Cheri Bustos

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service of Dan Bebber, a friend of the Rock Island, Illinois community and a dedicated public servant to veterans from all across our state. Dan is a U.S. Navy veteran, retiring from the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs after more than 22 years of service. As a Veterans' Service Officer, Dan provided support to thousands of veterans seeking compensation from the VA over the course of his career. In addition to his work in the Department, Dan is an active member of the community and has spent much of his time assisting veterans in other ways, such as serving as a volunteer for VA Stand Downs and our local veterans' resource fair. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Bebber once again for his outstanding service to our nation and his dedicated service to our veterans and our community. I congratulate him on a well-earned retirement and wish his family nothing but the very best going forward.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Whiteside County Airport in Rock Falls, IL, which has been recognized as the ``2016 Illinois General Aviation Airport of the Year'' by the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics. This award recognizes the Whiteside County Airport for excellence based on a variety of criteria, including their service to the local community, safety record, and coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The airport and its staff have hosted numerous community events in recent years, including Boy Scout Camporees and several ``Last Time'' celebrations for historic aircraft. I applaud the efforts of Airport Manager Michael Dowell, along with the entire staff, for their commitment to excellence for the airport and its facilities. Mr. Speaker, I again want to congratulate the Whiteside County Airport and its staff for this remarkable achievement and I thank them for their service to our community.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Ken Christy, who was tragically taken from us on March 26, 2016. Ken was a dear friend and will be greatly missed by all those in the Aurora community who were touched by his years of service as a union and community leader. Mr. Christy was the local Aurora Township Clerk and served as President of the Illinois State Association of Letter Carriers for 25 years. As a letter carrier himself, Ken understood the challenges his union members faced and sought to be a voice for the men and women of the U.S. Postal Service. Ken was elected to the Illinois Hall of Fame for Letter Carriers in 2012 and was a recipient of the Kane County Democrat Harry S. Truman Award. His engagement with his community is one to be honored and admired. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for Ken Christy's tireless efforts fighting for middle class workers and my thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Kathryn Szymanski, who is retiring from the Rock Island Arsenal on April 28th. Currently, she serves as Chief Counsel for the U.S. Army Sustainment Command and the Joint Munitions Command. For decades, Ms. Szymanski has served honorably in different levels of government and public service. Ms. Szymanski began her career in public service at the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, where she was a procurement attorney, general law attorney, and procurement fraud advisor. Later in her career at the U.S. Army Materiel Command Headquarters, she served as counsel and continued to protect our armed forces from fraud. Before coming to the Rock Island Arsenal, Ms. Szymanski served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Infrastructure Analysis at the Army Headquarters in Washington D.C. Ms. Szymanski also has a demonstrated history of going above and beyond her daily responsibilities. Earlier this year, she was named the U.S. Army Sustainment Command 2015 Equal Employment Opportunity Champion of the Year for her commitment to promoting equality, inclusion, and access for women and minorities. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Ms. Szymanski for her commitment not only to public service, but also for working to open doors for women, for minorities, and for those who may be underserved or underrepresented. I congratulate her again on her well-earned retirement and wish her luck in her future endeavors.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I stand here as a Member of Congress; but years before that, I was a mother and a grandmother, and I still am. It is from all of these perspectives that I am deeply disturbed by recent tests in Galesburg, Illinois, that show a high contamination of lead. Even more alarming is that 5 percent of our children tested have elevated levels in their small bodies. If this happened to one of my kids, I can tell you I would ask for immediate answers and immediate action; and these families and these children deserve no less. Last Friday, I met with Galesburg city officials, and I urged them to apply for the low-interest Federal loans to replace the lead pipes that go to 4,700 homes in Galesburg. In addition to that, I support legislation that would call for improved reporting, testing, and monitoring of lead levels. As a Congresswoman, as a mom, as a grandma, I say to all responsible here: It is time. It is past time. No more excuses. No more delays. We need a long-term solution to a long-term problem.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, on the Legislative Day of March 21, 2016, a series of votes was held. Had I been present for these roll call votes, I would have cast the following votes: Roll Call 130--I vote `YES' On the Legislative Day of March 22, 2016, a series of votes was held. Had I been present for these roll call votes, I would have cast the following votes: Roll Call 131--I vote `NO' Roll Call 132--I vote `NO' Roll Call 133--I vote `YES' Roll Call 134--I vote `YES' Roll Call 135--I vote `YES'

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. I thank the gentlewoman from New Hampshire for yielding time on this critically important issue. I also thank the gentlewoman and Congressman Guinta for pulling this Special Order together and for their hard work on the Bipartisan Task Force to address this heroin epidemic. Mr. Speaker, as the heroin epidemic sweeps the Nation, too many families and communities are mourning the deaths of loved ones who have been lost over the years due to heroin addiction and addiction to painkillers. One of the lives we lost not too long ago was in a town called Rockford, Illinois, which is in the heart of my congressional district. The gentleman's name was Chris Boseman. He was 32 years old when he died in the summer of 2014. He was a kind, tender-hearted son and brother. He had a back injury that led to his addiction to pain medication. When he could no longer get relief from that pain medication, he began to buy different kinds of pain relief on the street. As the costs would add up, his dealer told him about something called heroin and that he could get this for $10. After his first overdose, Chris tried hard to fight his addiction. He had a couple of relapses, but it appeared that he had been successful in overcoming this addiction. He enrolled at Rock Valley College, a community college, where he studied construction management. He was 1 year away from graduating. No one knew that he was still fighting this battle because he was ashamed of it. One night he was home alone--he was just over 1 year clean--when he relapsed again and died. The sad thing is that Chris' story is all too common. In fact, I lost a member of my own family to the heroin epidemic when my brother-in- law's son died after overdosing on heroin in the summer of 2013. He was not the kind of kid one would think would be taking something like heroin. His dad had no idea. His family had no idea. He was a college football player. He was a musician. He was an avid weight lifter and was just a red-headed kid who was fun to be around. Yet, when he injured his back and his knee and felt that he needed more than just aspirin and a little physical therapy to overcome this pain, he got on painkillers. As we are telling these stories this evening, this eventually led to his trying heroin as a way to relieve his pain. It was probably, they thought, the third time that he took heroin. He ingested what would be considered pure heroin, and he died. I am here to say that we can no longer sit on the sidelines while folks in our communities and our family members are suffering and are dying, when parents are burying their children, and when the men and women who are struggling with this addiction are crying out for help. We also know that heroin use is increasing among young people, especially in my home State of Illinois, with a nearly 50 percent increase in the use of heroin just in the last several years. In Winnebago County, which is where Rockford is, which I was talking about earlier, there were 51 heroin-related deaths in 2013 alone. In Peoria, which is also in the heart of my congressional district, emergency responders see at least one heroin overdose every single day. Perhaps the most troubling is not just this rapid increase in the usage or in the rising number of overdoses, but in our inability to treat those who need it the most. While heroin use is increasing rapidly in every region of my home State, there has been a dramatic decrease in the availability of treatment. In fact, Illinois ranked worst--last in the Nation--in the overall decline in treatment capacity. While we are at the height of this heroin epidemic, last year our Governor proposed a budget that would cut our already inadequate State- funded treatment programs by 60 percent. To make matters worse, the ongoing budget crisis in Illinois has gutted the funding for treatment programs like one in my district of Rockford. It is called Remedies Renewing Lives. That is why next week, when the President gives his State of the Union, my guest will be a guy named Gary Halbach, who is the president of Remedies. It is so he can witness the State of the Union and so he can talk about the important work that he and his colleagues at Remedies are doing every single day. Under the pressure of tremendous budgetary shortfalls, Gary and his team have been on the front lines in providing treatment to heroin addicts and support for victims of domestic violence. We will not end the heroin epidemic if the programs that have been proven to help continue to be undermined and significantly underfunded. We cannot turn a blind eye to the families and to the communities that have been affected by the heroin epidemic. They deserve better. They deserve solutions.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Connolly and Congressman Mulvaney for their hard work on this. Mr. Speaker, as one of the Democratic coleaders of this legislation, I am so proud to rise in support of the Federal Improper Payments Coordination Act of 2015. The goal of this bill is straightforward: simply, to save taxpayer dollars that are currently going to waste and to make the Federal Government more effective and more efficient. Each year, Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government spends billions of dollars in improper payments. This not only wastes taxpayer dollars, but it also erodes the public trust in government. Just last year, as my colleagues have pointed out, improper payments by the Federal Government rose to $125 billion. That is more than $1 trillion over a decade. That is according to the Office of Management and Budget. It is also an increase of 15 percent up from the year before, where it was $106 billion. So we are talking about real money here. In tough times, working families have to figure out how to cut costs to get their budgets in line. We all know that. I think it is time that Washington do the same thing. That is why our bill takes reasonable-- reasonable--steps to improve information sharing between Federal and State agencies to prevent these improper payments. This also helps modernize Federal agencies by putting 21st century data analytics to work in identifying and eliminating governmentwide waste and fraud. The status quo is, plain and simple, not acceptable. At a time when so many working families have to tighten their belts and cut costs, they expect Congress to act responsibly with their hard- earned taxpayer dollars. This bipartisan legislation represents a commonsense approach to a problem that is costing the taxpayers billions of dollars. This is undermining the effectiveness and the credibility of the Federal Government. I thank Congressman Mulvaney and Congressman Connolly. I think this is an indication that we know how to work together. I want to applaud my colleagues for joining our efforts to protect taxpayers.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank my colleagues for working across the aisle to prepare to pass the first long-term highway bill in more than a decade. For too long, Washington has governed from one manufactured crisis to another. This has hurt our economy by creating an environment of uncertainty for great manufacturers like Caterpillar, John Deere, UTC, and Woodward. American families shouldn't have to worry when they cross a decrepit bridge on their way to the grocery store or take their kids to school. The men and women of labor who build our roads and bridges deserve this long-overdue, job-creating highway bill. And so do we. So, Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleagues for working together on this important issue.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I asked unanimous consent that my name be removed as a co-sponsor of H.R. 1694. I urged a change in the language to strengthen support for our veteran business owners by establishing a dedicated funding stream. Unfortunately the bill sponsor declined to make this change. I urge my colleagues to instead support H.R. 3997 which would much more effectively ensure that our veteran business owners have the opportunity to compete and succeed.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove my name as a cosponsor of H.R. 1694.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Victor Moreno on his retirement from serving as Chief of Police for East Moline Police Department. Victor is rightfully being honored by the East Moline Police Department for his longstanding dedication to the community. Victor has served a total of 26 years with the department. He has been Chief of Police since 2004 and has given so much comfort to the community with his dedication to public safety. Victor has held himself to the highest moral standard. Victor has enriched the lives of all those around him. Fortunately, he will continue to serve his community by teaching law enforcement and public safety at United Township High School. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Victor for his commitment to the East Moline Community. I congratulate him again on his well-earned retirement and wish him luck in his future endeavors.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I know we have very serious matters in front of us today and facing our country as well. But I would like to take just this 1 minute to mark the retirement of my former boss, a guy named Bill Leaver, who is now CEO of a health system called UnityPoint. It is one of the largest nonprofit nondenominational health systems in America. I met him first more than 10, 15 years ago when I wrote a profile about him as a newspaper reporter. I knew from the very start that this is a guy who understood the needs of the community, the needs of those who needed to acquire health care and have access to quality health care. He was my mentor, my friend, and my boss. I wish Bill Leaver all the best in his future. He and his wife, Jeannie, are more than deserving of having this next chapter of their life be one of their most successful.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, for too long, this Congress has governed from one crisis to the next. Yesterday, when we were just hours away from another self-inflicted Washington wound, two news pieces were published that I would like to share: number one, the CEO of Honeywell, a company with a significant presence in my district, published an article about the economic damage of Congress' failure to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank; then Bloomberg published a story with the headline, ``Boeing Risks Losing $1.1 Billion Jet Order on Ex-Im Shutdown.'' Washington gridlock is putting the jobs of thousands of Americans at risk. This includes hundreds of the people I serve in Rockford and the Quad Cities. But today is a new day; it is a new month. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to turn over a new leaf of bipartisanship. Let's work together, reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank, and protect these good-paying manufacturing jobs before it is too late.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Sinema) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Benishek) for convening this important discussion this afternoon. As I am sure we agree, we need to continue shining a light on the epidemic of veteran suicide so we can push to improve the resources available to the brave men and women who have served our Nation. Mr. Speaker, I come from a region of Illinois called the Quad Cities. For more than two decades, my seat was held by one of the strongest advocates for veterans who has ever worked in these Chambers. I am talking about the late and the great Congressman Lane Evans. Congressman Evans was a veteran of the Marine Corps who served this body from 1983 all the way to 2007. I was proud to call him my friend. As a veteran, he understood the challenges that many of our returning heroes confront after they come home. Congressman Evans was a tireless advocate for expanding resources to our veterans and providing the mental health services that many of them need to make a successful transition back to civilian life. Today, after more than a decade of war, this generation of veterans faces a new set of challenges. We have an obligation to those who have served our Nation. As my friend, the gentlewoman from Arizona highlighted earlier in her remarks that an estimated 22 veterans commit suicide every single day. That is nearly one every hour. And we all know the statistics driving this epidemic. Military suicides are at their highest rate in 10 years. Mr. Speaker, veterans make up 20 percent of our suicides, despite making up only 10 percent of our population. Thirty percent of veterans have considered suicide. 37 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD. And of the approximately 22 veterans who take their lives every day, roughly five actually get care through the VA health system. It is easy to get lost in all those statistics. They are numbers. But behind each and every one of those is a real human being, a veteran with a real story that we must tell. We have a duty to help them. We all know how hard the Department of Veterans Affairs is working to keep up with this ongoing and persistent challenge, but we have to do more. That is why I proudly supported the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, which was signed into law earlier this year. Once this legislation is fully implemented, it will take critical steps toward curbing the epidemic of veteran suicide by improving the VA resources and increasing oversight of programs designed to help our veterans get the care that they deserve. This is an important step toward stemming the ongoing crisis of veteran suicide, but it is not enough. This is why I have called on the Appropriations Committee to increase funding for veteran suicide prevention programs and outreach services. I hope all of you will join me in demanding more action for our veterans. If Congressman Evans were alive today, he would not rest until all of our veterans get the care and the support they have earned for protecting our Nation, and neither should we.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, on the Legislative Day of September 17, 2015, a vote was held. Had I been present for this roll call vote, I would have cast the following vote: Roll Call 497--I vote ``NAY.''

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Madam Speaker, last night, nearly 80 of my colleagues joined me in sending a letter to Speaker Boehner urging him to keep the House in session every day until we reach a solution that prevents a government shutdown. In 2013, we saw how badly a shutdown damaged our economy: $24 billion in lost economic activity, 120,000 fewer private sector jobs created during the shutdown, and 20,000 veterans disabilities claims per week that were stalled. And yet even though we have nearly 2 weeks left before a shutdown would happen, there are only 5 days of scheduled activity in this House Chamber. The American people can't afford another self-inflicted Washington wound on our economy. The stakes are just too high to take even a day off. We owe it to working families, seniors, and veterans across our Nation to get the job done right now.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 497, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the first responders and volunteers who worked tirelessly in a town called Cameron, Illinois--population, 600. On July 16, a tornado devastated this small town that measures only six blocks by seven blocks. While the storm caused widespread property damage, good people from across the region rushed in to help Cameron recover. I was able to thank many of them last week when I toured the damage. Their generosity, bravery, and willingness to help their neighbors gives me hope that this community will rebuild again and be stronger than ever. I spoke with one family whose home was damaged. There was a little child there whose bike had been swept away in the storm. A first responder, in seeing this small child crying, bought a bicycle to replace it for him. My heart goes out to all of these families who were impacted by this terrible tornado; and I want to thank our brave and generous first responders and volunteers who have poured their time, energy, and love into this town called Cameron, Illinois.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the first responders and volunteers who have been working tirelessly in Cameron, Illinois after an EF2 tornado devastated this small town in my district. While the storm caused widespread property damage and several injuries, the good people from across the region who rushed to Cameron to help give me hope that this community will rebuild and become stronger than ever. First responders and volunteers stepped in at a time of great need and continue to provide safety, material assistance and comfort to the good people of Cameron. They came from all over the region bringing bottled water, tarps and even homemade blueberry pies to help this town of 600 people get back on its feet after 125 mile per hour winds tore through it last week. I spoke with many families who were affected by the tornado, and there was a recurring theme that resonated with me: Cameron was bent, not broken. With over 50 homes damaged, community members and other helpers have been working tirelessly to support these families and straighten out all the bends brought upon them by this disaster. Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to all the families this terrible tornado impacted and I am grateful for the brave and generous first responders and volunteers who pour their time, energy, and love into helping Cameron recover.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to take up and pass a long-overdue bill to fund our roads and bridges for the long term. Yet again, we are approaching the end of a short-term extension with the highway trust fund in danger of expiring at the end of this month. We can't keep kicking the can down the road. We need a long-term bill, and we need it now. In my congressional district alone, there are 421 bridges that are structurally deficient. Just earlier this month, I stood alongside the Murray Baker Bridge in Peoria that runs over the Illinois River, the heart of my district. Its structure is in need of replacement. Further northwest, where I live, there is the Interstate 74 Bridge. Just over the weekend, I stood alongside it. It spans the Mississippi River. It was built for traffic of about 40,000 cars. Today it accommodates about twice that many. In fact, former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood stood alongside that bridge and said it is the worst bridge he has seen in the United States of America. The families I represent deserve better. The businesses I represent deserve better. We need to pass a bill, a long-term highway bill, and we need to pass it now.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Brigadier General Kristin K. French on her retirement from her long and heroic service in the U.S. Armed Forces. Completing her studies at the historic grounds of West Point Military Academy in 1986, Brig. Gen. French would later go on to complete two masters degrees in Logistics Management and Strategic Studies. After serving all over the world in operations such as Operation Desert Fox in Kuwait, Operation Joint Endeavor in Croatia, Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, she assumed command of the Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command and Joint Munitions Command at the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois in July of 2013. A highly decorated officer, her awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal. Brig. Gen. French is married to Lieutenant Colonel Rick French, and together they have a daughter and a son. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Brigadier General Kristin French for her dedicated service in the Armed Forces, bravely protecting and defending American citizens. I congratulate her on her well-earned retirement after nearly 30 years of service, and I wish her and her family the very best the future has to offer.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate William G. Holland on his retirement from serving as Illinois Auditor General. Mr. Holland's almost 25 years of service have illustrated his persistent dedication to the State of Illinois. The Illinois General Assembly has appointed Mr. Holland as Auditor General for an unprecedented three 10-year terms. Throughout his tenure, he has consistently maintained stability during some of our state's most turbulent times. His career embodies true public service, and he has been a role model for many other public servants, including myself. I have known Mr. Holland for more than 30 years and had the privilege to serve as an intern when he was the Chief of Staff to the Illinois Senate President. I have seen first-hand that regardless of who or what party is in power, he has always upheld the important values of fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize and thank Mr. Holland for his longstanding commitment to good government in the State of Illinois, and I congratulate him again on his well-earned retirement.

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, on the legislative day of June 15, 2015, a series of votes was held. Had I been present for these roll call votes, I would have cast the following votes: Roll Call 364--I vote ``YEA.'' Roll Call 365--I vote ``YEA.''

Mrs. BUSTOS

Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Moline, Illinois' own Lonnie Stephenson on becoming the President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, representing 750,000 of its members worldwide. The IBEW represents a variety of workers spanning the utilities, manufacturing, communications and infrastructure industries. Mr. Stephenson has been an active member and dedicated leader within IBEW for many years. He joined IBEW Local 145 in Rock Island in 1976 and worked his way up to become Vice-President and then President of his local organization. He was later appointed as an international regional representative, leading operations across Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Mr. Stephenson has championed the IBEW's mission for decades, and his service and dedication have never wavered. As the new international President, I know he will continue to champion the causes important to electrical workers and working men and women across the globe. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Stephenson for his longtime commitment to the IBEW and wish him the best of luck in his new role. He has been an exceptional leader, and I know he will continue serving electrical workers, and all working families, everywhere for years to come.