the Washington, D.C. area last night, my flight, American Airlines No. 1548 from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport, was significantly delayed by 3\1/2\ hours. I therefore missed the two votes for the evening, Roll Call Nos. 6 and 7. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 1385, an act authorizing the United States Postal Service to issue a special stamp to benefit breast cancer research; and I would also have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 3493, the Medical Devices Technical Corrections Act.