Jerry Costello

Mr. COSTELLO

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, continuing to reserve the right to object, I thank the gentleman for his explanation and associate myself with his remarks. At this time, we extend our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to all of the families, both on the flight and to those on the ground, who lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy.

Mr. COSTELLO. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I do not intend to object, and I ask the chairman of the subcommittee for an explanation of the concurrent resolution.

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Weiner) for his leadership and for sponsoring this resolution. Mr. Speaker, reserving my right to object, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano).

Mr. COSTELLO

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mr. COSTELLO. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois.

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, continuing my reservation of objection, I thank the chairman of the subcommittee for his explanation of the bill. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3093 is a bill to designate the Federal Building and United States Courthouse located at 501 Bell Street, Alton, Illinois, in honor of Judge William L. Beatty. Judge Beatty was born in Mendota, Illinois, in 1925 into a working class family. As a child, he moved with his family to east St. Louis, Illinois, where he lived until 1952. At the age of 10, he started his first job selling Liberty Magazines and the Saturday Evening Post, earning a penny for each magazine sold. This was one of many part-time and summer jobs that he would hold prior to obtaining his law degree. In June of 1943, Judge Beatty graduated from Central Catholic High School. Later that year, he was drafted in the Army and served his country in the 394th Field Artillery Batallion in Germany in 1944. He was discharged in 1945. After the war, he attended Washington university as an undergraduate, and graduated from St. Louis University Law School in 1950. After passing the Illinois and Missouri bar exams, he began private practice with George Moran, where they specialized in personal injury law. He also worked part-time as a city attorney in Granite City, Illinois. In 1968, Judge Beatty was elected circuit judge in Madison County, Illinois, and served on the circuit bench from 1968 until 1979. He was appointed to the Federal bench by President Carter in 1979, and served the Southern District of Illinois until his death in July of this year. Judge Beatty touched and influenced not only the lives of his colleagues and fellow attorneys, but also everyone who appeared in his courtroom. He was known for his integrity, honesty, and fairness, and his courtroom was known as a place where justice would be done. In his personal life, he was a devoted husband and a loving father. I am privileged to have known Judge Beatty, and I am honored to sponsor this bill. It is a fitting tribute to a dedicated public servant whose career will be remembered for his fairness, consistency, and dedication, both to his job and to the area. It is fitting and proper to honor the outstanding public service of Judge Beatty with this designation.

Mr. COSTELLO. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. COSTELLO

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. Thaddeus Szewczyk of Belleville, Illinois who 50 years ago discovered the cause of retrolental fribroplasia. During the 1930's, retrolental fibroplasia, a disease causing permanent, total blindness, affected premature babies placed in incubators in hospital nurseries. This disease became rampant in industrialized countries during the 1940's and 1950's, causing blindness in thousands of children. Twenty percent of all newly born premature babies were affected and doctors feared that within a few years, most premature babies born in the United States would be blind. Then, in December, 1951, Dr. Szewczyk, working at Christian Welfare Hospital in East St. Louis, Illinois, suggested that misuse of oxygen was the cause of retrolental fibroplasia and careful control of oxygen might control this disease. His findings were published in prestigious medical journals, including The American Journal of Ophthalmology. Because of the massive increase in incubator usage, this discovery prevented a tidal wave of blindness in baby-boomer babies. Dr. Szewczyk has had a distinguished career and as a result, has received several awards and honors. In 1976, he received the International Leslie-Dana Gold Medal from the St. Louis Society for the Blind. In addition, the National Polish-American organization recognized him for this brilliant, medical discovery. Furthermore, the Illinois House of Representatives recently passed a resolution honoring Dr. Szewczyk for 50 years of dedication and hard work on retrolental fibroplasia. Dr. Szewczyk was the first of four children born to Stanley and Genevieve Szewczyk. He served as a doctor in the army during World War II, spending many months on the island of Attu and Germany. Dr. Szewczyk has worked as an eye specialist, in partnership with his brother Edward, in Southern Illinois for over 30 years. Today, he and his wife of 57 years, Loretta, reside in Belleville, Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in honoring this extraordinary individual, for his commitment to retrolental fibroplasia and his amazing discovery that saved many children from a life of permanent, total blindness.

Mr. COSTELLO

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the conference report for H.R. 3150. I have said numerous times since the attacks of September 11 that the most important issue for us to address is improving aviation security. This conference is a product of much hard work by members of both bodies and parties. I am pleased that we have the opportunity to support this legislation today. Under our current system, we have screeners who do not speak English, have received minimal to no training, and often leave to accept a higher paying job at the fast food restaurants in the airports. At many airports turn over is greater than 100%; at the St. Louis airport, the turn over rate is greater than 400%. In the weeks since the attacks, we have witnessed glaring failures of our current system, including one man clearing security with seven knives, a can of mace and a stun gun and another man boarding a plane with a gun. For the last nine weeks, I have actively supported legislation which would make all airport screeners federal employees. By federalizing the workforce, we can be sure that our airport security personnel are professional, well-trained, and accountable. The workers will be fairly compensated for the important task they perform. A federal screening workforce is key in improving our aviation security. This legislation creates an Under Secretary of Transportation Security, who will be responsible for security in all modes of Transportation. As soon as the President signs the legislation, stricter screener requirements will be in place. Within a year, all baggage screeners will be federal employees, who work with federal law enforcement personnel stationed at the airports to improve our nation's aviation security. Federal, professional employees will restore confidence to the flying public in a way that continuing our current system of contract guards cannot. In addition, this legislation makes other improvements to our aviation security. Among other things, it requires that all checked bags be screened by explosive detection equipment by the end of next year. It improves airport security by requiring background checks for individuals and vehicle inspections for those with access to secure areas. It increases the presence of Federal Air Marshals on flights. All of these things will make our skies safer. Mr. Speaker, I think the conference committee has developed a good bill. I am pleased that we will use federal, rather than contract, employees to screen aviation passengers. I believe that with the passage of this legislation, we will be taking a giant step to reassure the public that our skies are safe, and putting our nation well on the road to recovery. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.

Mr. COSTELLO

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 41 years of service and the retirement of Ande Yakstis from the Alton Telegraph Newspaper in Alton, Illinois. Ande Yakstis, award-winning reporter, retired on Friday, November 2, 2001 from the Alton Telegraph after a distinguished 41 year career at the historic newspaper. Ande has been described by his colleagues as a skilled veteran reporter as well as a community-minded journalist. Throughout his 41 years, Ande witnessed many changes at the Alton Telegraph, ranging from different newspaper ownership to changing news philosophy, but Ande has always kept the importance of freedom of speech and community journalism in the forefront of his mind. Ande started his career at the Telegraph in 1960 with the late publisher Paul S. Cousley and well-known editor Elmer Broz. Ande has previously described Cousley as a publisher with great integrity and respect. Cousley was credited with carrying on the tradition of Elijah P. Lovejoy, the abolitionist newspaper/publisher/editor. He had a great impact on Ande, teaching him about being a newspaper person, how to inform people about issues in government, reporting on school district affairs and coverage of the business community. When Ande started as a cub reporter, Madison County was noted for illegal gambling and other related activities. He gained a reputation as an investigate reporter who exposed the racketeering empire of local mobster, Frank ``Buster'' Wortman. As a result of his stories exposing the gangsters, the Illnois Crime Investigation Commission teamed up with FBI and other law enforcement authorities to shut down organized crime operations in both Madison and St. Clair Counties. Another highlight of his career came in 1969, when he and former Telegraph reporter Ed Pound began an investigation of an Illinois Supreme Court Justice who allegedly received a gift of stock after he set a defendant free in a crime. After the story appeared, an investigation of the Supreme Court was undertaken by both the Illinois and Chicago Bar Associations. Following the hearing, two justices of the Court resigned. Both Ande and Ed Pound were then nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for their stories on the Supreme Court Investigation. They were also honored with the National Associated Press Managing Editors Award for the Supreme Court Expose. In addition to these honors, Ande was awarded the Illinois Associated Press First Place award for news and feature writing 10 different times and twice was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his news reporting. His career was further distinguished in 1997, when he was awarded the Elijah P. Lovejoy award for a lifetime of writing stories to improve the quality of life of people of all races and nationalities. Ande is known for his writing ability, but most of all, he has been involved in many humanitarian efforts in the community during his 41 year career. In the early 1960's, Ande spent time tutoring young black children to help them to read. Ande has said his greatest reward as a journalist comes when one of his stories helps a child get an organ transplant or when a story he writes helps a local food pantry receive donations of food for hungry families. It is then, that Ande believes his life as a writer has been worthwhile. In 1975, Ande was presented the Brotherhood Award from Black Churches in Alton for his stories promoting justice and racial harmony in the community. He organized a campaign to rebuild the historic Rocky Fork New Bethel A.M.E. church in Godfrey after it was burned by arsonists. Ande has also volunteered at the Salvation Army to help the poor with food and clothing and helped the late Frances Jackson to start the Alton Food Crisis Center which feeds hundreds of people each month. Ande is a veteran of the Korean War and has spent a lifetime as an advocate for the rights of men and women who served in the armed forces. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 41 years of service of Ande Yakstis and to wish both he and family the very best for an enjoyable retirement.

Mr. COSTELLO

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to the bill and in strong support of the bipartisan substitute. I support the substitute offered today as it has already passed the United States Senate and will be sent directly to the President if passed by this body today. The substitute contains many of the provisions that I and other Democrats on the Subcommittee on Aviation introduced on September 14: more sky marshals, limiting carry-on luggage, putting the Federal Government in charge of security at our Nation's airports, and having professional, career law enforcement officials in charge of baggage screening and security in general. It is the last point that some Members of this body cannot accept, despite the overwhelming approval of the American people in passing the United States Senate by 100 to zero. Currently, privately contracted baggage screeners earn about $6 an hour, and receive little to no training. At Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, the turnover rate has been as high as 400 percent. Many of these screeners are not U.S. citizens, which contributes to language barriers; and it makes it difficult for us to perform background checks on them. It simply makes sense to make sure these positions are filled with career law enforcement professionals. How can we expect the FBI, CIA, and other career law enforcement professionals to share sensitive information about potential terrorists with noncareer contract employees who will only be on the job a few weeks? The substitute bill makes the Federal Government responsible for hiring, training, and ensuring that we have a functional, properly trained workforce. Federal law enforcement professionals, career professionals at the Secret Service protect the President, the Vice President, the White House. Federal law enforcement career professionals protect Members of Congress and the U.S. Capitol. Federal law enforcement career professionals protect the Supreme Court Justices and the Supreme Court, and Federal law enforcement career professionals should be responsible for security at our Nation's airports and protecting the flying public and the American people. I urge passage of the substitute.

Mr. COSTELLO

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in East St. Louis, Illinois. From the beginnings of holding prayer meetings at the home of Mother Jennie Thomas, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church began. As the prayer meetings grew, a mission was begun and larger facilities became necessary. Mother Thomas, along with Charlie Green and Belle Aikens, obtained a building site at 10th and Cook Streets in East St. Louis. On April 4, 1901, Mt. Zion was organized with the Rev. Allen Aikens as its first pastor, Brothers Woodard, Sandy Sherrod and William Easterly as Deacons; Brothers W. Jones and Prince as Trustees and W. Belle as Secretary. The membership grew under Rev. Aikens' leadership. As the congregation grew, a larger place of worship was required. Though their resources were limited, the congregation was able to purchase land at 13th and Tudor. Construction on the new church started soon thereafter. Mt. Zion met in the basement of the building until it was completely built. In 1919, Rev. BJ Smith was the pastor and under his leadership, a sanctuary was added and overall construction became complete. Following Rev. Smith, Rev. Lemon Johnson and Rev. JJ Olive came to serve as church pastors from 1931 to 1935, Under Rev. Olive, a baptismal pool was added to the church. Following this period in the church's early growth, the Rev. B Haney became pastor, soon followed in 1947 by the Revs. Ephraim Thomas and James Clayborne. In 1947, Rev. WB Rouse became pastor at Mt. Zion. During his pastoral duties, membership of the church greatly increased. The church building became enlarged in 1951 and again in 1955. The sanctuary was expanded, classrooms were added and an organ and church furnishings were acquired. At this time a parsonage was also added to the Church holdings at 919 Bond Avenue. In 1964, the Illinois Department of Transportation needed easements to assist in the construction of the Poplar Street Bridge, the church then purchased additional property at 24th and Bond Avenues in East St. Louis which became the church's present location. In 1966, the Rev. C Cedric Claiborne was received as the new pastor of Mt. Zion. Under his tenure, the new church was constructed at a cost of $450,000 and the first worship service was held there in 1968. In 1972, however an explosion damaged the eastern wall of the church. A makeshift cover was used to protect the building up until 1974 when the cornerstone was laid for the new wall. Activities initiated by the Rev. Claiborne include city-wide graduate services of Metro-East graduates and a Sunday evening broadcast via WESL. The church then employed a full-time church cemetery and a church publicity Director. In 1975, Rev. Rouse took over pastorship of Mt. Zion under his leadership a mortgage burning ceremony was held in 1979. Between the years 1977-2001, several pieces of property were acquired, including a parking lot directly located across from the church, the church office, ground adjacent to the office building, the Jewish temple, Sunday school complex and an area east of that facility. In addition to expanding their land holdings, vehicles were secured over the years to help transport parishioners to the church. In 1976, two 60 passenger buses were purchased, in 1986, a utility van and two trucks were bought; in 1981 three vans were purchased; 1989 two additional vans were bought and from 1989 to 1999, additional vans and bus were acquired, bringing the church's fleet of vehicles to five. Pastor Rouse holds workshops and institutes for members of the community. In 1977, the Nursing Home Visitation Team was organized and continues to go into the various nursing homes in the region providing spiritual guidance to their patients. Mt. Zion continues to be active in the needs of senior citizens. The Voices of Zion held its first concert at Powell Symphony Hall in St. Louis, Missouri in July 1983. Mt. Zion continues to serve the community by providing Thanksgiving meals. During the South End Flood, church facilities were used by the Red Cross to feed flood victims. Mt. Zion also operates a food pantry, which is open to the public twice weekly. Mt. Zions membership continues to grow. Under Rev. Rouse, he has also ordained some 16 new ministers. In 1994, the New Day Jail ministry was started going into various correctional facilities. They are responsible for providing spiritual guidance to inmates as well as providing Christmas gifts to children of the incarcerated. The church's bookstore opened in 1996 and the Inspirational Voices Youth Choir finished their first CD recording out of the church itself. During this year, a ground breaking was held in June in preparation for the construction of new Classroom and administrative buildings. Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist continues to grow and prosper, providing the spiritual needs and guidance for many people in the region. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 100 years of service of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church and salute the members of the church's congregation both past and present.

Mr. COSTELLO

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 3090. This is simply the wrong way to approach a short term economic stimulus bill. It is not temporary, and instead of addressing the needs of laid off workers, the Republican bill is a give away to the wealthiest Americans and corporations. Even Treasury Secretary O'Neill has said the bill is misguided. The country would be much better served by considering the comprehensive aviation security bill I introduced with other Democrats on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. This should have been one of our top priorities in the days after September 11, but six weeks later we have not seen floor action. There are numerous problems with the Republican bill, but I am particularly troubled by a provision that will allow multi-national corporations to avoid paying U.S. taxes by taking profits out of this country. How does this stimulate our economy? Some of the business provisions in this bill are retroactive all the way back to 1986. In addition, the Republicans provide no immediate federal support for unemployment insurance or health care benefits for laid off workers, but instead make benefits dependent on later actions by the states. We need to get money directly to middle and low-income workers to get that money back into the economy. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this outrageous Republican bill, and then let us move quickly to consider aviation security legislation. We have already waited far too long.

Mr. COSTELLO

Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to join the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Watts) and many of our colleagues in strong support of this legislation. House Concurrent Resolution 233 honors and commends the first responders who responded to the call to evacuate and rescue thousands of people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the crash site of United Flight 93 in Pennsylvania following the horrific events of September 11. This resolution also expresses our profound sorrow for the emergency service personnel who were injured or perished on September 11 and extends our sympathy to their families. It encourages the President of the United States to issue a proclamation calling upon the American people to support our emergency service workers and encourages all levels of government to continue to work together to coordinate emergency preparedness. These first responders, our firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical service personnel, risked and gave their lives so that others could get to safety. In the immediate days following the attack, thousands of the first responders rushed to offer assistance, and many are still working around the clock at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. We are very appreciative for what they have done and continue to do. Without their help, many more would have been injured or perished. Our Nation's emergency preparedness is dependent upon our local first responders. Federal programs within FEMA and the Department of Justice help prepare and support first responder programs, but the strength of the program nationwide is that the service providers are local. They are often volunteers, and each of them is highly involved in their community. I strongly encourage all levels of government to work together to more effectively plan and coordinate our Nation's domestic terrorism programs. As we have witnessed, the emergency responders are our first line of defense in the aftermath of a terrorist incident. It is critical that our Nation and our national preparedness programs assist our local first responders by providing them with the best information, training, and equipment. Madam Speaker, our Nation's first responders deserve our gratitude for their heroic work on September 11 and what they do to protect and help all of us and our families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. COSTELLO

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill).

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill) for his leadership in this. I know that I speak for all of our colleagues when I thank him for his leadership on this measure. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer).

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), who is the ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1583 is a bill to designate the Federal building in New Albany, Indiana as the ``Lee H. Hamilton Federal Building and United States Courthouse.'' Lee Hamilton is a former colleague who represented the ninth district of Indiana for 34 years. The gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill) currently holds that seat and is the sponsor of this legislation. Lee Hamilton graduated from Central High School in Evansville, Indiana. He then attended DePauw University and graduated from Indiana University Law School in 1956. While in high school and college, Hamilton was an outstanding basketball player and was inducted into the Indiana basketball Hall of Fame. During his 34-year tenure in Congress, Lee Hamilton made his mark in foreign affairs and domestic economic policy. He served on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Iran Contra Committee, and the Joint Economic Committee. He had a front row seat for many historic events, including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Gulf War. As a follower of economic issues, Lee Hamilton was a champion of global market competition and encouraged economic development. During his government service, Lee Hamilton received numerous awards and honors. These include the Knight Commander Cross of the Order of Merit from the Government of Germany, the Paul Nitze Award for Distinguished Authority On National Security Affairs in 1999, and the Edmund Muskie Award for outstanding public service in 1997. Congressman Hamilton, although a recognized and powerful figure in Washington, D.C., did not lose his sense of humility. He has retained his sense of humor, his grass roots ``Hoosier'' values, and remained a source of advice and counsel even today to his colleagues. Lee Hamilton is currently the director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars here in Washington, D.C. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 1583, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall).

Mr. COSTELLO

Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the airline relief legislation currently under consideration. I do so because I believe the bill before us does not get to the heart of the problem faced by the airline industry aviation security--and fails to include compensation for the tens of thousands of workers that have also been affected. The events of September 11th have had a profound effect on the country, economically, psychologically, and militarily. There is no doubt that the airline industry has suffered in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. However, while it may be necessary to spend billions now to keep the airlines solvent, we will not restore the faith of the American people--and in turn the health of the industry--until we assure them it is safe to fly. Security enhancements cannot wait. We need to radically improve our procedures for ensuring the safety of airline passengers. To address these concerns, I recently joined with others on the Aviation Subcommittee to introduce H.R. 2895. This bill would greatly expand the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) Air Marshal Program, give the FAA or another Federal law enforcement agency control over the airport security screening system and limit airline passengers to one carry-on bag. I also believe cockpit doors should be secured to prevent entry by hijackers. Testimony received last week by the Aviation Subcommittee revealed that strong measures are indeed necessary. Just last week, former Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents successfully boarded a plane concealing graphite knives. In addition, Department of Transportation Inspector General Kenneth M. Mead testified that when his office reviewed security procedures at Dulles International Airport it found that over 80% of security screeners there were not U.S. citizens, which adds to language barriers, and that screeners earn low- pay and have an extremely high turnover rate. We need a uniform system for employing, training, and monitoring the performance of our aviation security personnel. Our proposals are not new, but we need to act on them with a renewed sense of urgency. Also, the lack of provisions in this airline relief package for the tens of thousands of workers that have been or will be laid off is disturbing. While I understand promises have been made to address these issues in the near future, there is no good reason why they cannot be included now. Similarly, there is no language to protect the American taxpayer. In past instances of industry distress, the Chrysler Corporation comes to mind, government aid was tied to stock or some other commitment that the company would pay the money back. No such provision applies here. Mr. Speaker, while I understand that the airline industry has real needs after the tragic events of last week, this is not an appropriate way to meet them. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting against this legislation.