Marcy Kaptur

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in support of the housing discrimination lawsuit filed against the Federal National Mortgage Association yesterday, Monday, by the National Fair Housing Alliance and 20 local fair housing organizations across our Nation. The lawsuit properly alleges Fannie Mae purposely failed to maintain its foreclosed properties in African American and Latino neighborhoods to the same condition as it maintains properties in Caucasian neighborhoods. Over 20 cities were involved in this filing, and investigations revealed severe maintenance issues in communities of color, in contrast to Freddie Mac, which maintains its properties at a much higher standard in all neighborhoods. With a net income of over $45 billion over the last 2 years, Fannie Mae remains one of the largest issuers of single-family, mortgage- related securities. This year, Fannie Mae reported holding over 40 million foreclosed properties, many of which they do not maintain. So why hasn't Fannie Mae maintained its foreclosed properties in African American and Latino communities? They certainly have enough profits to do so. May the judges rule in favor of Fannie Mae meeting its public responsibilities to the communities of this country as soon as possible.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Assessment Act, an important bill to promote and preserve the sunken treasures of the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes have an amazing naval history which is unknown and unseen by too many Americans. Steamboats on the Great Lakes provided a route west for immigrants as they settled what was then called the Northwest Territory. As cities grew, Great Lakes ships and barges carried the timber, coal, and ore that fueled America's industrial might. As commerce increased, so too did the number of ships which succumbed to the unpredictable and sometimes foreboding weather on the Lakes. Today, thousands of shipwrecks are scattered across the floor of the Great Lakes, including the remains of one of America's first great naval victories, the Battle of Lake Erie. Despite this amazing heritage, only one marine sanctuary exists in the Great Lakes. The Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary, located in Lake Huron off the coast of Alpena, Michigan, has been a major economic driver for the area, spurring tourism, research, and educational opportunities. This bill builds on the success of Thunder Bay by setting the stage to establish additional sanctuaries across the Great Lakes. It directs the Administrator of NOAA to identify underwater areas throughout the Lakes that possess significant historical and archaeological resources and recommend whether they should be designated as National Marine Sanctuaries. Preserving the cultural legacy of our region is an important component of caring for our Great Lakes. Marine sanctuaries will protect this history while providing the additional benefits of driving economic development and providing jobs to our region. I look forward to working with my colleagues to achieve these goals.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the commissioning of the USS John P. Murtha, the new naval vessel named in honor of the late Congressman Jack Murtha, who will fondly be remembered as a decorated combat Marine, statesman, and dear friend to colleagues on both sides of the aisle. On Saturday, October 8, 2016 in Philadelphia, PA, the Navy's 10th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, named the USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26), was commissioned by his beloved widow Mrs. Joyce Murtha and daughter Ms. Donna Murtha. During his 58 years of service to our nation, 38 in the U.S. Marine Corps and 35 as a Member of U.S. Congress from Johnstown, PA, Rep. Murtha was an indefatigable champion for the Armed Services, rising in 1989 to chair the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. His detailed knowledge of the U.S. military, deep friendships across the various services, respect from his Congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and wry sense of humor drew people to him and made him a highly effective lawmaker. Jack was a father of three children, the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to Congress, recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, and staunch representative of his people. His own wartime experience as a battalion staff officer in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, gave him deep insight into the political and military complexities of modern warfare. An author, From Vietnam to 9/11: On the Front Lines of National Security with a New Epilogue on the Iraq War, he wrote: The Congress-- the people's branch of government--has an obligation to make an independent assessment of key foreign policy issues. The way we go about collecting, analyzing, and using intelligence information is one of the most important determinants of our success or failure in world events. Unfortunately, it is a lesson we have had to learn too often, at a heavy price in American blood and treasure. What is certain, is that intelligence must always be used as a tool of statecraft, not as a political tool. As this ship performs its missions on behalf of the American people, I have full confidence Jack Murtha's patriotic and strong spirit-- Semper Fidelis--will be guiding the vessel if it encounters troubled waters as it navigates toward fair winds and following seas. I include in the Record the remarks of Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi given at the commissioning of the USS John P. Murtha.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank Ranking Member Pallone for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which dedicates more than $6 billion to implement key health priorities, such as combating the heroin and prescription opioid epidemic across this country and the Vice President's Cancer Moonshot. It also takes steps to improve mental health, including provisions that build on the work of the President's Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force and policies to further modernize the drug approval process. This will mean so much to the researchers across this country who are trying to unlock the mysteries of the human brain and heal. The legislation includes $1 billion over 2 years, including $500 million in fiscal year 2017, to combat the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic as well. The legislation dedicates support for other key research initiatives with the goal of helping researchers find new ways to treat, cure, and prevent brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury. This legislation includes a much-needed renewed emphasis on evidence- based strategies for treating serious mental illness, improved coordination between primary care and behavioral health services, reauthorization of important programs focused on suicide prevention and other prevention services, and mental health and substance use disorder parity provisions. I would like to thank Dr. Joseph Calabrese at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and my good friend, Representative Tim Murphy, who came to Ohio and hosted a roundtable on mental health that can be added to this major bill in order to move America forward. I thank Chairman Fred Upton, knowing the deep commitment that he has to so many Americans who desperately need the help that this bill will provide. Again, to Congressman Frank Pallone of New Jersey, I want to compliment both men for working together to do something great for this country for so many Americans who are desperate to find answers for those who are ill. I want to thank Congresswoman Diana DeGette of Colorado who has shepherded this to this point. Although not perfect or complete, this legislation offers advances in health that greatly outweigh any concerns we might have. I am proud to add my strong support for 21st Century Cures Act.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Foster for yielding the time. I am deeply honored to rise today in an official capacity, but also personally, to pay tribute to the patriotic and fearless soldiers, heroes and heroines, of the OSS. Their worthiness to be awarded this Congressional Gold Medal by our Nation for heroism in battle is long overdue. Over 13,000 exceptional Americans comprise the Office of Strategic Services formed clandestinely during World War II by President Franklin Roosevelt. Roosevelt aimed to create a corps of specially trained intelligence warriors to help win that harrowing conflict. For these many decades since the end of World War II, the secrecy of the OSS and its member soldiers have been maintained. I can attest to this. Our family's beloved Uncle Tony, full name Anthony Rogowski, our mother's brother, was selected as one of its members. He was a corporal and his medals include: Army Good Conduct, American Theater Medal, Pacific Theater Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and Distinguished Unit badge; Army Serial Number: 35-33-943. He is buried in a simple grave at Calvary Cemetery in Toledo, Ohio, with a gravestone marker provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Yes, there is an Army crest on its facing. But there is nothing there, nor in any other location, that would tell his family, or those who will inherit our Nation in the years ahead, what a brilliant man and brave soldier he was. After his death, it was my particular privilege to present his precious leather flight jacket to his daughter, RoseAnn Rogowski Koperski, and his son, John Rogowski of Toledo. Uncle Tony was part of the elite OSS, trained rigorously as warfighters. We still do not know where he was trained. We know he was dispatched to the Pacific front, flown over the hump in the China-Burma-India campaign. He parachuted at night behind enemy lines under fire as he hit the ground to gather intelligence. He drove Jeeps filled with dynamite to the front along the Burma Road, fighting to cut off the supply of oil to the Japanese military. Our bill recognizes OSS Detachment 101 that operated in Burma and pioneered the art of unconventional warfare. It was the first United States unit to deploy a large guerrilla army deep in enemy territory. It has been credited with the highest kill/loss ratio for any infantry- type unit in American military history and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. Our uncle was knifed in a foxhole in Burma by a soldier from the Imperial Japanese Army, wounded badly, and he suffered throughout his life with terrible malaria bouts and flashbacks contracted in theatre. He passed away in his mid 50s, far too young, of poor health, all due to war injuries. He was never recognized or acknowledged for his heroism, like the other men and women who valiantly fought as members of the OSS. I loved Uncle Tony. He was a complicated man with a rare and devilish sense of humor and a hearty laugh and grin. You just knew on meeting him there was depth, as well as honor. He was war wise, sharing gripping stories about the war when I was a child, peppered with his own conclusions about the merit of the conflicts in which he participated. His letters sent home during the war to our mother, which she kept banded in a special corner of our parents' cedar chest, were unusual. Parts of the letters had been cut out by his superiors; others had lines that were blackened out so as not to reveal his location or any aspect of what he was doing. As a child, that fascinated me, though I did not completely understand what it meant. His family never really knew where he was deployed nor how he arrived where he was sent. He never revealed the specific details of what he actually did. And now through this legislation, sponsored by my dear friend and colleague, Ohio Congressman Bob Latta, and 320 other Members, on a bipartisan basis, we now make America's military history more whole and complete. Frankly, it is the highest honor to pay just tribute to the OSS members, though long overdue. As I participate in the passage of this legislation, I am reminded of how America's greatest strength is the weaving together of intergenerational experience from one era to another within our families and communities and then extended to the American family.

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman. Today, in the gallery, we have noble veterans of the OSS. We know our Nation stands on your broad shoulders. Through their patriotism and sacrifice, America still is a young nation but is growing and is keeping what we have learned close to our hearts. In paying Gold Medal tribute to the members of the OSS, America honors those who bequeathed precious liberty to us, and we must carry that torch forward as it was carried at such a great price by our forebears. I would like to acknowledge Charles Pinck, whose father served as a member of the OSS, for his commitment to educate the public about this valiant group. May God bless the members of the OSS, their families and friends. May our efforts here award them the Gold they so nobly, royally, and selflessly earned, and may God continue to bless America.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in alarm over the stacking of Wall Street insiders in top positions for the incoming administration. During his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump said the system is rigged. He said hedge fund managers are ``getting away with murder'' and that he would ``tax Wall Street'' and called Washington, D.C., corrupt and promised to ``drain the swamp.'' President-elect Trump even closed his campaign with a political ad bashing Goldman Sachs. Yet now, according to media reports, he has chosen a second- generation Goldman Sachs partner, Steven Mnuchin, to serve as Treasury Secretary. He will take the post most responsible for watching and regulating the dangerous, high-risk, high-stakes gambling behavior of Wall Street, which he has himself engaged in for decades. He worked at Goldman Sachs for 17 years. His father worked there. His brother still works there, and he frequently returns for alumni and social gatherings. He was named the ``Foreclosure King'' after buying up the remains of IndyMac, a California-based mortgage lender, and evicted approximately 36,000 people who could not keep up their mortgage payments. The last three administrations have had Goldman executives at the helm inside the White House and Treasury. While President-elect Trump promises to drain the swamp, he is not doing it. He is enlarging it.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this season of thanksgiving when we are especially grateful for family and friends to pay tribute to one such friend, The Honorable David A. Katz. Judge Katz passed from this life during the summer on July 26, 2016. A justice with the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Judge Katz was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994 and had served on senior status since 2005. His tenure was marked by strong jurisprudence and included his tireless perseverance of a new federal courthouse in Toledo. A highly regarded and well respected jurist, the flags flew at half staff the day after his death to honor his public service. In issuing the order, chief judge for the Northern District of Ohio Solomon Oliver, Jr. summed up Judge Katz' service most succinctly when he stated, ``Judge Katz' contribution to our court has been immeasurable. He came to the court with a keen sense of fairness and a very large dose of common sense. He could always be counted on. He was highly respected by the lawyers in the community. Though he had many strengths, one of his greatest was his ability to resolve complex cases involving multiple parties. As Chief Judge, I often sought and received his wise counsel. Every judge on our court highly valued David's friendship. We will all miss him greatly.'' David Katz was born in Toledo to parents Ruth and Samuel Katz and raised in Findlay, Ohio. He married Joan Siegel in 1955. He graduated from Ohio State University's College of Law in 1957. He began private practice with the Toledo firm of Spengler Nathanson where he ably practiced until his judicial appointment. Strong in his faith and proud of his Jewish heritage, Judge Katz gave of his time and talents to the Toledo Jewish Community Foundation, where the David A. Katz Philanthropic Fund was established. Even with all of the public accolades, Judge Katz' proudest and most important achievement was his family. A family man to his core, he cherished his wife, their children, grandchildren and great- granddaughter above all else. Though a public man and elder statesman whose imprimatur is writ large through the decisions he rendered and his contributions to our community, his true legacy is given to his family. As his family and friends remember Judge David A. Katz in thanksgiving for his life, we recall the words in the poem by Sylvan Kamens & Rabbi Jack Riemer, entitled We Remember Them. At the rising sun and at its going down; We remember them. At the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter; We remember them. At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring; We remember them. At the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer; We remember them. At the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of the autumn; We remember them. At the beginning of the year and when it ends; We remember them. As long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us as We remember them. When we are weary and in need of strength; We remember them. When we are lost and sick at heart; We remember them. When we have decisions that are difficult to make; We remember them. When we have joy we crave to share; We remember them. When we have achievements that are based on theirs; We remember them. For as long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us as, We remember them.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I am one of those Americans who is very concerned about the conflict of interest that the President-elect faces as he assumes office. I don't think we have ever elected someone to office in this country with his vast wealth, but I must say, as ranking member on the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, let me give you one area which causes me concern: where he will separate his private interest from the public interest. The committee on which I rank handles the Army Corps of Engineers' budget, and we don't have enough money to deal with all the projects around the country, some of which are backed up 20 years. What happens if Mar-a-Lago in Florida faces flooding--or any of the other coastal properties that the President-elect owns--and the Army is trying to make a decision on where to place Federal funds? Will his properties take precedence over thousands of other projects around the country that have been backlogged for years? I think it is really important that the President-elect create a blind trust and put all of his assets in there. Obviously, he will have a good life in the years ahead, but we simply must not allow the private interests of any American to pollute the public decisions that this country must make.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th anniversary of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 129 of Lorain, Ohio. This is an incredibly significant centennial milestone of labor history in northern Ohio. Since 1916, IBEW Local 129 has served northern Ohio with distinction, providing the highest quality of electrical work and providing power to the residents of the Lorain-Elyria area. Its members continue to dedicate their careers to the advancement of wages, benefits and working conditions for all electrical workers. The history of this organization dates back to March 1, 1916 when the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 129 was chartered in Elyria, Ohio. The founding eleven brothers were: Henry Therman, H.R. Ward, Gus Pallas, A.J. Miller, I.W. Horton, Ray Ward, J.W. Bareholmen, John Keishair, F.A. Lawrence, A.E. Gramholz and C. Pallas. Beginning wages were roughly $0.12/hour--which was far greater than an unorganized laborer in those days. In 1917, IBEW Local 627 Lorain was formed under the leadership of Organizer Boyle from Local 129. By the time 1930 rolled around, the membership numbers and work available to the two locals was not what either had anticipated. After much deliberation and negotiation, Local 129 of Elyria absorbed Local 627 of Lorain and, under one banner became the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 129 of Lorain, Ohio. The skilled men and women of IBEW Local 129 have contributed their time and talents to many notable projects including: The National Tube Company, Fruehauf Trailer Plant at Avon Lake, United States Steel, The Ford Manufacturing Plant, local commercial developments like O'Neil's Shopping Center, Lorain County Schools, Lorain and the surrounding area hospitals, American Shipbuilding, Cleveland Electric Illuminating, and B.F. Goodrich, to name a few. IBEW founder Henry Miller envisioned a union of electrical workers banded together toward the goal of improved safety, wages and working conditions for the brotherhood. A century later, his legacy stands tall through the brothers and sisters of Local 129. We offer our heartiest congratulations to IBEW Local 129 in celebration of its rich history and thank you for working to illuminate our world over the last 100 years

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 125th Anniversary of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 8 of Toledo, Ohio. This is an incredibly significant milestone of labor history in Northwest Ohio. Since 1891, IBEW Local 8 has served northwest Ohio with distinction, providing the highest quality of electrical work and providing power to the residents of Northwest Ohio. Its members continue to dedicate their careers to the advancement of wages, benefits and working conditions for all electrical workers. IBEW Local 8's skilled technicians are committed to building our communities forward. The deep history of IBEW Local 8 shows that the Toledo Chapter was one of the first-ever locals chartered in the United States, established at the founding of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers nationally. The skilled men and women of IBEW Local 8 have contributed their time and talents to many notable projects in Northwest Ohio. Committed to quality workmanship, their skills have been critical to the development of industry throughout our region. IBEW founder Henry Miller envisioned a union of electrical workers banded together toward the goal of improved safety, wages and working conditions for the brotherhood. A century later, his legacy stands tall through the brothers and sisters of Local 8. We offer our heartiest congratulations to IBEW Local 8 in celebration of its rich history and thank you for working to illuminate our world over the last 125 years.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 40th Anniversary of the Jamaican Social Club of Toledo, Ohio. I was pleased to join in the celebration of the milestone anniversary in our community. Since 1976, the Jamaican Social Club has served northwest Ohio and southern Michigan as an organization dedicated to charity, education, social and scientific purposes. Since its inception, the Jamaican Social Club has promoted a better understanding and cooperation among all cultures and citizens in the region. Almost one year after being founded as a non-profit, multicultural organization in the State of Ohio, the Hon. Harry Kessler, Mayor of the City of Toledo at the time, proclaimed the first week in August ``Jamaican Independence Week'' and called upon citizens of Toledo to join the organization in celebration. The Jamaican Social Club has given consistently of its time and talents over the past 40 years and has donated hundreds of volunteer hours each year to assist those in need. For example, at the devastation of Hurricane Gilbert in Jamaica, the Jamaican Social Club, through its support from General Mills, donated one trailer load of cereals to hurricane victims in Jamaica. Two truck-loads of hospital beds and equipment, donations by Toledo area hospitals, were shipped to two hospitals in Jamaica. In addition, athletic uniforms and equipment, books and pencils have been donated to several schools in Jamaica, including four computers, which were donated to Trench Town School in Kingston and one to Harry Watch School in Manchester, Jamaica. Over the years, several scholarships have been awarded to high school students in the Toledo area for excellent achievement, and the organization sponsors a ``Dreams for Teens'' TV talent show designed to enhance students with exceptional ability to perform competitively. Winners of this talent competition are offered prizes and scholarships. Periodic donations are made to Toledo's homeless shelters as well. The Jamaican Social Club serves as a liaison between the Citizens of Toledo and its authorities and the people and Government of Jamaica, and offers assistance to newly arrived immigrants to get adjusted in their communities. The Jamaican Social Club has hosted several Jamaican diplomats as well as many other guests from Jamaica; Toronto, Canada; Baltimore, MD; New York, NY; and Indianapolis. IN; to the city of Toledo. We offer our heartiest congratulations to the Jamaican Social Club for its rich history and wonderful contributions to our region over the last 40 years.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, we in the industrial Midwest and Great Lakes heartland know firsthand why the Presidential election was so hard fought and close in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Our reasoning has endured a grim reality with a decades-long economic struggle to produce good jobs with good wages and benefits, but what we have experienced is a continuous outsourcing of millions of jobs to penny-wage sweatshops in Mexico, China, Bangladesh, and beyond. To the people of America's heartland, it feels like jobs are being moved just about everywhere but into the Midwest and Great Lakes. Daily we witness trainloads of imports flooding into our Nation, as closed and protected markets abroad block mutual exchange of exports. America hasn't had balanced trade accounts for three decades, and workers in those nations struggle to survive on measly wages and without spare cash cannot buy much of what they produce anyway. Meanwhile, pink-slipped U.S. workers have endured a painful toll-- annual wages now $7,000 less per year on average in northern Ohio-- while the cost of education expenses, health care, and everyday life rise and further squeeze pocketbooks. Please don't tell us robots took the jobs. This daily reality was the major backdrop to this recent election and deserves closer attention in the coming days. America's trade policy must result in trade balances, new jobs here, and preferably trade surpluses for our country, not job loss. That policy must be fashioned on the fundamental value of free and fair trade among free people.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a milestone in the life of Wesley United Methodist Church in Toledo, Ohio. I was privileged to participate in the congregation's celebration this weekend. In 1891, the Reverend Homer Hood found a church building on the corner of Spring Street in Toledo. He established a Sunday school class there, and the church community grew. A decade later, women of the WTCU began selling ten cent doughnuts to raise funds to build a church of their own. In 1924, the cornerstone of Wesley United Methodist Church was laid at 2934 Stickney Avenue in the heart of Toledo's North End, the oldest part of the city. The church was raised and Wesley United Methodist Church has been firmly planted at this location ever since. Even in the dark days of America's Great Depression, the congregation grew. Notably, John G. Kingsley made the mortgage payments, at the cost of his own business. Fortunately, he was able to restart his business later. Throughout the 1940s the church continued to grow. As World War II carried on in that decade, many members were part of the war effort, with some giving the ultimate sacrifice in battle. The 1950s and 1960s saw continuing growth, mission work, choirs and a junior church with two active youth groups. The 1970s and 1980s brought change, but the church remained an anchor in the neighborhood and provided outreach. The church welcomed its first female minister to the pulpit, with Dr. Margaret Mallory's installation in her first congregation. The 1990s brought further change and a partnership with Broadway United Methodist Church that lasted briefly. The congregation also celebrated a glorious 100th anniversary in 1991. The dawn of the congregation's life in a third century brought Pastor Waverly Earley, whose service continues to this day. The congregation is committed to being ``the hands and feet of Jesus'' in our community. Parishioners describe themselves as a ``caring family, closely knitted together and striving to serve God in all ways that are possible.'' Living Jesus Christ's message described in Matthew 25:40 that ``Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,'' the church is committed to active ministry and is involved in the North Toledo Citizens Circle for ex- offenders, host of Camp Toledo, and Toledo Area Ministries' Feed Your Neighbor's largest site. The church's Mary/Martha Circle continues its behind-the-scenes mission efforts to help support the congregation. The church offers a participatory youth group and youth choir and recently added a Men's Group and a men's chorus. Family is the focus with family movie nights, ice cream socials, harvest dinners, outdoor services, Vacation Bible School and milestone celebrations of faith. Wesley United Methodist Church congregants declare that they are ``serving God and mankind with our SWEAT.'' That is, ``Service, Worship, Evangelism, Alliances, and Teachings.'' For more than a century, its members have brought that zeal to its neighborhood in North Toledo, serving as a beacon of hope and light. As the congregation celebrated 125 years of rich history, it looks forward with faith continuing its journey with Jesus.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Chabot for yielding. It is really a pleasure to be here with him this evening and to pay tribute to a wonderful, wonderful Congressman, Steve LaTourette, from the great State of Ohio. Obviously, we return here this evening to Congress following an election in which new depths of feverish partisanship were reached in the country, and I feel humbled to speak in tribute to our late Republican colleague and friend, Ohio Congressman Steve LaTourette. He was a lawyer's lawyer. He was very, very intelligent and a very effective lawmaker, and he remained a loyal Republican. But at the same time, he exemplified, as Congressman Chabot has said, the importance of compromise and negotiation to the political process for the sake of the Republic and the American people. He always prioritized his constituents over partisan concerns, and he built alliances with House Members of all stripes in pursuit of the common good. He always conducted himself with a warm smile and a witty manner throughout, and he always had a good word. I remember how he sort of looked at you from above his glasses when he would get out of a committee meeting, always with a broad smile. It was an honor and a privilege to have served for so many years in the same Ohio delegation as Steve. He exhibited so much love for our State and endeavored to help all Ohioans, even those not in his constituency. In many ways, he was not just a representative for the 19th and then the 14th District of Ohio, but a representative for all of Ohio, as he effectively worked on our Committee on Appropriations. One of my fondest passions has been to champion the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative that focuses on the Great Lakes region, and it often brought us together to work to promote investment in the world's largest freshwater ecosystem, with 95 percent of our Nation's freshwater and serving over 30 million Americans; 1\1/2\ million jobs, and $62 billion in wages are generated in this Great Lakes nation each year. Steve understood the immense environmental and economic importance of the Great Lakes to the region and our Nation because he came from northern Ohio. It was a real pleasure to work with Steve to champion our Great Lakes issues. I recall on another front, in 2005, following cuts to the Pentagon's budget, it was announced that 1,200 jobs at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service in the Federal office building in Cleveland, Ohio, were to be cut and shipped out to Indianapolis. Steve was able not only to successfully lobby the Defense Department to preserve the jobs, but with his great chutzpah, he secured an expansion of the office's size by over 600 jobs the following year. Many of those employees are now my constituents, and I know they retain, as I do, a deep gratitude for Steve's vital intervention. He put the same type of effort into so many projects: the Inner Belt Bridge in Cleveland, the Port of Cleveland, and so much more in northeastern Ohio and throughout our State. These local examples are demonstrative of the ideals and goals that motivated Steve in the wider, national political context, prioritizing the public interest and working with anyone and everyone to get things done. The list is extensive. Steve was one of just seven Republicans to vote against stripping the National Public Radio of all public funding. He had courage. He advocated for a mixed and pragmatic approach to deficit reduction. He blocked legislation aimed at weakening worker protection, and he voted in favor of an increase in unemployment benefits as the Great Recession began to bite. The list goes on. He was a loyal Republican, but he also represented his region. Yet Steve was critical and, frankly, heartsick about the stark political divide now found in the House and also of the tone in which that divide and debate is conducted. I was filled with an immense sense of regret and sadness upon his decision not to seek reelection in 2012, especially because of his reason. He had ``reached the conclusion that the atmosphere'' in the House ``no longer encourages the finding of common ground.'' His comments remain highly resonant today: If this Chamber was not able to create a space and forge an environment in which Representative LaTourette felt able to serve, then how can we expect to pursue the public good to help the people of this great Nation? Steve's tragic and courageous death must serve as a calling to us all to constantly recall America's promises and for what purpose we serve in this great House. When Steve passed away, a leading light of bipartisanship was extinguished. As we embark upon a new political chapter in Washington, let us all do our best to rekindle that fire in his memory. I thank Congressman Chabot for yielding to me and for arranging for this Special Order in tribute to our dear friend, Steve LaTourette.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, here we are a few short weeks before national elections, so it is a good time to take account of the outlandish flood of money pouring into the Presidential campaign. The American people don't want this out-of-control spending anymore. Why should it cost 16 times more to conduct an election in 2016 than it did in 1980 in inflation-adjusted dollars? The last time I looked, we still have just one President, 100 Senators, and 435 Congressional Districts. So why the outlandish increase in campaign spending? The public gets sick and tired of the TV campaign ads. It costs a fortune. All the while, the public is becoming more disillusioned and distrustful of our very instruments of government. We need campaign finance reform. It is far too much that candidates have to raise today. Actually, in 1980, it cost $107 million for President Carter and President Reagan to conduct that Presidential campaign. Already this year, $1.6 billion has been spent--16 times as much as 1980. It is no surprise that, of the largest givers of the financial industry, not one of them has gone to jail after the financial crash of 2008. My constitutional amendment, H.J. Res. 38, grants Congress and our States the power to set limits on the amounts of contributions and expenditures with respect to candidates in Federal, State, and local elections. So when the Presidential candidates pass through your town, ask them exactly what they intend to do about out-of-control campaign spending and when they intend to do it. How about making campaign finance reform the first bill they send up to Congress in 2017 as H.R. 1.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I thank Congressman Joyce for yielding, and I urge strong support of his amendment. I thank him for his vigilant and necessary championing of our Great Lakes, the largest body of freshwater on the face of the Earth. I want to thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, and Subcommittee Chairman Gibbs for helping us to elevate to national importance and to large numbers of our citizenry the sheer magnitude of what these freshwater seas actually represent for our country and the world. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has been very effective in beginning to address the severe and unique concerns confronting our Great Lakes. During the first 5 years of GLRI, Federal agencies and their partners removed 42 beneficial-use-impairment listings in 17 areas of concern, quadrupling the number of beneficial use impairments removed in the preceding 22 years. For example, this year the Environmental Protection Agency made an important designation at the Black River area of concern near Lorain, Ohio. It is the largest EPA GLRI investment, and it will bring that area of concern to completion, an area so critically damaged by decades of industrial waste that drains directly into Lake Erie, our life source. Programs like the GLRI, which have proven effective, deserve our praise and support. As such, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of Mr. Joyce's amendment to protect one of our greatest national and global treasures, the Great Lakes, which represent and contain 20 percent of the world's freshwater. Just to put it on the record, God isn't making any more freshwater. This equals 20% of all that exists. We have to take care of it and shepherd it into the future.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill that addresses two problems: the disparity in access to clinical observation experiences for pre-medical school students and the severe shortage of physicians at VA hospitals. By creating a pre-med observation (shadowing) program within the VA, we both expand access to medical observation opportunities, particularly for underrepresented populations such as minority or rural-based students, and expose America's future doctors to the Veteran health system, increasing awareness of job opportunities within the VA. When applying to medical school, students who have spent time observing, or shadowing, physicians in a clinical setting have an advantage both with admissions and in deciding on a future specialty. It is recommended applicants have more than 40 hours of observational experience to be competitive. Opportunities to observe however are limited and vary widely between universities and hospitals. Students who are from, or attend schools in rural areas, who are from low economic status, or whose families lack connections within the medical community often find it harder to attain observation hours and are disadvantaged in medical school admissions, contributing to the lack of diversity in our medical professions. Universities and hospitals with organized pre-med experience or clinician observation programs report having a significantly more diversified participation pool than those who rely purely on personal connections to attain observation opportunities. On the medical side, the VA is chronically short physicians. In fact, more than 5,100 additional physicians are needed across the VA system as of August 2015, and annually they recruit for over 41,000 positions throughout their medical facilities. This leads to increased wait times and decreased patient care. To fill these positions, the VA must compete with private hospitals that often are able to make more lucrative offers to prospective hires. By incorporating an organized clinician observation program into the VA, future physicians will be exposed to the unique problems of U.S. veteran healthcare and the VA will create a pool of potential medical professional recruits. Early exposure will encourage future participation either as veteran physicians themselves or advocates within the community. The VA will simultaneously be helping the next generation of physicians gain valuable experience and addressing their physician shortage problem.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I thank the fine ranking member, Mr. DeFazio, for yielding time, and I rise to discuss the important role of the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Seaway as our Nation's freshwater superhighway, a vital economic and security passageway for our Nation. When the WRDA bill was considered by the Senate, an important reference was included in that bill recognizing the role of the Seaway in U.S.-Canadian maritime trade, as well as global commerce from the heartland. That language authorizes a GAO study of the Seaway's potential to expand economic activity envisioning increased exports, expanded tourism, and a modernized transportation network in a secure operational system. As the bill moves forward, I would urge the House to incorporate, in any final measure, the directive provisions relating to the Saint Lawrence Seaway's unmet economic potential. I thank my colleagues on the Great Lakes Task Force, particularly Co- chair Mike Kelly, who was down here earlier, and David Joyce for their continued hard work and commitment to our region of the country. I thank Ranking Member DeFazio for his support of this effort. And I thank Chairman Shuster for his leadership.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a momentous occasion in the life of the Sylvania congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis. The Sylvania Sisters of St. Francis are celebrating their centennial year in 2016 and Saturday September 24, 2016, the Sisters and our community came together in a centennial celebration honoring the Franciscans' 100 years of service in our community. It was Bishop Joseph Schrembs of the Toledo Catholic Diocese who initially requested religious sisters to teach the children of Polish immigrants in Toledo's Catholic Schools. On December 8, 1916, the Sylvania Franciscans were founded as a province of the Sisters of St. Francis in Rochester, Minnesota. The Sisters were stationed at St. Hedwig School in the North End of Toledo and a hub of Polish life in the city. After 89 acres of land was purchased in 1917 through the Rochester community, the Sisters were formally established in Sylvania, Ohio and were known as the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception and were led by Mother Adelaide. In the century that followed, the Sylvania Franciscans branched out from their original call to teach the city's Polish immigrant children to sharing the Franciscan presence in ministries spanning health care, housing, human services and pastoral care in addition to education. The Sisters' work is carried forth in eight states and the country of Haiti with 150 Sisters serving our human family. The Sisters' ministries are founded on the ``core values of reverence, service, community, stewardship.'' The Franciscan Sisters are called ``like Francis of Assisi to live the Gospel in joyful servanthood among all people. The Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, as messengers of peace, commit themselves to works that reverence human dignity, embrace the poor and marginalized, and respect the gift of all creation.'' Living Christ's message described in Matthew 25:40 ``whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'' The Sylvania Sisters of St. Francis come to their centennial year as an integral part of our community. Their imprimatur is seen everywhere, from the beautiful elegiac campus in Sylvania, to the schools, caring services and hospitals in which they minister, and the Sylvania Franciscan Village which was established to integrate the Sisters' ministries. In addition to traditional ministries, the Sylvania Sisters of St. Francis are leading efforts toward peace and justice and restoring nature. The Sisters note, ``We believe that nature, the arts and culture, and the goodness around us nurture our souls and make us sensitive to Mother Earth and her peoples.'' It is that connection that truly defines the Sisters of St. Francis. A walk on the grounds of the Sisters of St. Francis is to behold the beauty of nature in all of its glory, to hear the silence and to feel God's presence everywhere. From the barracks and strawberry patch Mother Adelaide and the 22 pioneering Sisters first established, the grounds of the Sisters of St. Francis now feature many buildings in which the Sisters live and work, shrines, grottos, a prayer garden, the Portiuncula Chapel and adjacent Lourdes University. Its mission-style buildings showcase stunning mosaics and works of arts crafted by the Sisters themselves. It is truly an oasis of peace and tranquility. St. Francis of Assisi said, ``Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.'' Throughout their one hundred year history the Sylvania Sisters of St. Francis have lived this truth. Their presence and their good works demonstrate Christ's path and God's deep love. As the Sisters go forth toward their next centennial, let us be mindful of the history, but with a vision for the future. Our community gratefully and enthusiastically joins with them to celebrate the life of this vital and cherished congregation that is the Sylvania Sisters of St. Francis.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the centennial celebration of the Kiwanis Club of Toledo. Members will gather in downtown Toledo on Friday, September 23 to celebrate this milestone. Only the ninth club in the United States, the Toledo club was chartered on May 8, 1916. Originally thought of as a ``businessmen's club'' to promote local business, World War 1 changed the focus to that of community service with the members raising funds for the American Red Cross' wartime services. Club membership grew as community service became firmly established. Its focus was on children, with many activities for the youth of Toledo, orphans and Boy Scouts. According to the club's history, ``The name `Kiwanis' comes from a Native American term `Nun Keewanis' which means `I make noise.' The Kiwanis International motto is `We build.' The Kiwanis Club of Toledo has taken these two expressions to heart . . . As a thriving organization of men, women and youth; we are dedicated to serving the children of Toledo and improving the quality of life worldwide.'' The Kiwanis Club's commitment to Toledo and its young people runs deep. The Club sponsors scholarships for high school seniors, adopted central city schools and provides fun and opportunities for the children in those schools, financed the facility housing Assistance Dogs of America, provides for after school tutoring at the Boys and Girls Club and an annual fishing derby and Punt, Pass & Kick program, donated an elephant and the Living Stream at the Toledo Zoo, and supported various activities at Woodward High School in Toledo, the University of Toledo, the YMCA, Easter Seals Summer Camp, Toledo Hearing & Speech Center, and Bethany House shelter for women and their children. By no means complete, this list illustrates the many contributions made by members of the Kiwanis Club and their passion for service to our youth. In keeping with the spirit of giving to Toledo's children, the Kiwanis Club of Toledo has initiated a Centennial Project, partnering with the Toledo Mud Hens baseball club in ventures which will enhance the ballpark experience for families. The members of Toledo Kiwanis have led by example for a century of service. Members have passed on a strong sense of community through the decades, demonstrating by word and deed the high ideals of Kiwanis and the dedication of its members. To the men, women and families of the Toledo Kiwanis Club, we take the opportunity of this centennial celebration to say ``Thank you.'' Let us express our gratitude as we reflect on the past century of Kiwanis' constancy of service and leadership for community betterment. May this new century yield committed citizens of equal measure who rise above self to promote the common good.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill addressing the threat to human health posed by microcystin toxins. Two summers ago, a massive algal bloom exploded in western Lake Erie, generating microcystin, a bacterium causing liver damage, skin blemishes, and nausea. This public health threat necessitated the shutdown of the public water system for 3 days--drastically disrupting the lives of over half a million Americans. As elected officials, our first priority must always be the safety and security of our constituents. This bill ensures that microcystin will no longer be a public health threat. It amends the Safe Drinking Water Act by requiring the EPA to determine the maximum safe contaminant level and to promulgate a national primary drinking water regulation for microcystin toxin within 2 years of its enactment. In realizing the threat posed by microcystin, the old adage ``Mother Nature Doesn't Lie'' is more meaningful than ever. I commend the EPA's work to date on generating a strategic plan for dealing with algal toxins and for publishing an interim standard for microcystin. The strategic plan and current health advisory the EPA released are a good start, but we need a finalized standard for microcystin which endangers the people of Toledo with our recurring algal bloom problem. In addition to the public health threat, this bacterium casts a huge economic shadow over our vital and beautiful coast. Toledo's Water Crisis cost the city government over $200,000 in cleanup costs alone, not counting untold millions in lost business and tax revenue. This concern is not isolated to Lake Erie. Millions of Americans across the country rely on drinking water similarly threatened by increasing levels of nutrient runoff, and the resulting toxic algal growth. A recent study from the USGS showed that algal toxins are present in over \1/3\ of all lakes nationwide. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency recognizes harmful algal blooms as a major environmental problem in all 50 states, with severe impacts on human health. No one should ever have to worry that the water coming from their tap is unclean and unsafe, no matter if you're in Toledo, Ohio, Flint, Michigan, or anywhere else in this country. This bill will make us all safer.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to engage in a colloquy with my very able colleague from Florida, Congressman Dennis Ross. And perhaps as we begin, we can welcome into our midst the very able Ambassador from Hungary to the United States, Ms. Reka Szemerkenyi. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Ross).

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for organizing this event this morning, and I wish to also say that the 1956 Hungarian Revolution was a breakpoint historical event that marked a turning point in the cold war. It took great courage by those who participated during that unforgettable period as freedom fighters in Budapest and across that country stood tall in opposition to the communist-installed Hungarian people's false government and its Soviet-imposed repression. You can travel to Budapest, Hungary, today, and you can see the bullet holes and the tank markings in some of the old, old buildings in that country. We know over 2,500 Hungarians died, 20,000 were imprisoned, and over 200,000 more fled as refugees. Congressman Ross has referenced certain individuals in my own region. Some of those refugees came to Ohio, including men like Reverend Martin Hernady, who ministered his entire life in Ohio serving the Hungarian diaspora, and the Ujvagi family of Toledo, whose compassion, patriotism, and genius have meant so much to our community and to me, personally. In October and November of 1956, the country at the heart of the European Continent underwent 3 weeks of political turmoil that shook the region and exposed the ideological fissures behind the Iron Curtain. The movie, ``Torn From the Flag,'' I recommend to all of our colleagues. It gives people living today a sense of what happened during that fateful period. During the 60th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and its freedom fight, we commemorate tens of thousands of Hungarians who took to the streets to protest the heavyhanded invasion by the Soviet Union. Their heroism is legendary, and it has made a difference in world history. They showed a united front and one that called upon their government to promote democratic ideals and unification. This moment in time was encapsulated in a statement by the then- director of the Hungarian News Agency just before his untimely death in the revolution. He said: ``We are going to die for Hungary and for Europe.'' In the years since the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, Hungary has made progress toward democratic reform and has since become a member of the European Union and NATO. Its award of Nobel Prizes in every single scientific and cultural field is a testimony to the talent and to the abilities of the people of that country. So like Congressman Ross, as co-chair of the Congressional Hungarian Caucus, I remain dedicated to continuing channels of cooperation to further these efforts and to ensure that the principles of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution are fully realized. I think the Partnership for Peace initiative between our respective militaries is a foundation stone to build our continuing relationship forward and support the revolution recognizing this important moment in world history in the 20th century. May I say, long live liberty and long live Hungary. I thank the gentleman, all the members of our Congressional Hungarian Caucus, and, again, I thank the Ambassador from Hungary for being here with us today and all of our colleagues for listening.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call on Congress to rule out an end-of-the-year lameduck end-run vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. No other time in the Congress is less accountable to the people who entrust us to represent their interests than the period between election and the swearing in of a new Congress in January. That is why it is called lameduck. Retiring Members or those who lost elections still have a say. And whose interests are they more likely to represent? Sometimes corporate interests weigh in with tantalizing offers of high-dollar remuneration on their retirement. Or for those fresh off an election, a lameduck can present pressures from donors who funded their campaigns. In 2000, I watched this scenario play out when the permanent normal trade relations with China, unfortunately, passed. For China's PNTR vote, look at Texas. The President secured at least five Members' votes by promising an environmental cleanup of a military factory, a study on job losses due to imports, and finalized an EPA study for a pipeline. And what happened to those promises? Nothing. In fact, the factory closed with the district losing 5,000 jobs. Madam Speaker, we have been told time and again that free trade deals create jobs, but they outsource our jobs instead. Americans deserve a vote from accountable, elected Representatives. No lameduck TPP vote.