Bob Dold

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, on one of the last days to be able to come and address the House before the end of this Congress, I want to take this opportunity, really, to thank the people that work here in the House. We up here talk about our constituents back at home, and Congresses will come and go, but it is the staff here that make this institution run. I want to thank them for the great work that they do. Frankly, there are far too few of us that actually recognize the work that happens. From the folks down in the wood shop, to the people who are working behind the rostrum, to our Capitol police officers, to Father Conroy, who keeps us on the straight and narrow, we thank you for your service. I do want to take this opportunity, as we are about to embark on the holidays, to thank them for the great work that they do for each and every one of us and for our Nation, because they are the ones that truly keep this institution running and make sure that we have a sense of history and that, again, this august body is one that will be represented well for years and, hopefully, centuries to come.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Florida for his service here in this body and wish him well as he opens the next chapter of his life, and I certainly hope that we will stay in touch. Mr. Speaker, today I come to the floor to really thank the people of the 10th District of Illinois for giving me an opportunity, a tremendous honor to become their voice here in Washington, D.C., to serve them here in the United States House of Representatives. When I first ran for Congress, it was because I, as a small-business owner, felt the government was making it harder and harder for me to put the key in the door of my small business, harder for me to hire an individual, and I think they should be making it easier for me to do those things, easier for me to put the key in the door, easier for me to hire that next individual. Today, Mr. Speaker, too many politicians and bureaucrats in Washington just don't understand what it takes to meet a budget and a payroll. We see a disconnect in so many people who are risking everything, who feel that the folks here in Washington, D.C., just don't understand. They feel that Washington has grown far too distant, become out of touch, and unresponsive to the real-world difficulties that families are facing each and every day. Too many people feel that government officials have forgotten who they actually work for, something that myself and my team never forgot. Throughout my time in office, my team and I have gone to work each and every day to fix this disconnect. In just the past 2 years, we have held more than 1,000 events that we held back in the district with community leaders and constituents to listen, learn, act, and ultimately make sure that we were accessible so that those individuals felt that they had their voice in Washington, D.C.; that we did understand what they were encountering each and every day, whether it was up in Zion or north Chicago or down in Des Plaines or in Highland Park and Lake Forest. We responded to over 50,000 constituents' letters. We helped over 1,250 families break through the red tape of government bureaucracy in order to help them with whatever it was that was plaguing them at the time. That really was because of the great constituent service that our team displayed day in and day out. We held five nonpartisan job fairs in order to connect 10th District jobseekers with good, high-paying careers that were right here in the district. Mr. Speaker, I represent the fourth largest manufacturing district in the country, and manufacturer after manufacturer would let me know: I have good, high-paying jobs available, I just can't find people qualified to take those jobs. Holding these job fairs was a critical thing in order to make sure people were able to make payments on their mortgage, to be able to make sure that there was food on the table. These actions made a real difference in people's lives for themselves and for their families. Mr. Speaker, I have always said that there is so much more that unites us than divides us. Yet, when we look at Washington, too many people are talking about the gridlock. That is the stuff that sells newspapers. That is the thing that is on the nightly news. Yet, people have to recognize here in this body, the people's House, and, frankly, across the Capitol in the Senate, that we are not Republicans or Democrats first, but we are Americans, first and foremost, and that we are all bound by the shared vision of wanting our communities and our Nation to succeed, to be safe, healthy, and strong. That is why I have always sought to work across the aisle to tackle the most challenging issues facing our country. The results have proved that, when we work together, we truly can make an enormous impact on the lives of the American people, we can make their lives just a little bit easier. When we think about what we have been able to do over the course of the last few years, I still remember time and again we would go to townhall meetings and we would go to events and talk to people, and they would ask: Is Washington working? The answer was unequivocally: No, it is not working. Yet, when we reminded them about some of the things that we were able to do over the course of the last 2 years when we worked together, most people were shocked. We passed historic, bipartisan reforms to ensure that seniors will continue to have access to their doctors through Medicare. This fix ends a nearly two-decade-long stretch of short-term patches year after year. Doctors would be concerned that, at the end of the year, they were going to get a 25 or 30 percent cut in their pay just for taking care of our seniors. Therefore, a lot of the doctors ended up saying: I am not going to take care of seniors. Well, we came together in a bipartisan way and actually fixed that problem. We passed the first long-term surface transportation bill and infrastructure funding bill in more than a decade. Our efforts brought money flowing into Illinois to fix our roads and rails, reduce congestion, and make the daily commute safer not just for the 10th District, but for communities all across our country. We passed a historic education reform bill, which will improve the classroom experience for students in our community. The Every Student Succeeds Act reduced the Federal control and returned more power to parents so that they could actually make more decisions about their children's education, to the teachers, and to the local school districts, which is where the power should be. I have to say that I am particularly proud of our Educational Advisory Board, which was chaired by Laz Lopez and so many others that contributed to that that were really instrumental in helping provide and in shaping some policy with regard to education in our office. I am particularly proud of one of the provisions that actually made it into the reform bill, which I authored, which will bring literally millions of dollars into one of the neediest school districts in our country, the North Chicago Community Unit School District 187. Our effort actually put students ahead of the interests of others and we put partisan politics aside to make a real difference in their lives. As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, it was an honor to be part of an effort to develop and pass important legislation to reduce the tax burden on families across our country. Our work allows small businesses and families to have more certainty when it comes to planning, how they are able to expense equipment and do certain things that they want to be able to do when it comes time to planning, budgeting, and the like. We ensure that critical antipoverty programs continue to receive the resources that they need to be successful while also injecting a number of new and innovative ideas into the conversation that will better help people reach their fullest potential. I want to make special mention of the great work being done by YouthBuild, which is helping young men and women in Lake County. YouthBuild is a nationwide organization, but their Lake County chapter is one of the best. I recognize that I may be biased, but they are helping individuals that might have taken a wrong turn throughout an early part of their life, giving them real-world skills to be able to get on their feet and be able to move forward. I will forever be in their debt for doing really incredible work to provide hope for an enormous number of individuals. Over the last 2 years, we secured robust funding for programs like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in order to protect what I believe is one of our greatest natural resources in the Great Lakes. Our bipartisan efforts bring us one step closer to ensuring that we keep this incredible asset, incredible resource clean for future generations. We worked across the aisle to pass bills to prevent sex trafficking as well as ensure survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence have the resources that they need. Most recently, we worked together to pass landmark legislation known as 21st Century Cures Act. In that bill was a bill that was certainly near and dear to many, and certainly to Dr. Tim Murphy, in the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act. So many are being impacted around the country, and this is something that needs our attention. This soon-to-be law also increases funding for the National Institutes of Health, which will speed up our efforts to find cures to many of the world's deadliest diseases while also delivering long-overdue reforms to address the gaps in our Nation's mental health system. When we think about the National Institutes of Health, Mr. Speaker, we actually passed over the last 2 years the largest increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health. I do believe that, if we want to try to reduce the costs of health care, one of the things that we are going to have to do is come up with cures for things like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease and diabetes. We spend $330 billion every year treating diabetes. If we came up with a cure, I am confident that we could put those resources to use in so many other areas. Mr. Speaker, these are just a few examples of what can be accomplished when we set aside our partisan differences and decide to work together for the people that we represent. Of course, another area we notably did on this is the issue of prescription drug and heroin abuse. There is one family in particular that inspired our team's efforts, which deserves, I believe, special mention. In the suburbs of Chicago, Mr. Speaker, someone dies from a heroin overdose every 3 days. In Cook County, it is every day. They leave behind a family in grief. I first met Chelsea Laliberte nearly 5 years ago. She grew up in Buffalo Grove, just outside of Chicago, with her brother Alex. Alex graduated from Stevenson High School. He played sports. He got good grades. He had a tremendous number of friends. Then, during his sophomore year in college, he started getting sick. When Alex got sick, he would go to the hospital and get better and get back on his feet, at least for a little while; but a few months later, this would repeat. He would get sick and be admitted once again. It was a vicious cycle. Honestly, his family didn't know what was going on. What we did finally find out is that Alex was addicted to prescription drugs and he was suffering from withdrawal, which brought him to the hospital. Then, in 2008, just a few days after final exams, Alex Laliberte overdosed and died. He was 20 years old. As a father, I can't imagine the pain of losing one of my children to a drug overdose. But sadly, too many families have experienced this loss. Heroin abuse and prescription drug abuse is an epidemic that is impacting our entire country. I worked with Chelsea and the Laliberte family to introduce a bill called Lali's Law, named in memory of Alex, that would increase access to an overdose antidote called naloxone. Naloxone has already saved more than 150 lives in Lake County, Illinois, alone in just the last 2 years. This was really done by the initiative of Mike Nerheim and the police and so many people coming together. The police actually asked if they could carry naloxone because they were tired of showing up on the scene and seeing someone right before them die from an overdose. When they agreed and gave first responders in squad cars the ability to administer naloxone, life after life was saved. So I do want to recognize Mike Nerheim and all those at the Lake County Opioid Initiative for the great work that they are doing, the lives that they are saving. This is something that, frankly, we are just starting to address and there is a lot more work, obviously, that needs to be done. The World Health Organization actually says that with increasing access to naloxone, we have an opportunity to save over 20,000 lives this year. Working together, we passed our bill through the House and with overwhelmingly bipartisan support secured its inclusion in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which the President signed into law in July. It is my sincere hope that, because of our efforts, Alex's lasting legacy will include saving countless lives, sparing families this unimaginable grief, and giving people all across our country a second chance at recovery. While I am tremendously proud of the achievements that we have accomplished together, there is still, of course, so much more that needs to be done. The costs of taking care of our families, educating our children, providing health care, and saving for retirement have all become more burdensome in the recent years. Misguided economic policies hold back our small businesses and entrepreneurs and too many families are being trapped in generational poverty without the opportunities for meaningful work or for a quality education. As a father of three young children and the son of a schoolteacher, one of the most important issues that I have tackled during my time in Congress has been ensuring that future generations are equipped with the skills that they need to succeed. A quality education is the building blocks for literally everything that we want to achieve, from curing cancer and Alzheimer's to helping hardworking individuals secure a good, high-paying job. Among the work that I am most proud of in this Congress are three important bills that we put forward. First, we wrote the HELP for Students and Parents Act to make college more affordable, more accessible for literally everyone. Today, across the United States, there are $1.3 trillion in student loan debt between 40 million Americans. Sadly, there are students in our community as young as elementary school who now believe that, because their families don't have the means to pay, they are never going to be able to achieve the dream of going to college, regardless of how hard they work. That is simply unacceptable and must change. The HELP for Students and Parents Act is one measure that can improve by helping make employer contributions towards employee student loan repayment and the employer contributions towards 529 college savings accounts for a worker's child--the norm in American society. Building on these ideas that are commonplace today, such as tax benefits that encourage employer-sponsored retirement accounts and health care, this legislation would update the Tax Code to reflect the financial goals of students and parents seeking to help with student debt. With only 3 percent of employers currently offering student loan debt repayment, this is a meaningful way to ease the anxiety of student debt and make college education more attainable for people all across our country. Second, Mr. Speaker, we introduced the Stand Up for Students Act to level the playing field for low-income school districts that are being ravaged by fiscal mismanagement in my home State. Sadly, for years, Springfield and the politicians there have taxed Federal money given to school districts serving low-income students in an effort to pay down debts created due to fiscal mismanagement. Under no circumstances should these politicians be allowed to use Federal money intended to help the most in-need schools to bail themselves out of a mess that they created through decades of irresponsible spending. The Stand Up for Students Act would hold Springfield accountable and would ensure that we are giving the most vulnerable children the best chance at success by stopping this immoral tax on students who need our help the most. And third, beyond education in the classroom, I want to underscore our efforts in advancing innovative antipoverty measures that will connect hardworking people with a job. I introduced the Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act to help reform the way our country thinks about poverty and getting people back to work. With nearly 50 million Americans still living in poverty, we must demand a new and better approach. The Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act helps those on welfare land a job. It does this by providing funding that will reduce the cost to an employer for taking a chance and hiring an individual who may be on welfare. This boost can make all the difference in the world for that individual seeking a job, and I am pleased that this legislation passed the House earlier this year. Moving forward, I urge my colleagues in the next Congress to take up these three bills to help our students and young workers and individuals struggling to climb the economic ladder the educational opportunities that they deserve, and let's help people reach their full potential. I also urge my colleagues in this body to take up other pieces of legislation. I certainly am hopeful that we can tackle immigration reform. As a nation of immigrants, we know that this is a humanitarian issue. It is an economic issue, and a national security issue that, frankly, must be tackled. When we look at those, the DREAMers that are as American as many of us right here in this body, we want to make sure that they have an opportunity to stay here in our country, to be contributing members of our community, and to be able to continue to live their lives as they are doing right now. We want them to come out of the shadows and have an opportunity to succeed. I also think we have an opportunity and a need to move forward on commonsense gun legislation, on background checks, because, again, I think the thing that we have to come back to, Mr. Speaker, is the idea that we want to focus on what unites us. Coming from the Chicago area, I can tell you what we have to do and what unites us is the idea that we want to reduce gun violence. One of our colleagues here in the House, my friend, Danny Davis, just lost his grandson just a few short weeks ago, an altercation in this young man's home over a pair of tennis shoes. We have to step up and do something that, again, is not infringing on Second Amendment rights, but is talking about some commonsense legislation to make our community safer. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about the difference that we have made on foreign affairs and national security, because one thing that I love about the 10th District is that there are so many great people who are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the strong alliances and the grave threats that we have overseas. Beginning with my first speech here in this Chamber nearly 6 years ago, I have worked to stand against the Iranian aggression and Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon. For years, I have been a strong and unapologetic advocate for ratcheting up the sanctions and pressure on Iran. I have pushed for promoting human rights and democracy inside of Iran and have devoted much time on this very floor to warn against agreeing to a fundamentally flawed nuclear pact with Iran. I continue to believe that the Iranian nuclear agreement is a historic mistake that has emboldened our enemies and will haunt us for a generation. It has endangered our friends and, frankly, is just misguided. The same fatal flaws with the agreement that existed a year ago still continue to this day. I am proud of our efforts to lead on this issue. I am heartened that our bipartisan majority in the Congress rejected this dangerous agreement, and I continue to call on Congress to lead the way in restoring a crippling sanctions architecture on Iran. Mr. Speaker, I am also incredibly proud of our efforts to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship these past few years: We have ensured robust foreign assistance so that Israel may protect its civilians from the many terror threats on its borders. We have fought to combat efforts in the international community, including in the United Nations, that seek to delegitimize Israel and wrongly pressure Israel to give up its defensible borders. We have unequivocally condemned instances of Palestinian incitement to violence against Israelis. We openly and proudly welcomed Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech before the Congress last February. And, of course, we authored legislation known as the Combating BDS Act of 2016, which has earned over 160 cosponsors in this body. This critical legislation, which I am hopeful will pass in the next Congress, provides a much-needed opportunity so that we may go on the offensive against the hateful Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement against the State of Israel. While we do not know what the future will hold, or every upcoming challenge that we will face in the Middle East, I am confident that the United States will be best-served by continuing to strengthen our partnership with Israel, so that we can face these security challenges together, shoulder to shoulder. Now, Mr. Speaker, none of our work in this Congress would have been possible without the incredible team that was truly dedicated to improving the lives of the people of the 10th Congressional District. Now, that team starts with two great chiefs: James Slepian, who was the chief when we first came in this Congress, more of a quiet leader, very sharp, a quick wit, was incredibly instrumental in guiding us through some turbulent times; and David Stern, whom I consider to be a dear friend, and his advice and counsel is some that I cherish. He is a little bit misguided on his love for the White Sox, but we will forgive him on that. But the long and the short of it is a passionate advocate for the people of the 10th District and one who always has a smile on his face. They helped lead an incredible team, along with my deputy chief of staff, Kim Brisky, who always had an opportunity to make sure that we stayed on the straight and narrow, who always was there for us when we needed a pick-me-up. And so, Kim, who is, I am sure, going on to bigger and better things, she was absolutely fantastic. My deputy director, Philippe Melin, actually has been with me as long as anyone. And I will say that he may sometimes rub people the wrong way, but I have always appreciated his passion for the district, his ability to throw himself into any particular issue, to fight on behalf of children when it comes to education; whether it be building coalitions, Philippe has actually been super. My legislative director, Matt Diller, is that quiet individual that made sure the trains were running on time. Our communications director, Brad Stewart, probably held up a camera more times than I care to remember, and I apologize to him for messing up probably more times than I needed to. Ultimately, when it came to our social media and actually getting the word out, Brad was vitally important in making sure that our message was getting out to the people that it needed to. We had an outstanding staff in Washington that worked hard to amplify the voice of each and every constituent, and Jordan Heyman, who was really focused on a lot of healthcare work, came to us from the campaign, but really rolled up her sleeves and was fantastic. Noah Barger, Noah--or Jason, as he is sometimes referred to--always had a smile on his face, was probably one of the rocks in that office. Chelsea Caulfield, who is truly the spark plug of our team, and would come into the office to see a smile from Chelsea, who made sure that I was where I needed to be and when I needed to be there. Brittany Consolo, who came into our office. Time and again, people would always comment about how kind Brittany was, and so, for her, I say that we know that she has got a very bright future as well. And the hardest working district office in the country: Eric Miller, who really was what I consider one of the leaders of our casework, is one of the guys that put his head down day in and day out. We would not be or could not have gotten to the 1,250 cases were it not for Eric; Victoria Williams, who has a special talent when it comes to not only working with people and connecting, especially with those on domestic abuse and the like, which was an area that she threw herself into; Peter Collins, who had more spreadsheets available than I think anybody else, but Peter, again, one of my favorite Hellenic individuals in the office; Scott Lietzow was a passionate advocate and worked with our veterans day in and day out and helped put our Veterans Advisory Board together, and he worked with them day in and day out to make a difference in their lives; Allie Breschi, a proud Denison graduate, was helping Brad out in terms of our communications and did a super job; Andy Chiero also worked with our veterans; Alma Herrera, who, I think was really a dynamo, and we missed her as she went off to finish up some schooling; Natalie Szmyd came in and filled the role and helped out with our Polish community; Bobby Miller also was one of those individuals that exceeded expectations right from the beginning; Jordan Richter and Nikki West; Ginny Wood, who helped out with our seniors; Justo Arellano and Martin Lopez really were absolutely fantastic in rounding out our team. So again, I think you are only as good as the team that you have put together, and I am super proud of the team that I was able to put together, that really worked tirelessly on behalf of the constituents of the 10th District. One of the things I am proud of is that lifelong Democrats would come up to us and say, you know, thanks for helping us out on this, and I think that we have got to talk to you about, you know, when you do something good for us. But ultimately, our job was, regardless of whom you are elected by, I made sure that our team knew that we represented 100 percent of the people. This team really cared so much about the work that we were doing and made a real difference in the lives of literally everyone that they had an opportunity to touch. But some people that I think are important to thank are my colleagues. This is a pretty remarkable place, with some really remarkable people, and I want to thank them for their friendship and the great work that we were able to accomplish together. I will miss them dearly, those on the other side of the aisle as well, because most of our legislation, almost every piece of legislation that we offered, was with bipartisan support. I kept telling my team, if we couldn't get those on the other side of the aisle to sign up, this bill wasn't going anywhere. I also want to thank the people who make this body work, the unsung heroes, the folks down in the wood shop, the folks behind the rostrum, the people that make Congress work. Really, these are the folks that respect the institution, and the institution will move on 10 years from now and, we hope, hundreds of years from now. Now, Mr. Speaker, the last group that I want to thank is my family. I have three beautiful children and a wife who is a saint to allow me to do this day in and day out. So, for Harper, Bobby, and Honor, thank you for giving up the time. I am sorry that I was not there, but we have a new chapter; and so we know, if this is the worst thing that happens in terms of our time away from the Congress, we have great new things ahead for us. And for my bride, Danielle, sweetheart, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to do this. I know that you oftentimes were the one making sure that the trains ran on time back at home, and for that I will forever be grateful. So from day one, this has been about working together to get the job done, making the Federal Government more efficient, effective, and accountable, and restoring strong American leadership on the global stage. When I was growing up, my parents gave me a plaque that said: ``Your integrity determines your identity.'' As a small-business owner, I learned that nothing gets done without teamwork. If we want to achieve anything as a nation, we must commit to advancing commonsense, bipartisan solutions to break through this gridlock. That is why I am so proud to have consistently been ranked one of the most independent, bipartisan Members in the United States Congress. This commitment to genuine bipartisanship has been the key to some of our biggest successes that we have had over the last 2 years. It is also what has helped us to become effective on amplifying the independent voice for the 10th District of Illinois. I strongly believe that America's best days, Mr. Speaker, are ahead of us. Together, I am confident that we can ensure a more prosperous and free future for our children and for future generations. To the people of the 10th District, I offer my sincere thanks for the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to represent you in the United States Congress. It has truly been the greatest honor of my life. To my staff, again, I want to say ``thank you'' for all that you do. It has been an honor to be able to work with you. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gibbie Buchholtz from Zion, Illinois. Gibbie has lived in Zion his entire life and works tirelessly to bring our community together. He works part time as a cameraman for the Zion Park District filming city council and township meetings. Gibbie has become a staple in the community, documenting almost every single event in Zion, from local park openings to volunteer events at soup kitchens, to police and firefighter awards. He promotes events and special moments that often go unnoticed, and he recognizes individuals that go above and beyond. It has been an honor and a privilege to work alongside him in the Zion community. Gibbie never asks for recognition behind the camera, and only asks that people cherish the special moments with others. Today I am honored to be able to give Gibbie a little bit of recognition for his great service to our community. Thank you, Gibbie, and keep up the great work.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from Oklahoma for yielding on what is an incredibly important topic. I also want to weigh in and thank my good friend, Dr. Tim Murphy, for his incredible work on a really comprehensive piece of mental health legislation. I want to not only congratulate him, I want to thank him for successfully shepherding this first real piece of mental health legislation, honestly, since 1962. It is now up to the Senate to move this forward. I am pleased to be here as not only an original cosponsor, but helped introduce the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, which was now attached to this recent 21st Century Cures bill, another bill that I am proud to not only stand up and support. As we look at cures, as we look at what we are doing, we see so much tension across our country today. We just got done with a national election, and, frankly, it seems as people are at each others' throats. And the one thing that we can agree on, I hope, regardless of whom you voted for, we should all be on the same page that we want 21st Century Cures to move forward; because, frankly, as we look at the number of people that are suffering from diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and the like, they don't care what political persuasion you are. They are just impacting families all across our country. Another huge piece of that is mental health; and as we look at mental health, there is no question, family after family, an enormous number of people, nearly 10 million Americans, suffer from a serious mental health issue, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, amongst others. Yet millions of these people are going without treatment, and their families are struggling to care for them each and every day. We need to talk about treatment. Treatment before tragedy is something that I know has been talked about time and again. The Federal Government currently dedicates about $130 billion towards 112 programs intended to address mental health, but there is still a nationwide shortage of nearly 100,000 beds needed for psychiatric care and only one child and adolescent psychiatrist for every 2,000 children with a mental health disorder. Frankly, that is just unacceptable. My constituents have come to me time and again demanding that we do better. The Filler Foundation comes to mind as something that we have to do because, again, as we look at mental health, one of the things that we know is tied to that is this incredible epidemic of prescription drugs and opiates that are really just impacting every single community across our country. Ultimately, we know that this mental health disorder is a huge part of that, as people are trying to self-medicate, and so people are overdosing and dying on a regular basis. Ultimately, this bill that we are talking about today helps and now allows those families to give better care, be better informed, so that parents or caregivers can actually play a more vital role. In July, we passed the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, 422-2. And just recently, this other bill that we just passed, the 21st Century Cures, that included this mental health legislation, passed with enormous bipartisan support right here in this body. It is time that the Senate take up this legislation and pass it. I am confident that the incredible providers that are in my district, the families who are in need that have been asking for help, will benefit from the many grants that we reauthorized, the updates that we have made to improve communication between the patients, the families, and the providers, and the steps that we took to ensure that insurance providers are complying with existing mental health parity laws. Over the past 2 years, Dr. Murphy's efforts have engaged Democrats and Republicans from every region of the country. Just a few short months ago, and I am sure--I don't know if he was in Oklahoma with my good friend, but I know he came out to my district. We had a roundtable talking about mental health issues. We went and visited some of the facilities together to talk about the real needs that are out there. Ultimately, we know that mental health impacts so many families across our country. I would venture to say, Mr. Speaker, that not a single Member in this body has not been impacted in some way, shape, or form, by a loved one, a friend, a family member that is suffering from some sort of mental illness. So I believe that we have an incredible opportunity here. Ultimately, when I go out and I talk to people--and I know my good friend, I am sure, has done the same--they say: Is Congress working? And the answer oftentimes is no. But I do think that we have to step back and take a look at what we can accomplish when we actually do come together. Something that we all should be proud of is the fact that we were able to move forward in this body to talk about not only 21st Century Cures, talking about funding for the National Institutes of Health, talking about trying to deal with some of the prescription drug and opiate epidemics, but really trying to tackle head-on the issue of mental health and the impacts that this has for our Nation. So I want to thank my good friend from Oklahoma for organizing this Special Order. I want to thank, obviously, my good friend, Dr. Murphy, for the great work that he has been doing for years on this. And I do want to make sure that the American people know that today we took a big step forward and, honestly, we are not going to rest until this is signed into law by the President and really enabling so many families to get a tremendous amount of relief.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. This package is proof that when we are willing to work together, we can improve our healthcare system for all Americans through changes large and small. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in supporting the 21st Century Cures Act. I also want to thank, again, Chairman Upton, Congressman Murphy, Congresswoman DeGette, and all those that helped put this together, and the staff that were so instrumental in making this become a reality today.

Mr. DOLD. Madam Speaker, I certainly thank the chairman for his leadership. I also stand here today in strong support of the 21st Century Cures Act. I want to thank Chairman Upton for his leadership, and Ranking Member Pallone, Congresswoman DeGette, and Congressman Murphy for their great work on compiling things that are in this bill. I have been a longtime advocate for both the 21st Century Cures Act and the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act because I believe it is critically important that we modernize how we treat mental health and how we develop lifesaving cures. This package accomplishes both of these important goals and many more. Over the next 10 years, we will provide an additional $4.8 billion to the National Institutes of Health in support of groundbreaking medical research and an additional $500 million to the FDA to help bring drugs and devices to patients more quickly. We will also be providing States with $1 billion in grants over the next 2 years to help combat the opioid epidemic, which is impacting every single community across our Nation. Finally, we will increase choice, access, and quality in health care by making serious improvements to Medicare.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. I thank the gentleman for yielding the time. Mr. Speaker, this is a critically important humanitarian issue as we talk about families. Each and every one of us just got back from Thanksgiving--an opportunity for us to gather around the table with our families. I think that is something that, often, too many of us take for granted--the opportunity and the ability that we have to jump on a plane or to get on a train and go visit our families. Yet, for so many Korean families, that is something that is beyond the realm of possibility. It is beyond the realm of possibility because, at the outbreak of the Korean war, many of the Koreans thought that this was just going to be a conflict that was not going to last very long; so families were literally separated at that time and were hoping to be reunited in a very short period of time. What we do know is that, decade after decade, these families have not been able to be reunited. We want to encourage this reuniting of families. There are so many Korean Americans who have family in the north who have not been able to see their families. Recently, Mr. Speaker, this last year I had an opportunity to travel to Korea and actually had an opportunity to talk to some of the families. A very small few--100 families--were going to have an opportunity to see their loved ones. Time is of the essence. This is a humanitarian issue because more and more people are passing away and the opportunities to see their loved ones perishes. For the Korean Americans and for the Korean community, their opportunity to pay respects to those who have gone before them is also something that is critical, and they don't have the opportunity to visit them. So I want to make sure that we stand together in a bipartisan way to encourage the opportunity for families to be able to be reunited. I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for his leadership on this issue. Again, anybody who has served any time in this body knows his love for the Korean people and his record in the Korean war, his heroism in that regard. I do hope that we, today, will vote to make sure we send a strong signal that the reuniting of families is something we should all stand and be united behind.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. I thank my good friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), for yielding the time. Mr. Speaker, I, too, stand in strong support of H. Con. Res. 165. What I find so fascinating is that we need here in the United States to respect Israel's democratically elected leadership. They are a nation, and they are our one true ally; and any efforts by the United Nations or by any other body to try to impose a two-state solution, frankly, I think, is detrimental and reckless. We should never try to force their hand. Frankly, what we find now is it is not the time to try to establish a legacy for an administration that has just a very few short days left by attempting a reckless Hail Mary pass. We here do want a two-state solution, which I think is important to note, but it must be done by direct negotiations by the two parties; and when the United States pressures Israel, all we do is weaken the chances for long-term, durable peace. My good friend from Virginia talked about his actually being fearful of the next administration. Let me simply say that I hope this body will stand in bipartisan support to ensure that any administration does not pressure Israel. We understand that a long-lasting peace, which is what we are hoping for, comes through direct, bilateral negotiations. I, for one, am hopeful that this body will stand united to make sure that the world knows that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our one true ally--Israel--and with the hope that the administration and the United Nations Security Council will veto any efforts by the United Nations to try to unilaterally put a statehood in there for the Palestinians. We know that true peace can only happen through direct, bilateral negotiations. Mr. Speaker, again, I stand in strong support of Mr. Royce's and Mr. Engel's resolution, and I sincerely hope that my colleagues will stand together, in bipartisan support, to make sure that this administration does not take steps that will weaken Israel's hand in going forward. I hope, in going forward, in administration after administration, that this body will stand as we do today--in bipartisan support.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to recognize two very special individuals from Lake Villa for their continued dedication to our community. Those individuals are Bill and Betty Burns. They both have consistently been at the forefront of the planning and execution of a number of wonderful community events that really serve as an opportunity to bring everyone together. Each and every year, Bill and Betty have helped plan the Lake Villa Memorial Day, St. Patrick's Day, and Christmas parades. With their consistent hard work and dedication, these events have been great successes that have been really the glue that has brought our community together, not just on these special days but really a sense of community throughout the entire year. Last year, Mr. Speaker, the Tenth District recognized them for their service to Lake Villa and to Grayslake with the public servant award for their dedication to our community. Mr. Speaker, it is really individuals like Bill and Betty Burns that make our community stronger; and there are people like Bill and Betty all over our great Nation that are doing the things necessary to make sure that the little details are not left undone. They do this work tirelessly and thanklessly, in order to make sure our communities are a little bit stronger and a little bit better. So I want to take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to thank Bill and Betty Burns for their tireless service and dedication to our community to make it a much stronger and better place.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a highly deserving recipient of the Judge Learned Hand Human Relations Award, Stephen Ritchie. Presented by the American Jewish Committee (AJC), this honor is given to distinguished attorneys who have shown an exceptional commitment to justice, individual rights, and civic leadership. To those who know Steve, it is no surprise that he is receiving this prestigious recognition. Steve has earned a reputation among his clients and within our community for excellence and leadership. Throughout the past decade, he has consistently been recognized as one of the best lawyers in America, all while showing remarkable dedication to his family and civic and charitable endeavors. Through his service to AJC Chicago, AIPAC's Illinois council, Teach for America, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Steve has made a true imprint on our community and our nation. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to consider Steve a friend and congratulate him on receiving the Judge Learned Hand Human Relations Award.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend from Michigan for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I just find it fascinating that here we are again. Listen, we can talk about the JCPOA, this Iran nuclear deal, which I think is a historic mistake, which will haunt us for generations. There is no question about that. If anybody was unclear about where I stand or where I think many in this body stand, let me just simply say that I think this will be a historic mistake that will haunt us. Ultimately, when we are talking about the world's greatest state sponsor of terrorism, what is amazing to me is the fact that this is not even up for debate in the administration. The administration will tell you: Yes, Iran is the world's greatest state sponsor of terror. And you know what? With this agreement, if our destination was to say, You know what, we want to ensure that Iran is never able to get a nuclear weapon, this deal all but ensures it. Bob Menendez, a Democrat over in the Senate, said those very words. Prime Minister Netanyahu says this is a historic mistake. So, yes, we can talk about some of the others over there who believe this is a good thing, but ultimately we realize this is a bad thing. This is a bad thing because, frankly, as we talk about quoting J Street on the floor, I personally want to say that I will trust Bruce Poliquin from Maine, my colleague on the Financial Services Committee. When it comes to a financing bill, yes, I trust Bruce Poliquin a heck of a lot more than I trust J Street. J Street, frankly, is in the tank for the other side. They are not an objective body, I believe. Ultimately, as we look at this bill, Mr. Speaker, this bill doesn't prevent the sale of aircraft. As much as I would like to prevent the sale of aircraft to the world's greatest state sponsor of terror, which could use the aircraft to send supplies and soldiers--because we know that Iran is sending money and supplies to Hezbollah, Hamas, to Assad in Syria. Frankly, this administration will tell you the same thing. This is a bill that prevents the financing. Ultimately, as we look at, how do we protect taxpayer dollars, how do we protect the deposits of millions of Americans that go to Main Street and deposit in their local banks? We are just saying, you can't use financing to go finance the planes that are going over into Iran, the world's greatest state sponsor of terror. If they want to pay cash, it would be one thing to say, You know what? I don't think you have got any cash. Wait, we know they have got cash. Why? Because we just sent an unmarked plane with unmarked bills full of cash, ultimately, we know, for the release of hostages. We have got $1.7 billion that we know is there. We have got $100 billion worth of sanctions relief. You know what, I am counting on the fact that they have got the resources to spend. So what this is doing is this is trying to protect the American taxpayer. Ultimately, what we do know, the administration agrees to authorize the export of civilian aircraft to Iran. That still can happen. This bill does not change that one iota. What it does do is it says that you cannot use U.S. financing for those sales. Ultimately, I think that is a good thing because when we look and we want to go back and they want to talk about it, this is something about the JCPOA, the Iran deal. What is interesting to me, Mr. Speaker, is that the only thing that was bipartisan in the Iran deal was its opposition in this body to that deal. Frankly, I think we ought to be doing everything in our power to make sure that we keep and hold Iran accountable, and we should not be financing planes that go in there because, ultimately, we know they have already fired missiles. Right? They have already broken their agreements. They have fired missiles. They have fired weapons over at U.S. ships. They have captured U.S. sailors. They are taking hostages. This is not a good actor. Frankly, we should be doing everything in our power to make sure that we are holding them accountable and ratcheting up sanctions. We should not make it easier for them to be able to purchase planes. Frankly, we have got all manufacturers that are out there that have parts in the United States that would be implicated with this. So this is not singling out a single U.S. carrier. We want to talk about pro-growth, but what we don't want to do is talk about pro-growth opportunities that are going to help the world's greatest state sponsor of terror. This is a mistake if we do not pass this piece of legislation. I am confident that this bipartisan piece of legislation is going to be able to pass this House. My hope is that the Senate will take it up. I don't believe that the President will sign it--and I think that will be a mistake--but that should not prevent this body from doing the right thing. So, Mr. Speaker, I am going to go right back to where we started at the beginning. The world's greatest state sponsor of terror should not be aided by the U.S. taxpayer, by our banking system, in order to finance planes that we really don't know what they are going to do with them. But what we do know is that Iran is a bad actor and they are going to continue to be the world's greatest state sponsor of terror. So I am going to urge my colleagues to support this bill. It is a commonsense piece of bipartisan legislation. I want to thank the chairman for his work on it, and I want to thank Chairman Hensarling as well. I want to thank Mr. Roskam, and I want to thank everybody here who is going to stand up united to say, this is going to something that we need to hold Iran accountable to.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Barney King of Evanston, Illinois. He passed away on November 4 at the age of 73. He is survived by his wife, Peggy; his sister, Leeanne; his children, Tyler, Caroline and Jamie; and grandchildren, John Henry, Harry, Sofia, Wesley, and Stela. I got to know Barney through his children, Caroline and Jamie, and I knew the moment I met him that this was going to be a lifelong friend. Barney was well known in the community for his love of his attire--he was a snappy dresser--and his love of life. He could often be found playing croquet or fishing for muskie, traveling with his family, or playing the drums for the Mustangs party band or playing a game of chance over a few adult beverages. Anyone who ever played with him knew, one tie, all tie. He was also a very generous man, serving as the president of the National Association of General Merchandise Representatives, the president of the Northern Illinois Hockey League, or an area that he encouraged me to get involved in as the president and director of Santa's Volunteers. Mr. Speaker, our community owes Barney a great debt of gratitude for his service to our community. My thoughts and prayers remain with his family in this difficult time.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 5303. Imagine for a moment, Mr. Chairman, spending millions of dollars on wetlands restoration without allowing people to visit these areas. Unfortunately, that is exactly what we are asking the Army Corps of Engineers to do with projects that are funded by the Great Lakes Fishery and Ecosystem Restoration program, or GLFER. GLFER is a program for improving aquatic habitats and the Great Lakes watershed. Through a partnership between the Army Corps of Engineers, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and State and local government, funds are made available for restoring wetlands and preservation of coastal habitat along the Great Lakes shorelines. Individual projects require a non-Federal partner--like a State, local government, or nonprofit--to contribute at least 35 percent of the project costs to operate and maintain the completed project. In my district, GLFER funds have been used to restore wetlands along the Lake Michigan shoreline at Fort Sheridan, and nearby they have been used to restore wetlands on Northerly Island right in the heart of downtown Chicago. Mr. Chairman, this is about ensuring parity. Every other wetland restoration program within the Army Corps of Engineers is allowed to use up to 10 percent of the funds for any project for compatible recreation features. GLFER-funded projects are unique in that the Army Corps is not allowed to use funds for that purpose. My amendment would simply change that policy. Very simply, my amendment will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to use GLFER funds, not to exceed 10 percent of the total project amount, to build complimentary recreation features like walking trails, bike paths, fishing stations, picnic shelters, and benches. Mr. Chairman, I represent a district along Lake Michigan, one of the greatest natural resources our Nation possesses. My amendment would expand outdoor recreation opportunities and give families access to enjoy these restored wetland areas. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Here is the bottom line, Mr. Speaker. Families like the one that I just mentioned all across Illinois are already losing their healthcare coverage. The absolute least we can do is help them get through this year by providing relief from a costly tax penalty. The insurance that they lost, they lost through no fault of their own. They were doing the right things because they want coverage for their families. The least that we can do for these next couple of months--or should another CO-OP in the future fail midyear--is not give them a tax penalty from the IRS. Moving forward, I remain focused on working with everyone who is willing to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work needed to drive down costs, increase access to quality care, and make our healthcare system work for everyone.

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend from Nebraska for yielding some time. Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that we talk about crocodile tears. There is nothing of the sort on this side of the aisle. Frankly, I find it fascinating because, when I talk to some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, they recognize that there are issues and problems with the Affordable Care Act. Premiums have gone through the roof, deductibles are sky-high, and families are paying more and more each and every day in order to be able to provide health insurance for their families. People say: I want to help fix, let's try to help fix. This is a very narrowly tailored bill, Mr. Speaker. Let me tell you what this bill is not. This bill is not something that will abolish the individual mandate--far from it, far from abolishing the individual mandate. Rising healthcare costs and uncertainty are plaguing communities and families across our country. In Illinois, the Land of Lincoln CO-OP collapsed in July, resulting in 49,000 people across the State losing their coverage. Now these families will need to switch plans and risk losing access to their doctors or pay a tax penalty at the end of the year, which will put affordability of quality care even further out of reach. Mr. Speaker, here is just one example that I have heard from one of my constituents. They were paying nearly $2,500 a month in premiums through the Land of Lincoln plan. Their family paid $2,700 in their deductible and even put $5,000 toward their out-of-pocket maximum. Now they are being forced, because it has gone away, to start back at zero. The plan ends on October 1. So what this narrowly tailored bill would do, Mr. Speaker, is it would basically say, if you can't find a plan, if for some reason you don't get the memo back from the bureaucrat that you are not going to get a tax bill, it still requires that same family, come January 1, to go get insurance. But what we want to do is we want to say to these families that, if indeed you have not gotten your insurance in those 2 months, that you will not be given a tax penalty by the IRS.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Felix and Laura Castillo on their grand opening of Felix's Famous Cookies manufacturing facility in Mundelein. As a small business owner myself, I understand the need to always grow and find ways to expand. Laura and Felix did just that. This family-owned company was founded by six year old Felix Castillo, who shared his mother's passion for baking. It was not until the passing of Grandmother Toni that Felix and Laura were inspired to turn their passion and inspiration into a business. Felix's Famous Cookies goes beyond maintaining a brand and generating profit. Laura and Felix follow an important family tradition by giving proceeds back to non-profit organizations and to the less fortunate in our local community. Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud to represent Laura and Felix Castillo in the United States Congress. I look forward to working with them as they continue to succeed in their business endeavors and positively impact our community.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I want to thank my good friend from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) not only for his thoughtfulness in this bill, which is a commonsense piece of legislation, but actually for his amendment, which I think strengthens the bill. Mr. Speaker, millions of young people around the world look at the Olympic games and dream of someday becoming an athlete and representing their Nation. We are extremely proud of our Olympians and Paralympians. We want to reward them for the hard work and sacrifice they have put day in and day out. This piece of legislation, again, I think, goes one step in that direction. This is not a bill to reward the Kevin Durants or the Michael Phelpses of the world, but it is a bill to say thank you to our Olympians for representing our country so well. Thank you for putting in the time, the effort, and the energy to train as hard as you are to do so well on the world stage. I want to thank Linda Sanchez and Mike Thompson who also were cosponsors of this legislation. I sincerely hope that we can get colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Farenthold), my good friend who has also done a lot of work in preparing this legislation.

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, every 2 years, young men and women travel around the world to represent the United States at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. These truly gifted athletes have dedicated their lives to training for the opportunity to compete on the world's greatest stage and represent our country, often with little financial help. The vast majority of these athletes do not have endorsement deals and sponsorships. Instead, they often work full-time jobs while training or are full-time students, like Olivia Smoliga, born in Glenview, Illinois, who won gold in the 4x100 medley relay, while also studying as a student at the University of Georgia. Over the years there have been a number of athletes who have struggled just to get by while training to represent our Nation. Olympians like Sarah Robles, who is now the highest ranked U.S. weightlifter, while training for the 2012 London Olympics, she lived in near poverty on just $400 a month. Sarah continued to focus on her training, and this past summer in Rio, she stood triumphantly on the Olympic podium, earning a bronze medal for the United States. And Paralympians like archery champion and world record holder Matt Stutzman, who picked up hunting to help feed his family while he was unemployed and having difficulty paying the rent. These are just a couple of examples, but they are indicative of the hardships and sacrifices faced by many U.S. Olympians as they train for the opportunity to represent our country at the Olympics. These men and women are the embodiment of the Olympic spirit. Upon their return from the games, our Olympians are met with praise and admiration. However, for those who win a medal, they are also met with a tax bill from the IRS. Not only do our Olympians owe the Federal Government tax revenue based on the value of their Olympic medal, but they also owe a cut of their prize winnings provided by the United States Olympic Committee. This tax on success, Mr. Speaker, is a disservice to the great athletes who compete for the United States. That is why I introduced, with Congressman Blake Farenthold, the United States Appreciation for Olympians and Paralympians Act. This legislation will eliminate the tax that the IRS imposes on both Olympic and Paralympic winnings by declaring that any medal value or prize money that is awarded by the United States Olympic Committee to our medalists not be counted in gross income. Under current law, there are a number of awards and prizes that are exempted from being counted as gross income by the IRS, which are similar to this very exemption. Additionally, I know there are concerns that individual athletes who have acted in a manner that is unbecoming of the Olympic spirit could benefit from this proposal. In those instances, there is precedent--as recently as this year--where the United States Olympic Committee determines that the athlete must forfeit receiving any prize winnings. This ensures that this tax exemption only applies to those athletes who uphold the Olympic spirit and their ideals. Finally, this bill before us today includes a commonsense amendment offered during the committee markup by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), my good friend, which makes sure that the proposal only applies to our Olympic athletes with a gross income below $1 million that year. Our Olympic and Paralympic athletes deserve a catalyst to bring this Nation together every 2 years. I am asking my colleagues to join me in showing our appreciation for the hard work and dedication of our Olympians and Paralympians by supporting this bipartisan piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5946, currently under consideration.

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5946) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude from gross income any prizes or awards won in competition in the Olympic Games or the Paralympic Games, as amended.

Mr. DOLD

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Feeding America and to recognize nationwide Hunger Action Month. Everyone knows that feeling of an empty stomach, but for 48 million people in the United States, including 15 million children, that feeling is a daily reality. Without nutrition, people--and especially children--don't have the energy to learn, grow, and achieve success. The Feeding America network is the Nation's largest domestic hunger relief organization and is headquartered in my home State of Illinois. Their network includes more than 200 food banks that provide 4 billion meals to feed virtually every community in the United States through food pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens. This September is a time to advocate, raise awareness, and take action to eliminate hunger in our communities. Over the past year, I have had the honor to work with numerous local organizations fighting hunger, including the Northern Illinois Food Bank and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. There are also tons of local park districts in the 10th District that help provide food and support before and after school, as well as during the summer months, such as the Waukegan Park District summer feeding program. Moving forward, I remain committed to working with these groups to fight hunger in the 10th Congressional District of Illinois, and I hope my colleagues will use this month to find organizations in their districts that are doing similar lifesaving work. National Hispanic Heritage Month

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the United States Navy, which is celebrating its 241st birthday this year. Since October 13, 1775, the Navy has tirelessly protected our shores and our seas. The Navy will always hold a special place in my heart as, 51 years ago, Lieutenant Commander Robert Shumaker was shot down over Vietnam. I know him as my Uncle Bob. He became the second naval aviator captured during the Vietnam war. For the next 8 years and one day, he was held as a POW, much of that time in what was the Hoa Lo prison, which we know as the Hanoi Hilton. To me, his story is a reminder of the darkness and cruelty of war, but much more importantly, a reminder of faith and strength of the Navy brotherhood and the honor of serving our country that nobody could take away from him or his fellow sailors. I am also proud to recognize the Great Lakes Naval Station located in Illinois' 10th Congressional District. Every sailor who serves our country in the Navy has, at one time or another, traveled through the Great Lakes. Since World War I, Great Lakes Naval Station has trained more than 2 million sailors. I offer my most sincere thanks to all the men and women who have continued to make the sacrifices to protect our rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Hunger Action Month

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Sumner Wright Mead of Kenilworth, Illinois, who, unfortunately, passed away on September 6 at the age of 92. I will always remember Mr. Mead as a most colorful character who never hesitated to let you know how he felt. For Mr. Mead, his family always came first. He was a beloved husband to Nancy; a father to Sumner, Laura, and Melinda; and a grandfather to Elisabeth, Sumner, Katie, Grace, Brooke, Price, Steele, Will, Paige, and Tyler. Mr. Mead was known for greeting everyone with his welcoming smile. When he wasn't relaxing in Martha's Vineyard or Florida, you could catch him with his family volunteering at the Kenilworth Union Church or sailing on Lake Michigan. Mr. Mead also served our country during World War II. His service to our Nation, I believe, exemplifies how he lived his life, putting others ahead of himself on a daily basis. Mr. Speaker, I will forever remember Mr. Mead for his integrity, his loyalty, and most importantly, his friendship. He will be dearly missed. Honoring the U.S. Navy