Rahm Emanuel

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, if there is one thing we have learned from the Republican Congress in the last 6 years, it is that slogans do not replace solutions. On America's most pressing issues, they have failed to act, and on others they demonstrated an uncanny Midas touch. Take the $800 billion prescription drug benefit. Rather than reducing costs for seniors, it is nothing more than an ATM machine for HMOs and drug companies. Two studies released yesterday show that the prices of medicines used by seniors are rising twice the rate of inflation. Consider the energy bill. In June 2005, a month before the bill passed, gas was $2.07; today, it is more than $3. On immigration, the House Republicans have sent up a white flag, an issue which they have ignored for 6 years. They offer more talk, less action. They won't pass a bill. They want a single-issue election on something they haven't done a single thing on. Even yesterday's conviction of the Bush administration chief procurement officer for influence peddling won't shame them into passing real lobbying or ethics reform. They deny an increase in the minimum wage and a vote on that legislation. Mr. Speaker, one thing is clear: When it comes to addressing the issues important to American families, the Republican Congress is all hat and no cattle. It is time for a new direction. It is time for a change.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, we recently marked a sad milestone in the war in Iraq, as the number of Americans fallen surpassed 2,500. We owe it to each of these families to do everything we can to honor the debt of gratitude we owe them, a debt that can never be fully repaid. Over the past year, I have led 20 other Members of Congress from both parties in reading the names of the fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan into the Congressional Record. In the words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, each of these heroes stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase in its blessing. God bless and keep each of the brave Americans whose memory we honor today: 1. 1st Lieutenant Benjamin T. Britt. 2. Specialist Cheyenne C. Willey. 3. Sergeant Regina C. Reali. 4. Master Sergeant Joseph J. Andres, Jr. 5. Sergeant Myla L. Maravillosa. 6. Specialist Anthony O. Cardinal. 7. Specialist Sergio Gudino. 8. Specialist Dane O. Carver. 9. Chief Warrant Officer Isaias E. Santos. 10. Chief Warrant Officer Richard Matthew Salter. 11. Sergeant Dominic R. Coles. 12. Private Joshua M. Morberg. 13. Specialist Lance S. Sage. 14. Specialist Aaron M. Forbes. 15. Private 1st Class George Anthony Lutz II. 16. Specialist Prince K. Teewia. 17. Staff Sergeant Ayman A. Taha. 18. Private Jonathan R. Pfender. 19. Sergeant 1st Class Shawn Christopher Dostie. 20. Sergeant Marce- lino Ronald Corniel. 21. Sergeant 1st Class Jason Lee Bishop. 22. Staff Sergeant Christopher J. Vanderhorn. 23. Lance Corporal Ryan S. McCurdy. 24. Corporal Albert Pasquale Gettings. 25. Specialist Ryan D. Walker. 26. Sergeant Jason Lopezreyes. 27. Lieutenant Colonel Michael E. McLaughlin. 28. Sergeant Adam Leigh Cann. 29. Private Robbie M. Mariano. 30. Sergeant Johnny J. Peralez, Jr. 31. Sergeant 1st Class Stephen J. White. 32. Captain Christopher P. Petty. 33. Major William F. Hecker III. 34. Corporal Brett L. Lundstrom. 35. Lance Corporal Jeriad P. Jacobs. 36. Lance Corporal Kyle W. Brown. 37. Sergeant Radhames Camilomatos. 38. Specialist Clinton R. Upchurch. 39. Specialist Robert T. Johnson. 40. Sergeant Nathan R. Field. 41. Civilian Darren D. Braswell. 42. 1st Lieutenant Joseph D. deMoors. 43. Major Douglas A. LaBouff. 44. Major Michael R. Martinez. 45. Major Stuart M. Anderson. 46. Specialist Jacob E. Melson. 47. Specialist Michael I. Edwards. 48. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chester W. Troxel. 49. 1st Lieutenant Jaime L. Campbell. 50. Lance Corporal Jason T. Little. 51. Lance Corporal Raul Mercado. 52. Sergeant Michael Joseph McMullen. 53. Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Anthony Jordan. 54. Lance Corporal Jonathan Kyle Price. 55. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kyle E. Jackson. 56. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Mitchell K. Carver, Jr. 57. Corporal Justin J. Watts. 58. Specialist Dustin L. Kendall. 59. Private 1st Class Kasper Allen Dudkiewicz. 60. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ruel M. Garcia. This brings our total to 1,957 names read. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize and thank the brave men and women who continue to serve our Nation with distinction in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world. Our thoughts, our prayers are with you and your families both during your service and after you come home. God bless America.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, the median income in America has dropped. What is the Republican Congress trying to do? Increase the minimum wage? Nope. Making sure that everyone in this country has access to affordable health care? Nope. Controlling energy costs? Nope. It is making sure that the 18 wealthiest families in the Nation do not pay their fair share. Median income over the last 4 years in America has dropped by 2.8 percent. College costs are up by 38 percent. Health care costs are up by 75 percent. Energy costs are up by over 72 percent. And yet the middle class in America are facing a wageless recovery and an endless occupation. The heirs to the Wal-Mart, Campbell's Soup, and Gallo Wine fortunes rest easy knowing that this Congress is hard at work on their behalf. So rather than raise the minimum wage, the GOP Congress is going to cut taxes for the likes of Lee Raymond and his family. Mr. Speaker, ``shame'' is defined as a sense of guilt or embarrassment, and it is a condition that seems to be lost here on the Republican Congress. It is time for a change. It is time for a new direction.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak out of order.

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, last week we had a big debate about Iraq, and our battles over there continue. There were a lot of accusations about which party cut and run, yielded by those on the other side who said Democrats wanted to cut and run. It is ironic because this is the first war in American history that a party and a President has chosen to divide Americans on the war rather than unite them. But let's take the concept of cutting and running. In the spring of 2002, American forces had Osama bin Laden on the run in Tora Bora and Afghanistan, but the administration decided to cut and run from that fight taking resources appropriated for Afghanistan and moving them onto the field of Iraq and cutting and running from Afghanistan and its responsibilities of isolating and getting Osama bin Laden. Then Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, led the charge into Iraq with a cut-and-run mentality, touting what he called the 10-30-30 strategy, to bug out of Iraq as soon as we finished invading: 10 days of war, 30 days of occupation, and 30 days of transition. His prediction was by May of 2003 we would have less than 30,000 American troops in Iraq. So I ask, how are we doing on Don Rumsfeld 10-30-30? His entire mentality was to get out of Iraq as quickly as possible. And we have been bogged down in Iraq because of his cut-and-run mentality, because he had too few troops, not a plan for the occupation for Iraq at all. And when you go back and think about it, they promised a quick war, and we got a long war. When the Republican Congress cut and run from its responsibility oversight, how did that war change? They said we were going to find weapons of mass destruction, and all we got was sand. But the Republican Congress cut and run from its responsibility of oversight. They said we were going to have a conventional war, and we ended up with an insurgency. And the Republican Congress and Don Rumsfeld cut and run from their responsibility of oversight and changing the strategy. They said we were going to be treated as liberators, and we became occupiers. And they cut and run from the responsibility of oversight, and Don Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, cut and run from understanding the type of conflict we had. They said we needed no more than 130,000 troops, and it has become self-evident that we needed more troops than even in the first Gulf War, and that Bremer, the then President's ambassador, and others had asked for more troops, and the administration and, most importantly, the Secretary of Defense cut and run from his responsibility to provide those troops. And that doesn't even count the Kevlar vests, the Humvees, and the other types of equipment that the troops needed at every step of the way. The Republican Congress and Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld cut and run from their responsibility, and that reality that they met with in Iraq cut right into their ideology of cutting and running from their responsibilities. And need I remind the Secretary of Defense of the words of Winston Churchill. ``Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of the policy, but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events.'' Or as Don Rumsfeld himself likes to say, ``Stuff happens, and it's untidy.'' Perhaps it turned out untidy because from day 1 the administration had a cut-and-run attitude towards the results of the war. Don Rumsfeld convinced the President to cut and run on the safety of our troops when it came to Kevlar vests and Humvees. Over objections of GEN Eric Shinseki and Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld produced a plan to invade a nation of 25 million with only 130-some-odd-thousand troops. GEN Anthony Zinni, Commander of the U.S. forces in the Middle East, said, ``We are paying the price for the lack of credible planning or the lack of a plan. Ten years of planning were thrown away.'' LTG Greg Newbold, top operations officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, put it more succinctly and clearly. ``My sincere view is that the commitment of our forces to this fight was done with a casualness and a swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions or bury the results.'' Secretary Rumsfeld's spokesman Larry DiRita visited Kuwait in 2003 and said, ``We don't owe the people of Iraq anything. We're giving them their freedom, and that's enough.'' So when it comes to the accusation of cutting and running, let's look at the record. And the record is quite clear that although the slogan is easy to throw around, that it is the mentality of the Secretary of Defense.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, since day one of the war in Iraq, Democrats have provided the President with everything he asked for, yet Republicans have denied the President the one thing he needed: Oversight. In a post-9/11 world, the American people need the vigilance and the patriotic determination of every Member of Congress to demand answers to the questions their constituents are asking. Instead, the Republican Congress sat and watched the administration make mistake after mistake after mistake. And don't listen to just one Member of Congress. Consider the words of Three Star General Greg Newbold, top Operations Officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After a scathing critique of Secretary Rumsfeld, he says, ``The Bush administration and senior military officials are not alone in their culpability. Members of Congress defaulted in fulfilling their Constitutional responsibility of oversight.'' General Anthony Zinni, former Commander of the U.S. Central Command in the Mideast: ``We are paying the price for the lack of credible planning, or the lack of a plan. Ten years of planning were thrown away.'' Major General Batiste, who commanded 22,000 soldiers on the ground in Iraq. ``Rumsfeld and his team turned what should have been a deliberate victory in Iraq into a prolonged challenge.'' Eight generals have raised serious questions concerning Secretary Rumsfeld's leadership. I don't know, maybe the Pentagon suffers from the soft bigotry of low expectations and social promotion as a policy. Maybe these generals weren't just qualified; or maybe, just maybe, they had to speak up because the Republican Congress was silent. You have adopted an approach of ``see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil'' with abandon. America was told this would be a quick war, and it turned into a long war. This Congress walked away from its oversight responsibility. America was told 130,000 troops would be enough, but more were clearly necessary. This Congress, the Republican Congress, walked away from its oversight responsibility. America was told this would be a conventional war. It turned into an insurgency. This Congress walked away from its oversight responsibility. America was told oil would pay for reconstruction, and the taxpayers are left with a $480 billion tab. This Congress walked away from its oversight responsibility. America was told we would be greeted as liberators, but they have become and are treated like occupiers. This Congress walked away from its oversight responsibility. And when Don Rumsfeld, a man who expressed contempt for the idea of nation-building, was assigned the responsibility of rebuilding Iraq and mismanaged the war against the insurgency, this Congress, the Republican Congress, walked away from its oversight responsibility. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans want to portray the greatest foreign policy challenge of a generation as simply the choice between more of the same or a new direction. And we Democrats welcome that. The debate today is about whether the American people want to stay the course, with an administration and a Congress that has walked away from its obligations, or pursue a real strategy for success in the war on terror. Twenty-five hundred brave Americans, male and female, have given their lives in trying to stabilize Iraq. Last month was the bloodiest in Iraq's history. According to Major General Rick Lynch, attacks against civilians increased 80 percent since November 2005. We cannot achieve the end of victory and continue to sit and watch, stand pat, the status quo. That is the Republican policy. Democrats are determined to take the fight to the enemy. In the words of President John Kennedy, ``We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe in order to assure the survival and success of liberty.'' Democrats will never put American servicemembers in harm's way without a plan and without support. For that, you need the sit-and- watch complacency of a Republican Congress.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, across the Potomac in Arlington today, we are breaking ground for the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon. Our Nation is rightfully honoring the victims of those heinous acts. It has also been 1 week since I called upon my Republican colleagues to reject Ann Coulter's vicious attacks on the widows of 9/11. Not a single Republican elected official has stepped forward to reject her hate. So I have to conclude they are comfortable with her as their spokesman. Your silence is deafening. Apparently it is okay to exploit 9/11 to shore up your own sagging poll numbers or make a quick buck. So rather than see 9/11 as a moment to unite America, Ann Coulter and her followers have chosen to divide and demonize fellow Americans. I am always amazed that the one casualty the American people would accept on 9/11 would be partisanship, and that is the one casualty you are not willing to give. Ms. Coulter is threatened by the 9/11 widows. They threaten her simplistic world by daring to ask questions. Mr. Speaker, the 9/11 widows have courageously stood up to demand that we never forget the horror of September 11. All Americans who lost loved ones should be honored, as we are doing in Arlington today, not denigrated simply because they do not fit your simplistic world view.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, this Congress has cut and run from its responsibility of oversight, to ensure that the taxpayer money is spent wisely. By last count, nearly $10 billion of the funds set aside for Iraq reconstruction cannot be found. Vanished. $10 billion gone. And now the Government Accountability Office reports that 16 percent of the aid distributed after Katrina, $1.4 billion, was spent fraudulently. Some of the money went to pay for a bottle of Dom Perignon, Caribbean vacations, ``Girls Gone Wild'' videos. That may be one heck of a vacation, but it is a horrendous use of the taxpayer dollars. Instead of rooting out incompetence and fraud and waste and abuse, the Congress has actually protected it. No oversight. No accountability. By failing in their oversight responsibility, by failing to ask the tough questions and hold the administration accountable for their actions, the Republican Congress is a willing accomplice to the greatest taxpayer ripoff since the Teapot Dome. We just sent an additional $94.5 billion to Iraq and the gulf coast without a single act of accountability or oversight. It is time for a change. It is time for a new direction.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, Karl Rove has said that the Democrats want to cut and run on the war in Iraq. Well, let us talk about cutting and running. When we were told this would be a quick war and turned into a long war, this Congress cut and run from its oversight responsibility. When we were told 130,000 troops would be enough but more were clearly necessary, this Congress cut and run from doing its oversight responsibility. When we were told this would be a conventional war and it turned into an insurgency, this Congress cut and run from its oversight responsibility. When we were told oil would pay for reconstruction, but the taxpayers were left with a $480 billion tab, this Congress cut and run from its oversight responsibility. When we were told we would be greeted as liberators but had become treated like occupiers, this Congress cut and run from its oversight responsibility. Mr. Speaker, Republicans want to portray the greatest foreign policy challenge of a generation as simply a choice between staying the course and cutting and running. Democrats look forward to this debate. Mr. Speaker, oversight requires the vigilance and patriotic determination of every Member of Congress to do the job we were sent here to do and ask the questions that their constituents want. Mr. Speaker, it is time for new priorities in Iraq and here at home.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago on the occasion of its 80th Anniversary. Shriners Hospitals provide excellent specialized care in pediatric orthopedics without cost to the patient, parent, or any third party and without regard to race, color, creed, sex or sect. Shriners in Chicago is an outstanding resource for our community. To commemorate its 80th anniversary, Shriners held a large celebration at the hospital. Hundreds of former patients returned to celebrate the important role Shriners played in their lives. Without the hospital's generosity, many children would have struggled to receive treatment. Shriners hospitals also conduct research and provide for the education of physicians and other health care professionals. The hospitals treat children with congenital orthopedic deformities, problems resulting from orthopedic injuries, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. They are also a large provider of rehabilitation therapy and plastic surgery. The first Shriners Hospital was opened in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1922 by the Shriners of North America, a group affiliated with freemasonry. This international fraternity has approximately 400,000 men belonging to 191 Shrine centers throughout North America. Since 1922, the number of hospitals has grown to 22 including hospitals in Canada and Mexico. Their selfless dedication to children's health has made them the leading researchers in burn treatment. The hospitals are fully funded by gifts, bequests, income from an endowment fund, hospital fund-raising events, and the annual assessment paid by every Shriner. The Shriners are proud to call the system of hospitals ``The World's Greatest Philanthropy.'' Since its foundation in 1926, the Chicago branch has treated over 57,000 patients. Originally founded to treat polio victims, many hospital stays lasted over a year. Today, the average stay is four days. The hospital specializes in treating children with spinal cord injuries. Chicago greatly appreciates Shriners service and generosity. Mr. Speaker, I commend Shriners Hospital for Children for its history of dedication and service to the children of Chicago. I congratulate the staff and supporters of this important institution on its 80th Anniversary, and wish them every future success in their continuing efforts to meet the needs of Chicago's children.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the distinguished tenure of Michael Scott, president of the Chicago Board of Education. Michael recently announced that he will retire from the board on July 21, 2006. Chicago's public school students and parents will miss the dedication and professionalism he has brought to the public schools and his service to the city. Michael was raised on the west side of Chicago, attended St. Philip's High School and later earned a B.A. in urban planning from Fordham University. He first became involved in local government after spending many years as a developer. His early dedication to the betterment of Chicago's communities drew attention from the late Mayor Harold Washington. Michael went on to serve in the administrations of Mayor Washington and Mayor Richard Daley. In June 2001, Michael Scott was appointed to the Chicago Board of Education, and elected president of the board that same month. For the past 5 years, Michael has dedicated his energy and talents to this challenging and time consuming position, working on a voluntary basis. Under his direction, the Chicago Public Schools have thrived. One of Michael's key initiatives, in partnership with Mayor Daley, was Renaissance 2010, a program that closed underperforming schools and reached out to private donors to build new ones. Together they built the first new Chicago public school in 29 years. Michael has combined strong managerial skills with an ability to bring students, parents, and teachers together to solve problems and create opportunities. He has worked very hard for the students of Chicago and cares about them deeply. His engaging personality has also helped him build strong relationships with parents and teachers. Michael's success can be seen in the students' improved math and reading test scores. The schools have also worked hard to reduce truancy. Michael's creativity and innovation have also resulted in new programs such as ballroom dancing and other opportunities for student creativity. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing a true public servant on the successful completion of his tenure. On behalf of all of Chicago's families, I thank Michael Scott for his dedication and wish him the best of luck in the future.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, my Republican colleagues like to say the economy is ``robust.'' But for middle-class families it's the best of times, it's the worst of times. While the gross domestic product increases, Americans are drowning in a sea of debt in this wageless recovery. New data released by the Federal Reserve today indicated that household debt grew at a faster rate in the first quarter of this year than in the previous quarter. Why is it increasing? Because middle- class families are taking on more debt just to make ends meet. Wages in 2006 were actually lower than they were in November of 2001 when the recovery began. Monthly job growth is a measly 0.4 percent since March 2001, the weakest of any business cycle since World War II. At the same time, the cost for gasoline is up, tuition is up 38 percent, health care premiums have increased 73 percent. What is the end result? America has a negative savings rate. Mr. Speaker, my Republican colleagues like to say the economy is booming, and that is certainly true for the credit card companies. But for middle-class families, these are hardly the best of times. It is time for a change. It is time for a new direction.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to recognize Mrs. Elizabeth R. Rusin of Chicago. Mrs. Rusin will be retiring after four decades as an educator and administrator with the Archdiocese of Chicago. Mrs. Rusin grew up at Maryville Academy in Chicago where she graduated high school. After attending 1 year at Clark College in Dubuque, Iowa, she left college to raise a family. She later returned to college to earn a bachelor of arts in speech therapy and education at Mundelein College in Chicago. In 1971, Mrs. Rusin taught at St. Viator School in Chicago, where she served as assistant principal from 1974 to 1979, when she left to attend Northern Illinois University, where she earned a master's degree in educational administration. From September 1980 to June 1988, Mrs. Rusin served as principal of St. Francis of Assisi School in Chicago, where she met her husband, Ben Rusin, who was actively involved in the parish. In 1989, Mrs. Rusin returned to the classroom to teach junior high school science for 2 years at St. Edward School in Chicago. In 1991, Mrs. Rusin came to St. Josaphat School in Chicago, where she has served as principal for the past 15 years. When Mrs. Rusin began her tenure, St. Josaphat had 85 students and was on the brink of closing. Today, St. Josaphat is flourishing with over 250 students. Through a groundbreaking program with DePaul University, Mrs. Rusin has brought new learning methods to St. Josaphat. Mrs. Rusin and Dr. Akihiko Takahashi joined forces to train St. Josaphat teachers, as well as DePaul student teachers, in the methods of learning and teaching utilized in Japanese schools. During Mrs. Rusin's time as principal of St. Josaphat, the school has been widely recognized throughout the Archdiocese and the city of Chicago as one of the premiere educational facilities for pre-school through 8th grade. Mrs. Rusin was recently awarded the Sheffield Star Award, presented each year to two individuals who bring distinction and leadership to their profession and make the Sheffield Neighborhood a multi-faceted and desirable place to live. Under the leadership of Mrs. Rusin, St. Josaphat continues to achieve its mission to educate and challenge its students to see beyond themselves and go beyond the familiar so that they may lead responsible, fulfilling lives. Mrs. Rusin has been devoted to preparing her students for academic excellence in their continuing educations. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a deeply grateful community and with enormous appreciation for decades of dedicated service to students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends, I thank Mrs. Elizabeth Rusin for her extraordinary leadership and selfless commitment to learning and to the city of Chicago. Mrs. Rusin left a mark on each school she was a part of and will not be forgotten. We will remember her countless contributions, and wish her continued success in her retirement.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Kevin M. McCann of Chicago for his many years of service and dedication to education. After 32 years in elementary education. Kevin is retiring from his position as principal of Jamieson Elementary School in the 5th District's Lincoln Park neighborhood. A lifelong Chicagoan, Kevin attended St. Patrick High School on the City's west side. He graduated in 1969 and went on to earn a degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from DePaul University in 1973. While earning his Masters in School Administration at DePaul, Kevin began teaching General Education at Bell Elementary School in 1974. In 1977 Kevin moved to LaSalle Language Academy, where he taught Upper Grade Mathematics. During his tenure at LaSalle, Kevin earned many distinguished awards including Teacher of the Year in 1979, the Kate Maremont Dedicated Teacher Award in 1989, and the Milken Family Foundation Illinois Distinguished Educator Award in 1990. In 1991, Kevin moved into school administration when he was named the principal at Jamieson Elementary School. As principal of Jamieson, Kevin immediately challenged his teachers and students to help make Jamieson one of the premier schools in the Chicago Public School system. Under his leadership, Jamieson earned awards in the Academic Bowl, Athletics, Oratory, Robotics, the History Fair, the Science Fair, and the Math Competition. In 1999, Kevin qualified as a finalist for the Outstanding Leadership Award given by the Chicago Principals Association and the Chicago Public Schools. In addition to teaching, one of Kevin's other passions has been his love for his alma matter, DePaul University, the place his father called home professionally for many years. Our educational community will continue to be served by Kevin as he begins his new job next fall at DePaul, coordinating the student teaching program. The same year Kevin began his position as principal of Jamieson Elementary School, he married his wife, Carol. Together they are the proud parents of three daughters, Maggie, Rachel, and Bridget. Kevin's family has always been a priority in his life, and Kevin plans to spend much time with them as he begins the next phase of his life. Mr. Speaker, I join with all of those Kevin has influenced throughout his career as an educator in recognizing Kevin M. McCann for his years of devotion to education and service to our community while at Jamieson School, and wish him continued happiness in the future.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 409, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the ascension to the throne of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej ascended the throne on June 9, 1946 and is the longest-serving monarch in the world. His Majesty King Bhumibol will receive a special Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award from the United Nations Development Agency for his dedication to social justice, growth with equity, human security, democratic governance, and sustainability. During his reign, Thailand has become a constitutional democracy in which Thai citizens enjoy the right to change their government through periodic free and fair elections held on the basis of universal suffrage. His Majesty King Bhumibol has always enjoyed a special relationship with the United States, having been born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where his father, Prince Mahidol of Songkla was studying medicine. The United States and Thailand have enjoyed over 170 years of friendship since the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1833, the first such treaty signed between the United States and any Asian country, and on December 30, 2003, President George W. Bush designated the Kingdom of Thailand as a major non-NATO ally. Mr. Speaker, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has proudly led the people of Thailand for 60 years. I rise today to offer congratulations to His Majesty King Bhumibol and best wishes for continued health and prosperity to his Majesty and the Kingdom of Thailand as we continue the historic friendship between the Thai and American people.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, as United States citizens, we are blessed with many freedoms. Among those is the right to freely speak our minds. While freedom of speech is one of the things that makes our country great, it also means we have to endure the words of a hatemonger like Ann Coulter. In her new book, the goddess of the right slanders the 9/11 widows, writing, ``These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief-arazzies. I have never seen people enjoying their husbands' death so much.'' Lest Ms. Coulter forget, more than 3,000 Americans were killed simply because they lived in the United States. That doesn't matter to Ms. Coulter, because she is doing it to enrich herself. But there is something more sinister in Ms. Coulter's words. The hate she spews is the same kind of hatred we are battling in the war on terror. As a country of thought and reason, I urge all of us to reject it. I must ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, does Ann Coulter speak for you when she suggests poisoning Supreme Court Justices or slanders the 9/11 widows? If not, speak now. Your silence allows her to be your spokesman. She should apologize to all of us who have lost our fellow citizens on 9/11.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House out of order.

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked the 62nd anniversary of D Day. On that day, thousands of young Americans made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our Nation. In the words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, each of these heroes stand in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase in its blessings. This unbroken line continues today as 2,778 brave American men and women have fallen in their service to our Nation in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Last year, I led a bipartisan group of 21 Members of Congress in reading the names of our most recent fallen into the Congressional Record. We made a commitment to continue this reading as long as the fighting continues. God bless and keep each of the brave Americans whose memory we honor today in our hearts: 1. Sergeant 1st Class Eric P. Pearrow. 2. Private 1st Class Marc A. Delgado. 3. Staff Sergeant Steven C. Reynolds. 4. Specialist Javier A. Vallnueva. 5. Specialist Gregory L. Tull. 6. Master Sergeant Brett E. Angus. 7. Sergeant Donald J. Hasse. 8. Sergeant Jerry W. Mills, Jr. 9. Corporal William G. Taylor. 10. Staff Sergeant William D. Richardson. 11. Corporal Joshua D. Snyder. 12. Sergeant Gregorz Jakoniuk. 13. Sergeant 1st Class Brent A. Adams. 14. Lance Corporal Craig N. Watson. 15. Sergeant Andy A. Stevens. 16. Lance Corporal Andrew G. Patten. 17. Lance Corporal Scott T. Modeen. 18. Corporal Anthony T. McElveen. 19. Lance Corporal Robert Alexander Martinez. 20. Lance Corporal Adam Wade Kaiser. 21. Lance Corporal David A. Huhn. 22. Lance Corporal John M. Holmason. 23. Staff Sergeant Daniel J. Clay. 24. Specialist Marcus S. Futrell. 25. Staff Sergeant Phillip L. Travis. 26. Sergeant Philip Allan Dodson, Jr. 27. Corporal Jimmy Lee Shelton. 28. Staff Sergeant Daniel M. Cuka. 29. Sergeant 1st Class Richard L. Schild. 30. Private 1st Class Thomas C. Siekert. 31. Specialist Brian A. Wright. 32. Sergeant Michael C. Taylor. 33. Corporal Joseph P. Bier. 34. Staff Sergeant Milton Rivera-Vargas. 35. 1st Lieutenant Kevin J. Smith. 36. Sergeant Spencer C. Akers. 37. Sergeant Adrian N. Orosco. 38. Sergeant Kenith Casica. 39. Staff Sergeant Travis L. Nelson. 40. Sergeant Clarence L. Floyd, Jr. 41. Sergeant Julia v. Atkins. 42. Staff Sergeant Keith A. Bennett. 43. Sergeant 1st Class James S. Moudy. 44. Staff Sergeant Curtis A. Mitchell. 45. Specialist Lex S. Nelson. 46. Specialist Jared William Kubasak. 47. Specialist Peter J. Navarro. 48. Specialist James C. Kesinger. 49. Sergeant Brian C. Karim. 50. Staff Sergeant Michael S. Zyla. 51. Corporal Michael B. Presley. 52. Staff Sergeant Kenneth B. Pospisil. 53. Sergeant Timothy R. Boyce. 54. Specialist Joseph Alan Lucas. 55. Corporal Adam R. Fales. 56. Lance Corporal Samuel Tapia. 57. Staff Sergeant Johnnie V. Mason. 58. Specialist Richard Jr. DeGarcia Naputi. 59. 1st Lieutenant Michael J. Cleary. 60. Specialist William Lopez-Feliciano. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize and thank the brave men and women who continue to serve our Nation with distinction in Iraq and Afghanistan and throughout the world and thank their families also for their sacrifice. Our thoughts, our prayers are with you and your families both during your service and after you come home. Mr. Speaker, if I mispronounced any of our members' names who I know the family take pride in honoring, I apologize. I want to thank again each of these men and women who have served our country and their family for their ultimate sacrifice.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the long and distinguished career of Joel M. Carp, one of the leaders in the Chicago nonprofit community. Mr. Carp will retire next month from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago after almost thirty years of service. Mr. Carp has dedicated his career to creating public policies and sustaining quality, comprehensive health and human services for all people, including refugees and immigrants. For the last 28 years, he has been working towards these goals at the Jewish Federation/Jewish United Fund, most recently as Senior Vice President for Community Services and Government Relations. His dedicated service includes managing the Government Affairs Program, planning and budgeting for the Federation's numerous social welfare programs and services, and supervising State of Illinois programs for immigrants, refugees and the homeless. In addition to his work at the Jewish Foundation, Mr. Carp has served on numerous important task forces tackling welfare reform, hunger, housing, and emergency food and shelter for both the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois. Mr. Carp has also taken the time to write and publish many articles on the topics about which he is most passionate, sharing his invaluable perspectives with all who work in this important field. In recognition of Joel Carp's hard work and tireless dedication, he has received the Melvin A. Block Award for Professional Distinction from the Associated YMYWHAs of Greater N.Y., the City of Chicago's Commission on Human Relations Award, and a special award from the YMCA of the USA for helping to restore Agency for International Development funding for human services in Lebanon. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, I thank Joel Carp for his many outstanding contributions to our social service network and to the Chicago area Jewish Community. His efforts have had a profound impact on the lives of his co-workers, friends, family, and countless other individuals. I wish him continued happiness in all his future endeavors.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Madam Speaker, this may sound strange coming from a Democrat, but I am here to applaud the Wall Street Journal for its work in uncovering a major corporate scandal. After Enron and WorldCom, we enacted Sarbanes-Oxley to usher in a new era of corporate responsibility. But now a new scandal is brewing, this time involving the backdating of stock options. When a company backdates stock options, it deliberately moves option grants back to dates when the stock price was lower, ensuring the options will make money for executives while hiding its real cost from shareholders and the IRS. It is free and cheap money for the CEO, and securities fraud for everyone else, plain and simple. So far, United Healthcare appears to be the biggest perpetrator, but the problem now is spreading to 15 other public companies that are under investigation at this point. Madam Speaker, the American people don't deserve another Enron or WorldCom. They deserve an era of corporate responsibility that they were promised from this institution. As the SEC and the Justice Department pursue these cases, I hope they will take swift and decisive action to punish those involved and restore investor confidence in our markets.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, today marks the one year anniversary of the House passage of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. By a vote of 298-134, the House overwhelmingly approved the stem cell bill, which would expand the Federal Government's investment in vital promising research. Embryonic stem cells hold the key to the treatment of diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, ALS and many other currently incurable diseases. An overwhelming majority of Americans support this research. This is not a traditional Democrat versus Republican issue, it is about a right versus a wrong. Yet a year after House action, America is still waiting on the Senate. Two weeks ago, the Senate held its ``Health Week,'' a series of votes, but the Republican leadership refused to take a vote on stem cell research that would have saved lives in the area we are talking about. Health Week in the Senate will be known from now on as the ``Hoax Week.'' When the Senate majority leader refused to hold a vote, despite his past public support, the majority leader showed America his priorities, and I am afraid it has little to do with funding treatments for incurable diseases. Mr. Speaker, if the majority leader is as committed to stem cell research as he says, then it is time for an up or down vote on this important research that will save many lives, and then the Senate will earn the title ``Health Week'' back again.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Hakki G. Gurkan of Chicago, Illinois, on the occasion of his 30th birthday. Currently serving our Nation in Iraq, Hakki is continuing an impressive career in many areas of public service. Petty Officer, 2nd class Gurkan joined the United States Navy Reserve in 2002 and is now serving overseas in Iraq as an Intelligence Specialist. He is fiercely proud to serve his country and I am certainly proud of him. Before being mobilized, Hakki served as a Chicago Police Officer for 6 years. As a patrol officer in the 11th District, he worked tirelessly every day to respond to emergencies and keep our community safe and secure. Last year Hakki added to his already considerable background in public service by using his vacation time to serve as an intern in my Washington, DC office. He was a strong addition to the office and assisted my staff in many important ways. Hakki received his bachelor of arts degree from Columbia College in Chicago and earned a master's degree in law enforcement administration from Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, I thank Hakki for his devoted service to our country, both at home and overseas. I ask my colleagues to join me in sending best wishes to Petty Officer, 2nd Class Gurkan and all American men and women in uniform serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today I order to recognize the long and distinguished career of Jim Farrell. Jim retired this month as chairman of Illinois Tool Works, Inc., ITW, after a 41-year career with the company, and has spent a lifetime making a positive impact on the Chicago-area community. After graduating from the University of Detroit with a degree in electrical engineering, Jim joined ITW in 1965. He originally intended to work there for the few months he had before reporting for military service, but he would ultimately return after 2 years in the Army. Rising steadily through the ranks, Jim served as ITW's chief executive officer from 1995 and chairman from 1996. Based in Glenview, Illinois, the company now operates in 45 countries and employs almost 50,000 people. As CEO and chairman of a Fortune 200 company, Jim was known for an unusual but highly successful approach. At ITW he oversaw the purchase of more than 200 companies. He resisted the prevailing wisdom to consolidate operations and instead gave the 600 division managers a high degree of autonomy. This allowed Jim to cultivate an environment that remains highly conducive to entrepreneurship and allows managers to stay closely connected to employees and customers. Jim has always found time and energy to give to the community. For more than a decade he has chaired and worked with the Chicago branch of Junior Achievement, a world-wide organization dedicated to educating young people about business, economics, and free enterprise. In addition to serving on numerous other business and civic boards, Jim also instituted a generous matching policy under which ITW matches $3 for each $1 donated to charity by an employee. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Jim for his many successes, I thank him for his role within the business community of Illinois and for his dedication to civic duty, and I wish him and his family the best of luck in all future endeavors.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, sometimes it takes a heated exchange to reveal the truth. People say things they would not normally say, or reflect their true thinking. For instance, while debating the budget the other night, a member of the Republican leadership said, ``If you earn $40,000 a year and have a family of two, you don't pay any taxes.'' Well, that would be news to that middle-class family. According to the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities, middle-class families paid an average of 13.6 percent of their income in Federal taxes in 2003. Additionally, these hardworking families pay State income taxes, property taxes, gasoline taxes, and sales taxes. If anything, middle-class families are paying too much in taxes. But the truth serum clearly did not wear off, because the next day the same member of the Republican leadership sent out a press release titled ``Fiscal Responsibility is Not an Option in This House.'' After 5 years of record budget deficits of $3 trillion in new debt, for a total of $9.6 trillion of debt, never were truer words spoken in that press release. Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the truth about the Republican Congress has finally come out. Now the American people have a choice between leadership and the Republican Party that cuts taxes on the wealthy and leaves trillions of dollars of debt for the rest of us. As Ronald Reagan once said, ``Facts are a stubborn thing.'' Mr. Speaker, it is time for a change. It is time for new priorities. It is time to give the people back their House.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, it seems the President has found a new use for the Guard, dealing with his Presidency. On Monday the President announced his intention to send 6,000 National Guardsmen to secure the border. Never mind that his budget cuts the National Guard by 17,000, and that the Guard has been stretched to the breaking point by the war in Iraq. Never mind that the President's own budget this year fails to provide adequate funding for new border agents, and never mind that Michael Chertoff, the head of Homeland Security, thought this was a bad idea just 6 months ago. In December 2005 Michael Chertoff told Bill O'Reilly, ``The National Guard is not trained for the border mission.'' Now it is an election year, the President's poll numbers are down, so the President has decided to deploy the Guard, regardless of what his own budget and the Homeland Security Director has said. This is an election year, of course. Michael Chertoff is now changing his tune. ``What the President did last night was to put on the turbo chargers in dealing with and focusing on this illegal immigration effort that we have got, on a comprehensive basis.'' Mr. Speaker, I have been in politics a long time. I have seen my share of political gestures. Having failed to do anything on immigration for 5\1/2\ years, the President has decided to act with just 5\1/2\ months to go before election day. It is time for a change. It is time for new priorities.