Bill Foster

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my thoughtful colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join Democrats to continue funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program. Affordable internet is essential to participating in our modern economy and ensuring a high quality of life for workers, students, seniors, and families. That is why our Democratic majority first launched the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2021. Since then, it has helped lower internet costs for millions of Americans and nearly 700,000 households in Illinois, including 17,000 in my district. Nonetheless, unless Republicans join Democrats at the table, the ACP will expire in just 2 months, which would increase broadband costs and put internet access at risk for millions of Americans. We cannot let that happen. So I will continue fighting to ensure this critical program remains funded, and I hope my Republican colleagues will join me in this effort to keep all of our communities connected.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, on December 8th, Governor Pritzker signed into law a measure that will allow new small modular reactor (SMR) technology to proceed in Illinois. A moratorium on new construction has been in place since 1987. Illinois and 15 other states imposed bans primarily because, even with Congressional authorization and funding, the proposed permanent storage repository at Yucca Flats Nevada to this day has not received a single pound of spent nuclear fuel (SNP). The estimated 87,000 metric tons of commercial SNF has been stored temporarily in holding ponds and dry casks primarily at the sites of U.S. nuclear power plants, both currently operating and shut down. The storage and security costs have been imposed on rate payers. The law, which takes effect next June 1st, authorizes a state regulatory structure for SMRs and limits them to 300 MWe, or from a fourth to a third the power of the state's six operating reactors. I have recently been paying special attention to subcritical advanced nuclear technology, which can consume the remaining energy in the SNP. The approach is based on pioneering molten salt research done at Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) in the 1960s. It takes advantage of the large number of neutrons that can be produced by superconducting linear accelerators like the one brought online at the ORNL Spallation Neutron Source in the years since 2010. Mr. Speaker, Illinois has been first in the nuclear age, dating from the first nuclear reactor in the basement of Professor Fermi's lab at the University of Chicago in the fall of 1942. The first commercial nuclear power plant was built in 1957. Today, more than half of Illinois' power generated comes from nuclear energy. That is the most of any state. We have more SNP stored temporarily here than any state, more than 11,000 metric tons. We have even proposed constructing permanent storage sites, but without success. Again, we can lead the nation and the world into the next generation of clean, safe, affordable power. The pending FY 2024 Energy & Water Appropriations legislation contains a line item for more than $1 billion for advanced modular power research and development. I urge that a significant amount be devoted to accelerator driven subcritical projects. Therefore, I include in the Record the following article on the new legislation from the Capital News Illinois dated December 8, 2023: Pritzker Signs Measure Allowing New Small-Scale Nuclear Technology in Illinois (By Jerry Nowicki & Andrew Adams) Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed into law a measure that will allow for the limited development of new nuclear power generation technology in the state. The measure, House Bill 2473, does not allow new large- scale power generation facilities like the six plants that are already operational in the state, but rather allows for new smaller-scale emergent technology. Since 1987, the state has had a moratorium on any new nuclear power construction until the federal government designates a long-term disposal site for nuclear waste-- something that has never occurred. The new law will take effect on June 1, 2024, but because permitting nuclear energy takes many years at the federal level, the earliest a nuclear project could be brought online in Illinois would be in the 2030s. HB 2473 creates a regulatory structure for the construction of small modular nuclear reactors, or SMRs. The bill limits the nameplate capacity of such reactors to 300 megawatts, about one-third the size of the smallest of the six existing nuclear power plants in Illinois. It also requires the state to perform a study that will inform rules for regulating SMRs, which must be adopted by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency by January 2026. The bill's proponents say it's a necessary step as Illinois tries to end its reliance on carbon-emitting power sources over the next two decades. But its opponents say it distracts from Illinois' efforts to deploy 100 percent renewable energy production and is an endorsement of unproven technology. The bill passed with bipartisan support in the Senate, 44- 7, and the House, 98-8, on the final day of the fall veto session last month. The opposition came exclusively from Democrats. Pritzker vetoed an earlier version of the measure but helped usher the compromise through the legislature. The bill's sponsors said after its passage that it has the potential to bolster Illinois' electric grid reliability as the state's energy mix becomes increasingly reliant on intermittent technologies such as wind and solar. Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, sponsored the bill in the Senate, while Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa, was its House sponsor. Rezin noted last month that she is particularly interested in the potential for SMRs to be developed at the sites of former coal plants, avoiding the need to build new transmission lines, although that process could take many years. David Kraft, an outspoken critic of nuclear energy and head of the Chicago-based advocacy group Nuclear Energy Information Service, testified against the measure at several points during the legislative process. Kraft said he was concerned about the lack of existing SMR installations and the unproven nature of the technology. While some nuclear reactors of this scale exist in other countries, no commercial SMRs have ever been built in the United States. Counting Illinois, 11 states currently have some level of nuclear construction bans on the books. Since 2016, five other states have either repealed or weakened their bans. Several of the states that have lifted their bans have done so to pave the way for SMR technology. But the biggest U.S. player in that industry has seen several recent setbacks. In November, NuScale Power--the only company with a federally approved SMR design--announced that it was canceling its highly watched ``Carbon Free Power Project'' in Utah, which would have been the first commercial project with a NuScale reactor. Still, its leaders say the company will continue with its other projects, which are at varying steps of regulation and planning. Rezin told Capitol News Illinois last month she hopes Illinois' and other states' moves to reverse their construction bans will encourage nuclear energy development in the U.S. Pritzker did not issue a statement but signed the bill along with 15 others that were sent to his desk following November's fall veto session. That included a measure a that would require the state to purchase exclusively ``zero- emission vehicles,'' such as electric vehicles, after Jan. 1, 2030. Senate Bill 1769 excludes law enforcement vehicles and vehicles purchased by the Illinois Department of Transportation as part of a program that provides buses to some mass transit systems.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, today, I missed a recorded vote. Had I been present, on rollcall No. 715, the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4531, the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a Crystal Lake, Illinois native, Lorraine Egan, for her service in the United States Navy. Following the unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Lorraine proclaimed that she would be ``joining the Navy,'' following in the footsteps of her father who had served in WWI. On December 8, just the day after the attack, her father took her to the Navy's recruitment center. Lorraine entered the Navy as part of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) program, and in her words ``learned to be tough in a gentle way,'' which she said was necessary to push back against some of the men who were less supportive of women being in the military. She was among the first 200 women to join the Navy. The Navy sent Lorraine to Hunter College in New York where she attended nursing school before being sent to complete basic training at Naval Station Great Lakes in Lake County, Illinois. Lorraine was then deployed to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and was involved in surgeries and delivering babies, parts of the job she loved the most. Her daughter notes that Lorraine enjoyed almost every aspect of the job, recalling that ``she just loved all the work.'' Former service members call her an inspiration. as not only did she have to pave the path for women to join the military, but ``she had to figure out the path . . and bring the stones.'' At 101 years old, Lorraine encourages young women she meets to join the military as it pays for their education, instills a strong work ethic, and teaches people to be thoughtful and care about others. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Lorraine Egan for her service to this country, and her bravery to trailblaze a path for women to serve our Nation. I offer her good health and the hope that she continues to spread the lessons she has learned over her life.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, on November 6, I missed two recorded votes. Had I been present, on Roll Call No. 599, the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1607, I would have voted Yea. On Roll Call No. 600, the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 359, I would have voted Yea. On November 9, I missed two recorded votes. Had I been present, on Roll Call No. 641, agreeing to Tenney Amendment No. 100, I would have voted No. On Roll Call No. 642, agreeing to Tenney Amendment No. 101, I would have voted No.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today along with my colleague, Representative Mike Quigley, to celebrate one of Chicagoland's very own, legendary meteorologist Tom Skilling, and his 45-year career as a beloved presence on our local airwaves as he embarks on his well-deserved retirement. As the longtime chief meteorologist for WGN-TV, Tom Skilling has been one of the most trusted figures on television screens throughout the Chicago area for decades, expertly and calmly explaining the region's often unpredictable weather situations for generations of viewers. I am especially proud to say that Tom Skilling is an Aurora, Illinois native, and a proud graduate of West Aurora High School. After completing his studies at the University of Wisconsin, Tom worked briefly on local television stations in Madison and Milwaukee before landing at WGN-TV, where he quickly became a daily fixture in households throughout Chicago and the suburbs. Those of us who know Tom and have worked with him over the course of his career know how passionate he is about his work and how talented he is at communicating often complex scientific data to people of all ages and backgrounds. But his greatest strength is the kindness with which he treats everyone he interacts with; he is always ready to greet a fan with a warm smile and meaningful conversation. Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Tom Skilling and his decades of service to the Chicagoland community and offer him our most sincere best wishes on the next chapter of his life.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I rise today to recognize Fire Chief Joseph M. Cluchey on his over 42 years of service to the Illinois fire community as he begins his well-deserved retirement. Mr. Cluchey began as an on-call firefighter in the South Elgin Fire Department and worked as a contract paramedic in the St. Charles Fire Department in 1981 before becoming a career firefighter. He worked hard and made his way up the ranks to become fire chief for the South Elgin and Countryside Fire Protection District. He valiantly served in this capacity for 12 years before suffering an injury from a roof collapse, which caused him to retire from South Elgin in 2014. After his retirement from South Elgin, he took on a leadership role as the statewide operations chief for Mutual Aid Box Alarm System. In that capacity, Chief Cluchey served countless communities statewide through the organization's non-discriminatory mutual aid response system for fire, EMS, and specialized incident operational teams. In November of 2016, after a nationwide search Mr. Joseph M. Cluchey was sworn in as Fire Chief of the Elburn & Countryside Fire Protection District. The district currently operates out of three stations which serve all or portions of ten communities including 2 large subdivisions located in the 11th Congressional district of Illinois. Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I am proud to represent the community of Elburn, Illinois and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Fire Chief Joseph M. Cluchey for his over 42 years of dedication and fire service to the community and wish him a happy retirement.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the American Legion Post 1288 on their 50th Anniversary. The American Legion Post 1288 is part of the National American Legion--the world's largest veteran's organization. Chartered in Bolingbrook on January 17, 1972. The Post 1288 has been serving area veterans and the Bolingbrook community for over 50 years. Post 1288 is active and participates in numerous activities and events such as: local parades and ceremonies; fundraisers to support area veterans; visits to area veterans in hospitals or long-term care facilities; support for youth activities such as Scouting, Boys State, and Baseball; and providing the Honor Guard detail at veterans' funerals or memorials. Members include veterans from all branches of service who have proudly served their country and continue to serve through participation in the American Legion. The American Legion proudly recognizes the contributions veterans have made to our country and shares their stories about their time in service. Post 1288 is an active participant in various activities including ``Gifts to the Yanks Who Gave'', Poppy Days, Veterans in The Classroom, Blue Star Service Banners, among many others. These services provide invaluable support to veterans and the local youth while unifying the community behind the cause of public service. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to commemorate the American Legion Post 1288 and proud to represent the communities it serves. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this milestone with best wishes for many more to come.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my dear friend Alderwoman Scheketa Hart-Burns and to recognize the important contributions she made to the City of Aurora, Illinois. Mrs. Scheketa Hart-Burns was born in Fort Meyers, Florida on December 1, 1954, and moved to the City of Aurora in 1978 making it her home and her community. She dedicated herself to improving the lives of residents in the city she loved. Alderwoman Hart-Burns is a history-making, award-winning elected official, community leader and mentor to many. She holds the distinction of being the first African American elected to Aurora City Council in 1991, originally in the 6th Ward. When the 7th Ward was added, she became its alderwoman. The ward is on the east side of Aurora, south of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad line. She was also appointed the first-ever African American Mayor pro term from 2016-2017. A stalwart figure in the community, Alderwoman Hart-Burns spearheaded and served as a member and advisor to dozens of organizations and initiatives for Ward 7 residents and the City of Aurora as a whole. Her ward and neighborhood initiatives include establishing a ward committee and several apartment-complex resident councils, establishing community gardens, and hosting annual holiday programs for Ward 7 communities. Citywide she started the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. luncheon, started the effort to install commemorative street signs for prominent Black residents, established the annual citywide Black History Program, hosted annual holiday musicals for food pantries, and made holiday dinners for senior citizens and disabled persons. She was especially committed to helping Aurora's children, founding many programs to help youth and their families. These include founding the Back-to-School Bash at Martin Luther King Park, which serves more than 5,000 students, co-founding the annual Coats-for-Kids drive which provides winter coats, hats, and gloves to thousands of students, acting as founding advisor and Mother Emeritus of Boys II Men, Inc., mentoring Aurora University Students pursuing degrees in social work, and co-founding the City of Aurora's STEAM Academy. Alderwoman Hart-Burns was also involved in organizations serving surrounding communities, including working as the Chairperson of the Circle of Wise Women for the Kane County Health Department and the Chairperson of Weed and Seed with the Kane County State's Attorney's Office. She was a Board member and Advisor of the Quad County Urban League for 33 years, a founding Advisor for the City's African American Heritage Advisory Board, a member of the League of United Latin American Citizens, and a board member of the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry and Childcare Center. Alderwoman Scheketa Hart-Burns had a strong faith and was an Evangelist Missionary at Greater Mount Olive Church of God In Christ. I am proud to represent Aurora, and I am grateful for the service and kindness Mrs. Scheketa Hart-Burns has shown over the years. Mrs. Scheketa Hart-Burns is an Aurora legend, and her commitment and contribution to the city will never be forgotten. I offer my condolences to her family and to the city for the loss of this trailblazer, and I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating my dear friend Scheketa Hall-Burns' incredible life.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my dear friend, Alderwoman Scheketa Hart-Burns, and to recognize her important contributions to the city of Aurora, Illinois. Ms. Scheketa Hart-Burns moved to Aurora in 1978 where she became the first African American elected to the Aurora City Council in 1991 and the first African American Mayor Pro Tem from 2016 to 2017. Throughout her career, Alderwoman Hart-Burns spearheaded dozens of initiatives to benefit the people she represented and everyone who calls Aurora home. Alderwoman Hart-Burns was an active member of her church, the Greater Mount Olive Church of God and Christ, and brought an inspirational spirit to everything that she did. She was my ambassador to the African-American churches of Aurora. Although she had children of her own, she was known as mother to all for her nourishing spirit and her kind heart. Scheketa Hart-Burns passed away yesterday on June 19, 2023. She will be greatly missed and always remembered by those of us, like me, who are lucky enough to have known her and to have called her a friend.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize McHenry County's first Juneteenth celebration, entitled Juneteenth Freedom Day: Emancipation. Jubilation. Education. This event commemorates June 19, 1865, the date in which federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure that all enslaved people be freed: coming two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is a day of jubilee to celebrate the end of slavery, but it also is a day to recognize that the fight continues for equal rights and to end systemic racism. It is a time to reflect on the struggles of African Americans, as well as an opportunity to recognize the past and present achievements of the African American community. The McHenry County celebration in Woodstock, Illinois serves as a celebration of the progress attained by generations who fought for freedoms and rights, and as a reminder of the work still needed to ensure a brighter, more equitable world for all children and future generations. By featuring notable speakers, musical performances, food, and other cultural activities, McHenry County is taking admirable steps toward this recognition and inclusivity. I ask you all to join me in thanking Gloria Van Hof, Pamela Althoff, Deanna `Dee' Darling, Emily Ferguson, Patrick Murfin, Louisett `Lou' Ness, Regina Rakoncay, Jennifarre Urch, and many others for bringing this celebration to fruition in McHenry County. May this be an annual event that gains in popularity and impact for many years to come.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Village of Lemont's Incorporation. Since 1873, the Village of Lemont has built a culturally diverse and hardworking community, contributing to the rich transportation history of Illinois as the epicenter of the Illinois and Michigan Canal which linked the Illinois River and Lake Michigan. With land in DuPage, Will, and Cook Counties, Lemont currently has over 16,000 residents, many of them descendants of laborers who dug the I & M Canal and later, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. They immigrated from Germany, Ireland, Scandinavian, as well as from French and English Canada, all looking for a better life. While digging the I & M Canal, an exceptionally fine grade of dolomite limestone was discovered, called ``Athens Marble'' for the original name of Lemont, leading to decades of stone quarry development. This distinctive limestone is seen in landmarks throughout Illinois and prominently in Lemont and neighboring communities. The quarry industry attracted immigrants from Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Italy. Labor history was made during sometimes violent struggles for fair wages and safer working conditions between quarry workers and owners. Home to The Lemont Heritage Quarries Recreation Area, Lithuanian World Center, the Heritage Corridor Business Alliance, and numerous vital community organizations, residents of Lemont have much to celebrate. With pride, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this milestone for the Village of Lemont, a vibrant community ready to optimistically face its next one hundred and 50 years.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, the obvious solution to this threat to our economy is for the U.S. to join the rest of the world and simply repeal the debt limit. For years, I have been introducing legislation to do just that. House Republicans now insist that they want to drag budget negotiations into this discussion. Fine. Both parties agree that default is unacceptable. Both parties agree that our national debt must be dealt with. There are two basic ways to do this: First, by cutting tax breaks that allow billionaires to pay lower taxes than middle-class Americans or by cutting programs that help ordinary Americans: retirees, veterans, students, or just families that are trying to get their kids through school. As long as Republicans insist that the only thing that they will consider to solve this problem is 100 percent on the backs of the middle class and zero percent on the backs of the billionaires who fund their campaigns, then they are not negotiating. That refusal is putting our economy at risk.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, as Congress' physicist and computer chip designer, I rise to make this simple point, that the massive levels of UI fraud and identity fraud generally did not happen in countries that have a secure and trusted digital ID system. This is well known to residents of many States as the mobile ID, or digital driver's license, that allows a REAL ID compliant driver's license to be placed under your smartphone and to use the unique hardware ID of your phone and its biometric login capabilities to prove that you are who you say you are online or in person and to prevent anyone from impersonating you. Last session of Congress, we came within a whisker of getting it included in the omnibus, that the Federal Government should start recognizing this proven form of digital ID. Unfortunately, H.R. 1163 is a bill that is designed to fail in the Senate. If we start working with our Senate colleagues, I think we have a chance of making real progress on this.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. George Crabtree, an energy trailblazer and fellow scientist whose over five-decade career at Argonne National Laboratory advanced a number of scientific disciplines and inspired colleagues and friends, here and around the world. Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, George eventually moved to Illinois where he graduated from Proviso West High School. He ultimately joined Argonne National Laboratory as a lab technician in 1964 and received his Ph.D. George was widely recognized and admired as a brilliant materials scientist and champion of superconducting materials and better batteries. As director of the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, George bolstered the national agenda to tackle the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy. He helped pioneer early research into high-temperature superconductors and in them, he discovered new phases of superconducting vortex matter. George's research on superconductors gained him recognition as a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Physical Society, and the National Academy of Sciences. In addition to his work at Argonne, George was a professor of physics at Northern Illinois University for 13 years and a Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois at Chicago for 12 years. George was a luminary in every sense of the word, and his work and dedication to the global scientific community will not be forgotten. Mr. Speaker, please join me as I celebrate the life and legacy of Mr. George Crabtree.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service of one of my district staff members, Wendy Salberg, as she marks 10 years serving in my office and 15 years serving the people of Illinois. Wendy began her work as a congressional staffer in the office of Republican Congresswoman Judy Biggert, who for many years represented the old 13th District of Illinois. In 2012, after I was fortunate to win the election to represent the newly created 11th Congressional District, which incorporated many of the areas of the old 13th District, it soon became clear that we needed to keep Wendy Salberg on the job. Wendy has dedicated herself to serving constituents, no matter what their background, helping them navigate the world of the Federal agencies. Wendy quickly earned a reputation throughout the Illinois congressional delegation as being one of the best advocates for people with immigration and international travel issues, from simple passport applications to complicated citizenship cases. I was fortunate that Wendy agreed to stay on and manage immigration casework for my office, and countless constituents who have worked with her over the past 10 years would undoubtedly agree. I cannot tell you how many people have reached out to me over the years or come to me at events I have attended to tell me how grateful they were for the work that Wendy put into their cases. Beyond her day-to-day work, Wendy's value to our office cannot be understated. No matter what she is doing, she will drop everything to help her coworkers with whatever they need, whether it be advice, a good laugh, or just an ear to listen. Day in and day out, she is a warm, welcoming presence who truly embodies our mission to serve the people of Illinois and to serve those around her. I could not be prouder to have her on my staff, and her former boss, Representative Judy Biggert, agrees. In joining me in celebrating Wendy's service to the people of Illinois, she wrote, ``Helping constituents navigate their way through layers of government bureaucracy is seldom easy, but no bureaucratic barrier was ever a serious match for Wendy's tenacity and inventiveness. When she is on your case, it is like a dog with a bone--dedicated, persistent, and completely involved. If there is a way to solve your problem, Wendy will find it.'' All of us who know her know that these words could not be more true. It is my distinct honor to recognize the service of Wendy Salberg on behalf of the people of the 11th Congressional District and the old 13th District of Illinois.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 138 for H.R. 140, I mistakenly recorded my vote as ``aye''. As a strong supporter of unions, I oppose the Perry/Foxx amendment, and I intended to vote ``no.'' Amendment No. 6 Offered by Ms. Jackson Lee

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Dr. Jennifer Norrell's achievements as she is honored as the 2023 African American Leader of the Year. Since her historic appointment in 2018, Dr. Norrell has become a central figure in the support of the district's 14,000 students, their families, District 131's faculty and staff, and the East Aurora Community. As the first woman to serve as superintendent of the state of Illinois' first public school district, Dr. Norrell has made impressive strides in her work to improve academic success. She has cultivated an academic culture that allows students to build a sense of positive identity, healing, resilience, and overall academic success. During her five years with District 131, Dr. Jennifer Norrell has played an instrumental role in helping to increase the high school graduation rate by 17 percent to an impressive 87 percent which is steadily improving. Dr. Norrell's passion for improving the quality of education for students has always been apparent. Before joining District 131, Dr. Jennifer Norrell served as assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction, assessments, and grants for Bloom Township High School District 206. I am proud to represent Aurora, and I am grateful for the dedication Dr. Jennifer Norrell has shown to improving the academic quality and success of District 131 students. Join me as I celebrate Dr. Jennifer Norrell as the 2023 African American Leader of the Year.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and legacy of Mr. Fred Rodgers, a fierce champion and advocate who helped guide the City of Aurora's young people onto a path of success. Mr. Rodgers was the City of Aurora's first ever youth services director, a role he held for 25 years. During his time, he directed the City of Lights Sports Tournament, the Aurora Sports Festival, Stepping Into the Arts Music Program, and several summer camps. He also coordinated several city events, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations. Upon his retirement, Mr. Rodgers was recognized with the creation of the Fred Rodgers Community Center in 2009. He believed that our youth are essential for our community's future success, and it is estimated that Mr. Rodger's advocacy work impacted the lives of more than 25,000 Aurora children. In 1996, he traveled as part of a group to meet with former Alabama Governor George Wallace to offer his forgiveness for the Governor's racist views, which ultimately led to the Governor repenting his past remarks. Fred Rodgers always taught Aurora's youth to work with compassion in order to be good and productive citizens. I am proud to represent Aurora, and I, and many others, know that the incredible legacy left by Mr. Rodgers on the City of Aurora will provide a blueprint for our youth and community for years to come.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and legacy of Mr. Fred Rogers, a fierce champion and advocate who helped guide the City of Aurora's young people onto a path of success. Mr. Rogers was the City of Aurora's first ever youth services director, a role he held for 25 years. During his time, he directed the City of Lights Sports Tournament, the Aurora Sports Festival, Stepping Into the Arts Music Program, and several summer camps. He also coordinated several city events, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations. Upon his retirement, Mr. Rogers was recognized with the creation of the Fred Rogers Community Center in 2009. He believed that our youth are essential for our community's future success, and it is estimated that Mr. Roger's advocacy work impacted the lives of more than 25,000 Aurora children. In 1996, he traveled as part of a group to meet with former Alabama Governor George Wallace to offer his forgiveness for the Governor's racist views, which ultimately led to the Governor repenting his past remarks. Fred Rogers always taught Aurora's youth to work with compassion in order to be good and productive citizens. I am proud to represent Aurora, and I like many others, know that the incredible legacy left by Mr. Rogers on the City of Aurora will provide a blueprint for our youth and community for years to come.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the lives taken during the Henry Pratt shooting in Aurora, Illinois, nearly 4 years ago. On February 15, 2019, gun violence stole the lives of five innocent people and injured six police officers when a person who should not legally have had a gun opened fire in a workplace. Unfortunately, this is a reality that we are all too familiar with as Americans. Throughout our Nation, in every State, gun violence continues to claim innocent lives. These victims are our family members, our friends, and our neighbors. We must do better. I am proud that Congress came together in the last year to pass the most significant piece of gun violence legislation in nearly three decades, but more must be done. We cannot wait for the next tragedy. We must continue to pursue commonsense gun safety measures that will keep guns out of the wrong hands and help save lives. Mr. Speaker, I stand with the Aurora community during this time of remembrance and reflection.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 342, the Cost- Share Accountability Act. This bill, which I co-led with its sponsor, Congressman Obernolte, was born out of a joint hearing that we held last Congress, which discussed best practices for financial assistance agreements within the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy. This bill mandates reports on the Department's use of cost-sharing practices, which require organizations receiving grants from the Department of Energy to fund a portion of the project's costs. I am a big fan of cost-sharing agreements as a mechanism to make sure that taxpayer dollars are well spent. There are circumstances under which they may appropriately be waived, but in order for Congress to fulfill our oversight responsibilities, we must be able to access information on how those requirements are being implemented and when they are being waived. This legislation is fundamental good governance, an important step to increase the transparency of the Department of Energy's funding practices, and I look forward to working with the Department of Energy to ensure that cost-sharing is implemented fairly and effectively and that it is supporting the Department's and Congress' priorities. I thank Representative Obernolte for his leadership on this legislation, which passed the House in a strong bipartisan vote last Congress, and also for his service as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight that I chaired last Congress. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the creation of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. I rise as a research scientist who has participated in many international collaborations, which included some brilliant Chinese scientists; and I rise also as a businessman who founded a high-tech manufacturing business that now provides over 1,000 good-paying American manufacturing jobs and has kept those manufacturing jobs in America despite having to compete in the world markets with cloned Chinese products for over two decades. I have watched with consternation as our businesses' electronic supply chain has been increasingly dependent upon China. Now, it was not a stupid thing for our country and the countries of the free world to attempt to help China become a free and open country by integrating it into the international economy and into the international scientific research community and to open our doors to Chinese students and scholars. In the years since World War II, that approach has succeeded in turning many previously autocratic countries into free democracies around the world. In fact, in previous years, China took a number of steps toward becoming a free and open country. But in recent years, it has turned back toward autocracy. So it is time to respond to that reality and to take thoughtful action. On a personal note, my wife is Korean and is a scientist who has contributed at the highest levels of scientific research and science policy in the United States. The only reason that she is free today is that two generations ago, the U.S. and the free countries of the world stood up against Communism in Korea. But nothing is more self-defeating than the anti-Asian racism that sometimes creeps into the debate in our country. The frontiers that we should be defending are not the good old U.S. of A. but the free democracies of the world. So, Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this new Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, in particular in the clear distinction that it makes, even in its title, between the Communist Party of China and the people of China who are not the enemy.

Mr. FOSTER

Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the great city of Joliet, Illinois. For the last 10 years, I have had the honor of representing Joliet and the surrounding areas as part of Illinois' 11th Congressional District. Joliet is the third largest city of Illinois, with a storied history intertwined with our State. Due to changing of the Congressional maps, however, I will no longer be representing Joliet. This great city will be represented by my colleague, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood in the 118th Congress. No matter what opinion you have about the redistricting procedures in Illinois, and all around the country, for that matter, one thing is clear: I was not in the room when these maps were drawn that took Joliet away from me. While I am sad that my work with the Joliet communities and all of the great organizations there is coming to a close, I am so proud to reflect upon what we have accomplished for the Joliet community and of the tremendous upward arc of progress in Joliet that we have seen over the last decade. I have so many fond memories of my time representing Joliet. For the last decade, Joliet has given me, a scientist, a reason to celebrate the work of science fiction with the Joliet Public Library's annual Star Wars Day. Every June, the community comes together to parade down Ottawa Street along with the Imperial Storm Troopers, Jedi Knights, and Ewoks in full costume. Aside from giving everyone an excuse to channel their inner child, Star Wars Day also promotes literacy, science, technology, engineering, and math in a fun and exciting atmosphere that captivates young minds. Joliet was also the backdrop for the 1980 classic film, The Blues Brothers, which features Joliet Jake and Elwood leaving the Old Joliet Prison at the beginning of the movie. That is why I was, as Elwood says in the film, ``on a mission from God'' to help secure the $3 million for the Old Joliet Prison to repair and rehabilitate this cultural and historical landmark for generations to enjoy, as well as to benefit what seems to be an endless stream of German tourists who stop by the prison, take a selfie in front of it on the way down the historic Route 66 corridor that travels through the Joliet area. And just this past August, the entire community came together to watch Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi perform at the Old Joliet Prison. Joliet has accomplished many things of national significance, as well, including being chosen as the site for what will be the largest manufacturing plant for electric school buses in North America, and which recently started production. One of my greatest priorities in Congress was securing funding for the Joliet's Brandon Road Lock and Dam, which is currently the last line of defense in preventing invasive Asian Carp from reaching Lake Michigan and all of the lakes and tributaries of the Great Lakes Basin. We worked for many years to fast-track this funding, and thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Army Corps of Engineers finally has the resources it needs to begin construction on this project to help protect Illinois waterways and every lake and tributary in the entire Great Lakes Basin. Just this past year, I was proud to secure over $8 million of community project funding for various projects in Joliet, including $3.5 million to support the work being done to replace aging service lines in our plumbing, including lead lines, so that every resident in the Joliet area has access to safe drinking water. These are just two of the many projects in Joliet that I have had the honor of working on throughout the years. What is more important is all that Joliet has given the Chicago suburbs. The Blues Brothers' concert at the Old Joliet Prison was a fitting camp to wrap up my time in Joliet and one that represents one of the many reasons why I will miss representing the city in Congress so much. Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank everyone in the Joliet area for sending me to Congress on your behalf. It has been an honor of a lifetime serving you and making your communities a better place for future generations. Continue Fundamental Research Through Adversity

Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, I rise to emphasize the importance of long-term and reliable funding for scientific projects, especially when the going gets tough. During my years as a scientist, I was involved in building of giant particle accelerators to smash protons and antiprotons together to make particles that have not been around since the Big Bang. Back in August of 2019, I was honored to speak at the 10th anniversary of the National Ignition Facility, which at the time had achieved all of its technical goals but was frustrated by scientific uncertainties and was struggling with neutron yields on the order of 10 to the 16th. The point that I made and the point that I am making today is that it is important to continue fundamental research even when the going gets tough.