Cheri Bustos

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Cathy O'Keeffe--the Director of the Braking Traffik organization, who is being recognized in Washington, D.C. as a recipient of the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award for 2016. As the Director of Braking Traffik, Cathy has made remarkable contributions to our community, helping bring justice and resources to victims and survivors of labor and sex trafficking. Through education, legislative advocacy and community partnerships, Braking Traffik has helped raise awareness about this important issue and has strengthened trafficking laws in both Iowa and Illinois. Cathy has devoted her drive, energy and fierce determination to this organization since 2011, and has tremendously helped make our community a safer place to live. I'm very proud of Cathy's work on this issue and am pleased she's gained the recognition of the Director of the FBI. Mr. Speaker, I want to again formally congratulate Cathy on her award, and I join the rest of our community to wish her every success in the future.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Molly Ortega who is retiring after almost 35 years of federal service. Ms. Ortega has worked for decades at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to ensure these vital agencies have the resources and staff they need to keep us safe. Ms. Ortega has utilized her decades of agency experience and insights to improve the safety of civil aviation in our region. She provided support and guidance to the management team in the staffing and training of essential personnel at TSA, and prior to that she was employed at the FAA for nearly two decades, working in multiple positions. I am proud to have such dedicated civil servants in my community that set an example for future generations. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Ms. Ortega for her dedication to the safety of travelers and passengers in our region. I congratulate her on a well-earned retirement and wish her luck in her future endeavors.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my former high school basketball coach, Kris Glintborg, for his well-deserved induction into the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame. Mr. Glintborg has enriched the lives of many students through his 36 years as a teacher, coach and athletic director in our public schools. Throughout his career, Mr. Glintborg went above and beyond by taking on the responsibility of coaching both girls' basketball teams, in addition to boys' basketball and track, when funding for women's sports was limited, to ensure all students had equal opportunities to pursue their dreams in sports. In addition, his leadership and dedication to our community has also been demonstrated through his commitment to coaching youth sports and officiating basketball, football and volleyball outside of our schools. Mr. Glintborg is someone I am proud to call a mentor and coach, and I can personally attest to values of teamwork, perseverance and love of the game he instills in all of his students. Mr. Glintborg has been a truly influential individual in the lives of many young athletes in Springfield, including myself. Mr. Speaker, I would like to again formally congratulate Mr. Glintborg and thank him for all of his dedication and service to students.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Brea Beal of Rock Island for being named this year's Ms. Basketball of Illinois. Brea is the first Quad-City basketball player to be awarded the title of Ms. Basketball of Illinois, and I would like to recognize her for her tremendous talent. As a former college basketball player myself, I understand the time, hard work and dedication that goes into being awarded such a title. Additionally, Brea has consistently been ranked as one of the top basketball players in the state. Last year, she was the only freshman to make the Class 4A Illinois Basketball Coaches Association all-state first team and has showed continued growth in skill and heart. She is ranked as one of the top sophomore prospects in the nation, scoring more than 1,200 points in her young basketball career and only the third sophomore ever to be named Ms. Basketball of Illinois. At this rate, Brea is on pace to break almost every Western Big 6 Conference record by the time she graduates. Not only does Brea lead on the court as the captain of the basketball team, she's also deeply involved in our community, spending time volunteering when she isn't practicing. Moreover, she is strong academically and maintains a 3.6 grade point average. It is because of passionate young leaders like Brea that I am especially proud to serve Illinois 17th Congressional District. Again, I'd like to congratulate Brea Beal for making the Quad-Cities proud, and wish her every success in her bright future.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, the American people are demanding a real investigation into President Trump's ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin. I was a journalist for nearly two decades, and for part of that time, I was an investigative reporter. I could tell you that, where there is smoke, there is usually fire. Right now, smoke is billowing out of the White House. No matter how many times President Trump tries to distract us with a tweet, no matter how many times President Trump advisers have held secret meetings with the Russians, no matter how many times the Republican chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence changes his story to protect President Trump, sooner or later, the truth will come out. Vladimir Putin has a driving mission and that is to weaken America from within. So to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I ask one simple question: What would President Ronald Reagan do? Well, I can tell you. He would put our national security ahead of partisan politics. He would follow the facts, and he would leave no stone unturned. Our democracy demands a complete, thorough, and independent investigation into President Trump's ties with the Putin regime.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, during the last few weeks, my office has heard from literally hundreds of concerned Illinoisans about TrumpCare. I have heard from a heart attack survivor, whose prescription medication would go from affordable to $1,000 a day under this plan. I have heard from Americans ages 50 to 64--I happen to be in that group--who are worried about paying an age tax of five times more than others. Just in the last 24 hours, I have heard from two more groups that are standing against TrumpCare. And, no, they are not partisan political groups. The first is the Illinois Health and Hospital Association, which represents more than 200 hospitals in the State of Illinois. They oppose TrumpCare because it means taking health coverage away from hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans, while killing the jobs of another 60,000 hardworking people in my State. The second group is the National Farmers Union. They understand that TrumpCare's drastic cuts could force hundreds of rural hospitals to close their doors. So I am left wondering, who exactly supports TrumpCare? Instead of throwing 24 million Americans off their coverage, let's work across the aisle to improve health care for all, not just the richest among us.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to join so many of my women Members of Congress to recognize and celebrate International Women's Day. In my lifetime, women have made so much progress, but our journey toward full equality still has so far to go. More than five decades ago, a half a century, we began the work to achieve equality in the workplace when President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act. We took another important step forward when President Obama signed his first bill into law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Even with those laws, women in my congressional district still only make 72 cents on a man's dollar. For women of color, the wage gap is even worse, 63 cents for African-American women and 54 cents for Latinas. When you consider that women make up almost half of the workforce, and women are either the sole or primary breadwinner in 40 percent of the homes, this isn't just a women's issue; it is a family issue. This is why we must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to give every woman additional tools to fight for equal pay they earn on each and every payday. In a country as great as ours, we must guarantee that our daughters have the same opportunity to earn a fair and equal wage.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, I welcomed Emily Carlson to the Capitol as my guest to President Trump's address to Congress. Emily comes from a rural town called Abingdon, Illinois. She is the co-owner of a small family-owned business, and her husband, Kevin, is a farmer. Like a lot of hardworking Midwesterners, they don't want a handout; they just want a fair shot at success. But 17 years ago, all of that was put at risk when Emily was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which is a chronic and expensive disease to treat, and she will have this the rest of her life. They could barely afford the most basic care for Emily because she was in the high-risk pool in the State of Illinois. Too often the Carlsons literally had to vacillate between affording Emily's medication or going deeper into debt. However, since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, life has been much better for the Carlsons. Today their family of four has much better coverage, and it costs much less. Mr. Speaker, President Trump's repeal wouldn't just undermine Emily's health; it would devastate their family's economic security, along with those of many families throughout our Nation. Instead, let's work together to keep what is working and fix what is not.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I join with my Illinois colleagues, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. LaHood, and Mr. Hultgren, who will speak in just a moment, to recognize the life and the legacy of a great man who dedicated his life to service. For decades, the hardworking men and women of Peoria were proud to have Bob Michel fighting for them in the United States House of Representatives. And even though we were from opposite parties, I learned a lot from Bob Michel, who had been a friend of my family for decades. Like a lot of men and women from his era, Bob Michel believed in America to his core. He believed in the midwestern values that have made our heartland a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Hard work, service, community, and working together to achieve a common good, these are the values that Bob Michel lived by. Bob Michel could have gone into business and become a wealthy man. He could have left Peoria for a big city. He could have done anything he set his sights on. But what Bob Michel did was he decided to give back to the community that had given him so much, and he gave a life of service. It was in 1956 that Bob Michel ran and won his seat representing Peoria and several communities across central Illinois. Even though he went to Washington, Bob Michel's heart was always in Peoria. He never lost sight of his profound responsibility to the people that he served. For nearly 40 years, he rose through the ranks of Republican leadership to become the longest serving minority leader in our Nation's history. Even though I might not have agreed with him on every single vote that he cast, Bob Michel proved that you can disagree without being disagreeable. Over the last several days, I have heard from Members from both sides of the aisle about their memories of Leader Michel, and there are several things that we can all agree on. First, if Bob Michel gave you his word, you could always count on it. Second, if you had a good idea, whether you were a Democrat or a Republican, if it helped the families that he represented, you could count on his support. And finally, if he didn't agree with you on something, well, you could probably count on a fight, but not a fight like we think of it today, certainly not the kind of divisive, personal, and negative partisan battles that have become far too common in Washington. Bob Michel didn't believe in something like that. He believed in healthy debate, grounded in mutual respect for both sides of the aisle; because, when it gets down to it, all of us are here with the intent of bettering the families that we serve, bettering the communities that we represent, and, of course, bettering our Nation. That is what Bob Michel stood for, and it is why we as a nation come together tonight to mourn his loss. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand along with Mr. Hultgren, Mr. LaHood, and Mr. Shimkus, my colleagues in Illinois, in offering the heartfelt condolences of the entire U.S. House of Representatives to Leader Michel's children, Scott, Bruce, Laurie, and Robin, as well as their families. The city of Peoria will always honor and remember the life of service that Bob Michel gave.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, for the sake of our country, I was relieved that General Michael Flynn resigned from his post as National Security Adviser. Not only did he mislead the Vice President and the public on his secret conversations with the Russian government, he may have also violated Federal law. But what is just as concerning is that the Trump administration was aware of General Flynn's misconduct weeks ago and did nothing about it. The American people deserve to know what President Trump knew, and when he knew it. And let me be clear: General Flynn's resignation is not the end of the Trump administration's shady ties to Russia. We still don't know President Trump's financial interests in Russia because he refuses to release his tax returns. We still don't know the extent of Russia's disturbing interference in our election because our calls for an investigation have been stonewalled. And we just learned that the Trump campaign was in regular conversation with Russian intelligence officials. President Trump's coziness with Vladimir Putin is an urgent matter of national security. It is time that the Trump administration truly put America first, rather than the Kremlin.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, on the Legislative Day of January 30, 2017, a series of votes were held. Had I been present for the last of these roll call votes, I would have cast the following vote: Roll Call 67--I vote YES.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, on January 23, 2017, a series of votes were held. I was not present because bad weather caused my flight to be cancelled, and I arrived too late to vote. Had I been present for these roll call votes, I would have voted Yes on Roll Call 60, and Yes on Roll Call 61.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize State Representative Don Moffitt, who retired from the Illinois House of Representatives after finishing out his final term in office. Mr. Moffitt has led a life dedicated to public service, honorably serving in various levels of government for more than four decades. Mr. Moffitt began his career in public service as an Alderman in the City of Oneida, Illinois, the city he soon became the Mayor of. Mr. Moffitt continued to serve his community through his time as the Knox County Board Chairman, and Knox County Treasurer from 1984 to 1993. Mr. Moffitt became a member of the Illinois State Legislature representing the 74th District in Illinois in 1993, where he has served more than 20 years as a State Representative. Mr. Moffitt has dedicated his time in public office to strengthening our region by always placing the safety and well-being of our communities first, and serving as a strong advocate for rural communities in the State Legislature. I was pleased to learn he will continue being an advocate for our rural economy in a new position as the Assistant Director at the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Moffitt for his commitment to public service, and for all that he has done to strengthen our region. I congratulate him again on his retirement from the State Legislature and wish him well at the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, this final amendment says plainly that the Securities and Exchange Commission should take into account whether any proposed rule will have an impact on outsourcing American jobs. Many of us, especially those of us in the industrial heartland, represent regions that have experienced serious job losses because of companies sending jobs overseas. I will tell you a little bit about mine. I have the honor of serving Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Most of my district is rural. It spans 7,000 square miles, 14 counties, and covers the entire northwestern region of the State of Illinois. We are the world headquarters for John Deere. You have probably seen the tractors or the combines out there on the farmland. We are also the world headquarters for Caterpillar, and, as you have traveled around our country and around our world, you have probably also seen the yellow, big, earth-moving equipment. That comes from my congressional district. But like many parts of our heartland, our region has seen far too many manufacturing jobs shipped overseas. I am going to give you a couple of examples. In a town called Galesburg, Illinois, we had a Maytag plant that made refrigerators. Overnight, every last one of those jobs was shipped to Mexico. A dozen years later, the wages there still have not recovered because of that outsourcing. We have a town called Hanover, Illinois, a little, bitty town in northwestern Illinois. There was a plant called Robertshaw. They made little valves that go inside of washing machines and dishwashers that measured the water that would flow through. There was nearly a zero percent defect rate on what was produced out of that plant, and the company was profitable. And yet, every last one of those jobs went to Mexico. And then we had a company called Sensata. They made auto part sensors, and it was bought out by a company called Bain Capital. You might know a little bit about this company called Bain Capital. And they shipped every one of those jobs over to China. I have made friends with a lot of the workers there, one of whom is named Dot Turner. She had worked there for 40-plus years, started right out of high school. And she had the indignity of--the last function that she had to do at that plant was to scrape the tape off the floor that laid the area for where the machinery had been; that was what she had to do. So I am here to tell you those stories, but also to say that this is happening to way too many workers. Men and women like Dot Turner understand the dignity that comes with having a good job and putting in a good, hard day's work. They understand that a good career is a pathway to a better future for themselves and for their families. But too many people like Dot have been left behind. So what are we going to do? What is ahead? In just 9 days, President-elect Trump will take the oath of office after running on a platform of making America great again. He said he would do that by bringing home jobs that had been sent overseas. Well, many my colleagues on this side of the aisle have been fighting to protect American jobs for years. In fact, we have put forth real solutions to spur growth in the manufacturing sector and get our middle class back to work. We have introduced more than 80 bills in our Make It In America agenda, but we have been blocked at so many turns. So what kind of legislation is making it to the House floor instead? Bills like the one we are going to be voting on soon; bills that would make it more difficult for the Securities and Exchange Commission to protect investors and consumers, would make it more difficult for that to happen, and bills that would gamble the retirement savings of everyday Americans as if we were a Trump casino. Working families deserve more than a bumper sticker slogan. They know that talk can be cheap in a place like Washington, D.C., and they are tired of politicians putting billionaires over the little guy. That is why this motion would ensure that our focus is on bringing back outsourced jobs. Working families need to know that we here in Washington are fighting for them. Please join me, and let's show the American people that we are serious about this issue. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am opposed.

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Angel Martinez, a shining young member of our Rockford community, who has been named a two-time national champion in the U.S. Youth Amateur Boxing Division.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I spent 10 years of my professional life working in health care, both during and after the Affordable Care Act passed, so let me tell you what a Republican repeal would mean. It would mean raising prescription drug costs on Illinois seniors by more than $1,000 every year by reopening the Medicare doughnut hole. It would mean returning to the days when insurance companies could discriminate against women by charging them more than men for basic care. It would mean telling diabetics, survivors of a heart attack, or even babies with a birth defect that they aren't qualified for healthcare coverage because of their preexisting condition. It would mean denying cancer patients lifesaving care after they have reached their lifetime limit on their insurance policy. Republicans have talked about repealing the Affordable Care Act for almost 7 years, but they have no plan for replacement. Again and again, we have heard that repealing ObamaCare will make America great again. Well, I say it will make America sick again. Please, let's work together. Don't undermine the health of millions of Americans.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Bi-State Regional Commission on 50 years of collaboration to promote important changes to transportation, communication, technology, and the environment in the Quad-Cities area. Through intergovernmental and regional cooperation, this commission has brought local governments from Illinois and Iowa together to address important economic issues and collaborate on projects for the benefit of the region. Some notable projects include developing our interstate system, the expansion of the 1-74 bridge and improvements to passenger rail service and transit systems in the region. I applaud the efforts of this commission for their commitment to excellence in the Quad Cities. Mr. Speaker, I again want to congratulate the Bi-State Regional Commission for this remarkable achievement and I thank them for their 50 years of service to our community.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Bill Gorski who is retiring from SwedishAmerican after serving for 16 years as its President and CEO. For decades, he has aided the public honorably by creating lifesaving opportunities for communities in Illinois and Wisconsin. Under Dr. Gorski's guidance, SwedishAmerican built a major acute care hospital, a freestanding outpatient cancer center in Rockford, a network of 30 primary care and multispecialty clinics, and the region's largest home health care agency. He has worked to improve health services in the community of Belvidere as well, by acquiring and renovating a medical center that now provides ambulatory services and 24-hour emergency care. Dr. Gorski has a demonstrated history of going above and beyond. Through its foundation, SwedishAmerican has helped rebuild the neighborhood surrounding its main campus. Twenty-six homes have been built and an additional 120 houses and two apartment buildings have been renovated. SwedishAmerican has also cooperated with Rosecrance Health Network by investing more than $5 million a year in inpatient behavioral health services within the Rockford region. His inspiring work has given our communities a healthier future where citizens can have reliable health services. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Dr. Gorski for his dedication to improving the quality of care our citizens receive when they need it most. I congratulate him again on his well-earned retirement and wish him luck in his future endeavors.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor The Peoria Lions for their Class 5A championship win against the Vernon Hills Cougars earlier this week. Peoria struggled to stop the Cougars in the first half, but the Lions forced three second-half turnovers, allowing them to build a two-score lead. Junior quarterback Coran Taylor threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns, and added 134 yards and three scores on the ground. Fellow junior Geno Hess led all rushers with 215 yards and two touchdowns of his own. In the end the Lions racked up 621 yards in their 62-48 win. I congratulate the Peoria Lions on their outstanding victory in their 5A championship win. The Lions are now first-time state champions, a testament to the impressive football program that coach Tim Thornton has built. Mr. Speaker, as a former athlete, I understand how important this is to the young men, the coaches and the community. They never gave up. They kept playing their best, and their team spirit and belief in themselves helped them become state champions. Their efforts and resilience should inspire us all.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of U.S. Army Sgt. Douglas J. Riney who was killed in Kabul, Afghanistan on October 19, 2016. I've always believed that the best way to really know who a person was, is to hear the memories from those who knew him best. As friends and family members in Fairview and across our community have come together to mourn the loss of this true American hero, it's clear that Sgt. Riney was a man who believed in the values that have made our nation strong. Like so many who grew up in Fairview, Sgt. Riney believed in service. After graduating from Spoon River Valley High School, Sgt. Riney became a volunteer firefighter with the Fairview Fire Protection District where he earned a reputation as a man who could always be counted on. In the United States Army, Sgt. Riney was deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom from July 2014 to February 2015. In June of this year, he was again deployed as part of Operation Freedom's Sentinel. As part of the Support Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas, Sgt. Riney excelled at his work. Through the years, for his courage and commitment to getting the job done, Sgt. Riney was repeatedly recognized as he earned many commendations including the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal. On that fateful day in Kabul, our nation lost one of its finest, and the community of Fairview lost one of its best. Mr. Speaker, as we mourn the loss of Sgt. Douglas J. Riney, let us also give thanks for the positive impact and legacy that he leaves behind. While words offer little consolation to soothe the pain of losing a loved one, our nation offers its deepest condolences and heartfelt gratitude to the family of Sgt. Riney, today and always.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend and congratulate Mayor Larry Morrissey and the community of Rockford, Illinois, as they are recognized by the White House for their innovative and collaborative work to end veteran homelessness. Mayor Morrissey has been invited to facilitate a panel discussion at the White House today to share Rockford's success in effectively eliminating homelessness among veterans within his community. Rockford was the first city in the nation to achieve a ``functional zero'' for homeless veterans, and has continued to do so for a consecutive year-- serving as a model for other cities on how to ensure that all of our veterans have a place to call home. To achieve this result, the City of Rockford has worked with housing, employment, and veteran groups to coordinate services so all who bravely served our country have permanent housing and support. Mr. Speaker, I want to again formally congratulate Mayor Morrissey and the community of Rockford for being recognized for their great work. I am hopeful that communities across the country can learn from Rockford's success and end veteran homelessness once and for all.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate Veteran Suicide Prevention Month. Today, after more than a decade of war, a new generation of veterans is facing real challenges. No man or woman who has sacrificed so much for our country should return home feeling alone or feeling like there is nowhere to turn. Far too often, that is the reality in which our veterans live. In fact, every single day, 20 veterans commit suicide. During the last decade, nearly a third of veterans treated at VA medical centers had been diagnosed with PTSD. We have to do better. That is why I was proud to be a cosponsor of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act last year to increase resources for veterans and improve oversight of the VA. I am working closely with veterans service organizations in our district to ensure that all veterans receive the high-quality care that they have earned and deserve. This month, it is my hope that our awareness can finally turn into meaningful action for our veterans.