Rahm Emanuel

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, today, in The Washington Post, there was a story about a senior executive from Pfizer who announced that reimportation of pharmaceutical drugs was safe and could be worked out. Peter Rost, vice president of marketing for the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, publicly announced his support for drug reimportation. In addressing the issue of safety, which the pharmaceutical companies continue to raise as their main concern with reimportation, I want to quote this executive from Pfizer, ``This has been proven safe in Europe. The real concern about safety is about people who do not take drugs because they cannot afford it. The safety issue is a made-up story.'' This, from an executive in Pfizer Corporation. Mr. Speaker, today seniors are traveling to Canada and buying their medications there where they save up to 40 to 50 percent. Kaiser Foundation found that 29 percent of seniors had not filled prescriptions because they could not afford them. The issue of safety is a hoax, and when somebody tells you it is not about money, folks, it is about money. It is time we do right by the American seniors and taxpayers.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, last week we passed the 1,000th casualty mark in Iraq. Since then, we have lost another 12 of our fellow citizens in service to their country and its ideals. 1,012 American families are grieving the loss of their loved ones; 1,140 when we count the theater of Afghanistan and its conflict. Mr. Speaker, we salute our Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Sailors, Reservists and Guardsmen called to duty. We thank them deeply for their service and their sacrifice and that of their families. We must honor their service and pay tribute to their heroism. For these reasons, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) and I have written a letter to the Speaker asking that the Capitol Rotunda be used for a temporary memorial to honor the troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. This memorial would display pictures of each fallen soldier, along with biographical information, and would give visitors to the Capitol Rotunda, the People's House, an opportunity to pay tribute to the troops. They could write notes, letters, anything they want to the families, so they know in this time that they have the thoughts and the prayers of their fellow countrymen. I have done this outside my office as an individual gesture, as the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), a colleague of mine from the other party, has done outside his office, so you could write a note, you could write a card, some way to let this family know, whether they are from your State or not, that in this moment of pain and grief they are not alone; they have the thoughts and the prayers of their fellow countrymen. The gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is from the other party. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, it is not whether you were or were not against the war; it is a way of paying respect. Throughout our history, the Rotunda has been used for public viewing of our fallen heroes, bestowing upon them one of our Nation's highest honors. After World War I, we saluted fallen soldiers in the Rotunda. For World War II, Korea and Vietnam, we did the same. It is only fitting that we use the Capitol Rotunda to honor those who have fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan. The war in Iraq is not over, and there will certainly be more lives lost, unfortunately. But this tribute is for all Americans, to show their respect for the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice, as well as to their families. I do not often agree with President Bush, but I do agree with the sentiment he expressed in his Saturday radio express. ``Since September 11, the sacrifices in the War on Terror have fallen most heavily on members of our military and their families. Our Nation is grateful to the brave men and women who are taking risks on our behalf at this hour, and America will never forget the ones who have fallen, men and women last seen doing their duty, whose names we will honor forever.'' I agree with the sentiments expressed by President Bush, and I hope that the Speaker and the Republican leadership would take up those sentiments and do a temporary memorial. I am now doing it outside my office. The gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), as I mentioned, is doing it outside his office. I would ask that it no longer be an individual gesture, but it be an institutional gesture of that sentiment that the President expressed Saturday in his radio address. Mr. Speaker, since this Congress convened, we have found time to name no less than 70 post offices, and we named another one just yesterday. I think we can, indeed, it is our duty and responsibility, find the time to properly honor those who have sacrificed everything in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Speaker, this tribute was initiated by an individual Member of the House. We should make an institutional decision today in the People's House to expand it to an institutional gesture for all people who come to the People's House to remind those families that they have our love, our respect, our prayers and our thoughts in this time. I hope that all this body will join me in saluting their families.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise on behalf of more than 111,000 of my constituents who are of Polish descent in the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois on Chicago's northwest side. It is my privilege to recognize the 25th anniversary of one of the most celebrated cultural events and the pride of the Polish-American community in Chicago--A Taste of Polonia. This year's anniversary event was held over Labor Day Weekend and featured hundreds of Polish handicrafts and artistic exhibitions, musical performances and other cultural displays. An abundant variety of Polish cuisine, including some of my personal favorites--kielbasa and pierogi--were enjoyed by tens of thousands of Chicagoans, including many who don't have Polish-American background but nonetheless wanted to join in the celebration and appreciate such an extraordinary assortment of food, music and art unique to ``A Taste of Polonia''. Mr. Speaker, I also salute the Copernicus Foundation, a leading advocate for Polish-Americans in Chicago and throughout the country. The Foundation is a shining example of dedication to promoting our city's ethnic pride. It has hosted a variety of cultural, educational and civic programs, town meetings, political debates, live theater performances, concerts and films. It has been home to the Polish Film Festival in America since 1987. The Foundation has proven time and again its commitment to showcasing the many cultural and civic achievements of Polish-Americans and ensuring that they continue to flourish as demonstrated by its sponsorship of ``A Taste of Polonia''. Today, it is especially important to reaffirm our appreciation and respect for Polish culture, particularly as the United States and Poland broaden a mutual partnership in the global economy and in fighting the global war against terror. Our special relationship with Poland exemplifies our mutual commitment to democratic ideals of liberty and human rights. Mr. Speaker, ``A Taste of Polonia'' is a source of great pride for Polish-American citizens living in Chicago and indeed across the State of Illinois. I invite my colleagues to attend this celebration in the future and again congratulate all those who contributed toward another successful and joyous celebration of our city's Polish heritage.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Victory Gardens Theater of Chicago for their twenty-eight memorable seasons of excellence and artistic achievement on the occasion of the world premiere of The Family Gold by Annie Reiner. Since 1974 Victory Gardens Theater has flourished in its mission to support some of Chicago's most talented playwrights. In only a few years time, the theater became a major staple of the Illinois performing arts community, producing such successes as Stacy Myatt's The Velvet Rose. In 1977, Dennis Zacek was recruited as the theater's new Artistic Director. Nationally renowned for his 150 productions, Zacek quickly moved the theater in many new innovative and creative directions, meriting the prestigious 1997 Sidney R. Yates Arts Advocacy Award. Over the years, the Victory Gardens Theater has allied with several established production companies, most notably the Body Politic Theatre, as well as emerging groups including MPAACT, Roadworks Productions and Remy-Bumppo. These collaborations have brought to Chicago the finest and most imaginative on-stage productions available. Featured playwrights have included Steve Carter, whose drama Pecong went on to productions in London, Newark, Minneapolis and San Francisco, and James Sherman, whose Beau Jest went on to become the longest-running show in the history of the Lambs Theatre in New York and has subsequently been translated into four different languages and performed in eight countries. In 2001, the Victory Gardens Theater was globally honored with the Tony Award for its continuous level of artistic achievement in the development of playwrights and their work. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the high level of creative writing and acting consistently produced by the Victory Gardens Theater. I join with the people of Chicago in congratulating Victory Gardens Theater on their numerous achievements both on and off the stage, and wish them continued success with The Family Gold and all of their future productions.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, today, nine more Americans gave their lives in Iraq, nine more families are going to be without their loved ones this holiday season, and nine more American families are grieving. Out of those nine, two soldiers and seven marines, perhaps your neighbor, and they are our neighbors, because they are always going to be America's neighbors, holds the distinction of becoming the one thousandth American casualty in Iraq. We salute our soldiers, marines, airmen, sailors, reservists, and guardsmen who are called to duty. We thank them deeply for their service, their valor, and their sacrifice for this country. The one thousandth casualty in Iraq is a milestone and one we must acknowledge as we continue to reflect on the cost of the war on our Nation's families and the American people. We must honor the service of our troops and pay tribute to their heroism. For that reason, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner), a veteran, and I have written a letter to the Speaker of the House asking him to arrange a temporary memorial in the Capitol Rotunda to our fallen troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, explaining the pictures of each fallen soldier, along with biographic information, which would also provide an opportunity for visitors in the Rotunda of the people's House to write notes in honor of those soldiers to their families, their loved ones, their brothers, their sisters, their mothers and fathers, and husbands and wives. Throughout its history, the Rotunda has been used for public viewing for fallen heroes, bestowing upon them one of the Nation's highest honors. After World War I, we saluted the fallen soldiers in the Rotunda. After World War II, Korea, Vietnam, we did the same. It is only fitting that we use the Capitol Rotunda of the people's House to honor those who have fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan. The war in Iraq is not over, and there will certainly be more lives lost, but this tribute is for all Americans to show its respect for the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice as well as to their families. In honor of those lost soldiers, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, ``He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die, that freedom might live and grow and increase its blessings. Freedom lives and through it, he lives in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men.'' Just as President Roosevelt honored the fallen of World War II, we believe this tribute would honor our most recent heroes and their families. Mr. Speaker, since this Congress has begun, we have found time to name, I think at last count, 65 post offices, including 2 tonight. I think we can, and, indeed, it is our duty and our responsibility, to find the time to properly honor those who have sacrificed everything in Iraq and Afghanistan. I hope that we do this as an institution, as a Congress, to use the people's House to pay tribute to those families and allow all those families to know that for everybody who comes here who writes a card, a note, a tribute, that those families who have lost their loved ones will know that they will always be in America's prayers and in America's thoughts. A colleague, a Republican colleague, outside of his office has that memorial put up. I think it is a great idea. I have asked the Speaker to take that idea and now make it an institution rather than an individual's decision. Regardless of politics, regardless of where you were on the idea of going to war in either Iraq or Afghanistan, we use the people's House, put on that memorial, and let the families know as they get the letters from everybody who visits it, the cards, the letters, the notes, the tributes, they will always be a part of America's family, and they will never be forgotten. And they will always be in our prayers and our thoughts. I think this is something we owe these families. And I hope we can accomplish this, unlike other matters, in a bipartisan fashion. It is an idea I saw one of our colleagues had done outside his office, and I am hoping now the institution will take it up and make it its own in a proper tribute; and it be would be a temporary tribute for all those families and to all those who have fallen in both the theaters of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege today to recognize the contributions of Chicago's Korean American Chamber of Commerce toward preserving the glorious heritage and culture of Chicago's Korean community, on the occasion of its 9th Annual Korean Street Festival. The Korean Chamber of Commerce continues to be an integral part of the Korean Community in Chicago. As a strong advocate for commercial, financial, and industrial member rights, the Chamber has played an essential role in local Korean American economic and community development. From educating members on renewing and issuing licenses, to aiding small businesses and forming cooperatives for purchasing products, its services have been indispensable to the greater Chicago area. Among the valued contributions of the Chicago Korean American Chamber of Commerce is their joint effort with the Korean Street Festival Committee for the annual street festival. The Annual Korean Festival on August 14th and 15th will showcase the rich culture and traditions of the Chicago Korean Community, while celebrating the Centennial of Korean immigration. Since 1996 the Korean Street Festival Committee has planned its celebration to enrich Chicago's summer season. Last year's display of arts, cuisine, music and dance performances, and variety of merchandise, brought over 40,000 local Chicago residents and travelers from around the Midwest region. The Chicago Korean American Chamber of Commerce has consistently demonstrated its commitment to keeping the Korean heritage alive in Chicago. Their various programs and services all contribute to the success of the organization, and I applaud those who work and volunteer their time to continue this important mission. But, the Korean Street Festival is much more than good food and entertainment. It is a chance to remember and honor all of the hard work and accomplishments made by the Korean Community. It is through this awareness in which younger generations can pass on the traditions and values of Korea. Mr. Speaker, I am honored on behalf of the Fifth District, and indeed all of Chicago, to call attention to all of the meaningful work occurring at the Chicago Korean American Chamber of Commerce at the time of its 9th Annual Korean Street Festival. I wish them a glorious festival and a thriving future in Chicago.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Wrightwood Neighbors Association (WNA), and its President Michael Lufrano, on their ongoing commitment to enriching the lives of members of the Wrightwood community, on the occasion of the 21st annual ``Taste of Lincoln Avenue.'' The Wrightwood neighborhood--part of the Lincoln Park community--is located on Chicago's North side, bounded by Diversey Parkway on the north, Halsted Street on the east, Fullerton Avenue on the south, and Lakewood Avenue on the west. Since 1962, the work of the WNA has been essential to the ongoing success of the Wrightwood community. The WNA strives to maintain a vibrant urban community for people to live, shop, play, and raise families. The Association has helped Wrightwood preserve its historic and cultural treasures, while also encouraging architectural development to add beauty and rejuvenation to the neighborhood. With this combination, lifelong Wrightwood residents are able to remain, as new generations bring their own flavor to the area. The vision of the WNA has given Wrightwood the ability to continuously emerge as an area with a strong sense of community, diversity, and heritage. The WNA's committees have enhanced the schools, maintained and improved local parks, and reviewed land development to guarantee the character of the community. Known as the ``Granddaddy of Chicago street festivals,'' the ``Taste of Lincoln Avenue'' provides Wrightwood neighbors the opportunity to enjoy the summer and spend time with friends. With food, craft vendors, live music, and other entertainment, it is an occasion for Chicagoans to sample the diversity of this great neighborhood. Since its beginnings in 1984, the ``The Taste of Lincoln Avenue'' has raised over $1 million, and last year alone, over $135,000, in order to improve schools and parks, aid non-profit organizations, and increase the beauty of the community. The WNA's ``Taste of Lincoln Avenue'' celebrates the history of Wrightwood and ensures the community's continuous improvement in the future. It goes without saying that the enthusiasm, hard work, and leadership of Michael Lufrano, organization officers Jeff Kwiat, Stacey Hawk, Anne Durkin, and Chris Connors, and the other members of the WNA have brought a secure and lasting vision to Chicago's North side. I thank them for the enthusiasm in making the Wrightwood neighborhood one of the jewels of Chicago. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, and indeed all of Chicago, I am privileged to congratulate the Wrightwood Neighbors Association on continuing to enhance the quality of life in Chicago, and wish them tremendous success with the upcoming ``Taste of Lincoln Avenue.''

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, as the House of Representatives adjourns for the next six weeks, I am proud to rise on behalf of more than 111,000 of my constituents who are of Polish descent in the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois on Chicago's northwest side. It is my privilege to join with friends of Poland and people of Polish descent around the world who will join together to commemorate the Warsaw Uprising. On their behalf, it is my honor to have introduced H. Con. Res. 470, recognizing the anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising during World War II. It was 60 years ago this August when ordinary Polish citizens, fighting against overwhelming odds and extreme hardships, took up arms against their German oppressors. Counting on Allied forces to assist in the impending liberation of Warsaw, the Underground Home Army launched its attack against German forces in an attempt to win back their country. Heavily outnumbered and armed mostly with homemade weapons, the Polish resistance fought bravely and heroically for 63 days. On the verge of victory but with Allied forces still far from the scene, their fates were sealed when the Germans reinforcements arrived. Ultimately, 250,000 civilians and troops were killed and in the wake of the uprising's outcome, centuries-old buildings, monuments and cultural treasures were systematically destroyed by the Germans. To this day, the courage and valor demonstrated by the Polish resistance stands as a symbol to the spirit of the Polish people and remains a shining example of the world's greatest challenges to fascism and oppression. Polish citizens can be proud of the men and women who fought in this landmark chapter of Poland's resistance, and proud of their resolve and belief in freedom. Today, this resolution serves another purpose. It reaffirms the special relationship between United States and Poland and the unwavering bond-that exists among our two peoples. I offer this resolution as a symbol of gratitude for Poland's friendship and for standing shoulder to shoulder with our troops in Iraq and where the global war against terror is waged. Mr. Speaker, our Nation shares and appreciates Poland's values and democratic ideals of liberty and human rights. The same indomitable spirit that was alive 60 years ago remains strong in the Polish consciousness today.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, at every critical juncture in American history, each preceding generation has been asked to pick between equality and inequality, justice and injustice. In that struggle, our predecessors always tipped the scale in favor of equality and justice, and always widening the circle of democracy. And in widening that circle of democracy, America's character and her democratic values were renewed. Today we are taking a reactionary departure from constitutional history. Our congressional predecessors never successfully attempted such an extreme measure as this, because they knew it would violate every principle that defines America, but this Congress and its majority leaders, in its infinite wisdom, will take that radical step today. The majority leader asked for a debate known for its tolerance concerning a piece of legislation that is neither tolerant nor respectful of debate. The proponents of this legislation say, this is an effort to protect the institution of marriage. Half of all marriages end in divorce. Divorce threatens marriage. So why do we not deny access to the Federal courts to divorcees? If you are worried about your marriage, read your vows and leave our Constitution alone. Today we are not defending marriage; we are defeating the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal, but maybe George Orwell is more appropriate today: all are equal, but some are more equal than others.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3684, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act. This act mandates clear labeling to protect consumers from medical problems caused by the eight major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. These irritants are found in a wide variety of packaged foods, and account for an estimated 90 percent of all food allergies. Food allergies can drastically affect the quality of life for the seven million Americans who suffer from them. Approximately 30,000 individuals each year require emergency room treatment for food allergies, and about 150 die each year. The eight percent of all children in America who have these allergies and their families deserve our help and support in dealing with the challenges they face in their daily lives. As there is no cure for food allergies, the only protection against reactions to these foods is to avoid them altogether. But without proper labeling, parents cannot ever be sure their children are safe. One mislabeled product, one misleading claim, can be fatal. We need tough standards to ensure that food producers provide adequate information on packaging. This legislation provides those standards by requiring that foods containing any of the eight major food allergens be labeled in a clear and easy-to-understand way, so parents can feel confident in their choices. This bill also addresses trace allergens, another major concern of those who live with food allergies. Products which claim to be allergen free can still be contaminated with these products during the manufacturing process. This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to effectively track which foods are unintentionally contaminated with major food allergens during the manufacturing process, and to recommend alternate processes to reduce such contamination. Mr. Speaker, food allergies create a major obstacle for allergy sufferers and their families. The dangers of allergic reactions restrict options for travel, socializing, working and learning. This legislation can help prevent avoidable allergic reactions and provide additional peace of mind to families. I commend the gentlelady (Mrs. Lowey) from New York for bringing this legislation to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I do want to acknowledge one thing. The gentleman is right. We use the Tax Code to let middle-class families afford college education and lifetime learning so they can go back to community colleges, and the gentleman has used the Tax Code to ensure that people who want to buy Hummers get a tax deduction. The gentleman has used the Tax Code to ensure that a corporate executive gets only $300 for using a plane; and, yet, his corporation writes $30,000 off for using a corporate jet. Which is it, $30,000 that the taxpayers have to pick up, or $300 that the CEO gets to deduct from their taxes? The gentleman is right. We have had our differences in how we have used the Tax Code, one for higher education and access to college education, and another for corporate executives who want to discount their corporate jet use. So when it comes to complexity, I am glad that the gentleman is still working on simplification; but since 1995, they have been in control, and they have had many opportunities to reduce and simplify the code; and they have made it more complicated, more difficult for middle-class families, while they have alleviated the burden for the wealthy and the special interests in this town.

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. It is interesting, to my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio, in the last 3\1/2\ years, while they have been in control, they have had 326 changes to the Tax Code, adding 10,000 pages to the Tax Code. So in his effort today at simplification, let us have a rendezvous with the record: 10,000 new pages to the Tax Code and addendums. That has been your record; and if you are in the business of being a tax lawyer, a tax accountant, there is a treasure chest out here in George Bush and the Republican majority's Tax Code. For middle-class families, it has become more complicated, burdensome, and unfair; and the complexity of this Tax Code directly relates to the inequities in this Tax Code. And that is what has happened to our middle-class families as we have shifted more and more of the tax burden onto work and people who work for a living rather than people who open up dividend checks for a living. Let us see what has happened in the last couple of years to typical families. It now takes since 1994, since you have been in the majority, 7\1/2\ hours longer to fill out the tax form. Thanks for the contribution to simplification. The child tax credits now on the code have five different breaks for families and children, each with a different definition. Now, I have three kids, and I will tell them there is only one definition for a child. We do not need five definitions for what a child is, but their Tax Code has done wonders in complicating the code. Education tax credits, with a child in college, parents have to choose between two nonrefundable tax credits, the Hope or the Lifetime Learning, all the while in complicated forms that are long and duplicative. But guess what? If you are a corporation and you are filling out the Export-Import Bank loan, a page and a half. A kid filling out the FAFSA form trying to get a Pell grant, 108 questions. Now, what makes a corporation more important to America's future than that child? That corporation on average gets $200 million. That child gets $2,500. That child is as important to America's future, and it should be easier to get a college loan than it is to get an Export- Import loan agreement. Increased tax preparation costs: as middle-class families struggle with the wage and benefit recession, costs for gasoline and food are going up. The last thing they need to deal with is tax preparation costs. Since 1995, 15 more million Americans have needed to hire a professional tax preparer to deal with the Tax Code and its increased complexity. The average cost is between $100 and $150. It can be a full day's pay for millions of Americans. If someone is an attorney or an accountant in the tax business, the Bush Tax Code is like Christmas every year. The abusive tax shelters used by corporations and the wealthy have increased exponentially in the last few years as the burden on middle-class families have grown increasingly. The tax gap that is underreported by corporations and wealthy individuals is nearly $311 billion. Underreporting accounted for $249 billion. And that is the majority's refusal to work on this and crack down on this. Even their Treasury Department has asked for new enhancements in the laws. Tax shelters have a corrosive effect, stacking the deck against ordinary taxpayers. While the special interests win shelters, loopholes, middle-class families have to play by the rules and are buried under a crushing burden by the IRS. The public's distaste for the current Tax Code is a direct result of the inequity. And now they want towards election time this holy picture by passing this legislation. I will vote for it. It is their first step after adding 10,000 pages to the code and 326 changes to trying to do something for simplification. I have offered my own piece of legislation to simplify family credit that condenses the child tax credit, the earned income tax credit and the dependent care into a single credit. It takes 200 pages down to 12 questions. It puts the Tax Code on behalf of work, on behalf of middle- class families trying to raise their children, and gives the same energy to those families that you have given to the wealthy and special interest in this country; and that is where we should put the Tax Code on behalf of the working families of our country. Tax reform is more than a fiscal issue. It is also about our priorities. Our tax system should respect the values and the interests of the middle-class families.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Madam Speaker, as a proud member of the Illinois delegation in which Bob Michel served with honor and distinction for nearly 4 decades, I rise as an original cosponsor and in strong support of naming the ``Bob Michel Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic.'' I didn't have the privilege of serving with Bob Michel in this chamber, but when I worked at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, I found that the Republican Minority Leader worked tirelessly across party lines to serve the best interests of his district, our State, and our Nation. The distinguished gentleman from Peoria exemplifies the best values of Middle America. Indeed, the values that define Bob Michel as a man and a leader--values like hard work, honesty, integrity and loyalty-- are the values that make the State of Illinois a great place in which to live and represent in this chamber. I am proud to share that common bond with him. Naming the veterans clinic in Peoria is a fitting tribute to an Army hero and veteran of the Battle of the Bulge during World War II--who 10 years after his retirement from Congress remains one of my State's most respected and revered leaders. Madam Speaker, I am honored to support this measure in recognition of Bob Michel's strength and leadership throughout 38 years of distinguished public service.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, two headlines speak volumes about the economic conditions of the middle class in America today: Sunday's New York Times headline, ``Hourly Pay is Not Keeping Pace With Price Rises''; yesterday's Wall Street Journal, ``So Far, Economic Recovery Tilts to the Highest Income Americans.'' And for the middle class we have a wage and benefit recession. These headlines show that there is two-track economy, one for the very wealthy who are doing well, and one for the middle class who are struggling to keep pace with their middle-class dreams and providing for their children. What we have today is a $500 billion deficit all financed because we are trying to wage three wars with three tax cuts and showing it cannot be done. Republicans have chosen to put off addressing America's health care crisis, rising tuition costs, stagnant wages, and the ever-elusive retirement security. As corporate profits boom in America by 16 percent, America's middle class are feeling squeezed by stagnant wages and rising health care costs. While sales of BMWs and at Neiman-Marcus are rising, same store sales at Target and Wal-Mart are stagnant. With a record like this, only this administration would wave the banner, ``Mission Accomplished'' above the economy. It is time to put that banner back where it came from.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the leader for doing this, although again it is late at night; but many times when families have to fill out the 1040, these are the hours they are working at their kitchen table trying to figure out what those stacks of paper mean, and so it behooves all of us to be here at this hour because it is very similar to what middle-class families across America have to do when it comes to the Tax Code, and it requires countless hours; and I think if I am not mistaken in the last 10 years we have added about 7\1/2\ hours to the average family's hours that they are dedicating just to filling out the tax forms around April 15. Now, I have put together a proposal that would affect about 60 percent of the tax filers and get the form down to 12 simple questions and eliminate 200 pages of the code, about 2,000 addendum pages, and it is called the simplified family credit. It takes the earned income tax credit, which is for working people making the moderate income level, the per child tax credit, the dependent care and collapses them into a single family credit, eliminates 200 some-odd pages of code, 12 questions. Also wacks the marriage penalty and deals with the AMT, which is a regressive tax for families. And in my sense, that puts not the onus so much but the benefits of the Tax Code behind families at work who are trying to do right for their children, and it would simplify the code but also reward those families who choose work over dependency. You make $50,000. You have two children, this would be an additional $1,500 cut to that family versus what President Bush has put in place, and it would do it by eliminating well over 200 pages of the code. This code has become so complicated, the complexity has led to tremendous inequity in the code. Today we have about $311 billion, this is the lowest according to the IRS, of underreported or nonreported income, mainly by the extremely well-off corporations and individuals, who through lawyers and accountants do not report income, and they use the code to disguise income. Well, nobody should pay more than they are supposed to pay, but the code is written now for those who can afford lawyers and accountants to shelter and hide and disguise income. When the burdens of the rest of the funding of the government services, the burdens of paying their fair share are shifted more and more upon those who work for a living. $311 billion goes underreported or not reported or collected. That would wipe away well over half the deficit this year. We are going to have $450 billion. $311 billion would wipe it away. You could fund close to half the Americans who are seeking college assistance, aid for middle-class families to pay for college can still pay about $100 billion or $200 billion of the deficit. What simplifying the code would do is ensure that when you paid your taxes, you knew that people down the street, you knew that people on the other side of the tracks were paying their fair share, because today nobody believes that the others are paying their fair share, and we have a system that is corrosive. It is stacking the deck against ordinary American taxpayers, and while the special interests win shelters and loopholes, middle- class families who play by the rules are now carrying the burden for those who do not report and do not pay their fair share. Others have mentioned this, but I do think it is worth noting, in the last 3\1/2\ years, this administration has had three tax cuts, and in that time they have added 10,000 pages to the code--326 separate changes. They have added phase-ins and phase-outs and other gimmicks, sunsets to the code. All the while they have increased the burden of the Tax Code on those who work for a living and shifted the burden of those who earn money from capital investment, while if you work for a living, you are now paying more and getting less from this Tax Code. And it is high time we put the Tax Code not on the backs of the middle- class family but fighting for middle-class families, understands the obligations they have of meeting the needs of their children, and I think that the Bush Tax Code is a treasure chest full of loopholes and tax shelters for the special interests, and it has become a nightmare for middle-class families. As I mentioned earlier, 7\1/2\ hours of additional time to fill out the tax returns. The child tax credit now has five separate breaks. I think the last time, when you compare the earned income tax credit per child and the dependent care, it is close to 10 separate definitions of children. Well, I have got three. They are all the same definition. They are sniveling and they bother you all the time. You do not need 12 definitions of what a child is. You know what it is, and the code does not understand it; and it is clearly making it more complicated. Again, it has increased costs for filling out the form. We can do this. There is no reason for the Tax Code to be this way, but it was designed this way. That is the point that people need to understand. The code as it exists today was designed for the special interests, was designed for those who can hire lawyers and accountants to figure their way out of paying income, hiding income, sheltering income, moving jobs overseas, moving corporations overseas, holding capital in a separate subsidiary overseas. Do you know a family in America that has set up a subsidiary of their family in Bermuda to not pay taxes? If a family could figure out how to do that, they would figure out how to pay for college. They are struggling how to pay for college, yet corporations are setting up subsidiaries in Bermuda not to pay their fair share of tax and the burden shifts on the middle-class families. We need to take this Tax Code and ensure that the middle-class families, that it is fair to them, it is simple, you do not have to have a family dispute to fill out the tax form, and deal with that that is on that table. It is not fair. It is not right. We can do better. And so I applaud the efforts today, as Democrats put together the ideas of simplifying the code and making sure it reflects the values and the interests of our middle class. I offer my idea of a simplified family credit that would affect 60 percent of the taxpayers and reduce the tax form down to 12 easy questions, and it would be right for them. It would be right for their children. And, again, it would ensure the most important thing, that everybody have a sense that everybody is paying their fair share. And today we do not have that sense, and we end up with $311 billion of people who are cheating the system and cheating the country of their obligation, and therefore shifting the burden to the rest of us who pay our fair share. That is wrong, and we can do better. And, again, I applaud you for holding this and again reminding people that Democrats have an idea of massive tax reform, a big idea that would change the way we do things and it would be good for the economy, not only be fair to middle-class families. It would lead to a more productive economy, and it would make sure also the entrepreneurs and small businesses were treated correctly in our code.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the bipartisan Kanjorski-Castle substitute and oppose the underlying bill. I find it ironic, on a day in which the Wall Street Journal reports in its lead story about the disparity in the economy between the top 1 percent who are benefiting from this economy and the middle class who are hitting a dry hole as it relates to income costs, college costs, savings and retirement, here we are on the floor debating a bill in which the bulk of the benefits go to the top 1 percent. Eighty percent of the compensation for CEOs is in the form of stock options. This is the year in which we are supposed to debate a higher education reauthorization bill. We do not do it. This is the year in which 44 million Americans are without health insurance, 33 million who work full-time. We do not debate it. So what does this Congress do? Rather than do the things it is supposed to be involved in, it is involving itself in the things that we should not be involved in. I wonder why the American people are so cynical about what we do around here. The fact is, let me give Warren Buffett's quote about expensing stock options, with all due respect to the intelligence and the wisdom of 435 Members when it comes to the private sector. Warren Buffett says, if options are not a form of compensation, what are they? And if compensation is not an expense, what is it? And if expenses should not go into the calculation of earnings, where in the world should they go? That was Warren Buffett's analysis. That is why he believes this is the right thing for FASB to do. The fact is, FASB was right to say that there should be expensing of options. What they need to continue to work on is how we come up with the issue of value and how we evaluate them. The work of FASB on this issue is not done, but they are right when it comes to the issue of expensing. It is time for Congress to return to the work of focusing on the middle-class families who are facing squeezes as it relates to their income that has been stagnated, college costs that have gone up by 26 percent, health care costs that have risen by 33 percent, 44 million Americans who are without health care, rather than get sidetracked into issues that do not relate to middle-class families and the forces of this economy on their living standards. I support and ask Members to support the Kanjorski bill and not the underlying legislation.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, the lead story in today's Wall Street Journal, ``So Far, Economic Recovery Tilts to Highest Income Americans,'' provides further evidence of a two-track economy and an economic squeeze on middle class families. While there has been a profits boom for corporations and a 16 percent increase in pay on Wall Street, there is a growing wage and benefits recession for the middle class of America. To those who say redistribution of wealth is wrong, I agree, whether it is to the top 1 percent or to the bottom 25 percent. For America's workers, a new study by the Economic Policy Institute reports that weekly earnings have fallen for 6 of the last 7 months. When the recovery began in November of 2001, hourly wages were actually higher than what those same jobs pay today. Evidence of this two-track economy is evident throughout the country. As the article points out, while corporate profits have risen around 87 percent and sales at BMW and Nieman Marcus are booming, sales at Wal- Mart and Target are flat. But don't take my word for it, Today's Wall Street Journal quotes J.P. Morgan Chase and the former Federal Reserve economist Dean Maki: ``To date, the recovery's primary beneficiaries have been the upper income. Two of the main factors supporting spending over the past year, tax cuts and increases in stock wealth, have sharply benefited upper income households relative to others.'' David Rosenberg, chief economist at Merrill Lynch, ``The income from the recovery has been locked up in the corporate sector. We have had a redistribution of income to the corporate sector.'' So if you sit in the board room, you are doing just right. For the rest of us, it is an economic squeeze. With working families' household incomes down nearly $1,500 over the last 2 years, people are working harder just to stay in the same place. And for the middle class, this has become a step master economy. All the while, the expense side of the ledger shows: According to the Kaiser Foundation, that health care costs for a family of four have gone up from $6,500 to $9,000, a 49 percent increase from 2000 to 2003. And as health care costs have risen, corporations have shifted the burden to employees. Millions of middle class families now carry, on average, the average American middle class family, $9,000 in credit card debt and $17,000 in overall household debt. The squeeze has resulted in 33 percent more bankruptcies for households. One hundred eighty billion dollars has been evaporated from 401(k)s and retirement security for middle class families. College tuition costs have gone up 26 percent in the last 2 years. With a record like this, only this admission could wave the banner ``mission accomplished'' above the economy. The concentration of wealth and the two-track economy can be traced right back to President Bush's tax cuts. A study cited by The New York Times found that Americans are being taxed more than twice as heavy on earnings from work as they are on investment income, even though more than half of all investment goes to the wealthiest 5 percent of taxpayers. The shifting of the tax burden from wealth to work is the essence of class warfare. And as Warren Buffet, the legendary investor said, ``If class warfare is being waged in America, my class is clearly winning.'' In the 1990s, we ended welfare as we know it because it was a failed system. Now this administration is bent on ending the middle class as we know it. This administration has two books, two sets of values, two sets of priorities, and a single economic strategy that divides this country along income. If you want to live in a country without class divisions, we cannot deny the middle class families the same dreams of affordable health care, higher education, and a retirement that is secure. We have to give that dream to every American, not just to the wealthiest Americans. Renowned Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once said, ``We can either have a democracy in this country or we can have a great concentration of wealth in a few hands, but we cannot have both.'' Today's economic policies have shifted this great economy and the benefits of this great country and this economy to the wealthiest 1 percent, as today's Wall Street Journal notes. When I look at this and think about what has happened to the middle class family, with increasing health care costs, college costs, retirement that is less secure, and jobs that pay less than they did just 3 years ago, I'm reminded, especially as I look at communities across this country, with police officers and police departments and fire departments that are under stress, schools that are closing, teachers that are being laid off, and libraries that are cutting hours, I'm reminded of when George Bush declared in 2000 that he was opposed to nation-building. Who knew it was America he was talking about. Mr. Speaker, we have to return this economy and this country back to the people who built it and to the families and respect their values. The middle class and their values and their economic interests are under assault. It is time we turned this country around and focused our policies on the middle class and their families.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the Department of Labor reported that hourly earnings for workers fell 1.1 percent last month. That is the deepest drop since the depths of the recession in 1991, and it follows a 0.8 decrease in hourly wages in May. With household income down nearly $1,500 the last 2 years, working families will have to work more hours just to lift their incomes to get back to where they were 3 years ago. All the while, health care costs for a family of four have gone up from $6,500 to $9,000, college costs have gone up 26 percent in the last 3 years, household bankruptcies have risen by 33 percent in the last 2 years, $180 billion of net value has been erased from 401(k)s. With a record like this, only this administration would hang the banner ``mission accomplished'' above the economy. We can do better for the middle-class families who are facing a squeeze on college costs, health care, savings for their own personal retirement and hourly working income. It is time to turn this economy around to reflect the economic interests of middle-class families who have been faced with a squeeze on them, their family and their children as it relates to the costs. It is time to put this administration's banner ``mission accomplished'' back where it came from.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague from Minnesota for yielding me this time. President Kennedy used to say, to govern is to choose, and we all would like to do a lot of things, but we do not have the resources to do everything. As we know, the World Bank is sitting on top of $119 billion in equity, enough to make investments in the area that they need to make investments. What we are talking about is an additional $90 million towards the President's own AIDS initiative. Now, he did a big signing, big photograph, but we have got to put the resources towards that to fight the scourge of AIDS across Africa and the Caribbean and $250 million towards the Millennium Challenge Corporation, another initiative by the President. We cannot underfund these initiatives. They would go primarily to the countries that would also receive funding from the World Bank, but we do know by now that the World Bank has the resources. It is not shallow on resources. It has $119 billion in equity to make the types of loans that they need to make. We know today that dealing with the health care crisis faced in Africa and Caribbean countries, that we would be alleviating one of the greatest problems for their development. That is in the area of AIDS and other health care. The Millennium Project and the President's AIDS initiative would attack those problems head on, and we cannot continue to underfund the President's initiative in those areas, which is what has happened. By increasing the funding on the global AIDS initiative, we are showing our strong commitment to fight against AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean nations; and in another rare moment of bipartisanship, we are even working to support the President's own AIDS initiative, underfunding the administration's promise by close to $800 million this year. Increasing funding for the Millennium Challenge Account is a good investment that gives impoverished families in the poorest countries access to health care, education and welfare. This is a policy we can all support over giving additional funds to the World Bank that has the capital that it needs now to continue to make the loans that are necessary for the World Bank. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for his leadership.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege today to recognize the contributions of the John Merlo Sports Program for its tireless efforts in providing sports programs and other activities for children and senior citizens in the Lakeview Neighborhood of Chicago, on the occasion of its 23rd Annual Awards Dinner The annual Sports Program Dinner, hosted again at Chicago's own Wrigley Field, is an opportunity to recognize both the great work the Sports Program has accomplished in the past year, as well as the achievements of so many members of our community who help make Lakeview one of the best neighborhoods in the City of Chicago. This year, I am pleased to congratulate Senator Emil Jones, Andy McPhail, and Paula and Peter Fasseas on being recognized for their unwavering commitment to Chicago. The John Merlo Sports Program has consistently demonstrated its commitment to providing the Lakeview community with a variety of excellent athletic programs as well as funding for the renovations of Chicago Park District Playlots. Its fundraisers, programs, and honorees, are an integral part of the success of the program, and I thank everyone in attendance for their assistance and dedication to this outstanding program. Founded in 1981, the John Merlo Sports Program is a charitable organization named after the late John Merlo, a beloved former Alderman, State Representative, State Senator and Democratic Committeeman, who represented the Lakeview community for nearly 30 years. Mr. Merlo, a staunch advocate for the benefits of participating in sports, felt good sportsmanship, and the ability to interact with others were important skills that everyone should possess. This year's awards are led by the Civic Leader of the Year, Senate President Emil Jones, Jr. Senator Jones has been serving the people of Illinois as a state legislator for more than 30 years. Throughout his career, he has been a dedicated supporter of education and the disadvantaged. A life long resident of Chicago, Senator Jones has provided a passionate voice for Chicagoans as the leader of the Illinois State Senate. President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Cubs, Andy MacPhail has a long connection with the Lakeview Neighborhood, first working for the Cubs in 1977. As one of the most successful executives in Major League Baseball, Mr. McPhail has also worked for the Houston Astros and the Minnesota Twins, a team that won two World Championships while he was at the helm. Under Mr. McPhail's management, the Cubs were the National League Central Division Champions last year, and are again fighting for the pennant. Accordingly, I applaud the selection of Mr. McPhail as Business Leader of the year. Last, but not least, I congratulate Paula and Peter Fasseas on being selected as the Business Leaders of the Year. Metropolitan Bank Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Peter Fasseas and Vice Chairman Paula Fasseas have been involved in all facets of the Lakeview community since purchasing North Community Bank in 1978. The number of civic organizations that have been touched by the Fasseas is too numerous to mention, but I am particularly proud of their work with Pets Are Worth Saving (PAWS), the non-profit organization founded by Mr. and Mrs. Fasseas in 1998 dedicated to encouraging pet adoption. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the leadership of The John Merlo Sports Program, its founder Bernie Hansen, and current President Mike Quigley on the incredible work they are doing for Chicago's youth and seniors. I would also like to commend the tremendous leaders being honored this year, and wish the program continued success in the future.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding me this time. I rise to express my disappointment that an otherwise strong Free Trade Agreement has been tainted by provisions designed to protect a captive market for the prescription drug industry in this country, forcing American senior citizens and taxpayers to pay higher prices than normal. Australia has the lowest pharmaceutical prices anywhere in the world, of developed countries, that is, anywhere. I have supported NAFTA. I have supported GATT. I voted in favor of Singapore. I voted in favor of Chile. I believe in free trade. But what we attempted here was a back- door attempt to continue to force Americans to pay the highest drug prices anywhere in the world. And we had an opportunity to literally do something different with a good free trade agreement. It all makes sense. Eli Lilly, Schering-Plough, PhRMA were all on the advisory board to the USTR when it came to negotiating this trade deal, and we are setting a precedent, forcing Americans again to continue to pay the highest pharmaceutical prices than anywhere in the world when we could have provided Americans the chance of a free trade agreement where we reopen markets, bring in competition, lower the prices around the world. But we did not do that. So we took an ally and tried to actually, in the negotiations, force them to walk away from their health care. One does not force a friend and ally to walk away from a good health care program who is paying lower prices for prescription drugs than anywhere in the world. I will not support this agreement on behalf of the senior citizens of this country.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, today's New York Times reports that almost 4 million senior citizens will lose their employer drug coverage and prescription drug coverage when the new Medicare law goes into effect in 2006. In most cases, this will result in beneficiaries getting worse drug coverage than they had before this bill was passed. My Republican colleagues sure have a funny way of implementing reform over there. In addition to not only 4 million more seniors getting worse coverage than originally planned, this bill will cost the taxpayers $150 billion more than Republicans originally said. If we had taken the steps to deal with prices originally in the Medicare bill, more employers would be able to afford the drug coverage they originally planned and senior citizens and taxpayers would save money. Yesterday, the House affirmed for the third time this session a bipartisan support for prescription drug reimportation. We have employers dropping their drug coverage because they can no longer afford rising drug prices. We have a Medicare card that now gives seniors higher prices and a lot more confusion than buying drugs from Canada and Europe, and we have a Medicare bill not designed for seniors in mind. Instead of a philosophy of the customer is always right, this bill says that special interests are always right.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, today the House of Representatives will vote for a third time this session in overwhelming bipartisan manner to allow Americans to import drugs from Canada and Europe where prices for those prescription drugs are 30 to 70 percent cheaper than they are on the American shelves at our pharmacies and grocery stores. Members of this body on both sides of the aisle last year voted against the pharmaceutical industry's intense lobbying where they spent well over $200-some-odd million, they hired well over 600 lobbyists to try to prevent the American consumers and senior citizens from accessing drugs and prescription drugs and medications that their doctors prescribed at prices that they can afford. People from all over the world come to the United States for their medical care. Yet, Americans are forced to go all over the world for their medications. That is wrong. We can do better. Prices here in the United States are artificially kept high because of a closed market. What this would allow, the legislation allowing reimportation, would allow Americans to have an open market, a free market when it comes to the pricing of prescription drugs. Every other product, cars, autos, software, food, we have free access, and Americans pay some of the lowest prices in the world. There is only one product line Americans have a closed market to and we are forced to pay the highest prices in the world and that is in the area of prescription drugs. In Canada, in Europe, the same medications that we find on our shelves here are, as I said, 30 to 70 percent cheaper. Americans know that. 2 million seniors a year go over the Canadian-U.S. border to get their prescription drugs with their prescriptions that their doctors have asked them to take. Rather than cut pills in half, rather than skip a month, rather than skip a day, rather than allow only their spouse to get medications and preventing themselves from getting medications, those seniors go over to Canada, save hundreds upon hundreds of dollars a month in their prescription drugs. What this legislation would do is allow the free market to work, creating competition, bringing prices down, and ensuring the American consumer, American seniors and, most importantly, now that we have a prescription drug bill to Medicare, the American taxpayer that they would get their fair price and world price for world-class drugs. What is ironic here is that the American taxpayer pays for the research for these new life saving medications both through the direct funding of the National Institute of Health and through the R&D tax credit. The American taxpayer is subsidizing the pharmaceutical industry's research and development in new life-saving drugs. And yet what do we get for all that taxpayer support for the industry? We get to pay the highest prices in the world. That is the unique position of the American senior citizen and taxpayer. The reimportation of prescription drugs would allow our seniors, our families who need medications for their children and for their parents, would allow them those medications at the prices that consumers in Europe and Canada are paying which is 30 to 70 percent cheaper. It is the right thing to do not only because we pay for the R&D, but it is the right thing to do if you believe in the free market. We should allow the free market to work, creating that competition, bringing prices down. As I said, literally 2 million seniors a year do it every year. They have been doing it for years going to Canada, finding somewhere close to a little over a $1 billion worth of savings. We are voting on it for the third time here in the House. Hopefully in the other body they will now begin to take up this legislation and start to create that bipartisan focus on bringing the prices of prescription drugs down. I set up in my office a Web site, just so my colleagues know, we took Costco which is a discount retailer, we have a Costco in Chicago. We listed the 10 most used drugs by senior citizens and the price at that Costco in Chicago of those 10 medications. Then we took the Costco in Toronto, same store, same medications, same discounts. In Canada one would save, versus the United States, for those same medications close to $1,000 if one bought at the Costco in Canada versus the Costco in Chicago. That is a discount retailer. And people know that. And we must afford our seniors the ability to get the medications they need at the prices they can afford. Everybody lately has been touting this Health and Human Services discount card, the Medicare discount card. In fact, in Canada one would save more than one would on that discount card. In our 70 percent of that discount card, the fact is that the reimportation would allow one cheaper savings than it does on that discount card. If the discount card was designed for senior citizens, it would not be as complicated. It was not designed for senior citizens, it was designed for the pharmaceutical industries that invested close to $200 million in that legislation.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Desiree G. Rogers on being elected President of People's Gas and North Shore Gas, two utility subsidiaries of People's Energy Corporation. People's Energy has, for 150 years, been committed to providing gas service to residential and business consumers in northeastern Illinois. Today, it serves an estimated one million people in Chicago and northeastern Illinois. Based on Ms. Rogers' immense contributions to People's Energy since joining in 1997, I am confident that Ms. Rogers' new role will prove to be very beneficial to the company. In the past, Ms. Rogers has exhibited tremendous leadership skills by successfully taking on many of the company's difficult tasks. As president of People's Gas and North Shore Gas, Ms. Rogers will have responsibility over the utilities' field operations, customer functions, and gas supply management. She will also continue to be in charge of customer relations, an area in which she has demonstrated to be very experienced. As the former senior vice president of Customer Service of the utilities, Ms. Rogers was able to improve the company's financial results while establishing strong customer ties. Ms. Rogers first joined the company in 1997 as Vice President of Communications, and was named Chief Marketing Officer in 2000. She oversaw community affairs and governmental relations, in addition to operations and marketing of the company's utilities. Ms. Rogers' leadership extends beyond her work with People's Energy. She is involved in several community organizations, including the Lincoln Park Zoo, of which she is the Vice Chairman, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Executives' Club of Chicago. She was also the chairman of the Chicago Children's Museum for 3 years. Ms. Rogers has admirably used her success as a means to contribute to philanthropic organizations, such as the Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization, of which she is a trustee. Ms. Roger's contributions to the Chicago community are truly commendable. Once again, I would like to congratulate Desiree Rogers on her well deserved promotion to President of People's Gas and North Shore Gas, and wish her and the company continued success in the future.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege today to recognize the contributions of Chicago's Irish American Heritage Center toward preserving the glorious heritage and culture of Chicago's Irish community, on the occasion of its Annual Irish Fest. The Irish American Heritage Center continues to be an integral part of the Irish Community in Chicago. The Annual Irish American Heritage Festival on July 9th, 10th, and 11th will showcase many of the great traditions and talents of Ireland. The festival will feature traditional Irish dancing, numerous musical acts, and the great Irish food we all love. The Irish American Heritage Center has consistently demonstrated its commitment to keeping the Irish heritage alive and thriving in Chicago. Its museum, library, and festivals all contribute to the success of the organization, and I applaud those who work and volunteer their time to continue this important mission. But, the Irish American Heritage Center festival is much more than good food and entertainment. It is a chance to remember and honor all of the hard work and accomplishments made by the Irish Community. It is through this awareness by which younger generations can pass on the traditions and values of Ireland. The museum was officially opened by the President of Ireland, Mrs. Mary Robinson, on October 13, 1991. Museum acquisitions include: a magnificent collection of Belleek Parian China; a historic chair commissioned by the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago on the occasion of the visit of U.S. President William Howard Taft on St. Patrick's Day 1910; and the first organ from St. Patrick's Church in St. Charles, Illinois. The Irish American Heritage Centers Library houses many special collections, including a facsimile edition of the world's most famous illuminated manuscript, The Book of Kells, which has been described as the ``work of angels, not of men.'' Mr. Speaker, I am honored on behalf of the Fifth District, and indeed all of Chicago, to call attention to all of the meaningful work occurring at the Irish American Heritage Center at the time of its Irish American Heritage Festival. I wish the Center continued success and a fantastic Irish fest.