Rodney Davis

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Cherry family from Girard, Illinois, as they prepare to retire from Cherry's IGA, a family-operated business for more than 100 years in Macoupin County, Illinois. Cherry's opened in 1908 as the Girard City Meat Market, owned by Clarence Cherry, as an extension of his family farm located only 1 mile away from the store. In the 1950s, the store turned into a full-service grocery store under the watch of son, Phil Cherry. In 1987, Phil's son, Jim, took over the store and has owned it to this day. It is hard to overstate the importance of a local grocery store and what a strong local grocery store can mean to the residents of a small community like Girard. For more than 100 years, the Cherrys were more than just small business owners, they were friends, community leaders, and public servants. The Cherrys embodied all that is great about this country, and they achieved the American Dream. So congratulations, and thank you to the Cherry family and enjoy your well-earned retirement.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 180 I was unavoidably detained and did not finish meeting with Chancellor Phylis Wise in time to get to floor. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Personal Explanation

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. I want to thank Chairman Ryan for engaging the House in this very important process. Mr. Chairman, we are talking about real alternatives and routes we can take for the future of this country and for the future of our children. As a father to a 17-year-old daughter and twin 13-year-old boys, writing the fiscal path of this country is the reason that I ran for the opportunity to serve in this institution. Part of serving in this institution is creating a vision for America's financial future. This budget balances. Putting a budget on the floor of the House and putting forth a vision for America's fiscal future that balances is something that we need to do on a regular basis. It is sad that I had to fight for a provision to be put into this bill called No Budget, No Pay. As we know, the Senate will not take this budget process up, and they shouldn't be paid. I fought for that proposal because, if Members of Congress are not willing to put in the work to help balance our country's checkbook and fulfill their constitutional duties, they should not be paid. For hard-working taxpayers, this budget allows you to keep more of your paycheck while, again, balancing our budget. Compare that with the President's budget, which we will have a chance to vote on this week. I would urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to vote ``yes'' on the President's budget if you think it is the future for America, but that budget raises taxes by more than $1 trillion, and it never balances. We have got a clear choice here. For our seniors, this budget ends ObamaCare's raid on Medicare, and it puts seniors back in charge of their health care decisions. This budget also preserves Medicare for our current seniors, and it ensures that this vital program is available for all future generations. For our students, this budget guarantees Pell grants for those who dream of going to college but need a little help. Right now, the program is estimated to become insolvent by 2016. Every year we don't have a plan, we risk the future of millions of students and contribute to the rising cost of tuition. As someone who represents nine universities and colleges and eight community colleges in my district, having no plan is unacceptable. For our veterans, this budget maintains advanced appropriations to ensure veterans still receive their benefits, regardless of what happens in Washington. Additionally, this budget would dedicate another $400 million to veterans programs. I did not come to Washington sit idly by and remain content with the current state of our Nation. I came here to make Washington work and provide the hardworking taxpayers of Illinois' 13th Congressional District with a better vision for America. This is a better vision for America, Mr. Chairman. And the attacks will come. Don't let the attacks get in the way of the facts.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, we are here yet again talking about another failed aspect of ObamaCare. It is simply unacceptable that a law meant to improve our health care system has not only failed to do that, it has actually become a job killer for this country. The need to change the 30-hour workweek is personal. My dad started out working at a local McDonald's as an hourly employee and eventually worked his way up to become a franchise owner. Not only did my dad teach me that anyone could achieve the American Dream if they just worked hard enough, but he also taught me that policies, policies passed right here in this Chamber, have real-life consequences. If this provision is not fixed, workers are going to see fewer hours, which means they are going to see smaller paychecks. Studies show that there could be upwards of 2 million less full-time workers by 2017 and the potential to short workers out of $75 billion in wages. Supporters of ObamaCare want the American people to believe that we are just wasting our time talking about changing ObamaCare and that we should just simply move on. I want folks in the 13th District of Illinois to know I will not move on. I will not quit talking about the complete failure of ObamaCare, and I will continue to advocate for commonsense fixes to this disastrous bill which will protect hardworking Americans in my district. I also want to point out, you are going to hear a lot of discussion from the other side of the aisle that this will take hardworking Americans off of employer-based insurance. I want to remind my colleagues that the architect of ObamaCare, Zeke Emanuel, it was reported just a few weeks ago that he expected that the private insurance-based health care system, coverage system, would be gone by the year 2025. Well, that means the employer-based health care system will be gone by the year 2025. He also said he expects 1,000 hospitals to close. I ask my colleagues, which hospitals, especially those like in my small town of Taylorville, Illinois, which is our largest employer? Which hospitals will close?

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you to my great colleague from the great State of New York. It is humbling for me to stand here with you and the others who have spoken before me, those of you who have a family member who has experienced such a traumatic, traumatic event. I have been here with prosecutors who have convicted those criminals who deserve to go to jail and to stand here with somebody like Mrs. Brooks, who worked in the college arena and saw devastation, now, for me to come up here, I have got to tell you, I am here as a dad. I am here as a father to a 17-year-old daughter who, in a year and a half, will go to college. In my district in central Illinois, we have nine universities and colleges, over 45,000 female students. With the CDC estimating that 19 percent of women have experienced sexual assault since entering college, let me do the math for you. That is 8,500 women in my district that, if the statistics remain true, will experience sexual assault. I represent a district of 14 counties. This is unacceptable. That is why I rise with you, Mr. Reed, to say ``no more'' today. I am alarmed by the fact that my daughter is going to go off to school, get in her car, and my wife and I are going to be very, very sad when we drop her off at school. And I hope and pray that these statistics don't come right to my mind, but, you know, as a dad, they will. We have to do something in this institution about it. I am proud to be a part of the Victims' Rights Caucus with you and Mr. Costa and my other colleagues, and I am committed to being a champion for the rights of victims. There are numerous events. I want to remind people, it is not enough to stand and be silent. It is not enough to recognize we have a problem. Go participate in your local events that are going to be happening in your communities throughout the month of April--as we know, it is Sexual Assault Awareness Month--including tomorrow's Paint the Town Teal, where hundreds of people will wear this color to raise awareness and support survivors of sexual assault. I encourage everyone to get involved in these local events. I want to make sure that everyone here knows, this is an issue that I and my colleagues will not forget about after the month of April. I look forward to the day when sexual assault is no longer a chronic problem that deserves national attention. However, until that day, the responsibility is on all of us to do what we can to stop sexual assault in this country and to say ``no more.''

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Andy Griffin of Glen Carbon, Illinois, for being named the American Association of Nurse Anesthetist's Advocate of the Year. Andy currently serves as president-elect on the board for the Illinois Association of Nurse Anesthetists, as well as their Federal political director. Andy also serves as the director of the Nurse Anesthesia program at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Andy uses his dual roles as an advocate and a teacher to bring young nurse anesthetist students to Washington, D.C., each year to meet with their congressional offices. In his spare time Andy volunteers at his church in Maryville and mentors children every summer at the Lake Williamson Christian Camp. He uses his training and passion in music to help children connect with their faith. In addition to mentoring children within his community, Andy is a loving husband to his wife, Valerie, and a great father to their four children. Andy's coworkers, family, and friends can attest to his selflessness and tireless devotion to helping others and advocating on their behalf. We should all aspire to be as compassionate and dedicated as Andy Griffin. I am proud to call him my constituent and even more proud to call Andy Griffin my friend.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Brandi Bruley, principal of North Elementary School in my hometown of Taylorville, Illinois. Ms. Bruley was recently named the Illinois Principals Association's 2014-2015 Elementary School Principal of the Year in recognition of her positive impact on her students and the entire educational community. She has worked hard to improve communication between teachers and parents with a goal of raising student achievement. As a result of her efforts, North Elementary School has been awarded the Illinois State Board of Education's Spotlight Award for the last 3 years and made the ISBE Honor Roll in 2013. Ms. Bruley has a long-standing and deep commitment to serving her students, faculty, and our entire community. Her experience and innovation enable her to bring creative ideas that focus on high standards for our local schools. Congratulations and thank you to Brandi. This is a well-deserved award to recognize all that you do for our students and the entire Taylorville community.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a respected community leader and a great friend to so many in central Illinois. On February 26, longtime broadcaster, weatherman, and radio host Bob Murray lost his battle to brain cancer at the age of 66. Throughout his career, Bob took his work incredibly seriously. He used to be my weatherman. I would watch on TV while growing up, but in his later life, he was a radio broadcaster. He arrived at the radio station at 1:30 in the morning to prepare for the day because he felt an informed community was important--from community fundraisers, to what was happening with government, to the weather, and to the breaking local news. I had the privilege of being interviewed by Bob dozens of times over the last 18 months, and I can tell you without a doubt that he was one of the most honest, respectful, and professional members of the media I have ever met. Bob's family is honoring his life by having memorials made to the Illinois News Broadcasters Association Foundation for a scholarship to be awarded in his name. I can't think of a better way to ensure that he is remembered for years to come. So thank you, Bob Murray, for the years of service you provided to the families in central Illinois. Thank you to Bob's family for sharing him with us for more than 40 years and for allowing him to become a part of our family.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you to the gentleman and my colleague from the great State of Illinois for introducing this important bill. As somebody who has the only Christian Science college in the Nation in his district, this is a very important issue for religious freedom and religious rights. Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, has 550 students. They sent me this card. They have much more artistic talent than I do. It says: Thank you. We are so grateful for your defense of religious freedom and hope that you will continue to advocate for this bill until it passes. This is the voice of those who need this exemption. This is the voice of those who need their religious rights protected. This is why I am standing here today with my colleague from Illinois to talk about this bill and making sure that it passes. I would urge all of my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to respect the students and the faculty that work and attend this college in my district. I would hope that they would support this bill with us.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague Lou Barletta from Pennsylvania for introducing this commonsense piece of legislation. As we see, this is another unintended consequence of ObamaCare. I have received a letter from one of my volunteer fire departments just a few months ago that talked about this bill, and it said that the provision that is hurting our firefighters could be devastating to fire departments. Many volunteer fire departments rely upon local donations and fundraisers to fund their basic operations. The addition of a requirement to provide health insurance would present a serious financial challenge to them. Some departments have taken steps to reduce staffing levels and shifts in order to fall under the 50 FTE and 30-hours-worked threshold, which reduces the fire department's baseline emergency response capabilities. I would like to thank Staunton, Illinois' fire chief for the fire protection district in Staunton, Rick Haase, for sending me this letter, and I would urge my colleagues to support this piece of legislation.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, thank you to my colleague from Texas for your support on this bill and for managing it here on the floor tonight. It shows today that bipartisanship does happen in the U.S. House of Representatives. This is a commonsense bill supported by Republicans and Democrats alike. This is something that comes out from the grass roots in Madison County, Illinois, and now has a chance to become law. I am humbled by the support that we have seen for this piece of legislation and I, again, urge my colleagues to support the Hire More Heroes Act.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from the great State of Texas for being here tonight to talk about this important piece of legislation, bipartisan piece of legislation. The Hire More Heroes Act is a jobs bill. It is a jobs bill that will not only encourage the hiring of veterans but also one that will allow us businesses to expand and grow our economy without being penalized. H.R. 3474 would exempt veterans who have health insurance through the VA or the DOD from being counted toward the 50-employee limit under ObamaCare's employer mandate. Today, an estimated 8.9 million veterans receive health coverage through the VA, yet they will still be counted as an employee in need of health coverage under the employer mandate. This is a commonsense bill simply saying that a veteran who already has coverage through TRICARE or the VA cannot be counted twice. You are either someone in need of health insurance or you are not. I introduced the Hire More Heroes Act last year in response to an issue raised at one of my veterans advisory board meeting by Brad Lavite, the superintendent of the Madison County Veterans' Assistance Commission. That commission does great work by providing services to approximately 35,000 veterans in southwestern Illinois, including helping those veterans find employment. Although veterans returning from combat have 5 years to sign up for TRICARE, they are returning to an economy full of hiring freezes, layoffs, and unemployment rates above 9 percent. The unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans jumped from 7.9 percent in January to 9.2 percent in February. Our veterans deserve more. We know that our military members receive some of the best training in the world, and we should do everything we can to encourage businesses to take advantage of those skills by hiring those veterans. A recently released study by the National Small Business Association found that 91 percent of small businesses saw increases in their health care costs, and two-thirds of their members said it was the reason they have held off new hiring of employees. It is not a secret that we need to address the true drivers of our skyrocketing health care costs. Families see this every day when they pay their monthly premiums or get a medical bill in the mail. Placing more and more unnecessary regulations on our small businesses does nothing to address this and only exacerbates the problem by forcing businesses to make up for these costs by cutting hours or preventing pay increases. Forcing employers to offer health insurance is a much more complicated issue than I think some in Washington thought it was going to be. With the administration delaying the employer mandate yet again, I think we need to start seriously looking at the issue surrounding the employer mandate, and it starts today with passing H.R. 3474, the Hire More Heroes Act, and the other health care reform bills on the floor today. I want to thank Brad Lavite again, and all of the workers and volunteers at the Madison County Veterans' Assistance Commission for their assistance they provide to veterans, and encourage my colleagues to vote for this commonsense bill to help veterans find work and assist small businesses in hiring qualified, well-trained employees, while providing much-needed relief from ObamaCare. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the cosponsors, the bipartisan cosponsors of this commonsense piece of legislation, especially a couple today that are with us on the floor, my good friend, the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Gabbard), a veteran herself, and my good friend, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Christopher Ware of Clinton, Illinois, a man who has overcome great personal obstacles and dedicated his life to public service and helping others. Mr. Ware has worked for State Farm Insurance Company in Bloomington, Illinois as a Security and Safety Specialist for over twenty-two years. Christopher also served as a law enforcement officer with the Bloomington Police Department until he suffered a severe stroke in 1997. During his time with the police department, Christopher helped to coordinate outreach programs within his community. In his limited spare time, Christopher has dedicated himself to public service and volunteering in his community. He currently serves as Chairman of the DeWitt County Housing Authority Board, Precinct Committeeman for DeWitt County, and trustee of the DeWitt-Livingston- McLean Counties Regional School Board. In addition to his public service work, Christopher has volunteered countless hours for the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, serving in many leadership roles. In 2005, he received the ``Award of the Year'' or ``Hero Award'' from the Coast Guard Foundation for his work during Hurricane Katrina. In 2004 and 2011, Ware received the Lifetime Achievement Award in the USA Freedom Corps for his volunteer service activities. In 2002, the Governor of Illinois appointed Chris to the Illinois State Rehabilitation Council and in 2012 he was appointed to the Illinois Stroke Task Force. It is my honor to recognize Christopher Ware for his lifetime dedication to helping others.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, my thanks to Mr. Whitfield, my colleague from Kentucky, and also my thanks to my colleague who I am lucky to follow, Mr. Rahall from West Virginia, for talking about such an important issue to my district in central Illinois. One of the reasons I am here, Mr. Chairman, is because I saw the devastation. The largest employer in my home county 20 years ago closed down because of a signature on a piece of paper here in Washington, D.C. Peabody Mine No. 10 shut down its coal mining families. Families whose children I went to school with and grew up with were forced to move to get a job once again. Now, we see this attack via the EPA on coal in middle America once again. I stand here today with my colleagues to say this bill is a commonsense proposal that is going to restrict the EPA's ability to overreach and cost families--all families, even the poorest families in this country--it is going to cost them more out of their family budget to turn the light switch on; it is going to cost jobs in my district at existing coal-fired power plants. They are some of the best jobs in central Illinois. They are organized labor jobs. This is about jobs; this is about the economy; and this is about low-cost power that allows our economy to grow. That is what we all want, Mr. Chairman, isn't it?

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the nuclear energy sector. Not only do nuclear power plants provide affordable reliable energy, they also provide many quality, high-paying jobs and are the backbone of many communities. My district is home to a nuclear plant in Clinton, Illinois, that employs nearly 700 people. Nuclear energy is a secure energy source that plays a vital role in a responsible all-of-the-above energy policy. It is the biggest provider of reliable, efficient clean energy, and it provides on-demand energy 24/7. The recent record cold temperatures in the Midwest show the importance of energy diversification. Many of my constituents saw steep increases in their electric bill. While pipes froze and transportation became difficult because of iced roads and bridges, nuclear power remained consistent. I worry that things could have become worse if nuclear power wasn't able to fill the gaps where needed. This is why I stand here today in support of nuclear energy and all of my constituents and the hardworking taxpayers of Clinton and Central Illinois.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 65 I was meeting with a local official, Mayor Chris Koos, and missed the time to cast my vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 62 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, thank you to Chairman Lucas for the leadership he has shown in getting this conference report to the floor. I rise in strong support of this conference committee report. It is a commonsense piece of legislation that deals with things such as overregulation. That is a silent job killer that this administration is implementing through our agricultural industry. I am proud that many of the provisions that I helped craft are in this final farm bill to reduce that opportunity for this administration to continue to kill jobs in this country. We see some commonsense reforms to the SNAP program. Our goal should be to get people off of SNAP and into jobs. But, Mr. Speaker, this bill is a lesson in fiscal responsibility. It is one of the single largest cuts in mandatory spending that this Congress has done, which is putting our country on a path to complete fiscal responsibility. These are some of the decisions that we need to make. Most of those cuts are in the agricultural side. We need to understand that this is a commonsense piece of legislation. It is going to continue to reduce our deficit in this country, put us on a path to paying down our national debt, and putting excellent long-term farm policy in place for years to come. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have seen reports that the President is going to come to this Chamber tomorrow and talk about avoiding dealing with Congress. He is going to pick up his pen and sign executive orders without coming to this institution and following our Constitution. Mr. President, if you are that willing to pick up your pen, then pick it up and sign the Keystone pipeline permit so that we can start creating jobs in this country and get 40,000 people off the unemployment rolls and into good-paying jobs that are careers.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Pastor Gary Grogan. Pastor Grogan has served as lead pastor of Stone Creek Church in Urbana, Illinois, for over 25 years, and today he is our pastor. Thank you for leading the prayer. Pastor Grogan and his lovely wife, Bonnie, have two children and five grandchildren. Both of his children also serve in local church ministry. Under Pastor Grogan's leadership, Stone Creek has grown into a thriving, multiethnic congregation, leading many community outreach programs focused on justice and compassion. Some of the many projects Pastor Grogan has led include fundraising to build educational community facilities, assisting those trapped in sex trafficking, support for returning war veterans from Afghanistan, and providing medical supplies and other necessities to victims of natural disasters. The Bible says, in Proverbs 11:25: ``Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.'' Pastor Grogan has spent a lifetime refreshing and encouraging those around him. I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to Pastor Grogan and his entire congregation in Urbana, Illinois, for allowing him the opportunity to be here today.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the 41 anniversary of ROE v. WADE. Every year, on January 22, students come to Washington, D.C., and host a rally on the National Mall to celebrate life. To me, the March for Life means renewed hope and faith in our Nation's young people, as I see hundreds, many from parishes just like mine, come to our Nation's Capital to stand for life. I want to recognize all the groups from Illinois, including my former priest, Father Dan Willenborg, from my district in Nokomis, Illinois, and his group of 160 students who will travel almost 800 miles to participate in next week's March for Life. I am praying for safe travels, and I wish I could be here with you. As a father of a 16-year-old daughter and 13-year-old twin boys, I want to thank our youth for their commitment to life. I hope my children have the same opportunity to come to Washington to stand up for what they believe in.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, this country has 10.9 million people out of work, many of whom have been out of work for over 6 months. We can't wait any longer. Families want to work. They want a job that will allow them to put food on the table, take family vacations, and save for their children's education. And $300 a week just won't cut it. As we speak, the President has a permit on his desk, one that has been ready to sign for almost his entire tenure in office. The Keystone XL pipeline is a rare project supported by labor, business, and the hardworking taxpayers of this country, and one that has been studied and dissected more than most. This project is ready to go, and, with the stroke of a pen, Mr. President, you can create 40,000 good-paying, stable jobs across this country that American families want and deserve. All they need is your signature. Let's finally create the jobs that politicians love to talk about. Get families back to work, where they want to be, and off unemployment.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Clarence Todd Taylor of Urbana, Illinois. Mr. Taylor has been a cornerstone of the Champaign-Urbana community for decades. He was born on September 21st, 1961 and found his life's passion only a few short years later. That passion, was music. Clarence was an avid celloist, pianist, organist, and accompanist. He shared his passion and skill with aspiring musicians and singers, always desiring to be a strong role model and mentor. Clarence was the Minister of Music at Salem Baptist Church and Music Director at The Church Of The Living God. He was also involved with the Urbana school district and countless other musical groups throughout his lifetime. He saw music as a way to share and express his love for his savior, Jesus Christ. Mr. Taylor loved only two things more than music, God and his family. He leaves behind a wife and ten wonderful children as well as countless other family members and friends. In Clarence's obituary it said that Heaven must have needed an accompanist. Well, they got a great one. But, Heaven also got a warm, humble, and loving man who always put others before himself. Clarence will be missed dearly. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and community. May God eternally enjoy his music.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. Steve Burgess from Urbana, Illinois, who passed away on Friday, November 22 of this year. He was committed to seeing the postal facility at 302 East Green Street in Champaign, Illinois, renamed after his father, James R. Burgess, Jr. James Burgess was the first African American elected to a countywide office in Champaign County and was appointed the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Illinois. Most importantly, though, Steve Burgess wanted to honor his father as a leader of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first African American armored unit to enter battle in World War II. In April, I introduced H.R. 1707 to rename this post office after James Burgess. It is devastating to me that Steve Burgess was not able to fulfill his life's effort. I want to see a post office naming bill through completion, not only in James Burgess' honor, but in Steve Burgess' and his family's. I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to Steve Burgess and his father for their lifetime of commitment to the Champaign-Urbana community.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you to my good friend and colleague from the great State of Illinois (Mr. Roskam) for leading this Special Order on a very important subject. We have concerns. We should have concerns over a deal with Iran, especially as Americans. It wasn't too long ago that President Clinton told us that North Korea would abide by a similar deal. They agreed to stop their nuclear ambitions in order to get sanctions lifted and get billions in aid from the United States. But they went ahead and secretly continued their program. I caution this administration and the American people to make sure that this doesn't happen again with Iran. This interim deal allows Iran to continue enriching uranium to the 5 percent purity level and to keep building new centrifuges to repair old ones. It calls for Iran to convert 20 percent of enriched uranium either to fuel or to a diluted 5 percent stock. But these processes can easily be reversed, especially since this interim deal does not force Iran to disassemble the infrastructure that allowed it to produce enriched uranium in the first place. A nuclear Iran is a grave danger to our friend and greatest ally in the Middle East, the State of Israel; the rest of our allies throughout the world; and our own American foreign policy interests. As Henry Kissinger noted in The Wall Street Journal: The heart of the problem is Iran's construction of massive nuclear infrastructure and stockpile of enriched uranium far out of proportion to any plausible civilian energy production. I am very concerned that this interim deal does not address the issues at hand. Furthermore, easing sanctions as part of the interim deal causes us to lose leverage at the negotiating table. As many of my colleagues have already mentioned, it is these sanctions that brought them to the negotiating table. We cannot lose sight of their effectiveness. I actually happen to agree with my colleagues here in the House, like Mr. Roskam, and my Senator, Mark Kirk, that we should increase sanctions. That would give us a stronger negotiating stance and draw more concessions from Iran. The world needs to be a much safer place for all of us. The only way to make it a safer place is to stop Iran's nuclear capabilities. Mr. Speaker, this deal does not do that.