Randy Hultgren

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the National Securities Exchange Regulatory Parity Act of 2016. I want to thank the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Royce, for introducing this legislation. I am a proud cosponsor. I was also excited to see a very strong bipartisan vote of support in the Financial Services Committee. This is a simple technical fix to a 20-year-old statute that didn't foresee, or at least didn't contemplate, an increase in the number of exchanges and today's competitive market structure. In 1996, Congress enacted the National Securities Markets Improvement Act, which codified the blue sky exemption for companies listed on the three predominant listed venues of that time: the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, and the NASDAQ. The blue sky exemption means securities will not be subject to both State and Federal regulation, which can be redundant and overly burdensome. Currently, exchanges not enumerated by the Act must have ``substantially similar'' listing standards as those that are specifically named in the Act. This puts these exchanges in an unnecessary, government-created, competitive disadvantage. It functionally prevents a handful of exchanges from being a first mover in adopting innovative listing standards. The unintended consequences of Congress' amendment to include specific references to just a few exchanges is a two-tiered regulatory structure and is unfair to exchanges that have since registered with the SEC. According to the Chicago Stock Exchange, it is not currently a primary listing exchange for any securities, ``in part because such securities would be subject to both Federal and State regulation, which is prohibitively costly and overly burdensome to potential listing companies. This change would remove this current impediment to companies listing their securities on CHX and would help in the exchange's efforts to develop a robust primary listing market here in Illinois.'' Furthermore, this legislation would benefit the options industry, which has its home in Chicago as well. The Chicago Board Options Exchange is the largest market for stock options. Why should one of the most innovative and respected markets have to jump through unnecessary hurdles to update its listing standards? We should not have artificial impediments to accessing the capital markets. I urge all my colleagues to oppose this commonsense legislation.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of longtime Sycamore, Illinois, resident Joe Bussone, who passed away on June 14 at age 89. Bussone joined the Navy after high school and served on three different landing ship tanks in the Pacific during World War II. He was proud of his country and believed it was an honor to serve its people. Following the war, Joe went to Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and then joined General Electric as a product engineer. In DeKalb, Bussone ran his own business and was known for promoting the efforts of local nonprofits, including Family Service Agency, local Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs, the Knights of Columbus, St. Mary's Catholic Church, and others. At the intersection of Elm and California, he would often sell poppies and other items to raise money for local charitable causes. In his honor, the city named a nearby alley Joe Bussone Boulevard. As a commander at the local VFW post, Bussone always encouraged his fellow veterans of all generations. A respected community leader and loved by the family he leaves behind, Joe's humble service will be missed.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Ron Bullock, who passed away on June 8 at the age of 73. Ron was an entrepreneur and a champion of Illinois and of American manufacturing. Born in 1942 in Dayton, Ohio, Ron graduated from Wright State University with a degree in aeronautical engineering. In 1987, he founded Bison Gear & Engineering in St. Charles, Illinois. Their gear and gear boxes are found in everything from ice machines to massage beds. He also served as chairman of the Manufacturing Institute, the Illinois Manufacturers' Association, and the IMA's Education Foundation. Ron worked personally with me and my staff on legislation to help manufacturers expand and hire more people. He gave back to his community, enlisting his employees through BisonCares to help people in need. He was a founding member of the Illinois P-20 Council, which is dedicated to providing educational opportunities for students across Illinois. A husband, a father, a grandfather, Ron led an exemplary career and life, and he will be missed.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the father of Flag Day, Illinois' own Dr. Bernard Cigrand, on its 100th anniversary. An immigrant and a teacher, Dr. Cigrand believed his students needed a symbol to instill a sense of national identity. He first celebrated our flag's birthday with his students on June 14, 1885, 108 years after its official adoption by Congress. Thus began his life's work to create a National Flag Day. He wrote articles for magazines and newspapers. He gave lectures and wrote a book on the flag's importance. Soon, schools caught on, and more than 100,000 children participated in an Illinois celebration in 1894. Eventually, Dr. Cigrand moved to Batavia, Illinois, opened a dental practice and remained passionate in his efforts. Finally, in 1916, President Wilson called for a nationwide observance. Seventeen years after Dr. Cigrand's 1932 passing, President Truman signed a law cementing June 14 as National Flag Day. This 14th of June, the 14th Congressional District of Illinois celebrates Dr. Cigrand's dedication to our Nation's symbol, which gives hope and moves hearts throughout the world.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the long and fruitful public service of a member of my staff, Ruth Richardson. With degrees from Aurora and Northern Illinois Universities, Ruth began her career as an admissions counselor at Aurora University. In 1990, she started her service to the U.S. House of Representatives as a caseworker in the office of Congressman Dennis Hastert. The caseworker plays a central role in a congressional office as the primary advocate for constituents having challenges with the Federal Government, and Ruth excelled at her job. For 26 years, she worked tirelessly to help seniors who were having trouble obtaining their Social Security benefits or to help veterans in search of medical care or military acknowledgement of their service, and she spearheaded the U.S. annual Congressional Art Competition to showcase the young talent in Illinois. To many, Ruth has been a strong ally navigating the intricate and arcane Federal bureaucracy. I was thrilled Ruth joined my team when I first entered Congress in 2011, and she has delivered professional and caring service to the 14th District residents. Everyone who comes in contact with Ruth is warmed by her selfless heart and willingness to help. In many ways, she is irreplaceable, and we will greatly miss her as she retires at the end of this month. Ruth, it is now time for you to enjoy your family and your next adventure in life. Don't be a stranger to the office. And may God bless you in your retirement.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Prairie Grove School District 46 in Crystal Lake, Illinois, for being selected as a finalist for the 2016 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award, the first ever from Illinois. This is the Department of Defense's highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of their National Guard and Reserve employees. This year, more than 2,400 nominations were submitted by National Guard and Reserve servicemembers. Prairie Grove is one of only nine public sector employer finalists. Among servicemembers at the school district who support the nomination is Lieutenant Colonel Patty Klop, a Marine reservist, a physical education teacher, and a part-time teacher for students who have disabilities. In her nomination, she speaks highly of District 46 when she says: ``It's been a real source of stability and comfort for me over the years. I've been on several deployments, and District 46 has always been there.'' Prairie Grove is invited to the Freedom Award ceremony this August at the Pentagon. I look forward to the school district representing Illinois well as an exceptional employer of servicemembers. Congratulations, Prairie Grove.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, on roll call no. 194, I was unavoidably detained during the roll call vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, on roll call no. 195, I was unavoidably detained during the roll call vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Madam Speaker, in 2014, our community leaders, families, and victims alike came together to fight the growing epidemic of heroin and opioid abuse in northern Illinois. Together we launched a district-wide action plan. Today we can celebrate many successes as its recommendations have been implemented. This year DuPage County celebrated 100 lives saved by first responders using Narcan. Lake County officers counted 65 rescues, and there are many more throughout the Chicago suburbs. Tragically, relapses and overdoses still claim lives. I have met families and parents who know this too well. Tim Ryan grew up in my district in Crystal Lake and overcame his own heroin habit only to see his own 20-year-old son die of an overdose. Today, this afternoon, tonight, young people are still using heroin. Prescription drugs are still being abused in our communities. Our fight is far from over. We must continue to work through meaningful community and State partnerships. Connecting affected individuals and organizations with each other is paramount to our future success. The faces and the stories of heroin are real. They demand and deserve hope and solutions.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Officer Dean Tucker on being named Kane County's Officer of the Year for saving the life of a 7-year-old girl. Last June Officer Tucker responded to reports of an early-morning two-car collision. Upon arrival, witnesses alerted him to an SUV believed to be submerged at the bottom of a retention pond. Surveying the scene from the shoreline, Tucker spotted 7-year-old Monserrat Alanis Ramirez 40 yards away, flailing on the surface. Acting decisively, Officer Tucker quickly removed his gear, dove into the water, and wrapped his arms around the girl to keep her afloat. Fatigue quickly set in and Tucker called out to a fellow Aurora police officer, David Bliss, and a passerby for help. The passerby provided support, swimming alongside Tucker, while Officer Bliss waded in and pulled Tucker and the girl to safety. Tragically, Monserrat's mother and brother did not survive. However, the brave actions of Officer Tucker prevented further loss of life. We salute his selfless courage.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to be able to speak in support of the Helping Angels Lead Our Startups, or HALOS, Act. I would also like to thank Chairman Chabot, Congressman Hurt, and Congresswoman Sinema for putting forward this important bipartisan legislation. I am fortunate to hear regularly from innovators across Illinois and through my work on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Chicago is recognized nationally as a hub for angel investors. The Illinois Venture Capital Association was one of the first associations to represent private equity and venture capital groups. The State of Illinois also offers an angel investment credit program to attract and encourage investment into early-stage innovative companies throughout my State. These innovators oftentimes have a simple idea that can be life changing, but financing these ideas so that they can become a reality is harder than you might think. Angel investors play a key role in the earliest stages of these startups. They provide the initial round of funding to help get these life-changing ideas off the ground. Startups are the job creators that drive our economy, make life-changing medical breakthroughs, and harness technology to accomplish the impossible. These startup companies frequently participate in demo days, as has been talked about, to increase the visibility of their company, explain their ideas and hope to informally attract investors. These demo days are sponsored by a variety of organizations interested in promoting innovation and job creation. For example, the University of Illinois Research Park told me that this bill would address some of the unintended consequences of the JOBS Act and crowdfunding, which could make things like Cozad New Venture Competition, Urbana-Champaign Angel Network angel presentations, the Share the Vision Technology Showcase, pitch practice at EnterpriseWorks, and other public forums for startups in Illinois problematic. They want to encourage showcasing our startups without fear that these programs would be constituting a formal fundraising solicitation that would require reporting to the SEC. This bill simply clarifies SEC regulations to ensure small businesses may participate in educational demo days without having to verify that attendees are accredited investors. This is a burdensome process meant only for security solicitation, not just informal conversations. I encourage all my colleagues to support this important bill.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today yet again in need of bringing the world's attention to the plight of Zhu Yufu. Four years ago today, this democracy advocate was unjustly sentenced by the Chinese Government to 7 years behind bars, following previous imprisonments. His tireless advocacy for democratic rights, freedom of speech, and the rule of law is worthy of praise. Yet the Chinese Government has harassed and jailed him numerous times on faulty charges. Yufu is in poor health. He is not able to stand without support. He has coronary heart disease and a coronary artery tumor, in addition to other ailments. Yet Chinese authorities refuse to provide him with medical care or medication. Further, they have forced him to do hard labor and have caused the job losses of his family members. This Saturday, Zhu Yufu turns 63 years old. The least the Chinese Government can do is provide him with proper medical treatment, improve his living conditions, and leave his family alone. If China is serious about demonstrating any legitimate leadership, it should release him and the hundreds of others like him immediately.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. I thank Chairman Hensarling for his great work on the Financial Services Committee, and I specifically want to thank him for his help on this bill coming to the floor today. Mr. Chair, today I am very proud to speak in support of the Capital Markets Improvement Act. The bill includes a number of important titles that my colleagues on the House Financial Services Committee, Republicans and Democrats, are confident will improve our capital markets, whether it is reducing regulatory requirements for emerging growth companies subject to redundant reporting requirements to the SEC or making it easier for investors to have access to investment reports on exchange-traded funds. This bill also includes a title I worked on diligently with Mr. Delaney to make it easier for companies in Illinois and nationwide to let hardworking employees own a stake in the business they are part of. The Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization, which represents companies that employ thousands of residents in my district and throughout Illinois, believes that making it easier for companies to offer employee ownership helps Illinois businesses expand and hire more workers. Warren Ribley, the president and CEO of iBIO, has stated: As someone who has worked in economic development for most of my career, I know that offering an ownership stake to employees is a critical tool in recruiting top talent to job- generating companies. And there is no doubt that an equity stake encourages employees to drive hard for success of the enterprise. EEOA promises to aid in job creation in Illinois' growing technology sector, especially for the many early-stage companies with whom we assist along their commercialization path. Unfortunately, some companies are shying away from offering employee ownership because of regulations that limit how much ownership they can safely offer. SEC rule 701 mandates various disclosures for privately held companies that sell more than $5 million worth of securities for employee compensation over a 12-month period. In 1999, the SEC arbitrarily set this threshold at $5 million without a concrete explanation for why investors would face difficulties with sales above this number. For businesses who want to offer more stock to more employees, this rule forces those businesses to make confidential disclosures that could greatly damage future innovations if they fell into the wrong hands. This required information includes business-sensitive information, including the financials and corresponding materials like future plans and capital expenditures. The SEC originally acknowledged this, and some voiced their concern that a disgruntled employee could use this confidential information to harm their former employer. Leaving aside the risk involved in disclosing this confidential information, it is costly to prepare these disclosures just so a business can offer the benefits of ownership to their employees. My bill is simple. It is a simple, bipartisan fix that changes that. EEOA amends SEC rule 701 to raise the disclosure threshold from $5 million to $10 million and adjust the threshold for inflation every 5 years. To be clear, issuers that are exempt from disclosure would still have to comply with all pertinent antifraud and civil liability requirements. The employees purchasing these securities go to their business every day and already have a good sense of how their company is operating. Support for this effort to improve the utility of rule 701 can actually be found in the SEC's own Government-Business Forum on Small Business Capital Formation Final Reports for 2001, 2004-2005, and 2013. As the Chamber of Commerce has explained, this legislation would ``help give employees of American businesses a greater chance to participate in the success of their company.'' Increasing this threshold, they explain, would ``ensure that rule 701 remains a viable provision for businesses to use in the future'' and ``decrease the likelihood of unnecessary regulatory requirements.'' There is no evidence to suggest that rule 701 is not working for companies and their employees, and we have every reason to make this option available to more Americans with the desire to build their wealth through their company's success. Finally, I want to underscore how important it is that the Capital Markets Improvement Act pass with a strong bipartisan vote, just like each title passed in the Financial Services Committee under Chairman Hensarling's leadership. My bill, the Encouraging Employee Ownership Act, had a bipartisan vote of 45-15 in committee. Mr. Hill's bill, making investment reports on ETFs more accessible, had a vote of 48-9. Mr. Huizenga's bill, creating a simplified SEC registration system for M&A brokers, had a vote of 36-24. Mr. Hurt's bill, allowing an optional exemption for emerging growth companies for SEC reporting requirement, had a vote of 44-11. Also, Mr. Hurt's bill, requiring the SEC to retroactively review regulations, had a 46-16 vote. I urge all my colleagues to vote in support of the Capital Markets Improvement Act of 2016.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate 25 years of faithful service carried out by members at Trinity Baptist Community Church International in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Founded in 1991 by Senior Pastor Bishop Dr. Michael J. Love, the church has been a light to the surrounding community and to people around the world, demonstrating in word and deed Christ's command to love one's neighbor as oneself. Through a myriad of initiatives, members have provided job skills training to struggling workers and relief to the impoverished. Bishop Love's prison outreach ministry is well known to McHenry County and is a respected partner to the McHenry County Correctional Facility. Their diligence demonstrates the integral role faith plays in our local communities by bringing people together, united by common beliefs to help each other. Like the Good Samaritan, they understand that ``neighbor'' sometimes includes those outside of their communities. That is why they have been involved with over 100 ministries across the globe, sharing the gospel and serving the people of Haiti, India, and the Dominican Republic, among others. May God bless Trinity Baptist in its next 25 years of service.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman. I rise today as an original cosponsor of the SCRUB Act that relieves the burdensome impact of unnecessary Federal regulation on Americans. This legislation establishes a systematic process to reduce regulatory costs. It comes at a time when the President continues to limit Americans' economic freedom by issuing new decrees from Washington. According to the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Obama administration issued a staggering 82,036 pages of proposed rules just in 2015, eclipsing its own 2010 record. In 2015, that equaled a total of 3,408 rules and regulations. The weight of Federal regulations is a millstone around the necks of entrepreneurs and small businesses struggling to survive amid economic uncertainty. The SCRUB Act provides a means to cut unnecessary regulations and help the economy recover. It incorporates elements of my own bill, the Regulatory Review and Sunset Act. Like my bill, the SCRUB Act requires the review of existing regulations to identify those in need of repeal. Under the review process, it prioritizes those regulations with a major economic impact and that impose a disproportionate economic burden on small businesses. It requires recommendations on regulatory repeal to be presented to Congress for approval. If Congress gives the okay, repeal must happen. Republicans and Democrats alike support eliminating the costs of unnecessary and obsolete regulations to help economic recovery. The SCRUB Act provides a meaningful, bipartisan mechanism to achieve this goal. Again, I want to thank the chairman. I urge passage.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chief Warrant Officer Kevin Mose Weiss of McHenry County, a U.S. Army helicopter pilot who lost his life in service to our Nation. Returning to service just after Thanksgiving, Weiss and his copilot were flying a routine training exercise out of Fort Campbell in Kentucky on December 2 when the helicopter they were piloting went down, killing both men in the crash. Mr. Speaker, Weiss dreamed of joining his World War II veteran grandfather in flying as a pilot for his country and was known by his grandfather's nickname, ``Mose.'' Weiss was an avid outdoorsman and served our Nation overseas, flying a tour of duty in Afghanistan and earning numerous commendations and decorations. Growing up through McHenry public schools, home schooling, and then Christian Liberty Academy, Weiss met his wife, Beth, through the youth program, Awana. Weiss leaves behind a wife and two children, Lucas and Susan, and extended family and friends. They remember him as brave from a young age, a shoulder to lean on in difficult times, and a caring, loving brother, husband, and father. The family Christmas celebration will be muted this year, but we are forever grateful for Mose's service and sacrifice.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. I thank the chairman. Mr. Chairman, first, I would like to acknowledge the difficult and challenging job Chairman Shuster and the committee have had in crafting this bill. I commend his leadership and hard work on this critically important bill. This bill dedicates grant funding to freight and highway projects of national significance. Though this program is of vital importance to projects in our districts, there appears to be a bias on how the vast majority of funds have been awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and suburban projects appear to often be ignored. For instance, H.R. 3763 converts the Surface Transportation Program, or STP, to a grant program with the intention of allowing States added flexibility in receiving funding for local projects. I ask the chairman to be mindful of the distribution of such funding levels as it pertains to suburban projects. Understanding the difficult choices the chairman has had to make to get this bill through the House, I would ask that, as this bill moves to conference, we work together to find some level of equitable distribution of Federal funds to suburban areas. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster).

Mr. HULTGREN. Reclaiming my time, I thank the chairman for his response and for his leadership on the committee, and I look forward to working with him on this important issue.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman. Today, I rise in support of legislation that will protect hard- working Americans' access to retirement advice. The Labor Department is aggressively pushing a flawed rule which might be a political win for the Obama administration but would come at the expense of Americans trying to save for retirement. This is why I cosponsored the Retail Investor Protection Act. The administration claims the plan that they have put forward will help people trying to save for retirement. Instead, it would hurt many of them. The Labor Department has proposed restricting retirement advice and reducing options for what financial instruments can be used to save for the future. Most concerning, the regulatory costs would hit those who have had difficulty saving the hardest. One firm in my district with dozens of offices that serve more than 30,000 customers told me that they fear the Labor Department proposal will make it impossible to offer quality services to low- and middle-income customers. Clearly, the administration has no concept of what these rules will mean for Main Street investors, and they have chosen to ignore the benefits provided by retirement advisers. My constituents tell me they save more because of the advice they get. Relatively simple advice, such as not making irrational decisions in volatile markets, is incredibly valuable, especially for less sophisticated investors. Furthermore, the Department's proposal mentions annuities 172 times, but the Regulatory Impact Analysis does not examine the impact on these financial products. The Department of Labor is choosing to ignore Congress and the people it claims to protect. On July 29, I sent two separate letters to Secretary Perez. It has now been almost 3 months, and he has done nothing to address the concerns of my constituents. There are now at least 51 of my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, who share my concerns that listed options would no longer be permissible in retirement accounts. The Labor Department claims that they are working closely with the SEC, but during a hearing last Friday, a key witness from the SEC could not provide me with one example of when the Labor Department had included any SEC input. It is time for the administration to stop restricting where and how Americans choose to pursue financial stability and security. Vote ``yes.''

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support a commission which embodies the highest of our democratic principles: independence, bipartisanship, transparency and the defense of our fundamental freedoms. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom was created from a landmark piece of legislation, the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). How that bill came about is a story in its own right, and a demonstration of how a diverse set of our nation's leaders can come together to protect a foundational freedom. One of the best ways to expose attacks on religious freedom is meticulous chronicling of such abuses and then proclaiming them loud and clear to a watching world. The importance of USCIRF's mission of monitoring, recording and publishing attacks on religious belief--or any belief at all--cannot be overestimated. Their annual report is an invaluable reference for my colleagues and me and our staffs. Like the TIP report which monitors countries' records on human trafficking, the USCIRF annual report exposes lawbreakers and violators of human rights--and recommends what actions should be taken. And we have seen how across the world religious minorities are under attack. Christians made up 20 percent of the Middle East population at the start of the 20th century. Given a sustained attack in recent years on Christian belief and practice, that number is now around 5 percent and declining. In fact, less than 1 percent of the world's more than 2 billion Christians live in the Middle East--the birthplace of the religion. Other religions and belief systems have suffered under sustained persecution. Yazidis in Iraq and Syria have been systematically targeted by ISIS for slavery and execution. Just this week, news reports have revealed Yazidi women have taken their own lives out of despair after repeated rapes and assaults. USCIRF has documented ethnic cleansing of Muslims and sectarian violence in the Central African Republic, and urged the State Department designate it as a Country of Particular Concern. In Russia, ``serious violations of freedom of religion or belief continue.'' China has taken further steps to ``consolidate'' its ``authoritarian monopoly'' over the lives of its citizens. This has led to ``unprecedented violence'' against Uigher Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, Catholics, Protestants, and Falun Gong practitioners. And the list goes on and on. An attack on the religious belief of one is an attack on all of us. USCIRF is a unique, independent voice calling the world to pay attention and act, especially when this freedom can take a backseat in foreign affairs. The world forgets that the chilling of religious belief is the first step toward totalitarian control over all areas of life. All other freedoms flow from religious liberty. Without the freedom to believe what your conscience tells you, and live that belief out without fear of violence or other persecution, all other freedoms are meaningless. USCIRF recognizes this reality, and acts in defense of all peoples everywhere. I urge the House and reauthorize this important commission, and continue to defend and promote our First Amendment freedoms around the world.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 490, I was unavoidably detained (delayed flight--weather). Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the ``Father of Swimming,'' Adolph Kiefer, from Wadsworth, Illinois. At age 17, Adolph became the 100-meter gold medal winner at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. In addition to earning 17 world records, Adolph was the first man in the world to swim the 100-yard backstroke in under a minute and invented a flip turn, still used today. In 1947, Adolph founded his own company, inventing the first plastic kickboard and the first nylon swimsuit. Yet, he has considered teaching others his greatest success. Upon joining the Navy, Adolph was shocked to learn many of his comrades couldn't swim. He designed a program to teach millions of recruits what he dubbed the victory backstroke. As a youth fitness advocate, he served the Red Cross for 25 years, coordinating the learn-to-swim campaign for Chicago and overseeing lessons for thousands of children. Mr. Kiefer just celebrated his 97th birthday and still swims every day. I have submitted a letter of support for Mr. Kiefer for the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I urge our country to honor a great man from Illinois' 14th Congressional District.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember and celebrate a monumental achievement our Nation's space program reached 46 years ago this week. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, and the entire NASA team transformed the world's belief in what was possible. Following President Kennedy's charge to land a man on the Moon and return him safely to the Earth before the decade was over, NASA put their talent and treasure into making that dream a reality. No longer was human discovery and exploration limited to our own planet. The Moon, which had always been beyond our human ability to reach, was now within our grasp. This ``giant leap for mankind'' propelled American space exploration and inspired generations to pursue science and research as a way of life. Today, human space exploration and discovery sciences are engrained in American society and are prime demonstrations of our Nation's exceptional nature. As Americans, it is in our DNA to push the boundaries and frontiers of knowledge. Developing new technologies and expertise is vital as we consider a mission to Mars, take closeup photos of Pluto, and send robots throughout our solar system. The new generation must now work to fulfill the dreams and ambitions of that first group of space explorers. Let us encourage our children to think seriously about careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics--careers that could lead them to become actual rocket scientists or astronauts. Bold, long- term commitments to the projects that made NASA and our space program great will help inspire our kids. The Apollo 11 mission changed America and the world, and we remain forever grateful to those who were a part of that mission. Forty-six years ago, if the unthinkable occurred and the astronauts never made it back to Earth, President Nixon had a speech prepared to deliver to the Nation. If the worst happened, the President would have said: In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood. I was honored to meet the members of the Apollo 11 crew, including Neil Armstrong before he died. Indeed, these men were epic heroes of mine. Many of us grew up in an era where we were proud to be the Nation that sent men to the Moon, and we still are. Nothing can change that fateful decade of discovery coupled with frustration, trial coupled with error, all resulting in that historic world-changing mission. I want our kids and grandkids to look back and be proud citizens of the Nation that made our Moon hospitable, sent astronauts to Mars, and keeps sending spacecraft past the outer reaches of our solar system. Renewed vigor in our country's space program will ensure we continue to make mankind-sized leaps for years to come.