Judy Biggert

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute one of the hardest working and longest serving staff members in Congress, Jay Pierson. More than any other, Jay's is the face that I associate with the House floor. He is the man who keeps the debate moving, who tells us where to go and when to vote, and teaches new Members the rules of the road. No one knows the procedures of the House better. He has kept the clockwork of the American democracy ticking ahead with the precision of a symphony conductor, and he has done it all with a steady, patient grace that has earned him the friendship and respect of everyone on this floor. I know everyone who works on or watches the House floor will miss Jay's daily presence. He is an institution and a source of procedural wisdom that few, if any, could hope to match. I'm honored to have served alongside of him and thankful for all the time that he has helped me to make it to the floor on time, catch the votes, deliver a speech, or just know when the gavel is coming down. Like me, Jay is probably looking forward to spending some quality time with his family and away from the daily grind of the legislative business, and I wish him a long and happy retirement. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I'd just like to thank him for his long service and for being a reliable friend behind the scenes to so many Members of the House.

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in support of the motion to instruct offered by my good friend Mrs. Davis from California. This measure would ensure that the Afghan Women and Girls Security Promotion Act, an important and bipartisan piece of legislation, will be included in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act. And it will require the Department of Defense to produce a detailed plan to promote the security of Afghan women and girls during the process of transferring security responsibility to Afghan forces. For more than a decade now, the rights and security of Afghan women have been on the rise, thanks in part to the efforts and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform. I had the honor of witnessing this progress firsthand when I traveled to Afghanistan over Mother's Day a few years ago and got to see excited young girls attending school for the first time and accomplished women proudly serving in government office. Here in the United States, we often take liberties like this for granted. For an Afghan woman, however, they represent dramatic strides forward in basic human rights and equality.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Like my colleagues here today, I am deeply concerned that as we begin to transition out of Afghanistan we are at risk of losing those hard-fought gains. Tragic news stories like the recent brutal murder of a young girl in northern Afghanistan over a rejected marriage proposal still occur with frightening regularity. I believe this piece of legislation provides an opportunity for us to do that by providing a credible path forward for promoting the continued safety and well-being of these girls and women. This is absolutely essential for the future peace, stability, and prosperity of Afghanistan. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support this motion to instruct.

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. But my children, we raised them, I think, well, and we raised them to be independent. We didn't think that they would be so independent. One lives in London with her husband and three children, one lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children, one lives in Bethesda with her three children, and our son lives in New York City. They're great places to visit, but you don't really have time, I think, when you're here as much as it was. But to have the family that's there all the time I think it's wonderful, but it has also been really difficult.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I begin this Special Order for those Members on this side of the aisle who are retiring or who are leaving at the end of 2012, so I rise today not to say goodbye, but to say thank you. After 14 wonderful and productive years, I will be stepping away from this podium for the last time at the end of the 112th Congress. Representing the people of the 13th District of Illinois has been the great honor of my lifetime. Words cannot express the depth of gratitude I feel to my friends, colleagues, supporters, and staff who have made this time in Washington so cheerful and fulfilling. I can recall the first time that I stepped out onto the House floor as a Member of this great body and said to myself, How did I end up in the U.S. Congress, surrounded by the legacies of so many great leaders? Growing up on the south side of Chicago, I never expected to become a lawyer or a school board president, much less a Member of Congress. At the time, few women went to college, let alone law school. Today, I know the path here was often the same for all who have walked these Halls. We are just Americans who love our communities and our country and who found ourselves pursuing that love through service to others. Even among those who rarely see eye to eye, I know that we share a passion for creating a better future for the next generation and that there has always been enough to bridge any gap that divides us. Maybe that's why I've always been known as a moderate. I like to assume the best about people with whom I disagree, at least until they prove me wrong. Thankfully, I can say without question that I've rarely been wrong, which is why my faith in this country and its future has never been stronger. But listening is the key. Lawmakers must listen to those around them as one American to another, as neighbors with shared values and without assuming that any difference of opinion is evidence of greed, ignorance, or malice. I was fortunate. I learned that lesson early. Maybe it was because I was the only female Republican in my freshman class here. All of my colleagues, chairmen and ranking members seemed eager to come and say hello, to welcome me with a smile and sage advice. Their advice served me well, and, in turn, it allowed me to serve my constituents better. My hope is that our incoming class of lawmakers follows a similar path and that they come to Washington ready to learn from those around them and to benefit from the diversity of backgrounds and experiences that can be found here in the Capitol. Because we face great challenges--the economy, immigration, the debt, Social Security, and Medicare--on these items and more we must find the answers soon if we hope to keep our country on a path to prosperity. Those solutions will only materialize if the Members of Congress take a chance, work together, and care more about results than sound bites or the next election. Equally important, they must be willing to take a walk a few hundred feet to the other side of the rotunda. The House and the Senate are two sides of the same coin, and yet they have never seemed further apart. My proudest moments as a Member of Congress have all been as the result of collaboration. My work to keep homeless kids in school, to bar genetic discrimination, or to reform the Nation's Flood Insurance Program were all signed into law after extensive personal conversations with Members of the upper Chamber. We have great leaders here in the House, but they alone cannot maintain communications between the two greatest deliberative bodies in the world. It's up to all of us, and it will be to all of you. So, Mr. Speaker, my advice is to work together across the aisle and across the Capitol. I urge my colleagues to stay close to their voters and true to their principles, but to never let ``compromise'' become a dirty word. That's what our constituents want; that's what America needs; and that's what has made these last 14 years the source of great joy in my life, none of which, I should add, would have been possible without my wonderful staff. Before I close, I must give thanks to these individuals who have been with me for months or years and who have never let up in their service to the residents of the 13th Congressional District of Illinois. From casework, to flag requests, to building roads or to passing laws, my staff has taken every challenge in stride, has brought out the best in me, and has done it all without ever seeking recognition, praise, or a raise. I also want to thank the great committee staff with Financial Services, with Education and the Workforce, and with Science, Space, and Technology, as well as the team at Ethics, with whom I worked for several years. Also, thank you to the unappreciated staff here on the House floor, who always keeps the debate moving forward. Most of all, I would like to thank Kathy Lyndon, the best chief of staff and friend that a Member of Congress ever asked for. Without her, I would not be here; and without her, I would not have been able to assemble one of the smartest and most capable staffs in Washington. So, thank you. Thank you to my colleagues, my staff, my friends, my family, my supporters, and even my critics who have helped me to grow, to learn, and to serve the people of Illinois. I have always viewed public service as a privilege, not a career, and you have all made this the fondest privilege of my life.

Mrs. BIGGERT. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mrs. BIGGERT. And I thank you, the minority whip, so much for those comments. That really is very kind of you, and I appreciate it.

Mrs. BIGGERT. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter).

Mrs. BIGGERT. I thank the gentleman. I will always think of you as the green man from Colorado. Now I would like to yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Todd Platts, who is also retiring.

Mrs. BIGGERT. You know, I just would like to say how we have worked together, and I really appreciate all that you have done. And what's different is that you had this family. And that is the hardest thing to have, you know, the kids and a wife, but to have the kids that you're always worried about. You always want to be to their games. I know you were always rushing around to do that and driving home, and I appreciate that. I have four children and a husband. Actually, we just celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary, which I can't believe, as time flies when you're having fun.

Mrs. BIGGERT. I also thank you for the experiences we've had working together on the Education Committee and being the Bermuda Triangle that we always laughed about, sitting on our side with Tom Osborne. We made a nice triangle to put things like vouchers in there. They go away, but they wouldn't come back.

Mrs. BIGGERT. So thank you.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Yes, I will yield to the gentleman from California.

Mrs. BIGGERT. I really appreciate that. Thank you. You were great as chairman, great as ranking member, and I think education is where it all starts in this most important committee. Thank you.

Mrs. BIGGERT. We have no other Members that are here so I would just like to say, again, thanks so much to my colleagues, and particularly my family. Some have been with me these entire 14 years and some have arrived after the start of the 14 years. To my friends and my supporters who have helped me really to grow and to learn and to serve the people of Illinois, it's been a real honor and a privilege. Public service is something that is such a privilege and honor, and I think that this has been the greatest privilege of my life, to have been a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BIGGERT. I appreciate that. Thank you.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Thank you. I yield 1 minute to Mr. Yoder. Congratulating Kansas House Speaker Michael O'Neal

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to applaud a true hometown hero--Nicholas Dominguez of Lockport, Illinois--for saving a woman who nearly drowned in Lake Michigan. Earlier this year, Nicholas was enjoying time with his mother on a beach on the Indiana shore when he noticed an empty raft and swimmers in distress. Thanks to his quick thinking and selfless instincts, Nicholas was able to rescue Evelyn Hernandez, pulling her safely to a sandbar. Several years ago, I had the privilege of nominating Nicholas to the U.S. Naval Academy, and I was pleased to congratulate him on his recent graduation. Today, as a second lieutenant in the Marines, he has already put on full display his commitment and dedication as a U.S. officer. His actions in Lake Michigan reflect the marine motto ``Semper Fi''--or ``always faithful.'' I applaud Lieutenant Dominguez for making his country and his Corps proud.

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, for your kind words, but also for what you have done for this country as far as trade and how you have really worked so hard to make sure that all of the Members of Congress realize the impact that trade has for our economy and for our place in the world. Either bilateral agreements, multilateral commitments, you were always there to make to sure that we moved forward on that, and I really thank you. I do rise in support today of this rule and H.R. 6156, to grant permanent normal trade relations to Russia. This important legislation is a small step toward a big reward. Without it, the United States exporters and service providers will continue to lose business to our foreign competitors that already have trade relationships with Russia. And once we lose those markets, our competitors will only become stronger and better-positioned to surpass the U.S. in a critical marketplace of the 21st-century global economy. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, Russia imported over $500 billion in goods last year; and of that total, only 5 percent came from U.S. exports. This bill will lift outdated policies that restrict American access to Russian markets. As a result, studies show that U.S. producers can expect to achieve double-digit increases over the next decade in exports of heavy machinery, agricultural machinery, chemicals and services. This is particularly critical for my home State of Illinois, where we have fallen behind Japan and Korea in these export categories. Most importantly, granting Russia permanent normal trade relations gives the U.S. a level playing field on which we can compete from a position of strength in terms of intellectual property and agricultural exports, and it will provide a reliable forum for trade dispute resolution. I would urge my colleagues to vote for the rule and the bill, to grow American exports and create good jobs here in the United States by supporting this rule and the underlying bill.

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Northwestern College, which is celebrating its 110th year of preparing America's students for success. Since 1902, Northwestern College has honored the goals of its founder, J.F. Fish, to create employment opportunities by providing career-focused education. This distinguished institution is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission as well as several programmatic agencies, and it operates three outstanding campuses in the greater Chicago area, serving more than 2,100 students. Offering Associate degrees in health sciences, legal studies, commerce and technology, and nursing--Northwestern College prepares students for a rewarding career in their chosen fields. I am pleased to congratulate Northwestern College on its 110th Anniversary, and for its ongoing commitment to educating students in Chicago and around the country.

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Chair, I inadvertently voted ``no'' on rollcall 592. I would like to be recorded as voting ``aye.'' Stated against:

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. I have no further speakers, either, so I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6361) to exclude from consideration as income under the United States Housing Act of 1937 payments of pension made under section 1521 of title 38, United States Code, to veterans who are in need of regular aid and attendance, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mrs. BIGGERT. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor of H.R. 6361, the Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act of 2012. I strongly urge my colleagues to support its passage. Put simply, this legislation will ensure that we don't punish low- income disabled veterans who are seeking or receiving housing assistance simply because of their disability benefits. Currently, if a veteran gets help with in-home care for their disability, that help is incorrectly calculated as income, which increases their housing costs. For purposes of section 8 and public housing assistance, H.R. 6361 would exempt from a veteran's income his or her service-related disability benefits as well as expenses for in-home aid and care. It also reforms how section 8 and other housing programs calculate utility subsidies, and it awards grants to rehabilitate and modify homes for our disabled and low-income veterans. As part of our effort to eliminate homelessness among veterans and help low-income veterans, our Financial Services Committee has closely examined the housing barriers facing disabled and low-income veterans. As recently as last week, we heard from veterans like Cassondra Flanagan of Philadelphia, who asked us specifically to fix how government programs treat disability benefits in their financial assessments. H.R. 6361 would address her request by helping veterans overcome one of the key bureaucratic hassles that make it harder to find a secure and stable place to call home. That's why our legislation has broad, bipartisan support. On September 12, 2012, the Financial Services Committee passed H.R. 6361 by a unanimous vote. In February, the Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee also gave its approval to similar legislation as part of the Affordable Housing and Self-Sufficiency Improvement Act of 2012, a broader proposal to reform HUD's section 8 and public housing programs. I'm also pleased that we were able to include in today's bill the language authored by Mr. Green of Texas so that additional assistance can be provided to those veterans who need home renovations to accommodate their disability. While we can never repay our veterans for the selfless sacrifices they've made to defend the liberties we enjoy, we can work to ensure that they have a place to call home. We also can work to ensure that our severely disabled veterans have adequate facilities and living conditions within the comfort of their homes. Mr. Speaker, our veterans have paid a high price to protect the American Dream, and they should have the opportunity to experience the blessings that dream represents. I commend my colleague from Nevada (Mr. Heck) for introducing this bill. He's put a lot of work into this. I'd also like to recognize my colleague from Texas (Mr. Green) for his tremendous bipartisan work and his contribution to this bill. I also thank Chairman Bachus for his hard work on this important measure. Finally, I also would like to thank the American Legion, VetsFirst- United Spinal Association, Easter Seals, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Veterans of Foreign Wars for their support of provisions in the bill. With that, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6361, and I reserve the balance of my time.