Marcy Kaptur

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule and the underlying bill. Our armed service chiefs and secretaries have requested two results from Congress in defense: stability and predictability in the budget. Instead of adhering to their requests, this bill actually creates a contentious budget environment next April that causes even more harm to our military. The bill is full of contradiction. It authorizes funds for over 50,000 more troops, but no money to send them anywhere after April. It authorizes much-needed equipment, but not any money to employ it on the battlefield. It authorizes 9,800 troops in Afghanistan, just not any money to keep them there during the actual fighting season. It sends a message to our allies that we are only 60 percent committed to our missions with them, and it sends the message to our adversaries that we are only 60 percent committed to stopping them. It is like we are a basketball team who bought new uniforms, recruited highly skilled players, built a new facility, and didn't even have any money left to play the second half of the season. No team wins under those circumstances. It doesn't matter how many state-of-the-art weapons you have or how well-trained your troops are, you can't win if you don't show up. Much like General Breedlove, who believes ``virtual presence means actual absence,'' I believe this is a virtual plan and will be an actual disaster. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the rule and ``no'' on the underlying bill.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, the amendment I offer today, in cooperation with the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) requires a report simply from the Secretary of Defense, detailing the quantity, composition, and lost income of survivors currently affected by the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation offset to the Survivor Benefit Program. It continues this body's crucial, bipartisan effort to find a feasible solution for the disgraceful way we shortchange and penalize our military widows and widowers. This mandatory offset hurts those who have already given more to freedom than most of us ever will, the life of a spouse. It hurts women like the Army Sergeant First Class who recently contacted me. She is an Afghan veteran herself, mother of three. Tragically, she also is a Gold Star Wife due to the death of her husband in Iraq in 2004. As a young widow of a servicemember who died as a result of his service, she is not eligible to receive the full amount of her benefits, making the burden of living without her spouse that much more difficult at a time of enormous adjustment for their family. What's more, if she were a Federal civil service survivor, she could receive both benefits.

Ms. KAPTUR. If she were a civil service survivor, she could receive both benefits; and if she were over the age of 37, she could receive both benefits. Her husband gave his life for liberty. She is a veteran, too. We must honor their sacrifice as we honor the sacrifice of any other American who dies in service to our Nation, and find a way to fix this awkward offset. This report will help us better define the situation so we can find just solutions. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I first thank my colleagues, Congresswoman Clark for leading this effort, Congressman Guinta, as well as Congresswoman Ann Kuster, who have worked tirelessly to move the heroin task force agenda forward. I applaud their persevering efforts and House leadership's acknowledgement of the danger and devastation the heroin and opioid epidemic has caused across our great Nation. This serious situation impacts every county in the 9th District of Ohio, stretching across all of northern Ohio. We have been impacted more heavily due to the major Ohio turnpike, I-80/I-90, and easy transport networks that link to international smuggling access points. The largest of our district's five counties, Cuyahoga County, recently declared a public health emergency because of record rates of overdoses. The county lost a staggering 181 citizens in the first 4 months of 2016, a rate of overdose death that, if continued, would more than double the 2015 numbers for that county. Mayors across our district report to me the dramatic increase in emergency calls connected to the epidemic. For northern Ohio, spikes in opioid overdoses are outpacing the ability of local hospitals and rehabilitation facilities to respond effectively. This week's legislative activity is imperative to communities across America. I encourage our colleagues in leadership to work expeditiously to conference the legislation. Send it to the President with funding immediately. People's lives and local community stability and safety are waiting for our action. Tonight I would like to share the stories of three young adults--two named Matt and one named Tracy--who have been victimized by the heroin and opioid epidemic. The first is Matt who was 29 from Toledo, Ohio, who never thought he would become a drug addict. He never knew anything about drugs. He never even smoked cigarettes as a youth. He had a great upbringing and a good home with an amazingly loving family. He went to private schools from kindergarten through high school, then to college at a Division I university on a full athletic scholarship for baseball after graduating with a 4.0 GPA. So what happened, you ask? He tore his rotator cuff as a sophomore in college and was given a prescription for 90 percent Percocet. It only took about a week before he became physically dependent and totally reliant. Percocet became the gateway portal to self-annihilation. To sum up, his next year, Percocet pills got expensive, and he dropped out of college. And one day, not being able to find any pills because of the price and lack of availability, he was offered heroin, which was cheaper and stronger. And from that day on, he was hooked and injected heroin for 9 years. Matt transformed into a shell of who he used to be, a shell of who he wanted to be and who he always imagined to become. Matt lost everything and everyone in his life because of heroin. After 13 arrests in four different states, he is now a convicted felon. He overdosed and died, having been kept alive for 5 days by machines in ICU. How could this have happened to such a promising young man? Heroin and opioid abuse sees no boundaries. It is death masquerading as medicine. In Toledo, there are only 16 federally funded detox beds for an estimated 10,000 opiate addicts. We simply have to have legislation that allows for more detox facilities. There are programs like Team Recovery that have made a difference in the lives of individuals like Tracy, whose story I will place in the Record. Let me just say that if there are families out there who need assistance, one can call 1-800-662-4357 for advice and direction. That is an addiction hotline, 1-800-662-HELP. The life you save may be your own or that of a relative, friend, or loved one. Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank my colleagues Frank Guinta and Ann Kuster who have worked tirelessly to move the Heroin Task Force agenda forward. I applaud their persevering efforts and House Leaderships' acknowledgment of the danger and devastation the heroin and opioid epidemic has caused across this great nation. This serious situation impacts every county in our 9th Ohio district that stretches across all of northern Ohio. We have been impacted more heavily due to the major Ohio Turnpike, I-80-90, and easy transport networks that link to international smuggling access points. The largest of our district's five counties, Cuyahoga County, recently declared a public health emergency because of record rates of overdoses. The County lost a staggering 181 citizens in the first four months of 2016, a rate of overdose deaths that if continued, would more than double 2015 numbers for the County. Mayors across our district report to me the dramatic increase in emergency calls connected to the epidemic. For Northern Ohio, spikes in opioid overdoses are outpacing the ability of local hospitals and rehabilitations facilities to respond effectively. This week's legislative activity is imperative to communities across America. I encourage our colleagues and leadership to work expeditiously to conference the legislation. Send it to the President, with funding, immediately. People lives and local community stability are waiting for our action. Tonight, I want to share the stories of three young adults--two named Matt--and one named Tracy. Individuals from our district who have been victimized by the heroin and opioid epidemic. The first is Matt, who was 29, from Toledo, Ohio. He never thought he would become a drug addict. He never knew anything about drugs, not even wanting to smoke cigarettes as a youth. He had a great upbringing in a good home, with an amazingly loving family. He went to private schools from kindergarten through high school, then to college at a Division 1 university on a full athletic scholarship for baseball after graduating with a 4.0 GPA. So what happened, you ask? He tore his rotator cuff as a sophomore in college and was given a prescription for 90 Percocet. It only took about a week before he became physically dependent and totally reliant. Percocet became the gateway portal to self-annihilation. To sum up--his next year, Percocet pills got expensive and he dropped out of college. One day, not being able to find any pills because of the price and lack of availability, he was offered heroin, which was cheaper and stronger. From that day on he was hooked, and injected heroin for 9 years. Matt transformed into a shell of who he used to be, a shell of who he wanted to be--and who he always imagined to become. He lost everything--and everyone--in his life because of heroin. After thirteen arrests in four different states, he is now a convicted felon. He overdosed and died, having been kept alive for 5 days by machines in ICU. How could this have happened to such a promising young man? Heroin and opioid abuse sees no boundaries. It is death masquerading as medicine. In Toledo, there are only sixteen federally funded detox beds for an estimated 10,000 opiate addicts. Another young man also named Matt was one of the lucky ones who was able to secure a detox bed through Ohio's Drug Abuse Response Team, or DART program. Today, it has been almost eight months since he was able to secure the bed, which has changed his course completely. In detox, along with three friends, all of which remain sober, Matt started Team Recovery, an advocacy group for addicts that makes recovery available and achievable. Team Recovery strives to change the stigma attached to addiction and make people realize addicts are not bad people. They are people who need medical help. Team Recovery speaks to Ohio students between 6th grade and college- age, about drugs and alcohol, and offers assistance to family members and friends of those who need healing and support. They hope to eventually spread their efforts across the nation. Today, Matt has turned his life around and reconnected with family and friends. He speaks daily with police, judges, coroners, doctors, treatment providers, police & fire chiefs, all in an effort to collaborate in this fight against opiates. His message is positive and clear. Recovery is possible, and it is beautiful. Working alongside Matt at Team Recovery is Tracy, 39 years old, who point blank told me that she is a recovering addict. Tracy started smoking marijuana when she was 15, to numb the pain from past sexual abuse, not otherwise knowing how to cope in a healthy way. She moved from Toledo, to Chillicothe, Ohio in 2001, where she met a man who introduced her to opioid pills and cocaine. At age 24, she started using cocaine and it wasn't long before she used it every day. Eventually, she started to smoke it and even inject. For 6 years her addiction was so bad she lost everything: jobs, friends, family, everything she owned, even her dignity and morals. She was alone fighting the worst battle of her life. In 2007, she was caught with possession of cocaine, after reoffending shortly after, she was sent to prison. Rather than give Tracy any chance to seek treatment, she was sent to prison for 5 years. In prison, she realized there were just as many drugs in prison as on the street. Being there did not help. She needed treatment, not a prison sentence. It is nearly impossible to find a treatment facility because there are so few available. From the age of 15 until May 4, 2007, Tracy abused drugs. What drove her to sobriety? She was so tired of losing everything, living couch to couch, doing illegal things to get drugs and having her dignity and morals stripped away because she was chasing a high. She was ready for a change, to take back the life she lost during her addiction. Today, her life has changed dramatically. A week ago, on May 4th, she celebrated 9 years of sobriety. Now, she uses her experience of moving past addiction to help others. She is in college, studying psychology to become a substance abuse counselor. She started a job at a recovery house as a resident advisor and is also an active member of Team Recovery. The legislative action the House will address this week will provide much needed correction to our justice and health systems--which have not adapted fast enough to this crisis. I wish to emphasize a few lessons Team Recovery highlighted to me. These are the recommendations of individuals who understand the plight of heroin and opioid addiction better than most: 1. There needs to be more funding for detox beds. They should not be limited to 16 beds per facility. 2. Medicaid should not cap facilities to 16 detox beds. 3. Prevention, education, and awareness are paramount! The innovative approach of Team Recovery's school presentations allows students to better relate, impacting their understanding and behavior. 4. Better monitoring of prescription prescribing and over-prescribing is needed. Creating stricter limitations on prescription counts is highly necessary. 5. Suboxone and Methadone (opioids) are not the solution to an opiate epidemic for everyone, but cannot be ruled out as an option for some. 6. Vivitrol is a key resource and should be utilized more. 7. Recovery is possible but detox and treatment are paramount. Jail without addiction treatment fails those who need help. 8. Opioids impact the way the brain functions. Recovery can take months, if not years, if it is to be effective. Finally, if anyone listening is facing this terrible monster of addiction, or you know a friend or loved one who is, call 1-800-662- HELP. That's 1-800-662-4357 for advice and direction. The life you save may be your own, or that of a relative, friend or loved one.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the honorable life of one of Toledo's daughters, Bonnie J. Sloan, an intellectual and a valued member of our community. Bonnie was born in Toledo, Ohio on January 15, 1932 to Florence and Donald MacVay. She was a graduate of Waite High School and received a master's and doctoral degree from the University of Toledo, where she went on to teach. Mrs. Sloan lived her life for her community and was a dedicated public servant, serving as a teacher and administrator in the Toledo Public Schools. Mrs. Sloan taught for a decade at Raymer School before becoming an assistant principal of McKinley School and later a principal of Burroughs School and Edgewater School. During her tenure in the Toledo Public Schools, Mrs. Sloan was an elementary and curriculum supervisor. Under her leadership the school system developed a program to bring students from Northern Ohio colleges and universities into Toledo schools for teaching experience. Mrs. Sloan's top concern was always for the children she served, and she often commented to friends that she would greatly prefer to be in the classroom than an administrative office. Her passion for education and instilling a thirst for knowledge did not end after her retirement from the Toledo Public Schools. Mrs. Sloan went on to work in higher education as a faculty member at Defiance College. After another decade Mrs. Sloan retired from teaching, but continued her work with Defiance College on the board of trustees. Mrs. Sloan was also a distinguished author of several children's books, which she penned throughout her career. As in her professional life, Mrs. Sloan's personal life was also spent in service. She was a former president of Zonta Club II and the Flower Hospital Auxiliary, both cherished organizations that strengthen our community. Bonnie was married to Gordon Sloan, a respected pharmacist, on June 16, 1956. They celebrated fifty years together before his passing on December 21, 2006. The couple liked to joke about their relationship, Bonnie being a ``city girl,'' and Doc being a ``country boy.'' Their nieces and nephews were also benefiters of Bonnie's generosity and loving guidance. Bonnie cherished time spent with her nieces and nephews, including the hours in which she enlisted them to help set up her classrooms. Later in life, she would take joy in time spent with her great-nieces and great-nephews. Bonnie will be remembered lovingly by her brother, Harry MacVay, sister-in-law Connie, nieces and nephews, and her many friends. We offer them our prayers and hope that they find comfort in the wonderful memories of such an outstanding public servant, who will be remembered with affection and gratitude for her probing intellect, kind heart, and dedication to advancing Toledo as a community, its children and its future.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my very dear friend, Dr. Roy Church. Dr. Church, who has faithfully and determinedly served our community as President of Lorain County Community College since 1987, recently announced he will retire June 30, 2016. Today, the community will honor him in a tribute to his remarkable tenure. Like many retirements, Dr. Church's will be a bittersweet one. For the past 29 years we have relied on his bold leadership, thoughtful vision and unquestioned commitment to higher education--and while professionally he will certainly be missed, Dr. Church's legacy and more so friendship will remain a part of the fabric of our community forever. Though Dr. Church refuses to take credit for much, his work ethic and sense of service began at an early age and was found in an unassuming place, far from academia. ``I milked cows morning and night for the first 18 years of my life'', Dr. Church once said. He was the youngest of six children growing up on a 230-acre dairy farm south of Syracuse, N.Y. He attended college not far from there, graduating from State University of New York at Cortland and it was here where Dr. Church began his 45 year commitment to higher education. Not long after Dr. Church received his Master's Degree in education from St. Joseph College of Florida, where he taught health sciences, he was given opportunity to become the dean of students at only 25 years of age. Soon after pursuing a doctorate in higher education administration from Florida Atlantic University, Dr. Church's meteoric rise through the world of higher education continued. From dean of academic affairs at Broward Community College in Fort Lauderdale to vice president and chief academic officer of St. Petersburg College and eventually and thankfully landing him in Lorain County, Ohio as the fifth President of our community's college, in 1987. Back then, LCCC was a straight-forward, conventional community college of 5,000 students, offering associate degrees in basic coursework, in a few disciplines. Today, it is one of the top schools of its kind in the country and is a leader in innovation, entrepreneurship, and higher education. It didn't take long for Dr. Church to see the connection between a higher education and good jobs, understanding the need to not only prepare and train students for their future, but to also help foster entrepreneurship that create good- paying jobs. It was through Dr. Church's vision and leadership that LCCC helped launch innovative and ground breaking initiatives such as the nationally recognized University Partnership Program, that provides four-year and graduate degree programs from local universities or Early College that allows for high school students to earn college credit. Other creative initiatives include the Innovation Alliance, an effort to improve access to science, technology, engineering and math degrees and GLIDE (the Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise), the county's technology incubator, which to date has awarded more than $28 million to 44 companies, the FabLab, an innovative ``makerspace'' and the SMART Center for Microsystems and sensor technology. Since Dr. Church's time at LCCC, its transformation is and has been ahead of its time. In President Obama's last visit to LCCC--he visited the college twice--he spoke of the need for community colleges to become community career centers, so people who are looking for a new job or a better-paying job can learn the skills that businesses need right now. That is what Dr. Church has done: he has helped create and lead one of the nation's premiere institutions, always with a root and focus on the student and academics, but mindful of its true role and responsibility. ``As the community's college, we serve all . . . students, companies, organizations, residents,'' Dr. Church once said. ``We are a resource for the entire community.'' It is difficult to estimate how many lives Dr. Church has touched-- how many single mothers relying on an affordable education to provide a better life for their children--how many laid-off steelworkers who were retrained to once again have an opportunity to work--how many companies and business startups that created new and good-paying jobs--how many first generation college students were given the opportunity to climb out of poverty? Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor and pleasure today, to pay tribute to a visionary leader and community partner, Dr. Roy Church, and join the tens of thousands who thank him for his service and commitment to our community.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Reverend I. J. Johnson and his wife, First Lady Betty Johnson as they celebrate their Diamond Anniversary of sixty years in pastoral service. The congregation of St. Mark's Missionary Baptist Church in Toledo, Ohio celebrates the milestone this month. Incredibly, I stood in this chamber ten years ago to recognize Pastor and First Lady Johnson's fiftieth jubilee. As I noted then, born in Troy Alabama, one of eleven children of Mary and Levi Johnson, ``Reverend Johnson entered the ministry at age twelve. By nineteen, he began pastoring in his home state of Alabama. He received his Bachelor of Theology degree from Easonian Baptist Seminary in Birmingham Alabama, and served four churches until coming to Ohio in 1955. In July of that year, he was invited by Dr. Israel Walker to conduct a revival at St. Mary's Baptist Church. During this visit he met the woman who would become his wife. On August 26, 1958, Reverend Johnson and Mother Betty Rae Johnson were married. Together they raised four children: Reverend C.L. Johnson, Reverend Michael Johnson, Denisee Williams and Angela Taylor. In October of 1955, Pastor Johnson founded and organized St. Mark's Missionary Baptist Church. Started with just three members, the church grew over the half-century to more than 2,000 souls.'' Pastor Johnson is a man devoted to the Gospel. In addition to his spiritual leadership at St. Mark's, Reverend Roberts has conducted revivals throughout the Eastern half of the United States. Many have been called to Christ through him and he has given wise counsel to countless people. His legacy continues through his sons, both called to preach in their own right. A leader in our community as well, Pastor Johnson has served the Baptist Ministers Conference, the Fairside Community Organization, Northwestern Ohio Missionary Baptist Association, Lucas County Mental Health Board, Interracial Interfaith Committee, Evangelical Board of the National Baptist Convention, and NAACP. A beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend and mentor, Reverend Johnson has been a guiding light in our community for generations. Always alongside him, First Lady Johnson has been a nurturing mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend and confidant. Their union is a dynamic partnership which has been a beautiful example to all. Together, Pastor and First Lady Johnson have turned hearts toward Jesus Christ and his message of Love. They exemplify the words of Thessalonians 1:3, ``We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.'' The congregation of St. Mark's, their family and our community celebrate Rev. I.J. and Mrs. Betty Johnson in their life's work. We congratulate you, reminisce with you, and look toward the future together.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight for two purposes. The first is to warmly recognize my noble brother, Steve. I am so proud of you. The second reason I rise is as co-chair of the Ukrainian Caucus to commemorate one of the greatest engineering and political tragedies in modern history. Thirty years ago today, on April 26, 1986, at 1:23 a.m., operators in the control room of reactor number 4 mishandled a routine safety test at Chernobyl's Vladimir Illyich Lenin Nuclear Power Station in the former Soviet Union, now present-day Ukraine. The mishandled test led to a catastrophic explosion that burned for 10 days, and the radioactive fallout spread over tens of thousands of square miles forcing more than one-quarter of a million people permanently from their homes. Its plumes reached northern Europe as well. Chernobyl's legacy remains a heavy burden for the people of Ukraine. To its everlasting shame, the Soviet Union tried to cover up the severity of the disaster engulfing the region with repercussions that could have been avoided. The event drove one-third of a million people from their homes and triggered an epidemic level of thyroid cancer. Over the years, the economic losses have amounted to hundreds of billions of dollars. Mr. Speaker, the impact of Chernobyl lingers socially, economically, and culturally. We, as a free world, should help build a bright future for these communities and their people who persevered in the face of such profound catastrophe.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge that Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio and Congressman Rick Nolan of Minnesota had scheduling conflicts. They were here earlier, and we thought this Special Order would start earlier. And I want to say thank you to both of them so very much for their strong support of the pension benefit rights of America's workers and retirees. Tonight I rise to bring a very serious situation to the attention of the American people, a situation that demands justice. It relates to something called ERISA, or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, passed decades ago that says when workers work and accrue benefits for retirement, those are sacrosanct. They are earned benefits and no one can cut them. ERISA promises that those retirees will receive the earned benefits that they worked so hard for. Mr. Speaker, I want the American people to know that today I stood with thousands of America's workers out here on the lawn facing the Capitol. American retirees, their families, and supporters are here in our Nation's capital to save their hard-earned pensions that should be guaranteed under the laws of this country. They are here in Washington because Congress abandoned them. They were abandoned by the executive branch, too. What has happened is that hundreds of thousands of American workers are getting notices in the mail. These are current beneficiaries, people who are already retired, who are getting notices that their pensions are being cut by half, by 30 percent, some as much as by 70 percent under something that passed here in the Congress called the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act. But it didn't pass on its own, as a freestanding piece of legislation. It was stuck in a gigantic bill--we call it a must-pass bill--that, in December of 2014, if it had not been passed, the government would have shut down. The problem is most Members of Congress had no idea that was even in that bill. That section was airlifted into what was called the CR/Omnibus, the continuing resolution appropriations bill of that year. But on the section that dealt with pension rights, which had nothing to do with the appropriations process or the continuing resolution, these pension cuts were dropped in. There was no floor debate, there was no separate debate on that issue. There were no amendments allowed. People, Members didn't even know what was in that section of the bill. So that Multiemployer Pension Reform Act, they call it MPRA, was supposed to solve one crisis, and that is a shortage in the funds currently in that particular pension fund; but it placed the solution on the backs of the workers, the people who had earned those benefits themselves. Retirees who never caused the financial shortfall are going to bear the entire burden of the shortfall in that fund. In reality, people in Ohio--just who were Ohio Teamster retirees, nearly 48,000 retirees in Ohio, the State most impacted in the union-- are now getting notices that their pensions are going to be cut. Overall, there are over 270,000--a quarter million--Teamster retirees, alone, across our country who are being affected; and, of course, some of them were with us today. Over the last year, I have heard extensively from retirees who will see their pensions dramatically reduced--dramatically reduced--if, in fact, these cuts are approved by the U.S. Treasury Department. These Americans did everything our country asked them to do as productive citizens. They went to work. They worked for decades. They worked for companies that matched that money, and they thought they would have a secure retirement--guaranteed. The law says, under ERISA, their retirement income will be guaranteed. But now it is a promise not being kept, and they are facing a stark reality. These workers earned their benefits. No one has the right to take them away. Imagine working for 30 years as a truck driver, where your work takes you away on long trips for weeks at a time--time away from your family, time away from your community, countless missed family gatherings and life moments you will never get back, but you are a good worker so you do it. It is a good job with good pay, a solid middle-class living, a chance to make life better for your family and children, and, with it, all the promise of a reasonable and secure retirement in later years, if you can make it, doing that hard work. Imagine that you retire with your earned, predictable pension you have worked for your whole life. You are in your seventies, and a hastily passed government law reduces your pension from $3,500 a month to $1,400 a month--poof, just like that, through no fault of yours. You did everything you were supposed to. This example is not the exception of what is happening to the American people; it is the rule. Now, let me tell you, truck driving is hard work. It is debilitating on bodies, the bouncing, hopping out of that truck, many workers having to load the truck, as well as drive the truck, and then unload the truck, leaving many of these retirees disabled from work they did for 20 and 30 years. I hear countless stories of how retirees are caring for their children, some of whom who have disabilities, supporting their own ill and aged parents, or supporting children and grandchildren with life expenses which, the last time I looked, aren't going down. Electric bills are up. Food is up. It is not so easy to make it in retirement years. These pension cuts impact more than just the individual who earned the pension. Literally, these cuts impact millions of Americans and the communities in which they reside. The House has continued to let these retirees down in its failure to hold even a single hearing to fully understand their financial plight. Can you imagine that? A federally guaranteed income secured, been in the law for years, now you have got hundreds of thousands of Americans impacted and Congress is dead as a doornail. They are not doing their job, even as these workers face these tremendous cuts. Now, one of the major funds that is affected was called Central States, and it was the first fund being affected--where its workers, pension retirees, were being affected--that filed an application with the Treasury Department to restructure benefits. But that application is only the first of many funds, pension funds, that will seek cuts in the years ahead. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation reports that 150 multiemployer plans--covering a million and a half participants--are in grave risk of insolvency. With those cuts, entire communities will feel the economic impact. What is more shameful is this was caused, in large part, by the role played--get ready--by the large, multinational banks. Let me list three of them for you: Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Northern Trust. You see, the Central States Pension Fund is the only major private pension fund where all the discretionary investment decisions are made by financial firms, not our government. There was a court order from 1982 that has made the decisions for the retirees' billion-dollar fund. So the government basically turned this money over to the big banks. Does this sound familiar? This was the result of the Department of Labor wrestling control of the fund, back in the eighties, away from organized crime, who used funds as their own piggy bank to build parts of Las Vegas. But the real irony here is that the Teamsters' pension fund disappeared more quickly under Wall Street than it did under the mob. How about that? Ask the retirees how they feel, and they will tell you they got their money under the mob control. And I am not arguing for mob control. I am arguing for fair treatment of pensioners in our country and getting the money they earned. Time has not been friendly to the trucking industry, with deregulation decimating good-paying jobs in trucking companies across the country and bankruptcy laws allowing hundreds of companies to exit the fund without paying their full withdrawal liabilities. Lots went wrong by the big shots making the decisions, but the people paying the price over this 30-year period are the workers, and that is wrong. That is wrong. The fund was hit particularly hard by the turmoil in the markets during the dot-com bubble and then followed by the Great Recession and financial crash during 2007 and 2008. Guess what. The fund, the pension fund, lost nearly 40 percent of its assets as it appears to have been overly invested in risky assets by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Northern Trust. We are calling for a forensic audit of what happened every year with the investments of this fund and who did it, who benefited, and now, who is being asked to pay the price. How tragic that Congress will bail out the big banks, but then they will throw millions of truck drivers and middle-class retirees who worked hard for a living under the bus--or under the truck. Central States will tell you that these dynamics have caused the shortages, but the handwriting has been on the wall for a rather long time. While other funds diversified and recruited additional employers, something happened in this fund that is atypical. But why should the workers be blamed for what the managers and the bankers did? Immediately after that law was passed, called MPRA, I set to work to correct the unfairness to America's workers and introduced H.R. 2844, the Keep Our Pension Promises Act. It now has nearly 50 cosponsors--50. The idea here is--we call it KOPPA--the Keep Our Pension Promises Act would prevent these draconian cuts to the earned pensions of our workers by filling the financial gap in the fund and reinstate the ``anti-cutback'' provisions in ERISA, the bedrock of that law. We have to keep our promises. ERISA promised that pension benefits in multiemployer plans would be cut only when a plan runs out of money; and even then, the benefit of the retirees should be the last to be cut, not the first to be cut. No wonder that the middle class is mad at Washington. No wonder we see this Presidential race that is occurring, where there is a lot of hubbub around the country. The public is sick and tired of Washington doing this kind of thing to the American people. The public sees that this is just another broken promise by Washington and another rigged bill that went through here by the top leaders in Congress that most Members didn't even know was in there. The system is rigged. A Senator from the other body said that. Well, by golly, on this one, in terms of benefits of pension retirees, it sure is rigged. There are more than a million honest Americans who, for decades and decades, worked hard. They followed the rules, and they are now getting thrown to the wind by their own government. Imagine if Congress were to cut Social Security benefits in the same way, by two-thirds, in a retiree's monthly pension payments. There would be riots in the streets. My colleagues, if you ever wonder why tens and tens of millions of Americans are angry, deeply disappointed, and feel betrayed by their government, look no further than this issue. I want to say to all the Americans who drove across the country today to be with us here in Washington, to spend the money for that gasoline, to take time away from their families--frankly, some of the men and women who were there couldn't even stand up on the lawn. They had to sit along the concrete fences along the side because their bodies simply can't hold them up as they did when they were younger. We can do better than this as a country. The bill that we are offering, H.R. 2844, basically would tax some of the assets of the most wealthy in our country and fill the gaps between now and 10 years from now so these workers wouldn't have to take these cuts. It is truly unfair to them. It is time we operate, in this Congress, with the oversight that this institution was built upon. It is time for the committees of jurisdiction to do their job. Give these Americans, who are patriotic people--many of them are veterans. Many of them have served our country so ably in so many ways. They have been good family people. They don't need to have their benefits cut in their retirement years. It has caused such havoc in these families, the worry alone, the blood pressures that have gone up and the heartache and the lost sleep of losing what they worked for their entire life. What is happening to them is wrong. It is not just. It is time for the Treasury Department to deny the Central States application to cut benefits, and it is time that this Congress keep our pension promises to the American people who worked so hard, paid their taxes, helped build their families, helped build their communities, had a great work ethic, went to work every day, many of them getting up real early before the sun even rose. And now to treat them like this, in their golden years, how wrong is this? I am so proud to rise on this floor this evening to speak on their behalf. They deserve a better day. I expect the people in this Congress and I expect the executive branch to dole out justice fairly to them and not make them the victim of the bad decisions that were made by the biggest banks in this country and by the managers of those funds that these workers dutifully paid their dues into over the years, coming out of their check every pay period. It is not right to cut their benefits. They do not deserve this. Those funds need additional time to recover following that 2008 crash. You don't recover in 7 or 8 years, not from that kind of downfall in the economy. Why make the workers pay for the mistakes of others? It is just so wrong. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to come down here this evening urging my colleagues to support the Keep Our Pension Promises Act, to urge them to sign onto our bill, H.R. 2844. I say to those workers and retirees across our country who are likely listening: Keep up the faith. Keep writing your Representatives. Keep writing the U.S. Treasury Department, Mr. Ken Feinberg, who is in charge of this solution. We want to make sure that justice prevails; and if we speak out, if we don't give up, if we make sure we stand up and talk to our Senators, talk to our Representatives, talk to all the Presidential candidates coming through our States, across our country, during this year, this Presidential year, we can impact this policy. Both political parties should have in their platforms this year that they will be writing come this summer that the Keep Our Pension Promises Act should be passed, that we should take care of these retirees and not permit them to lose the earned benefits that they spent their lives devoted to and now, in their later years, are facing these draconian cuts. It is so wrong. I ask for justice for these American workers. Let's do what is right for them. And I know the people listening tonight agree, and they would do the same thing if they were standing down here on this floor with me. Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for allowing me to speak out this evening and to stand alongside the hardworking men and women of our country. They deserve better treatment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, to mark this first week of spring, this week I launched a Countdown to Earth Day 2016 across our congressional district, a district that encompasses the largest watershed in the entire Great Lakes, that flows into Lake Erie. With greater rainfall causing rising nutrient runoff and with millions of people and livestock inhabiting this watershed, the persistent and growing challenge of algal blooms into Lake Erie threatens our precious freshwater supply. This 21st century challenge is one we must meet. Thus, each week until Earth Day, April 22, I intend to focus on practical ways citizens can help to restore our ecosystem. This week our focus is people helping pollinators, as pollinators-- bees, butterflies, hummingbirds--are key to abundant plant growth in a region that needs less erosion, more wetland filtration, better land and plant management. And one of three foods you eat is dependent on pollinators. Citizen plantings of staple garden standards such as parsley, dill, fennel, and other herbs contribute to pollinator support and ecosystem health. They are landing pads for the growth of caterpillars and other beneficial insects. Everyone can help. For that reason, I encourage all Americans to get outside, enjoy the new spring, restore our environment, and plant helpful herbs in your gardens and properties to pass on a healthier ecosystem to the next generation.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I want to welcome the Congressman and doctor, Dan Benishek, from Michigan's First District, which encompasses Marquette and Mackinac Island and Traverse City, to name a few famous towns and island. I welcome him to participate this evening as well as our other colleagues from the Great Lakes. I rise tonight to mark the occasion of World Water Day. As such, I would like to discuss the Great Lakes, an American freshwater treasure, irreplaceable on our globe. Actually, it is the largest source of freshwater in the United States and represents about 20 percent of the world's freshwater supply. The district that I represent, which is a little south of Michigan, down in Ohio, sits nestled across Lake Erie's entire south coast, extending from Cleveland all the way west to Toledo and encompasses all of Ohio's ports but for one. There should be a sign, actually, on the Ohio Turnpike nearby that marks our shoreline as the step-off point, since Lake Erie is the most southern of all the lakes, as the largest body of freshwater on the face of the Earth. I see our dear colleague, the co-chair of the Great Lakes Task Force with me, Congressman Mike Kelly of Erie, Pennsylvania, who has joined us. It is also a great port city, nestled along these Great Lakes. Let me begin by saying, since the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, Lake Erie itself has been on a path to recovery. It got very sick back in the 20th century. Point sources of pollution, such as inadequate wastewater treatment facilities and infrastructure and industrial outfalls have been slowly coming. Since back then and the passage of the Clean Water Act and the establishment of Earth Day, they have been coming into EPA compliance. One needs no further proof in tracking the rebirth of America's symbol, the bald eagle, than to really track Lake Erie's health. Lake Erie is the shallowest of the lakes; and, therefore, it is kind of the canary in the coal mine. What happens there will happen in the other lakes subsequently. The bald eagle had actually become an endangered species by the time of the 1970s, and only two eagles were left on our great lake, Lake Erie. There were no eaglets being born. Due to the Clean Water Act's passage and literally the banning of DDT and the repair of many of the industrial outfalls, which we are still working on, and the combined sewer overflows, what happened, as we moved into the 21st century, was human progress. Today hundreds of baby eaglets are being born across Lake Erie, and they are flying other places around the country. Amazingly, the bald eagle has been taken off the endangered species list. So progress is possible. Humans can really repair the environment if they are dedicated to us. For those of us who live in Lake Erie's western basin, which is the far western part of the State, the health of our lake is a living reality and access to freshwater has become the background noise of our daily lives, becoming more pronounced when tragedy strikes, as it did most recently in Flint, Michigan, and Sebring, Ohio, with lead in freshwater. Our region works and plays with a new normal that includes very frequent water quality reports now, updates on beach postings--whether you can swim or not--water utility fee increases, and a general concern about a troubling set of scientific questions that still go unanswered. Unfortunately, this administration has not recognized these concerns and seeks to cut Federal support to Great Lakes States by $148 million for next year. Some would call that an oxymoron; it makes no sense in view of what is happening across our region, but it is happening. This evening--and I am going to yield to my colleagues before I get into these topics--I would like to address the water infrastructure needs of the Great Lakes, harmful algal blooms, which literally shut down the city of Toledo's water system a year-and-a-half ago, denying fresh water for 3 days to citizens, to businesses, and to institutions in that region because of something called microcystin, which is the toxic part of certain types of algal blooms which we are trying to address. So harmful algal blooms will be one of my topics. Another topic will be the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which is so important to all of us in helping to improve our Great Lakes. Stopping the Asian carp is another topic. The next topic will be the Great Lakes navigation system itself, an antiquated system that has to be updated for this 21st century. Finally, I will discuss the harbor maintenance fund. These are all major issues across the Great Lakes region, which we would like to place on the Record this evening. I would like to ask my colleagues to join me. Congressman Benishek, I thank you again so very much for being a leader for the Great Lakes and for coming down this evening. I now yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Benishek).

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank Congressman Benishek very, very much. I thank him for his leadership on Great Lakes issues. That is a vast district that he represents and one that is vital to our country. I thank him for participating this evening. Before I yield to Congressman Mike Kelly of the Third District of Pennsylvania, I just want to say that the region that we are talking about, the Great Lakes, actually, if it were a country on its own, would be the third largest economy in the world. We are talking about a vast and important part of our Nation with more fresh water than any other part of the continent. The Great Lakes navigation system, including the Soo Locks that Congressman Benishek referenced, encompasses this vast region, and the Seaway that is a part of this that was actually built by President Eisenhower--it was built back in the 1950s--constitutes through the locks the shortest distance between the heartland of America and the ports of northern Europe and many other global destinations. Most people have never been through the Soo Locks because we tend to move commerce through the locks. We have some tourism, obviously, but it really is a busy industrial corridor and has the lowest cost transportation. Waterborne transportation is the lowest cost mode of transportation. So you have the big containers and so forth that move through the Seaway, and then we have the interlake trade, which is heavily industrial, as Congressman Benishek referenced. In recent years, the number of passages through the locks that go all the way from Duluth all the way out through Massena, New York, going throughout these Great Lakes, this whole system has averaged about 10,000 vessels per year. That is down a bit from prior years because what has happened is the vessels got larger and they could carry more freight. But the system exists. It operates every day. The ports and channels of the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Seaway System support over 226,000 jobs in both the United States and Canada because the Seaway is operated by both countries, and it brings a total of $33.5 billion in business revenue to the United States and Canada annually. For Ohio, our largest trading partner is Canada, and some of those goods move across the water. In the United States alone, the system supports over 128,000 jobs and produces a total of $18.1 billion in business revenue annually. Over 42,000 of these jobs are direct jobs in the iron ore and steel industry, which Congressman Benishek referenced. The Great Lakes region produces 90 percent--90 percent--of America's iron ore, and the Great Lakes region also manufactures 58 percent of automobiles on the roads in the United States and Canada. I think Congressman Kelly knows a whole lot about the automobile industry. So this manufacturing and commodity supply chain can only function through the Great Lakes navigation system, which needs modernization. I am more than pleased to yield to the co-chair of the Great Lakes Task Force here in the House of Representatives, the very esteemed gentleman from Pennsylvania's Third District (Mr. Kelly) centered at Erie.

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank Congressman Kelly so very much. I thank him for his passion and for participating this evening and for all the effort he puts forward on our Great Lakes Task Force to try to elevate this region of the country as so vital to our future. And when the gentlemen were talking about Great Lakes and the word ``lakes,'' there are some people who have said they should have been named the Great Seas. I had an experience with schoolchildren a few years back. I loaded up a schoolbus with children who came from a region that wasn't close to the lake, and I took them out to Lake Erie. Their first reaction was actually fear when they saw how big it was. They said: Oh, the ocean. So, it isn't like a little puddle jumper. These lakes are vast. You have described them well. Most Americans have not visited them, so they don't have a complete understanding of how massive these lakes really are. There is nothing else like them on the face of the Earth.

Ms. KAPTUR. The gentleman has the same passion.

Ms. KAPTUR. This is a moment I am glad that is actually being broadcast because we are down here tonight on a bipartisan basis discussing a vital resource that this Nation shares with Canada. We work well together. Most of the news is about how Members of Congress don't work together, they don't do this, and here we are participating, after hours--we are not required to be here--and we are talking about something we believe to be truly irreplaceable for our country. I thank the gentleman for his leadership, and I will share this story with him. When I was a little girl, I still remember the seventh grade when our grandparents and parents took us to Erie, Pennsylvania, to Presque Isle. I remember that. It was such a big deal. It was a long trip from Toledo, Ohio, to Erie, Pennsylvania, and I still remember our relatives there and understanding how big that waterway really is, how we went swimming at Presque Isle back in those days--the 1950s, I guess. So I have always had an affinity for Erie, Pennsylvania, remembering back to those early times and what a good time we had. The people of Erie were so hospitable. It is great to have the gentleman as a leader in the Great Lakes Task Force and coming down here this evening to make time for the Great Lakes. I thank him very much. I thank him for his concerted leadership and all he has done to be a champion not just for Presque Isle, not just for Lake Erie, but for our entire Great Lakes system. I yield to gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), the vice chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, who has come to Congress with all this energy and intelligence and capacity to make a difference for the country. And then what was handed him in this last 2 months was the terrible tragedy in his hometown of Flint, Michigan, with lead in the water pipes and the water system there. So many people in Flint are so unnecessarily ill and the community is damaged. All of America wants to help Flint. I thank Congressman Kildee so much for coming down tonight.

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank Congressman Kildee so very, very much for coming down. He has his hands full in trying to repair the damage in Flint. We respect him so much for the leadership he has shown there, because that could happen anywhere. Sadly, it happened in Flint, Michigan, and he and the delegation and the entire Great Lakes region have really provided stellar leadership. We all are here to try and help him and the citizens of Flint. He is focusing national attention on the importance of water infrastructure and what can happen when systems age. You have brought this to the attention of the American people. We can all learn from the experience in Flint. I want to thank my colleagues for coming to the floor tonight to discuss the important challenges that still remain in the Great Lakes of water infrastructure improvement, addressing the harmful algal blooms, making sure there is significant support in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, stopping the Asian carp from coming into the Great Lakes, improving our Great Lakes navigation system, and making sure that the harbor maintenance trust fund is available for the Great Lakes. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following biographies. Baker O'Brien This year's Milestones Award Recipient for the Arts category is Baker O'Brien, an established world-class glass artist and long-time supporter of the arts in Toledo, Ohio. Ms. O'Brien was the sole apprentice of legendary glass-master Dominick Labino and has been mixing, melting, blowing and casting vividly colored glass for over 30 years. Her work is part of private collections around the world, and some of the more well-known recipients of her work include Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand, Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Former Mayor of New York City Rudy Guliani, Dr. C. Everett Koop, China Wildlife Conservation Association of Beijing, Beijing, China, and concert pianist Andre Watts. Ms. O'Brien has also donated her work to a wide variety of local organizations for fundraising. Over nearly 30 years, she has further supported the development of the arts in the Toledo area by educating docents from the Toledo Museum of Art. These docents, who are primarily women, are on the front lines of public arts education. Ms. O'Brien passionately ensures that they have correct and accurate information to pass along to museum patrons regarding both the art and science of glass. Her lectures and demonstrations include a combination of not only the science and history of glass art, but also the Labino Studio. She has served as a guest artist for the museum on numerous occasions. Outside of her work creating and supporting the arts, Ms. O'Brien has a passion for animals and owns several horses and purebred dogs. This community is truly fortunate to have a local champion for the arts and art education. Kathleen Zouhary Kathleen M. Zouhary is this year's Milestones Awards Recipient for her work advancing women in Business. Ms. Zouhary is a lawyer by trade and became one of the first female partners in the law firm of Fuller and Henry in 1981. Her distinguished legal career is punctuated by other firsts, such as becoming the first Vice-President and General Counsel for St. Luke's Hospital in Toledo. She also served as the Vice-President and General Counsel for Ohio Care Health System, Inc. Her wisdom and expertise assisted physicians, board members, and executives in fulfilling the mission of providing healthcare to Toledo-area residents. Ms. Zouhary currently owns her own business, Zouhary Dispute Resolution, which provides many forms of dispute resolution services to the financial and health care communities. In addition to her professional work, Ms. Zouhary has served on the Susan G. Komen Board for many years, the Miami University Board of Trustees, and the Toledo Legal Aid Society Board of Trustees. She has selflessly given her time and expertise to organizations which support health, education, and access to legal services. She has served as a mentor to other women and is known for her inspiring perseverance, patience, and professionalism in eliminating barriers to success for women of all walks of life. She is an active member of the Toledo Women's Bar Association, Ohio Women's Bar Association, and several other professional groups. Her colleagues have described her approach as ``grace under fire,'' and she is certainly an inspiration to business-women in the Toledo community. Ms. Zouhary's dedication and integrity make her an outstanding role model for Toledo women, including her two daughters Katie Marie and Alexis, who are now both successful attorneys in their own right. Julie Rubini Julie K. Rubini is the 2016 Milestones Award Recipient in the field of Education. She is the founder of Claire's Day, which is the largest Children's Book Festival and literacy awards program in the Toledo community. Ms. Rubini is an author with published books such as ``Hidden Ohio'' and ``Missing Millie Benson.'' Her work has provided children and families the opportunity to be lifelong readers. Her daughter, Claim Lynsey Rubin, passed away suddenly in 2000 as a result of a rare heart condition. To honor her daughter's legacy, Ms. Rubini established Claire's Day in 2001. At that time, Claire's Day was a one-day free family book festival to encourage reading, storytelling, music and education. In 2011, in conjunction with her husband Brad, Claire's Day formed a board of trustees to provide oversight, governance, and long-term leadership for the organization. The organization has brought many female authors to speak at local schools. In 2015, Claire's Day merged with Read for Literacy, and Ms. Rubini continues to serve on the Emeritus Board of Read for Literacy. She also volunteers her time to advance literacy programming in all of Northwest Ohio. She received the Jefferson Award for Community Service for this work. In addition, Ms. Rubini serves on Maumee City Council. Ms. Rubini's work, both professionally and philanthropically, is dedicated to helping others and supporting literacy among children and families. Out of tragedy she was inspired to use her time, talent, and determination to support literacy in the Toledo area and beyond. Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson Paula Hicks-Hudson is the 2016 Milestones Awards Recipient for her contributions to Government in Toledo, Ohio. Throughout her 35-year career she has worked with underserved women in various governmental capacities, culminating in her recent role as the first African-American woman to serve as Mayor of Toledo. Paula Hicks-Hudson's path to Mayor has consistently shown her dedication to the underrepresented populations of Toledo. She worked to protect the rights of young women and juveniles when serving as assistant Lucas County Prosecutor, Assistant Public Defender, and Assistant State Attorney General. From 1998 to 2002 she served as the Legislative Director of the Toledo City Council. Afterwards, she was the Director and Deputy Director of the Lucas County Board of Elections, ensuring access to the electoral process for Lucas County residents. Additionally, Mayor Hicks-Hudson worked as the chief legal counsel to the Ohio Office of Budget and Management under Governor Ted Strickland. She is most recently known for serving on the Toledo City Council for four years, prior to becoming Mayor of Toledo. Outside of her contributions through her career, Mayor Hicks-Hudson has served as variety of organizations in support of women and minorities, including the Coalition for Quality Education, the NAACP, the Fredrick Douglass Community Center, the African-American Law Enforcement Agents, and the state and national Federations of Business and Professional Women, Inc. Her work has earned her recognition by the Urban Minority Alcohol and Drug Outreach Program. In addition to these roles Mayor Hicks-Hudson has also volunteered her time to the YWCA in support of empowering women. She has maintained the highest levels of service in leadership and truly improved the quality of life for all those in our community, especially women and children. Dr. Pam Oatis, MD Dr. Pamela Oatis is this year's Milestones Award Recipient in the Sciences category, but her contributions to this area go far beyond scientific endeavors. Dr. Oatis has been a pediatrician, primary and palliative care provider for Toledo-area patients for the past 30 years. Dr. Oatis's contributions to this area have achieved significant recognition outside of the YWCA. She was selected by the American Chapter of Pediatrics as the 2011 Outstanding Physician of the Year for the entire state of Ohio. She also developed the CATCH program, which ensures community access to child health, and provides oversight to the Healthy Tomorrow program. She is involved in the development of medical ethics and has also led several hundred workshops, groups and classes for women's health on a national and international level. Dr. Oatis also devotes her time to teaching and providing regional leadership for Re-evaluation Counseling--a community peer listening program. In addition to this work, she was the initiating physician champion for the Medical-Legal Partnership for Children and is a certified instructor of Building Emotional Understanding from the international Hand in Hand Parenting. Dr. Oatis, like her mother, Ruth, has been a lifelong advocate for women. She works tirelessly to advance and empower women of all ages to take charge of their health. For recreation, she competes in Olympic distance triathlons and has competed on a national and international level. Dr. Celia Williamson Celia Williamson, Ph.D. is the 2016 Milestones Awards recipient in the field of Social Services. Dr. Williamson received her B.A. in Social Work from the University of Toledo, and went on to earn a Masters Degree in the field from Case Western Reserve University as well as her Ph.D from Indiana University. She has used this training to devote the past 20 years toward responding to social injustice, particularly the abuses of women who are victims of human trafficking. Dr. Williamson founded the first anti-trafficking program in Ohio in 1993, long before the human trafficking conversation came to the forefront. As a social worker, Dr. Williamson founded the Second Chance program, now known as RISE, in Lucas County. RISE continues to work with women and girls who were victims of the human trafficking industry. Her academic work includes 9 completed studies, 17 articles, and 2 edited books on sex trafficking. Her work was recognized via federal funding from 2002 through 2012 to conduct research in this area. In fact, she has been awarded research grants totaling over $1 million to assist vulnerable women and trafficked youth. As an activist and community organizer, Dr. Williamson founded the International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference, and chairs the Research and Analysis Subcommittee for the Ohio Attorney General's Human Trafficking Commission. Her devotion to helping the most vulnerable women in our community is undeniable, as she was instrumental in securing an FBI task force in Lucas County to address the issue of rescuing children from Toledo's sex trade. Dr. Williamson also devotes her time to teaching interns who are interested in addressing the issue of human trafficking, and she has been a lifelong educator on oppression and social justice. Dr. Williamson has received much recognition for her work in social services, and truly embodies the YWCA's mission. Her work to address the issue of ``modem slavery through human trafficking has cemented her status as an inspiration to women in Toledo and throughout the country. Adrienne Green This year's Milestones Award recipient for Volunteerism is Adrienne Green. Ms. Green was selected for her outstanding leadership and tireless efforts in raising awareness about the importance of volunteerism in the Toledo community. Although Ms. Green is not originally from Toledo, she is deeply passionate about the impact volunteers play in improving the lives of Toledo-area residents, especially women in need, and has consistently demonstrated her commitment by serving in a variety of volunteer leadership roles. For example, Ms. Green has had an active role in the ProMedica Toledo Hospital board, the Women's Initiative of the United Way, Read for Literacy, Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity, Toledo Chapter of the Links, Zonta Club Toledo I, International, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Many of these endeavors overlap with the mission of the YWCA by providing services and opportunities for women, especially those with limited resources. In addition to this work, Ms. Green works as a project manager at Owens Corning. She has consistently been willing to take on difficult tasks to support the community when others may be reluctant to do so. Her friends and colleagues have described her as ``always helping someone, without hesitation.'' In 2015, she served on the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Women of Distinction Committee, which selects exceptional women honorees leading the way for future female leaders. Ms. Green is a role model for women everywhere, proving that one can combine both professional and philanthropic goals to help her community. She is truly a leader by example and has generously invested her time and resources to support volunteer efforts in Toledo and beyond.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I want to add the congratulations and commendations from the people of Ohio's Ninth District to Navy SEAL Edward Byers for his incredible valor, and I thank the President of the United States for awarding him this week the Medal of Honor. Born in Toledo, Ohio, and raised in Grand Rapids, Ohio, SEAL Team Member Byers is a credit, not only to his service, but to the patriotic people who raised him, and for his enlistment in the U.S. military. The bravery that he exhibited and the training and readiness that he exemplified through his valorous service in Afghanistan will go down in the annals of American history. He is only one of a handful of SEALs who have been awarded the Medal of Honor. He handled the ceremony with great dignity, and we send our love and congratulations to his wife, to his family, and to all those who have the pleasure of knowing this really great American. Congratulations, SEAL Team Member Edward Byers. You distinguished yourself on behalf of the people of your country and for freedom-loving people around our world. Mr. Speaker, I will include in the Congressional Record two articles about this Toledo native. [From The Plain Dealer, Feb. 26, 2016] Toledo Native Edward Byers Will Be Awarded Medal of Honor (By Brian Albrecht) Cleveland, Ohio.--The rescue of an American hostage in Afghanistan in 2012 will result in Toledo native and Navy SEAL Edward C. Byers Jr. being awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in a ceremony at the White House on February 29. The Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator is only the 11th living service member to be awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery displayed in Afghanistan. According to Navy information, Byers was born in Toledo in 1979 and grew up in Grand Rapids, Ohio. After graduating from Otsego High School, where he played varsity soccer, he joined the Navy in 1998. Byers attended hospital corpsman school and also completed a basic underwater demolition/SEAL course and special operations combat medic course in 2003. He went on 11 overseas deployments, including nine combat tours. The Medal of Honor is awarded to members of the armed forces who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their own lives above and beyond the call of duty. The mission that lead to his Medal of Honor award involved the rescue of Dr. Dilip Joseph, an American who was abducted with his driver and Afghan interpreter in December of 2012. U.S. intelligence located Joseph in a remote mountainous area in a small, single-room building, and Byers was part of the team assigned to the recovery mission. In a subsequent Navy Interview, Byers detailed his role in that mission: ``So that night was December 8 in Eastern Afghanistan, it was a cool night, we got off the helicopters, did a four- or five-hour pretty arduous hike through the mountains, and upon getting to our target building where we assumed the American hostage was at, our point man Nick Cheque, he was right in front of me, he saw a guard come out of the door, he engaged that guard and we started sprinting towards the door. ``Nick made his way in, and I made my way in right behind him, and I went down by the wall, and I engaged an enemy by the backside of the wall. And then I saw another person moving across the floor, so by the time I got to him he was on his back and I was able to get down on top of him and straddle him with my knees, and I had to adjust my night vision to try to get some facial recognition. ``At the same time this is happening I'm calling out trying to find the location of the American hostage. And finally he spoke up and it was at that time I engaged the person I was on top of and jumped off, and jumped off of the guy I was on and jumped onto the doctor who was about three or four, maybe five feet to my right. ``The reason I did that is because I was wearing body armor, so I wanted to protect him from any other potential threats in the room. ``Anyone who's been in combat knows that in those moments you either react, or you get killed. ``When I did that there was a guy that was right behind him within arm's reach, who was armed, and I was able to pin that guy to the wall by his throat, kind-of holding the doctor, and waiting for my teammates to come in and take care of the threat that was right next to us. When I was done, I still laid on top of him, and kept asking him `hey can you walk,' you know, and `is there anything medically wrong with you,' because our goal is to bring this guy back alive. So, he said he was fine, and once we got outside, I noticed that our medics were working on Nick, and you know, being a medic myself I passed off the American hostage off to our other teammates and I went over to work on Nick, and did resuscitative efforts on him all the way to the hospital, where he was announced dead there.'' The official citation noted: ``Chief Petty Officer Byers displayed superior gallantry, extraordinary heroism at grave personal risk, dedication to his teammates, and calm tactical leadership while liberating Dr. Dilip Joseph from captivity.'' Byers said that when he found out he was being awarded the Medal of Honor, ``I felt very honored and very humbled because I'm gonna be a representative for the Navy and the naval special warfare community, and there's a weight that's carried with that. ``And that weight is the sacrifices that everybody has made within this community. Guys like Nick Cheque and all of our other brothers that have fallen, is it's an affirmation of the job that we do, and an appreciation of the job we do.'' In the interview, Byers also credited the support of his family, and noted that when he told his mother about the award ceremony, ``the first question out of her mouth is `Do you think I can come to it?' And I said of course, mom, I think you'll be able to come to it.'' He also noted that his daughter ``knows that I'm daddy, and she loves me just for that. If you talk to her one-on-one, she'll tell you all the five nicknames she has for me, and none of them includes `hero.' '' He concluded, ``I'm gonna continue to be a SEAL. And I'm gonna take whatever job or mission is next for me, and just continue doing that. I don't have any plans on changing my job at this time. I still love what I do, and as long as I love what I do I'll continue doing it.'' Byers' personal decorations include the Bronze Star with Valor (five awards), the Purple Heart (two awards), the Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor, the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards, one with Valor), the Combat Action ribbon (two awards), and the Good Conduct Medal (five awards). He is one of only eight living Navy Medal of Honor recipients. There are 78 living recipients total. Ohio has had 319 other Medal of Honor recipients with a connection to this state, dating back to the Civil War. Summary of Action Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Edward C. Byers Jr.: For actions during Operation Enduring Freedom on Dec. 8, 2012 Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Edward C. Byers Jr., United States Navy, distinguished himself by heroic gallantry as an Assault Team Member attached to a Joint Task Force in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM on 8 December 2012. specific accomplishment Dr. Dilip Joseph is an American citizen, who was abducted with his driver and Afghan interpreter on 5 December 2012. Intelligence reports indicated that Dr. Joseph might be transported to another location as early as 9 December 2012. Dr. Joseph was being held in a small, single-room building. The target compound was located in a remote area beside a mountain in the Qarghah'i District of Laghman Province, Afghanistan. Chief Byers was part of the rescue team that planned to make entry into the room of guards where the hostage was believed to be located. Success of the rescue operation relied upon surprise, speed, and aggressive action. Trading personal security for speed of action was inherent to the success of this rescue mission. Each assaulter in the rescue force volunteered for this operation with full appreciation for the risks they were to undertake. With the approval of the Commander of all International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan, the rescue force launched from its forward operating base. The infiltration was an exhaustive patrol across unimproved trails and mountainous terrain. After nearly four hours of patrolling, the rescue force was positioned to make its assault on the target compound. As the patrol closed to within 25 meters of the target building, a guard became aware of the rescue force. The forward-most assaulter shot at the guard and ran towards the door to make entry as the guard disappeared inside. Chief Byers was the second assaulter in a sprint towards the door. Six layers of blankets securely fastened to the ceiling and walls served as the Afghan door. While Chief Byers tried to rip down the blankets, the first assaulter pushed his way through the doorway and was immediately shot by enemy AK-47 fire. Chief Byers, fully aware of the hostile threat inside the room, boldly entered and immediately engaged a guard pointing an AK-47 towards him. As he was engaging that guard, another adult male darted towards the corner of the room. Chief Byers could not distinguish if the person may have been the hostage scrambling away or a guard attempting to arm himself with an AK-47 that lay in the corner. Chief Byers tackled the unknown male and seized control of him. While in hand-to-hand combat, Chief Byers maintained control of the unknown male with one hand, while adjusting the focus of his night vision goggles (NVGs) with his other. Once his NVGs were focused, he recognized that the male was not the hostage and engaged the struggling armed guard. By now other team members had entered the room and were calling to Dr. Joseph to identify himself. Chief Byers heard an unknown voice speak English from his right side. He immediately leaped across the room and selflessly flung his body on top of the American hostage, shielding him from the continued rounds being fired across the room. Almost simultaneously, Chief Byers identified an additional enemy fighter directly behind Dr. Joseph. While covering the hostage with his body, Chief Byers was able to pin the enemy combatant to the wall with his hand around the enemy's throat. Unable to fire any effective rounds into the enemy, Chief Byers was able to restrain the combatant enough to enable his teammate to fire precision shots, eliminating the final threat within the room. Chief Byers quickly talked to Dr. Joseph, confirming that he was able to move. He and his Team Leader stood Dr. Joseph up, calmed him, and let him know he was safe with American Forces. Once Dr. Joseph was moved to the helicopter-landing zone, Chief Byers, a certified paramedic and 18D medic, assisted with the rendering of medical aid to the urgent surgical assaulter. Chief Byers and others performed CPR during the 40-minute flight to Bagram Airfield where his teammate was declared deceased. Chief Petty Officer Byers displayed superior gallantry, extraordinary heroism at grave personal risk, dedication to his teammates, and calm tactical leadership while liberating Dr. Dilip Joseph from captivity. He is unquestionably deserving of the Medal of Honor. Official Citation

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the month of February 2016 comes to a close to recognize a milestone anniversary in the life of Toledo's Indiana Avenue Baptist Church. This month the congregation has been celebrating its 70th anniversary with a series of special gatherings. I was privileged to join the congregation yesterday. Founded by Reverend M. J. Stephenson in February 1946, the congregation has been shepherded by Reverend John Roberts for more than half a century. Pastor Roberts, in fact, was part of the organizational meeting of the church. Thus, this long standing beacon in our city has been blessed with a continuity of leadership since its beginnings. Indiana Avenue Missionary Baptist Church's first services in its building were held in its lower level in 1948. An upper level was added twenty years later and since 1980 services have been held in its newer sanctuary. In 1989 a fellowship hall was added which has served the congregation very well, with special focus on activities for youth. The hall bears the name of founding Pastor Stephenson and longtime Pastor Roberts. Starting with less than 100 members, the congregation of Indiana Avenue Missionary Baptist Church has served over 7,000 people through its seven decades and currently serves about 2,000 people. An anchor in our community, the church serves its faithful while ministering to the needs of its neighbors. One of the wonderful traditions at the church is the Interfaith Mass Choir. The choir's beautiful blend of voices soar in faith-filled praise, lifting up in joy those it reaches through song. Psalms Chapter 18 Verse 2 tells us, ``The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.'' Through the days of its ``threescore and ten'' years, the shepherds and flock of Indiana Avenue Missionary Baptist Church have lived this truth as their lives have given testament to Jesus' message of love which ``bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.'' (1 Corinthians 13:7)

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to honor and remember former Representative Mike Oxley who we lost last month. Today would have been his 72nd birthday, so our presence here tonight is a wonderful way to commemorate his life of service. I remember Mike most for his big smile, which could be seen from across the Chamber, and his love for his wife Patricia and his son Chadd. Mr. Oxley grew up understanding the importance of service to his country, which he carried out to the very end. He started his career working as a Federal Bureau of Investigations agent in Boston and New York City. He frequently noted this experience directed his Congressional decisions and that set him apart from other Members. He returned to his hometown of Findlay--Flag City--in 1972 to begin his career in elected office when he won a seat in the Ohio House. For a decade he sharpened and honed his legislative expertise, serving him well for the next chapter of his life. In 1981, he won a special election to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. I remember Mike relished working with his fellow Ohio delegation, especially the late Representative Paul Gillmor. Mr. Oxley dedicated his years of federal service to reforming our banking and financial laws. As the Chairman of the Committee on Financial Services, from 2001 to 2006, Ox demonstrated his leadership of Congress' response during very troublesome financial times following the tech bubble struggles of the early 2000s, Wall Street turmoil that followed the 9/11 attacks and corporate scandals including Enron. While Mr. Oxley and I were often on opposite sides, I will always remember him as jovial, collegial, and someone who had a great passion for public service. I was proud to work with him on the Base Realignment and Closure Commission as we stopped a Pentagon recommendation to reduce the size of the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima. This effort saved the jobs of 750 people who continue to manufacture tanks and sections of armored vehicles, including the best Army tank in the world, the Abrams. I was saddened when I learned that Mr. Oxley had been diagnosed with lung cancer. In his fight against cancer, he demonstrated his true spirit, and his eternal dedication to service by joining the Lung Cancer Alliance in 2010. Always fighting for others even amidst his own battle, he became the Board Chairman in January of 2014. It was an honor and privilege to serve with him and to pay tribute to his life. May his soul rest in peace and may his family be comforted by the memories they share of their times together and the joy he brought to living.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend I had the opportunity to travel with Congressman Dan Kildee, Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, Congressman Sander Levin, and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell--we were joined by other Members of Congress, Sheila Jackson Lee, for example-- to see firsthand the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. I just want to report to Members of the House and the people of this country that what I saw was appalling. At this point, so many weeks after the lead crisis was identified, to have no central medical team examining those children is a sacrilege. To have no water buffalo supplied by the National Guard with pressurized PVC tubing taking water to people's homes, rather than just this bottle delivery; to have no hot showers that are portable, which the military has, that they could put in the schools in that community, to me, was absolutely appalling. I was told that the Governor of that State had not even met with the people of the community. He had come in for a press conference. Is that what this is about? I met children who had hemorrhages and ulcers from drinking that water, who had black rashes all over their bodies with pus. Our country has a responsibility to the citizens of this country. There ought to be a central coordinator. If that Governor can't appoint one, the President of the United States should. Those children and the citizens of that city ought to be taken care of.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an exceptional American and extraordinary human being who led with quiet strength, the Reverend Chris Hadgigeorge of Toledo, Ohio, who was laid to rest this week. Father Hadgigeorge served the Toledo community so wisely and so generously for over a half a century, anchoring his service at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, which he helped to elevate from a church to a cathedral during his service. He was 91. What an incredible life. Surviving are his beautiful wife, Presvytera Ann Hadgigeorge, who he married in 1948; daughters Pattie Senerius and Angie Bohland; son, William; sister, Presvytera Zafera Bartz; six grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. He worshipped them all. He was born in Youngstown, Ohio, to immigrants from the Greek island of Samos. When he was growing up, he served as an altar boy. When the family went visiting with friends, children asked what he would like to play and he said: ``I would like to play church.'' So Father Chris would be the priest. As he said in a Blade interview back in 1998, he would marry his brother to one of the girls, and he would have a bag of marbles that he would use as his censer. Father Hadgigeorge attended Holy Cross, a school of Greek orthodox theology in New England, and was ordained in 1948. He served as pastor in a broad range of communities, including Indianapolis and Detroit, before arriving in Toledo. How lucky we have been. He served as pastor starting in 1960 and pastor emeritus after 1991, and he has been a leader for more than half of the North Toledo landmark church's existence. As I mentioned, it is now a cathedral due to his efforts. He had such an influence beyond the congregation he so dutifully served. The pastor recognized the changing needs, not only of the congregation, but of the community, as he saw his own congregation transition from U.S.-born members whose forebears arrived decades ago to more recent Greek and Cypriot immigrants. As his son said: ``I always called him a peacemaker.'' He served as a board member of the Toledo Council of Churches and was active in the International Institute, building goodwill with every step and every word he uttered. He raised his article of faith far beyond the congregants of his own cathedral. He planted his congregations's commitment in the heart of Toledo and maintained it there at a time when it was really needed, before the community had transitioned to the new century when it was struggling. He led his community to oversee renovations to the church building as it was elevated to a cathedral, including the construction of a beautiful educational center and the purchase of surrounding property, while supporting the parish leaders' decisions to stay put and not move, not suburbanize. He felt that that congregation should control its own destiny and to grow where it was planted. Father Chris was enthusiastic when the parishioners decided to throw a festival in 1971. The Holy Trinity's Greek festival has become an annual affair in our region, bringing people back to the city and being so much a part of the revitalization of Toledo long before it was popular. He was a true leader. He was such a leader for us. ``There are many generations who knew Father Chris,'' said the Reverend Larry Legakis, who became Holy Trinity's pastor in July 2014. Reverend Legakis said: ``For some of the people in their eighties, they remember working side by side'' with Father Hadgigeorge. ``Some see him as a father and a grandfather. And he was with us for so long, others see him as a great-grandfather.'' Personally, this Congresswoman sees him as a friend. Our community is forever indebted to him, and the Greek American community he shepherded is an essential building block of the city of Toledo. We would be so much less without having their faith-filled commitment. May his family draw strength from his beautiful life and from the lessons that he taught us and from the city that he loved and the cathedral to which he gave his life. May his family be blessed and may he rest in peace. I would like to place in the Record as well the obituary that was printed in the Toledo Blade this week. [From The Blade, Jan. 3, 2016] The Rev. Chris Hadgigeorge (1924-2015): Orthodox Priest Unified Greek Community, Parish (By Mark Zaborney, Blade Staff Writer) The Rev. Chris Hadgigeorge, a leader of what is now Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, as pastor and pastor emeritus, for more than half the North Toledo landmark's existence, died Thursday in his Sylvania Township home. He was 91. He died in his sleep, his son William said. The cause was not immediately known. He had surgery recently to replace a heart valve and put in a pacemaker, but he did not appear ill and took part in liturgies at Holy Trinity for much of December. The Holy Trinity community was organized in June, 1915, and has worshiped at its distinctive home on Superior Street north of downtown since 1919. Father Chris arrived as pastor in 1960. ``There are many generations who knew Father Chris,'' said the Rev. Larry Legakis, who became Holy Trinity pastor in July, 2014. ``For some of the people in their 80s, they remember working side by side. Some see him as a father and a grandfather, and he was with us for so long, others see him as a great-grandfather.'' Holy Trinity was consecrated as a cathedral in 1966, ``because of his leadership,'' said George Sarantou, a former parish council president. Father Chris oversaw renovations to the building and the educational center and the purchase of surrounding property while supporting parish leaders' decision to stay put. ``He felt we should control our own destiny,'' said Mr. Sarantou, Toledo finance director and a former member of the city council. ``He was a good solid leader who understood what our needs should be. He got the job done with his quiet but effective leadership. He knew how to motivate people.'' Father Chris was enthusiastic when the parish threw a festival in 1971, and Holy Trinity's Greek festival has become an annual affair. ``He loved the city and the community. It was home,'' his son said. The pastor recognized the changing needs of the congregation, from the U.S.-born members whose forebears arrived decades ago to more recent Greek and Cypriot immigrants. ``He was a great unifier in the Greek community. He could work with all groups, young and old,'' Mr. Sarantou said. His son said: ``I always called him a peacemaker.'' ``I'm speaking as a son now,'' William Hadgigeorge said. ``He would never lecture me about God's way. It was always the right way; do the right thing, even when others aren't looking.'' Father Chris retired as Holy Trinity pastor in 1991. Afterward, he was interim pastor of a Springfield, Ohio, church for several months but stayed in Toledo. He was named a protopresbyter in the church by Archbishop Iakovos in 1973, and received the patriarchal cross from Patriarch Bartholomew in 2006. Father Chris was born Aug. 3, 1924, in Youngstown, to Paraskevi and William Hadgigeorge, immigrants from the Greek island of Samos. He was an altar boy growing up and sang in the choir. When the family went visiting and friends' children asked what he'd like to play, ``I'd say, `Let's play church,' '' Father Chris told The Blade in 1998. ``And I would be the priest. I would marry my brother to one of the girls. I would have a bag of marbles that I used as my censer.'' He was a 1942 graduate of Youngstown's East High School. He went to Holy Cross, a school of Greek Orthodox theology in New England and was ordained in 1948. He was a pastor in Indianapolis and Detroit before arriving in Toledo. He'd been a board member of the Toledo Council of Churches and was active in the International Institute. Surviving are his wife, Presvytera Ann Hadgigeorge, whom he married March 7, 1948; daughters, Pattie Senerius and Angie Bohland; son, William; sister, Presvytera Zafera Bartz; six grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. Visitation will be from 1-9 p.m. Monday in Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, with Trisagion prayers at 7 p.m. A vesperal liturgy at 9 a.m. Tuesday will be followed by funeral services at 11 a.m. in the cathedral. Arrangements are by the Ansberg-West Funeral Home. The family suggests tributes to Holy Trinity's memorial fund.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Kuster for her leadership in bringing us together this evening. Congressman Guinta has really done the Nation a huge service. I rise tonight to speak for the mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, children and friends who have buried a loved one because of heroin. Nationwide, there has been a fourfold increase in death from opiates over the last decade, and every year nearly 17,000 people die from prescription opiate overdoses. Over 8,000 die from heroin overdoses, and more than 400,000 seek treatment in emergency rooms. In Ohio alone, heroin kills an average of 23 people every week, more than 1,100 persons per year. Heroin and opiate abuse is not a criminal justice issue alone. This Nation must recognize this addiction as the overwhelming, powerful, chemical dependance condition it is. Concurrently, too, it is often a mental health and medical crisis as well. They tell us the annual financial cost for our society now is over $33 billion a year, and that is based on 1996 figures. The gravest cost is in lives lost and grief felt by those loved ones whom the overdose victims leave behind. I think of the family of my own district staffer, Theresa Morris, who lost her beloved cousin, Angelique ``Angel'' Kidd, this past July to heroin. Angel grew up in a working class family, got married young, had two children, and went to work in food service. One night on her way home, she was in a terrible car accident and was given opioid pain medicine to help her with her discomfort. As she regained strength, she found it difficult to live with chronic pain and turned to other prescription medication and eventually to illegal substances in order to cope. She and her husband eventually divorced, and she became somewhat depressed. As her addiction grew, the price of her prescriptions rose. She turned to the cheaper substitute: heroin. She eventually lost her job due to poor performance and began withdrawing and even stealing from her family and got into trouble. It was a horrible descent. She died on Friday, July 24, 2015, this past year of combined drug toxicity. She was 41 years old. She was a mother, a daughter, a sister, a niece, a cousin, and a grandmother. There was no obituary in the paper, no public visitation, just a quiet service attended by those who loved her. The sorrow in her family simply can't be repeated. I know that the time has expired, but we must simply treat the chemical dependence that these terrible opioids cause in the American people, and we must call to task pharmaceutical companies like Purdue Pharma, Cephalon, Janssen, Endo International, and Actavis, because with over $11 billion of profits from these opioid pills alone, they can surely afford to help the American people.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of George Davis; a friend, an honorable leader, and a valued member of our Toledo community. George Davis was born in Toledo, Ohio on July 11, 1927 to Polly Ann and George Davis. He grew up on Scott Street and from the age of 6 sold newspapers and did odd jobs to help his family in the Depression. He was a Scott High School student when he went to work at Willys- Overland Motors at the age of 15. He retired in 1993 as a representative for Local 12, United Auto Workers. George was a veteran of the Army Air Corps. George Davis became the first African-American appointed as a union steward and served as chairman of the Jeep unit. He sat on the Jeep executive committee and, when the former American Motors Corporation owned the Toledo plant, George was a leader in a UAW intracorporate council. When he retired, he was on the state board of UAW's Community Action Program. George Davis served the Toledo Branch, NAACP, as the President, first vice president, chairman of committees and as a nuts-and-bolts member. In 2012 he was among the honorees recognized at an annual luncheon of the African American Legacy Project of Northwest Ohio. George Davis is survived by his sons, George III, Larry, Calvin and Norman; stepdaughters Helen and Patricia Webb; stepsons Walter Webb III and Robert Webb; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren, as well as step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren. His wife of 25 years, Gladys, died in 2002. George Davis was a great leader in all realms--his family, his church, his chosen profession as a union officer, his civil rights advocacy, and as a valued community leader whose opinion was sought and appreciated. He was blessed with an exceptional mind and an exceptional instinct. He knew how to read people, how to anticipate them, and how to counsel them. He had a gift for politics in the best sense. His goals were to serve people and to take their cause to those who could make a difference. And he did. He was an honorable leader, an indefatigable ally, and a courageous and unyielding advocate for people whose voices needed uplifting. He had a God given talent to accomplish good works, and he did. George Davis led our community to a better place every day of his working life, which extended to the day of his homegoing. May God bless him and bring peace to his family and friends as they bear this enormous loss. And may George Davis' precious talents, good nature, and unyielding spirit carry his legacy forward and inspire others to emulate his life.