Timothy Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans, the 2006 Class A State Softball Champions. The Spartans concluded their season on June 3, 2006 with a 1-0 victory in the girls' softball State Championship in East Peoria. It had been an arduous season for the Spartans, defeating number two- ranked Beecher and number one ranked Taylor Ridge en route to a 31-6 season. The victory was the 665th in just 839 games for their head coach, Randy Wolken; a perfect finish for a team that had overcome so many challenges throughout the season. Though they had reached the final four last year, the Spartans entered these playoffs huge underdogs. But strong defense and leadership helped the team to far exceed expectations, even for many of its players, culminating in its surprise State Championship. The citizens of this district and I are very proud of the St. Joseph- Ogden Spartan softball team, and we look forward to continued success in the future. Let us honor the Spartans' tremendous accomplishments this season. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing the St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans, the 2006 Class A Softball State Champions.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to explain my missed votes of yesterday June 12, 2006. Unfortunately, due to maintenance problems with numerous airplanes I was not able to arrive into Washington, DC until the votes had already closed. Had I been here for rollcall votes 521, 522, 523, 524, and 525 I would have voted aye on all 5 votes. Mr. Speaker, for far too long the Nation of China has had a record of abusive and abhorrent human rights violations. I am pleased that H. Res. 608, H. Res. 804, and H. Res. 794 were brought to the House floor to bring attention to the continued religious persecution and to remember the horrible events in Tiananmen Square. We must continue to hold China accountable for its actions and these resolutions were a step in the right direction. I am also glad that H. Con. Res. 338 was brought to the floor again calling on the nations of the Western Hemisphere to work together in combating Islamist terrorist organizations. Terrorism will never be an issue on which we can rest and we must ensure that all nations are working together to secure our borders and our nations against terrorist activities. Again, I am sorry I was unable to be here for the votes on June 12, 2006, but I hope this explanation adequately conveys my support for these 5 votes.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, in the course of my excused absence from official duties on Thursday, June 8, 2006, I regrettably missed the vote on the question of consideration of H. Res. 850, providing for consideration of the bill H.R. 5252, the Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006. A point of order arose on the grounds that the bill included unfunded mandates as defined by the Congressional Budget Office, CBO. It was argued that based on supposed intergovernmental mandates identified by CBO, the threshold required under the rule for identifying the unfunded mandate had been met, and thus was subject to a point of order. CBO stated that in implementation of the COPE Act, new entrants along with incumbent cable providers, while engaged in a national franchise as proposed by the bill would be required to pay each franchise authority six percent of their gross revenues as a fee to support use of local rights-of-way and local Public Education Government channels. This payment was seen as an unfunded mandate. However, under all franchise agreements across the country, companies are required to pay this type of fee in some form. It is not something newly mandated. I believe that the bill merely continues, and in most estimates, could exceed, the current flow of money from cable providers to local franchise authorities. In doing this, I believe the bill's authors intended to make sure that cities would not lose revenue they counted on from local franchise agreements, and I fully support that cause. Due to this, I would have supported the opportunity to consider H.R. 5252, so that a true debate could continue on the underlying provisions of the bill.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 150th birthday of Tuscola, Illinois. This sesquicentennial celebration marks a significant moment in the rich history of this prairie town in rural Douglas County, Illinois. The city of Tuscola was established to help develop and support the Illinois Central Railroad. Congress granted alternate one mile square sections of land to the Illinois Central Railroad and the city of Tuscola occupies that original square mile given to the company. The town was laid out on July 9, 1857 as a part of Coles County and shortly there after the State of Illinois re-designated the northern section of Coles County where Tuscola is located into a newly formed county that was named after Illinois Senator, Stephen A. Douglas. The city of Tuscola has since thrived as the Douglas County seat and is a hidden gem in America's heartland. One of Tuscola's native sons was former Speaker of the House, 1903- 1911, Joseph G. Cannon. Mr. Cannon is acclaimed by most historians as one of the most powerful Speakers of the House of Representatives and until current Speaker J. Dennis Hastert passed him on June 1, 2006, he was the longest-serving Republican Speaker in history. This political icon of his era got his start as one of the original members of a group of fourteen men voting to ratify the city's charter on March 11, 1859. He went on to become the first State's Attorney of Douglas County and then a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1873 through 1922. On his last day in office he appeared on the first cover of Time Magazine. Joe Cannon said of Tuscola, ``my heart is buried in your cemetery; my little son for whom I had such high hopes; my Quaker mother; my brothers and their families; and memories of my struggle to a foothold in my professional life; the faithful friends. Yes, Tuscola is home to me and always will be.'' (June 12, 1913) Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing the 150th birthday of Tuscola, Illinois.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Joel M. Carp upon the occasion of his retirement after 28 years of service with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Carp has supported continued social work, social planning and advocacy in the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, and the country as a whole. For over 30 years, Mr. Carp has dedicated his professional and personal life as an advocate for numerous social policy efforts serving on a number of government task forces and advisory boards, including the City of Chicago Mayor's Task Force on Hunger, the Cook County Task Force on Welfare Reform, and the Governor's Task Force on Services for the Homeless to name just a few. Additionally, Mr. Carp has served as a member of numerous local, state, and national professional and community service organizations as an advocate for the welfare of the Jewish community. As an effective leader and tireless advocate, Mr. Carp has received several awards in recognition of his work, including the Melvin A. Block Award for Professional Distinction from the Associated YM-YWHAs of Greater New York, the City of Chicago's Commission on Human Relations Award, and a special award from the YMCA of the USA for helping to restore Agency for International Development funding for human services in Lebanon. Upon his retirement as the Senior Vice President for Community Services and Government Relations of the Jewish Federation/Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, Mr. Carp leaves behind a long legacy of social advocacy within the Jewish community. Mr. Carp is an inspiration to all for his dedication and leadership in shaping and improving social policy. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Joel M. Carp in recognition of his distinguished and tireless work and service to his community.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 137 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express regret for my absence during roll call vote 141. I was on the floor, but was unable to record a vote on an amendment offered by my colleague Virgil Goode during consideration of H.R. 5122, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. However I want to make it clear that I intended to vote `aye' for I am a strong supporter of this amendment. Representative Goode's amendment authorizes the Secretary of Defense to assign members of the armed forces to assist the Department of Homeland Security in the performance of border protection functions. Securing our borders against terrorists, drug traffickers and illegal aliens is of great importance to our national security. I would like to point out that I voted for this exact same amendment last year when Representative Goode offered it during consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006. I am a strong supporter of H.R. 5122, the National Defense Authorization Ad for Fiscal Year 2007 and I voted for its final passage. Again, I apologize for being unable to cast my vote on the Goode amendment and I am pleased this important amendment made it into the final bill which I supported.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because on April 2, 2006, Agnes Dale Smith will celebrate her 100th birthday. Those who know and love her call her ``Aggie'' and she was born in Willow Hill, Illinois, in 1906. Such longevity is truly special and certainly deserves to be recognized and respected. It is truly amazing to think of all that America has experienced in the past century and to know that Aggie has witnessed it all. In 1925, Aggie graduated from Robinson High School in Robinson, Illinois, where she served as Vice President of her senior class. She also wrote for the school newspaper and played intramural basketball and field hockey. On October 16, 1930, Aggie married Victor L. Smith. They would have one daughter, Emily Carol. Aggie went on to earn her Associate in Science degree from Vincennes University in 1967. Aggie then studied at Trinity College in Dublin during the summer of 1969. She also studied at American University in Washington D.C. as well as four other mid-western locations, including Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Illinois. During her life, Aggie has seen and experienced much. For instance, she was appointed as a Volunteer Services Director during World War II and traveled to Chicago on three occasions to attend conferences. She also witnessed the investiture of Prince Charles in Wales. Aggie has attended four Republican National Conventions in her lifetime. She was elected National Vice President of Delta Theta Tau philanthropic sorority. Aggie also proudly served the Illinois Daughters of the Revolution as Division VI director for two years. In 1987, Aggie was named a Distinguished Citizen by the Robinson Chamber of Commerce. Again, I rise today to celebrate Aggie Smith's 100th birthday and recognize her many accomplishments. I hope my colleagues will join me in wishing her many happy years to come.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 597, I was inadverently detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I come to the house floor today to pay tribute to William E. Lightfoot, PFC, of Lexington, IL, as well as the 13 other Navy and Marine Corps airmen of Flight 19. On December 5, 1945, a five-plane squadron took off from Ft. Lauderdale Naval Air Station in Florida. This would be the last time anyone would see these brave men, as all five planes mysteriously vanished while flying over the Bermuda triangle. A Mariner rescue plane, comprised of 14 crew members, was sent to look for survivors but they also vanished without a trace. In all, 27 men died in this unexplainable tragedy. To this day, no wreckage from any of the six planes has been found and no explanations have been realized. However, today, the House of Representatives approved H. Res. 500 to honor these men and recognize the 60th anniversary of the disappearance. Unfortunately, when this vote was called today, I was unable to cast my vote. Had I been able, I would have voted ``yes.'' I was a proud co-sponsor of this resolution and strongly support honoring these brave men. My heartfelt sympathy and admiration go out to Private William E. Lightfoot and his surviving family members.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 520 I was inadvertently detained. Had I been present, I would have vote ``yea.''

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 432 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the hardworking postal employees around the country and especially in my district. In the wake of passing the first postal reform bill in three and a half decades, I believe it is only appropriate to acknowledge the hard work and tireless effort of postal employees. The Postal Service has been around since 1775. It has come a long way since the days of the Pony Express and steamboats and despite the fact that e-mail and online bill paying are becoming increasingly popular, the United States Postal Service remains more vital than ever. I stand here today to deliver a heartfelt thank you to the men and women of the United States Postal Service. I think sometimes we take their efforts for granted. Their work is not only stressful at times, but it is their efforts in keeping all of our correspondence flowing smoothly that provides the glue that hold our communities together. The closing of a Post Office can be devastating to a small rural community, so I understand the importance of the preservation of this service. I feel strongly that my colleagues and I did a good thing last night when we passed the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. I urge all of my colleagues as well as every American to take the time out of the day and thank their local letter carrier or postmaster the next time they see them. In closing, I would like to thank all of the postal employees in the 15th district for their part in strengthening our communities. Their efforts are sincerely appreciated.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately yesterday, July 11, 2005, I was delayed in the Cincinnati Airport due to a mechanical failure of my plane, a parts swap, and a new plane having to be brought in for my flight from Cincinnati to Washington. There were no other flight options for me to arrive in Washington before the votes occurred on H. Con. Res. 168 (Rollcall No. 363) and H. Res. 333 (Rollcall No. 364). Had I been here to cast my votes, I would have voted ``aye'' on both H. Con. Res. 168 and H. Res. 333 and wish the Record to reflect as such. As a member of the Human Rights Caucus and a stern believer that every human being has certain irrevocable rights, I stand in strong favor of both of these pieces of legislation. We cannot and should not stand by as gross human rights violations such as the kidnappings in Korea and the genocide in Darfur continue. I applaud my colleagues, Representative Henry Hyde and Representative Donald Payne, for introducing these bills and bringing them to the floor for our consideration. Almost 3 years ago North Korean leader Kim Jong-l admitted that North Korea had ordered abductions of Japanese citizens and promised that it would never do so again. However, evidence has surfaced that the North Korean government has continued to order the abductions of numerous foreign citizens and has placed these captives, along with prisoners of war, in forced labor camps. To stand by and do nothing in response to these gross violations of human rights is unthinkable and this bill clearly states to Kim Jong-l and the North Korean government that the United States will not let this continue. I am also pleased that we were able to debate H. Res. 333. I have been a huge supporter of our past funding for aid to Darfur and our condemnation of the genocide occurring there and can think of no better way to compliment these actions than by praying for and reflecting on this horrible situation. The better we personally understand this situation, the better we as a Congress will be able to respond to and prevent situations such as these from occurring in the future. As a man of faith, I will stand with my family, my colleagues, and fellow citizens and pray for the people of Darfur and reflect on the ongoing atrocities that they face on a daily basis. Mr. Speaker, thank you again for allowing me to express my support for these two bills as I was unfortunately delayed on my way to Washington.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 367 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on April 25, 2005, the Illinois State University (ISU) Police lost one of its finest when Anthony ``Tony'' Hosey tragically died at the young age of 37. Yet in those 37 years Tony accomplished a great number of deeds significantly benefiting the safety and the welfare of his community. Tony Hosey twice received his department's highest honor, the ``Chief's Award of Merit-Meritorious Service Medal.'' In 2003, Tony played a strong role in ``Operation Shakespeare,'' which led to the seizure of over 2,000 tablets of Ecstasy, 121 grams of Ketamine, and 931 grams of GHB. The individuals arrested were responsible for the distribution of over 9,000 tablets of ``Ecstasy'' on the Illinois State University Campus. In 2004, he received the award for arresting 5 individuals responsible for the selling of 500 tablets of Ecstasy on the ISU campus: At the time of the arrest, they possessed 200 tablets of the drug. His work has allowed for a safer University and community, and has saved many individuals from falling victim to the devastating effects of drugs. While Tony's record speaks for itself, his numerous contributions to the community have impacted not only his fellow citizens, but also his peers. Illinois State Police Special Agent and friend Earl Chandler put it best when he said, ``I've never met or known anybody that was more of the epitome of what a good police officer should be.'' Yet beyond the job, Tony was a caring husband and father of four. He was a bodybuilder and motorcycle rider, but was described as being a ``gentle giant.'' His memorial website has been flooded with hundreds of reflections and it is with a thankful heart that I rise to pay tribute to Tony. His impact and sacrifice for his neighbors, friends, family, and community will never be forgotten.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Many people have recently seen and heard a lot of well deserved praise for the university's men's basketball team as Coach Bruce Weber guided the team to a record tying 37-2 record and place in the National Championship game. The season brought a great sense of pride to me, my staff, the university, the Urbana-Champaign community, and State as a whole. This praise was not only as a result of the great accomplishments of the team, but the manner in which the team went about achieving its goals. The players played with such heart and determination, all the while truly playing unselfishly as one cohesive unit, not as individual players. I would ask my colleagues to take this opportunity to congratulate and honor Coach Weber, his staff, and the young men who put on the uniforms and played the game the way it was meant to be played. While many Americans may have first been exposed to the university during this special basketball season, I have had the distinct privilege to represent the university for almost 30 years; first as a State Representative and now as a Congressman from the 15th District of Illinois. I would therefore like to rise today to also pay tribute and bring recognition to the other highly successful athletic programs and the highly recognized and honored academics at the university. Mr. Speaker, this year alone the university has been honored to be represented by the nationally ranked No. 2 men's tennis team, the No. 3 men's gymnastics team, the No. 6 men's wrestling team, the No. 14 women's soccer team, and the No. 20 women's cross country team. Let me take this time to honor and thank Coach Craig Tiley, Coach Yoshi Hayasaki, Coach Mark Johnson, Coach Janet Rayfield, Coach Karen Harvey, and all of the young men and women who have strived for greatness and brought a great deal of pride to me, my staff, the Urbana-Champaign community, and the university. While these are all great accomplishments, without the same degree of success in the academic realm, these feats would all be for naught. I am proud to say that the university, President B. Joseph White, Director of Athletics Ron Guenther, the faculty, the coaches, and the students at the University of Illinois have all helped make this one of the top academic institutions in the world and its graduates some of the most successful. In 2004 U.S. News & World Report ranked many undergraduate programs at Urbana-Champaign campus in their Top 10 in the country, including: accountancy, 1st, materials science, 1st, civil engineering, 2nd, computer engineering, 5th, real estate, 7th, and marketing, 10th. In 2003, the University of Illinois earned the distinction of being the only U.S. public university to have two of its faculty members, Anthony J. Leggett, physics, and Paul C. Lauterbur, medicine, win Nobel prizes in the same year. The list of distinguished alumni is far too long to include here, but it includes: CEO's, government officials, world class researchers, astronauts, and Pulitzer Prize winners, to name a just a few. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to everyone who is involved in the University of Illinois and to thank them for their dedication, hard work, and vision to make the 15th Congressional District, the State of Illinois, the Nation, and the world as a whole a better place to live for all of us.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on March 22, 1880 the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis opened St. Joseph's Hospital in Bloomington, Illinois. Today, 125 years later, OSF St. Joseph Hospital remains open and ready to care for the sick. From the very beginning, the Sisters faced adversity, but with the support of the community the hospital was able to endure. Even those outside the Sisters' religious community joined in caring for the sick, thus establishing a bond between the Sisters and the people of McLean County that is strong to this day. Over the past 125 years, St. Joseph's Hospital has seen its share of changes. A new St. Joseph's Hospital opened in March of 1968 along Veterans Parkway. Since then many additions have been made, including two new medical plazas, an advanced medicine center, new physician offices, a surgery wing, two urgent care clinics and a musculoskeletal center. In 1987, the hospital's name changed to OSF St. Joseph Medical Center. While the structure and name of St. Joseph's Hospital has changed, the desire and devotion of the Sisters, employees, volunteers and physicians to serve God's people has remained steadfast. In its 125-year history, OSF St. Joseph Medical Center has accumulated many accomplishments and ``firsts''. For example, the first successful blood transfusion and Caesarean section in Central Illinois occurred at St. Joseph's in 1929. In addition, St. Joseph's Hospital was home to the first radiation treatments in Bloomington-Normal. Today, OSF St. Joseph Medical Center cares for over 6,000 inpatients and 250,000 outpatients annually. They also welcome more than 800 babies every year. The Medical Center is now a nationally-recognized leader in the reduction of adverse drug events and surgical safety. Again Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the many generations of Sisters, employees, volunteers and physicians of OSF St. Joseph Medical Center. For 125 years this hospital has served as a tremendous example of the good that can be done when people come together to serve their communities.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on November 28, 2004, the people of Danville, Illinois lost a beloved community member in Harold Nicholas O'Neil. Harold came to Danville at the age of 17 to attend high school where he was the captain of the track team and played football. He was also a sergeant in World War II as well as an engineer on the C&EI Railroad and L&N Railroad for 41 years. Harold founded O'Neil Brothers Construction along with his brother William O'Neil in 1946. While his involvement in the bridge and road building business spanned nearly six decades Harold O'Neil will be remembered for more than his role as a trucking businessman. Harold was a lifetime member of the Danville Elks as well as the American Legion. He was a churchgoing man and a supporter and sponsor of youth athletics. In addition, Harold played a vital role in donating the River Bend Preserve to the Champaign Forest Preserve. In his 86 years, Harold O'Neil accomplished many great things. With his passing, Harold leaves three daughters and a community behind, but his contributions to the Danville area will be remembered for many years to come.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to state that it was my intention to vote against the objection raised against the electoral vote count in Ohio. Unfortunately, due to the timing of the vote, the short notice of the vote, and various weather related issues, I was unable to fly back to Washington, DC in time to cast my vote in the afternoon of January 6th. I am however, hand-delivering this message to the Clerk of the House in Washington, DC, today January 7th, in order to make my voice heard and to explain my absence. I wholeheartedly support the election results of 2004 and do not believe that this objection was the right course of action. Congress has repeatedly looked at the issue of election practices and fairness and has taken action where it sees fit; most recently with the Help America Vote Act. We will continue to look at these issues from the 2004 election and take necessary steps to ensure that our election process is a free, fair, and open one. I regret the fact that I was unable to cast my official vote, but it is my hope that these words will convey my strong beliefs on this issue and that by hand-delivering this message, my intent to personally partake in this debate will be reflected.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on October 10, 2004 the University of Illinois College of Agriculture lost one of the most influential leaders in its history. Orville G. Bentley served as Dean of the College from 1965-1982. When Mr. Bentley took the helm, the facilities of the College were below par, making it hard to retain graduate students and faculty. However, he quickly became the College's champion for improving research and teaching facilities and as a result, the College of Agriculture, is today among the best in the country. Apart from improvements on campus, Orville was most proud of the vital international work the University of Illinois provided during his tenure. Under his stewardship the University of Illinois made substantial contributions to creating new agricultural institutions in Africa and the Asian sub-continent. Dean Bentley left the University of Illinois in 1982 to join the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but he will be remembered as someone who always made time for his colleagues and thoroughly enjoyed welcoming visitors from different parts of the world. In his 17 years of service to the University of Illinois, Orville G. Bentley was instrumental in improving the College's facilities and in making Illinois a leader in the international agricultural arena. His contributions will be treasured and his character will be missed.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on September 21, 2004, Willard T. ``Bill'' Hodge got on his tractor to clear some brush and weeds from his farm. It would be the last time this prolific farmer would tend to his historic and treasured land, but his contributions to agriculture in Illinois will be remembered for many harvests to come. Bill Hodge started farming in Champaign County in 1956 on his farm in Seymour, Illinois, which to this day remains one of the oldest farms in the county. In the 1970's, Bill served on the Champaign County Zoning Board where he had the opportunity to venture from township to township listening to the concerns of area farmers. Mr. Hodge used this experience to come to Washington, DC to tell agriculture's story to members of Congress. He also served on former Representative Ed Madigan's Farm Advisory Committee. In 1981, The News Gazette named Bill Hodge Farm Leader of the Year. He served on the Champaign County Forest Preserve District from 1987 to 1993 during which he was credited for leading the district stably and successfully. Bill Hodge cared deeply about what was good for his fellow farmer. This intertwined with his interest in local politics as he made successful efforts to get his colleagues involved in the process. While many in Champaign County feel the loss of Bill Hodge, comfort can be taken in the fact that he passed away on a gorgeous Tuesday in September doing what he loved the most. Whether it was tending to his own farm or helping the agriculture community in Champaign County, Bill Hodge always left the land in better shape than he found it. He will truly be missed.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 527 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Stated against:

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on February 1, 2005, James J. Stukel, will be retiring after 10 years of service as President of the University of Illinois. From his days as a teaching assistant in 1961 to his appointment as President in 1995, in his 43 years of service James Stukel has strived to make the University better. Without question, he has succeeded. As University President, James Stukel has remained steadfast in his commitment to enrich undergraduate education. Under his guidance, the University expanded access to thousands of students through the creation of the University of Illinois--Online system. In addition, the creation of the University of Illinois at Springfield has provided access for an additional 4,500 students. President Stukel was also tremendously successful in securing increased funding for academic purposes for the University. Under his leadership, the University of Illinois has established itself as one of the world's leading research institutions, meriting a national ranking as high as 5th and no lower than 7th in terms of federal research and development dollars received by any institution. On his watch, federal support for the University of Illinois has doubled. President Stukel has strengthened the bonds between the University and the citizens of Illinois by logging over 200,000 miles and conducting 50 daylong community visits throughout the State. This unprecedented effort exemplifies why President Stukel is known as ``the people's president''. Thus, it is truly impossible to quantify the number of people who have benefited under President James J. Stukel's guidance of the University of Illinois. However, as one of those positively affected and as an alumnus of the University, I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to President James J. Stukel. He will be truly missed.

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois

Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of our 40th President and Illinois native, Ronald Reagan, and in strong support of H. Res. 664. Many words come to mind when President Reagan's name is invoked; principled, loyal, patriotic, compassionate, caring, and humble, to name a few. His philosophy in life was the same philosophy that he employed in his approach to politics and government; believe in the good of people, believe that what is right will eventually triumph, believe in the value of each and every human life, and believe in the strength and the power of freedom and individual liberty. He once said that ``America is too great for small dreams''. He truly saw our great Nation as the shining city on the hill and as the beacon of freedom for oppressed people throughout the world. Nowhere else in the world and at no other time or place in history has one nation been so prepared and had the means to promote freedom, peace, and stability than the United States does right now. Ours is a heavy burden but one that must be borne. Reagan understood that. He also once said that ``you can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans''. In this simple way, he told us that, in the end, character is what matters and that life is really a series of simple choices between what is right and what is wrong. No one person is responsible for another person's destiny. It is the choices that we make everyday that we must account for. Reagan believed, as I do, that an individual's personal initiative and the willingness to accept the consequences and rewards for their actions and, most importantly, the freedom to do so, is what make our Nation great. He believed in people. He believed in America. He traveled to towns in what is now my Congressional district, like Charleston, Illinois in 1976 and Mattoon, Illinois in 1980 because every person was important to him. The people in rural Illinois and similar places across the country believed in him, because he believed in them. He often asked, ``did we forget that government is the people's business, and every man, woman and child becomes a shareholder with the first penny of taxes paid?'' Reagan constantly promoted this philosophy of government. The government of the United States belongs to all of us and public servants have an obligation to the people to be good stewards of their dollars, uphold the Constitution, and protect them from all enemies both foreign and domestic. He believed in peace. When naysayers told him that building our military and our nuclear arsenal would finally push us into a war with the former Soviet Union, he knew that principled diplomacy, firm, yet reasonable rhetoric, the economic power of our nation, and the promotion of freedom would bring communism to its knees. And when it did, he called on the scientific community who gave us nuclear weapons to ``direct their talents to the cause of mankind and world peace to give us the means of rendering these nuclear weapons impotent and obsolete.'' He believed in peace through strength and he proved that it works. I will miss President Reagan and I send my deepest sympathies and condolences to his family with the thanks for sharing him with me and the rest of the nation. He inspired many. He lived by example. Rest in peace, Mr. President.