Rahm Emanuel

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn the loss of a beloved leader of the Chicago Archdiocese, Monsignor Ignatius D. McDermott, who passed away on December 31. Monsignor McDermott, known affectionately as Father Mac, was born on Chicago's South Side on July 31, 1909. He was ordained in 1936 after studying at Quigley Preparatory Seminary and Mundelein's St. Mary of the Lake Seminary. Demonstrating a lifelong commitment to helping those most in need, Monsignor McDermott often walked the streets of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods in order to comfort the homeless and help recovering drug addicts and alcoholics return to sobriety, happiness and meaningful lives. In 1946, Monsignor McDermott was appointed assistant director to the Chicago Archdiocese's Catholic Charities. Advancing his commitment to helping individuals with substance abuse problems, he founded Catholic Charities' Addiction Consultation and Education Services and the Central States Institute of Addiction. After nearly four decades of service, Monsignor McDermott cofounded the Haymarket Center in 1975. Named for its location near Haymarket Square in Chicago, the detoxification center offers residential and outpatient services. As a direct result of Monsignor McDermott's compassion and dedication, the center has continued to expand over the years and now serves over 14,006 people each year. Mr. Speaker, I join with the people of Chicago in recognizing the life of Monsignor McDermott. Together we honor his service and lifelong dedication to community service as well as the lasting impact he has had on the countless individuals he touched and whose spirits he lifted throughout his distinguished career. His many contributions leave an indelible mark on our community that will always be remembered.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished Chicago resident, Rita Canning. Rita has worked tirelessly for the rights of women and families in Chicago. Her advocacy and contribution to public service deserve the recognition and thanks of this Congress. Rita currently serves as President of WINGS, Women In Need of Growing Stronger. This transitional shelter offers support to homeless and abused women and children in Chicago through training programs as well as job placement services to women in need. Under Rita's leadership, WINGS helps marginalized women re-enter the workforce with greater job skills and with the resources necessary to achieve economic self- sufficiency. Rita also founded the Palatine Home of the Sparrow, a shelter for women and children in Chicago, and she is in the process of establishing the first domestic violence shelter in Chicago's northwest suburbs. In addition to her work with the homeless, Rita does great things for education in our community through her work with the Canning Foundation. She serves as Vice-President of this foundation, which awards over 100 private school scholarships annually to inner-city children. Rita is also a member of the Women's Board of Northwestern University, the Women's Board of the Field Museum, and is a Director of Harris Bank. Her husband, John A. Canning, Jr., is the Director of the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago and shares Rita's passion of giving back to the community by pursuing several philanthropic endeavors. Rita's tremendous dedication to public service has been recognized with various awards of excellence. In 2001, for example, Rita received the Sears Distinguished Leader Award for exemplary volunteer work and contributions. She also recently received the Illinois state treasurer's ``Woman to Woman Making a Difference Award.'' Mr. Speaker, I am honored to call Rita Canning a good friend and to recognize her invaluable contributions to public service. On behalf of the Fifth Congressional District and indeed all of Chicago, I thank her for her selfless dedication and hard work on behalf of women and families in our community.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, as this Congress convenes, I am proud to rise in honor of the brave men and women of the Illinois Army National Guard's 933rd Military Police Company. I was honored to be invited to attend this unit's holiday ball on the evening of Saturday, December 11, 2004, in Chicago, Illinois. While serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom, members of the 933rd MP Company were assigned to the 504th Military Police Battalion--the active component based in Fort Lewis, Washington. The 504th MP Battalion was assigned to the 220th Military Police Brigade of the U.S. Army Reserve--the theater military police brigade that is assigned to the 377th Theater Support Command, which supports the entire theater of operations. I want to thank all soldiers and the families of those who served in the 933rd MP Company for the strength and courage they have demonstrated since Operation Iraqi Freedom was launched. We are very proud of their impeccable service record as well as their skill, bravery and professionalism, each of which have directly resulted in saving the lives of innumerable U.S. soldiers, Coalition troops, and Iraqi civilians. The 933rd is a credit to the Military Police Corps. It is fitting that my first statement in this new Congress recognizes the brave men and women of the 933rd MP Company. Accordingly, we in Congress will endeavor to measure up to the valor of the soldiers of the 933rd, who make the city of Chicago and indeed the entire state of Illinois so very proud. We shall strive to make sure that maximum production and surplus equipment is provided to our troops to safeguard their lives as they carry out the crucial mission of maintaining the peace across Iraq.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a dedicated public servant and great friend, Robert T. Matsui. It was a privilege and honor serving with Bob. Although we only served together for one term, I learned a great deal from Bob--starting when I worked at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue--about protecting Social Security, expanding free trade, welfare reform, and giving American families more opportunities to prosper. His selfless determination, borne from his early childhood experiences--resulted in a lifelong commitment to heal our Nation's wounds and make amends for past wrongs. Answering President John F. Kennedy's call, Bob inspired generations of Americans who dedicated themselves to public service, including minorities and the Asian-American community in particular. His leadership in this Chamber resulted in a formal apology for the treatment of Japanese-Americans interned and discriminated against during World War II. Bob never shied away from difficult debates. While seeking innovative ways to help America's employees stay competitive in the global economy, he championed President Clinton's North American Fair Trade Agreement and secured a strong, bipartisan vote in the House for permanent free trade relations with China. His efforts helped fuel the largest economic expansion in our Nation's history, and opened new lines of communication and cultural understanding around the world. We will miss Bob's strong and uncompromising leadership on Social Security, a void in this Chamber that will be very difficult to fill. Mr. Speaker, Robert Matsui was a man I was proud to call my friend. May God bless his wife Doris and the Matsui family in this difficult hour as we honor the memory of a man truly loved and respected by his peers and his country, and whose contributions will always be remembered in this Chamber.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, today's New York Times reports on instant payday lenders who set up shop outside the gates of our military bases and charge staggeringly high interest rates to our troops. The Times found 200 payday lenders surrounding the Norfolk and Hampton naval bases in Virginia, two dozen surrounding the Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton, California, 36 located within 3 miles of Fort Lewis, in Washington State, and one is even located on the edge of a small parking lot near a base. One example is of a Navy petty officer and her husband who borrowed $500 with an annual interest rate of 390 percent. This couple racked up $4,000 in debt, and their house was foreclosed upon. In September, this body passed a bipartisan piece of legislation, which I sponsored, to protect our troops from high-cost contractual mutual funds and life insurance policies that they need not have gotten. Unfortunately, before we left, the Senate did not take up this legislation. I would hope that today's article would add an impetus that the House again, in the Committee on Financial Services, take up the legislation, pass it again, and move it over to the Senate so we can protect the men and women who have served our country so proudly. Mr. Speaker, it is our duty to provide them the type of services and stability they expect in return for the dangers they face and the financial burdens they willingly assume in order to serve.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise I recognize the inauguration of The Reverend Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., as the eleventh president of DePaul University, on Saturday, November 20 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance School. Father Holtschneider became DePaul University's eleventh president on July 1, 2004, following the distinguished eleven- year tenure of the past president, Father John P. Minogue. Father Holtschneider's background is as impressive as his future at DePaul is promising. He received his doctoral in administration, planning and social policy from Harvard University in 1997 after writing a dissertation on the early history of financial aid in the United States. He was also a case researcher and writer for Harvard's schools of Education, Medicine and Public Health. Since 2000, he has served as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Niagara University in Niagara Falls, New York, where he directed the university's strategic planning efforts and daily operations of the campus. Prior to his role at Niagara, Father Holtschneider served as an assistant professor of higher education in the Graduate School of Education and as the associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at St. John's University. Father Holtschneider joins DePaul at an exciting time in the school's 106-year history. Steady enrollment growth has earned DePaul distinction as the largest Catholic university in the United States and the seventh-largest private university in the country, fulfilling DePaul's academic mission to expand access to quality educational programs to a diverse student body. As DePaul concludes its strategic planning, known as Vision 2006, Father Holtschneider will share his expertise to help shape the university's future initiatives. Father Holtschneider has led two national studies of American Catholic colleges and universities, examining trends in governance and leadership, and he consults on these matters with university boards of trustees and sponsoring religious congregations. He is the author and co-author of one book and numerous articles on U.S. higher education and Catholic higher education, as well as a frequent speaker on these topics. On behalf of the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, I wish Father Holtschneider continued success at DePaul University and look forward to working with him as the university continues to grow and excel in a broad variety of disciplines. I am very proud to represent DePaul in the House of Representatives and once again congratulate Father Holtschneider on his inauguration as president of the university.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Wendy Abrams of Highland Park, Illinois, on the occasion of her 40th birthday. I have long admired Wendy for her dedication to our community, particularly with respect to safeguarding the environment. She is committed to making the world a better place and ensuring that future generations of Americans will inherit a thriving and healthy planet. Wendy has worked on both the national and local level to protect the environment--on issues ranging from conservation to climate change and the impact of environmental policies on the developing world. She is highly knowledgeable about current environmental issues and a passionate advocate for positive change. Wendy is a member of the National Council of Environmental Defense, an organization that finds ways to preserve our environment while also strengthening the economy, such as market incentives that reward governments and businesses for lowering pollution levels. In addition, Wendy is a member of the National Advisory Council of the Sierra Club Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving wildlife and promoting responsible use of the Earth's ecosystems and resources. Wendy's interests and influence reach beyond environmental concerns to include other matters important in our community. For example, she has been an active participant in the Holocaust Education Foundation and is an owner of Medline Industries, Inc., a private medical equipment distributor. Wendy has always expressed a strong interest in effective health care reform as well as a broad array of other important public policy initiatives. Mr. Speaker, Wendy Abrams is helping to make the world a safe and healthy place for our children. I am proud to call Wendy a good friend, and I thank her for her contributions to public service. I wish Wendy, her husband Jimmy, and their four children continued good fortune on the occasion of her 40th birthday.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Appropriations conferees for including in the conference report nearly $100 million to improve flu vaccine production capacity and technology, and, if necessary, to allow the government to purchase vaccine. This allocation will help us make sure we don't repeat the mistakes of this year. This investment in flu vaccines means that the Congress learned a lesson from this year's crisis and is taking steps so it doesn't happen again. This year's shortage is resulting in long lines for the flu shot and widespread fear among the elderly and other vulnerable populations that they will be stricken with the flu virus. As the sponsor of the Flu Protection Act, along with Senator Bayh in the other body, I also want to thank Congressman Shimkus and all of the 29 bipartisan cosponsors of the Flu Protection Act for their work on this issue. We have our work cut out for us. Next year, we need to implement all of the provisions of the Flu Protection Act, and ensure that we improve our ability to prevent an avoidable public health disaster.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, in today's New York Times we learned about Trudy LeBlue, an employee of a hair salon outside of New Orleans. Ms. LeBlue's story is like that of many hard-working Americans. While she struggles to make ends meet, her employer forces her to work off the clock just to avoid paying overtime. Across this country American families are working toward a better life, yet find their climb getting tougher. Just this week we learned wholesale inflation is up 1.7 percent last month alone, the sharpest monthly increase in 15 years. Since 2001 health care costs are up by a third, college tuition costs up by 32 percent, personal bankruptcies up by 38 percent. But what is the Congress doing to reduce the burdens on American families? A tax policy that has shifted the burden onto working families off of wealth, failed to pass a higher education legislation, failed to pass legislation on comprehensive health care or on energy policy. And just last night alone we voted to increase our Nation's debt to $8 trillion, a 40 percent increase in the past 4 years. This vote was a fitting end to this Congress's record on the economy and what it has done for working families. Rather than making the right choices, we pass the buck. Mr. Speaker, the American people look to the Congress to solve their problems, not add to them. Yet more than often than not, the 108th Congress has chosen to pass our responsibilities on to future generations. Mr. Speaker, passing the buck is not leadership. It is a Ponzi scheme.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of three important initiatives to improve the quality of services for our Nation's veterans--S. 2484; S. 2486 and H.R. 3936. Each of these measures improves crucial service provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for our brave men and women who served. The VA is charged with carrying out President Abraham Lincoln's vision of America's veterans: ``To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.'' It is important that Congress follow in this tradition by providing the necessary support to the VA as the needs of our Nation's veterans continues to change. I urge my colleagues to provide that support by supporting these three bills. The Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel Enhancement Act, S. 2484, will help retain and develop the quality professional staff needed to provide first-rate care to our veterans. It provides merit pay and other incentives to properly compensate the dedicated health care workers who care for our heroes. The Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act, S. 2486, enhances the educational and housing opportunities available to our veterans. It expands the maximum contributions veterans can make for educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill and increases the maximum allowable home loan guarantees for which veterans are eligible. This bill recognizes the vital role these programs have played in both repaying the sacrifices made by our veterans and in fueling the economic development through improved education and housing for veterans in our workforce. The Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act, H.R. 3936, authorizes the VA to construct an improved headquarters outside the Pentagon in order to better serve veterans and their families, and it provides assistance for homeless veterans. As we enact these important measures, I am hopeful that the House leadership will soon consider the Discharged Combat Veterans Medical Care Extension Act, H.R. 4438. I introduced this bill to extend eligibility to veterans who served in recent hostilities for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for any illness. This bill would be particularly helpful to veterans with symptoms similar to those resulting from exposure to Agent Orange and Gulf War Syndrome who are compelled to prove within two years of discharge that their injuries are directly combat-related or would otherwise lose these benefits. Mr. Speaker, the United States has a long and proud history of caring for our veterans. These bills follow that tradition in helping ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs continues to meet our responsibilities to America's heroes. I urge my colleagues to support each of them and thank our veterans for their service and continued dedication to our Nation.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, as the 60th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge approaches, I rise to pay tribute to the brave American and Allied troops who participated in this grueling 39 day battle which effectively ended the last German offensive of World War II. In the winter of 1944, German forces launched a surprise offensive in the Ardennes forest region of Belgium and Luxembourg. It was intended to split the Allied forces in Europe by breaking through the Allied lines and crippling its fuel supply lines. Their progress was halted by the brave efforts of 600,000 American troops and 55,000 troops from Great Britain, Belgium and Canada, who fought gallantly while outnumbered and battling through treacherous terrain and bitter weather conditions until reinforcements could arrive. The most famous engagement of this battle was at the key Belgian crossroads town of Bastogne, where 101st Airborne Division was completely surrounded but persevered through a lengthy siege of its position. The Allied resistance prevented the German forces from gaining access to Antwerp and the Meuse River Line. The Battle of the Bulge resulted in 81,000 American and 1,400 British casualties, of whom over 19,000 American and 200 British soldiers gave their lives. Because of their sacrifice, the momentum of the German war machine was halted and the long road toward the defeat of Nazi Germany was opened for a final Allied offensive, helping to bring an end to the war in Europe four months later. Following last week's Veterans Day observances, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the memory of the brave Americans who fought and died at the Battle of the Bulge and in extending our deepest gratitude to their families. I would also like to thank the many World War II veterans who have participated in the Chicago World War H Veterans Oral History Anthology, a project that will preserve their accounts of valor and victory so that we may pass those stories and their values on to future generations of Americans. These veterans are again demonstrating their heroism and commitment to this country by recounting their often painful memories so that future generations may benefit from their individual experiences, and that this nation may benefit from their collective wisdom. As we solemnly commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, it is my honor and privilege to pay tribute to the Chicago-area veterans--and their families--who proudly wore the uniform of their country, endured the rigors of the war, and fought for our liberty and the freedom of future generations of Americans.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Costello), for organizing this. I think we will see tonight as other Members speak and those who preceded that we will be bipartisan in our praise. Mo Udall used to say, ``Everything that has ever needed to be said on the subject has been said; it just has not been said by everybody that needs to say it.'' So this is my opportunity. I want to shed a little light, if I could, on the fact that Bill Lipinski has held a series of political and public offices, ward committeeman, alderman, and Congressman. But like all great traditions in Chicago, he also worked at the Chicago Park District, that training ground of great political leaders that has literally been all over our political system in Chicago. Whether it is the county board, whether in the aldermatic or city council, the mayoral office, congressional office, or the U.S. Senate, the Chicago Park District has trained more political leaders than any other position or forum that I know of. Bill started his career working up from the Park District to where he served as alderman, and also, to this day, as committeeman of the 23rd ward. He also is, obviously, a Congressman for over 20 years. My colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush), mentioned he is known as Bungalow Bill. A little over half of the housing stock in Chicago is in bungalows. It is a frame, or an architectural style, that Chicago is known for. No other city has so much housing in that type of style. Bill Lipinski and his wife live in a bungalow. In fact, one piece of legislation I got was making the bungalow an historic site. Bill wanted to make sure that I got the architectural type of the bungalow correct, it was not just any type of architecture, and he was committed to understanding and respecting not only that architecture, but what he understood was the values of those people that lived in those bungalows. Those people, when you asked them where they lived, they did not tell you Chicago. They told you what parish they went to. That is where they lived. What park their kids played in, what team they were on in the park district. No matter where Bill went and however many miles he traveled, he never went very far, but he had a world view. Whenever we were going on a plane back home, Bill would pull out one of these 700, 800-pound books on history. I have a common interest in history, especially World War II history, and we usually swapped reading lists. He always read his history. What I am trying to get at is the quality of an individual. Because this is a passing in many ways of a generation of a political leader that our city does not produce as it used to. For instance, last year, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez) organized a Congressional Award and recognition for Sammy Sosa. This was at the time Sammy Sosa was, and still is, a hot property. Wrigley Field is in my district. Bill Lipinski traveled up for the event. It was the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), myself, and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski). Bill said, ``This is the first time in my life I have even been to Wrigley Field.'' If you know anything about Chicago, Bill was from the Southwest Side, Comiskey Park, and would never set foot, if not for Sammy Sosa. I would say Bill still would never have been in Wrigley Field, and he has lived his whole life in Chicago. That was the type of individual he was. He knew where he was from and who he was. If I could make one note, it is his son who is going to replace him as a congressman. As I know the 23rd Ward, the 11th Ward, the 19th Ward that make up that congressional district, Dan on his first run got a unique and quite impressive 74 percent. In the great tradition of the 19th Ward, 11th Ward, 10th Ward and 13th Ward and 23rd Ward, I am sure they are looking for those people on the 26 percent and who they are and why they voted the other way, and good luck in getting their garbage picked up for the next 2 years. I know Bill is probably in his office having a cup of coffee or Diet Coke, his cigarette, pizza, and making sure what we say is correct. Because tomorrow he will be down on the floor to correct us if we make a mistake. If I have, Bill, I apologize. Bill is truly a person who, when you say ``Bungalow Bill'' it is a compliment, because he represents the people, values and interests of the people from the Southwest Side and all its strength because it is that period of time that is our greatest generation and our greatest building blocks. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Costello) for organizing this Special Order.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, as we returned for this lame duck session, we are confronted with a slew of troubling economic news. Just yesterday we learned that inflation is up by 1.7 percent, the sharpest monthly increase in over 15 years. The value of the dollar is dropping to all-time new lows. We also learned that the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation's long-term deficit doubled from $11.2 billion to $23.3 billion, a deficit resulting from the PBGC assuming responsibilities for pension plans of 192 failed companies, up from 155 last year alone. And while we are confronting these new challenges, the annual budget deficit is at $400 billion, an all-time high. On top of the pension benefit deficit, the Federal Government has added, in just the last 3 years, $2 trillion to the Nation's debt, and we are being asked to vote on an additional $900 billion just this week alone. Mr. Speaker, the American people look to us to solve their problems, America's problems, not our own problems or our own challenges. But in some ways finishing last year's business this year is a fitting end to the 108th Congress.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Sheila and Bill Lambert, as well as Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein, for receiving the International Humanitarian Award, which is the highest honor that the World Union for Progressive Judaism can bestow. These three distinguished individuals have worked diligently and selflessly to advance the cause of human rights and social equality, and I am proud to recognize their many achievements on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. I was honored to be invited to attend the International Humanitarian Awards Dinner hosted by the World Union for Progressive Judaism, which represents over 2,000,000 progressive Jewish congregations in over 41 countries. This respected organization seeks to strengthen modern Jewish life through supporting congregations; integrating Jewish religious traditions with inclusiveness and gender equality; and advancing social justice in the spirit of tikkun olam, which means repairing the world. Sheila Lambert's professional experience includes twenty years at The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation. Her extensive volunteer experience focuses on Jewish continuity and helping underserved and disadvantaged populations, particularly women and children. A member of the board of Project Kesher, Sheila is the Founder and Board President of Bottomless Closet, and is a member of the Board of Governors and Overseers of Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion. In addition, Sheila is a Founder and Board Chair of Summerbridge, is on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Children's Learning Lab, which is a children's museum, and is the former Vice President of the Board at Congregation Rodeph Sholom, a major Reform congregation in Manhattan. She is also a member of the Advocacy Council for the Citizen's Committee for Children. Sheila's husband, Bill, has always shared her devotion to the mission of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. He is currently the Vice Chairman for Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and is one of the four founding partners of Wasserstein Parella Group, Inc. I have tremendous respect for their selfless dedication to peace and their impressive record of accomplishments in advancing humanitarian goals. They are shining examples of leadership and commitment to a more humane society, and I am proud to call them good friends. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Sheila and Bill Lambert, and Rabbi Rubinstein for receiving the International Humanitarian Award. On behalf of a grateful Nation, I thank them for their contributions to community service and wish them continued success well into the future.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Lee Rosenberg and Rabbi Kudan for winning the Humanitarian Award of the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois. I am proud to call Lee a good friend and to recognize his achievements today on the House floor. Affectionately known by his many friends as ``Rosy,'' Lee Rosenberg has dedicated a lifetime toward advancing the cause of human rights and social equality in Israel and for the Jewish people around the world. I have often discussed foreign policy matters with Lee and benefited from his impressive knowledge, insight, and advocacy for state of Israel and humanitarian affairs. I was honored to attend the Humanitarian Award Dinner, which recognized Lee's outstanding contributions on November 11th. The ceremony was hosted by the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois-- an organization working to preserve the value and dignity of human life through remembrance of the events surrounding the Holocaust. Since 1986, the Foundation has presented its Humanitarian Award to honor distinguished citizens who have helped embody the ideals of the organization. Lee Rosenberg's contributions over the past twenty years have reflected these ideals and his impeccable reputation as one of Chicago's most active leaders in the Jewish philanthropic community. In addition, Lee has worked tirelessly to improve his community through active membership in the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, the Jewish Community Relations Council, AIPAC, and as a board member for several private sector and not-for-profit corporations. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Lee Rosenberg for receiving the Humanitarian Award bestowed by the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois. The Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, and indeed the city of Chicago, are proud of Lee's achievements and for winning this prestigious award. On behalf of a grateful Nation, I thank Lee for his contributions to community service and wish him continued success in the future.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Joseph A. Power, Jr. of Chicago on being honored by The Illinois Bar Foundation with their 2004 Distinguished Award for Excellence. The Illinois Bar Foundation was established over fifty years ago with the mission ``to serve the people of Illinois by contributing to programs dedicated to the improvement of the administration of justice and to sustain and further enhance the ideals of the legal profession.'' A founding partner in the law firm of Power Rogers & Smith, Mr. Power is a highly committed and respected trial attorney, who embodies this mission, and is a worthy recipient of this award. Throughout his career Mr. Power has consistently prided himself in his representation of the `underdog' who has suffered catastrophic personal injury or loss. He has taken on and won such important cases as representing the family of the victims of an accident caused by an unqualified truck driver. Mr. Power's prestige within the law community was acknowledged in 1999 when he was named one of the best plaintiff's lawyers in the United States, and one of the top four in Illinois. Mr. Power was later invited to join the Inner Circle of Advocates, an organization that limits its membership to the top hundred plaintiff's trial lawyers in the United States. Mr. Power's past recognition serves as testimony to his significance within both the Chicago and national law communities. In 2001, he was honored both as, ``Board Member of the Year,'' by the Little City Foundation and as ``Protector of the Working Man,'' by the Illinois State Crime Commission. He was appointed by Senator Joseph Biden as a legal adviser to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, and was later appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to its Rules Committee in 1995, serving as Chair Person from 1996 to 2001. A native Chicagoan, Mr. Power's importance to Chicago extends beyond the legal community. He has been recognized as Citizen of the Year by the City Club of Chicago, awarded the ``Medal of Excellence'' by the Loyola University of Chicago Law School, and awarded with the ``Medal of Merit'' by the Illinois State Bar Association. Mr. Speaker, I would like to join with the people of Chicago in commending Joseph A. Power, Jr. on his continual strive for excellence within the field of law and congratulate him on this well deserved recognition.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3015, the National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act of 2003. As a cosponsor of H.R. 3015, I recognize that this bill represents an important step in curbing the abuse of prescription drugs. According to the NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), an estimated 9 million people aged 12 and older used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons in 1999. Sadly the NIDA predicts that number to be on the rise. This problem is compounded by the fact that many doctors have a hard time discussing this matter with their patients. In a survey by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 46 percent of physicians reported they find it difficult to talk with their patients about abusing prescription drugs. The National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act of 2003 provides grants to establish state-run programs for prescription monitoring that will be administered and coordinated at the Federal level. This will allow physicians to monitor whether their patients have been abusing addictive drugs or acquiring addictive drugs for others, even if a patient has received prescriptions in other states. Additionally, this bill has the potential to significantly cut down on prescription drug abuse and to help physicians prescribe addictive medications to patients who really need them without fear that the patient will abuse the drug. Since my home state of Illinois instituted the Illinois Triplicate Prescription Control Program in 1961, the program has been successful in combating prescription drug abuse back home. Now it is time to build on that success by creating a federal network so that state programs can be coordinated nationally. Mr. Speaker, this is an opportunity for this Congress to recognize that the abuse of prescription drugs is a serious problem in this country. The National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act of 2003 is a large part of the solution.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3858, the Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation Act. As a cosponsor of H.R. 3858, I recognize that this bill will aid the medical community as it learns more about the potential of islet cell transplantation. More importantly, it will help increase the supply of pancreata that can be used for islet transplantation, while also better coordinating the efforts of those involved in the process. Innovations in this field can help people suffering from Type I diabetes to live without daily injections of insulin. According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 18.2 million diabetics in America, a figure that accounts for 6.3 percent of our population. The Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation Act is a strong step forward on the path to significantly improving the quality of life for these Americans. Individuals with Type I diabetes are dependent on insulin injections because their own immune systems destroy the islet beta cells that create insulin. Islet transplantation involves taking islet cells from a donor pancreas and implanting them into a recipient where the beta cells from the islets begin to make and release insulin. The goal is to eventually be able to infuse enough islets so that diabetics can control their glucose levels without needing painful insulin injections. By ensuring the certification or recertification of islet transplantations and research under the Public Health Service Act, this bill will aid in further developing this medical breakthrough. This bill will break down barriers that now stand in the way of this treatment. Also, by mandating an annual assessment on pancreatic islet cell transplantation, we can guarantee that this procedure and the Americans who need it are not forgotten. Mr. Speaker, when a moment is at hand where we can improve the health of the citizens of our great country, it is incumbent upon us to do so. The Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation Act of 2004 presents us with precisely one of those moments. I commend the gentleman from Washington for bringing this legislation to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, in the past 24 hours, AT&T announced it is cutting an additional 7,000 workers, Bank of America is laying off an additional 4,500 employees, and Unisys 1,400, and 18,000 manufacturing jobs last month alone were lost. Less than an hour ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced the economy added a paltry 96,000 jobs. Oil prices are above $50 a barrel. Since 2000, 5 million more Americans have entered the rolls of poverty. Bankruptcies are up more than a third. College and health care costs have each gone up by a third in the last 3 years, yet President Bush says we are making steady progress on the economy. In Iraq, the numbers of attacks are increasing daily. Nearly 1,100 Americans have been killed and Republican Senators McCain, Lugar and Hagel have said Iraq is a mess. America is stuck in an endless occupation and a jobless economy, yet the word ``progress'' is how President Bush described the situation. Time after time this administration has tried to bend reality to its ideology. Usually, the fog of war sets in on the battlefield, but it appears the fog of war has set in at the White House.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, Saturday, October 10, will mark the 2-year anniversary of the House of Representatives passing the war resolution. Let me give my colleagues some of the highlights in the last 48 hours and news. Iraqis eliminated illicit arms in the 1990s. Paul Bremer criticizes troop levels: ``We never had enough troops on the ground.'' France was ready to send troops to Iraq, 15,000, but did not because of the relationship with President Bush. White House embraced disputed arms intelligence. The White House claimed Iraq was buying aluminum tubes to facilitate its nuclear capability, even though their own experts told them otherwise. Funds to rebuild Iraq are drifting away from their target. Only 20 cents on the dollar are going to rebuilding Iraq. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld said there was no relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda. Mr. Speaker, the house of cards that this administration built for the case for going to war and how to prosecute this war is collapsing. In going to war, this administration allowed etiology to trump reality. Iraq was not an imminent threat, but with the costs and casualties mounting, candor would be a welcome addition to this White House. You cannot fix a problem if you do not acknowledge that you have one.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this conference report. In the 1986 tax reform, President Reagan with the Congress flattened rates, simplified rules, and cut out loopholes. In the last 4 years, you have had 326 changes and added 10,000 more pages. It is a very funny way to pay tribute to Ronald Reagan. Two weeks ago, we passed a $13 billion corporate giveaway on the very day that the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal reported that 82 of the most profitable companies paid no Federal income taxes in at least one of the last 3 years. Today we are passing an additional $42 billion in giveaways on the heels of Saturday's New York Times which reported a rise of 45 percent of those who earn more than $200,000 but paid no income taxes. But I think this is a fitting way to end this Congress, because as I remember when the Speaker's gavel goes down, it is supposed to open the people's House, not close the auction house. That is what has happened on a Congress that has had, in fact, a prescription drug bill that has been a giveaway to the special interests, an energy bill that has been a giveaway to the special interests, and now a tax bill that has been given away to the special interests. They had a $5 billion problem that they have resolved with $150 billion. No wonder the American people are cynical about what goes on here.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, here are a few headlines from the last 24 hours: ``Iraqi Arms Threat Was Waning,'' the definitive government report saying there was a diminishing threat from Iraq and its weapons of mass destruction; ``France Was Ready To Send Troops to Iraq,'' 15,000, but did not because of the relationship with President Bush; ``Bremmer Criticizes Troop Levels,'' Paul Bremmer now says we never had enough troops on the ground; ``White House Embraced Disputed Arms Intelligence,'' the White House claimed Iraq was buying aluminum tubes to facilitate uranium enrichment even though their own experts told them otherwise; ``Funds To Build Iraq Are Drifting Away From Target,'' only 27 cents on the dollar are going to rebuild Iraq. This does not even include what Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld acknowledged yesterday, that there was no relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda. Mr. Speaker, their house of cards that was the case for going to war and how to prosecute this war have collapsed. In going to war, this administration allowed ideology to trump reality. Iraq was not an imminent threat, there was no impending mushroom cloud. With the costs and casualties, candor would be a welcome addition to this White House. You cannot fix a problem if you do not acknowledge that you have one.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards), who represents Fort Hood, home to 40,000 soldiers, most of whom have served in Iraq, including the First Cavalry Division and the Fourth Infantry Division, which captured Saddam Hussein.

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel), a distinguished member of both the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Financial Services, who introduced earlier in the year, life insurance for American troops after an unfortunate death of a constituent in the Iraqi theater.

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), the ranking member, who helped us on this legislation in passing it.