Marcy Kaptur

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Thank you so much, Congressman Tonko, for bringing us together and, as always, helping to be a vanguard for jobs in America and the importance of reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 3 months after my Republican colleagues in the majority have failed, failed, failed in their responsibility to guard our economy by not reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank. Since 2009 alone, the Ex-Im Bank has supported over 1.3 million jobs in our country. Yet today, it has been put into idle, in limbo, as Republicans let it wither on the vine. Reauthorizing the Bank means jobs--let me repeat, jobs--here in America. Because when exports increase to other countries, American companies hire more workers to meet the added global demand. Anyone serving in Congress who doesn't understand how important-- vital--the Export-Import Bank is to jobs in America and to financing those exports to other nations shouldn't be serving here. You can't live in a cave and hope to compete globally. Of special note, the Export-Import Bank pays for itself, contributing $675 million alone in 2014 and nearly $7 billion over the last 20 years to the U.S. Treasury. It is well-managed and has an extremely low default rate. Yet today, at a time when America needs more jobs to keep growing, the Republican majority has shifted the country again into idle. More than 50 countries have an Export-Import Bank--I won't go through them all, China, Japan, Brazil, and Canada--many of our biggest trading partners. In many markets like Mexico, we can't move our products in there without the Export-Import Bank. Ask Superior Products in Cleveland, Ohio, or A.J. Rose Manufacturing in Cleveland. Or how about First Solar in Perrysburg, Ohio; 98 percent of its exports are tied to Export-Import Bank financing. Republicans have really put us on the brink of losing thousands more jobs in our country. Look at General Electric and what it just did. It decided because they didn't have Ex-Im Bank financing, they are going to move their operations to Britain and hire 1,000 people. Now, how backwards is that kind of thinking? It could not be any clearer that the shutdown of the Export-Import Bank will cost us so many jobs in this country. And how demoralizing to people who fight for American jobs and American workers every day. What we know here, and we have seen it operate last week and this week, an extreme wing of the Republican Party has ignored warnings from their colleagues--leading economists, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and countless other organizations--as they hold hostage the Export-Import Bank, frankly, for reasons no rational person can understand. They are even ignoring its charter and the immeasurable good it does for this country and the ability of our companies to compete in foreign markets which are so difficult--so difficult--for them to leap over and to get over the walls, the barriers, that prevent our products from going abroad. It is our desire that American companies will be able to compete and win. We try for it every day. That is why many of us ran for office. And to have this kind of wrench thrown in the wheel of progress, of economic progress, for our country is something that any rational American simply can't understand. It doesn't have to be this way. I thank the gentleman so very much for his time.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ukrainian- American and Northern Ohioan Adrian Karmazyn on the announcement of his retirement as Voice of America's (VOA) Ukrainian Service Chief. Mr. Karmazyn is a native of Parma, Ohio and is respected around the world as a veteran journalist covering Ukraine and Ukrainian-American communities in the United States. During his career, Mr. Karmazyn has contributed immensely to keeping the flame of freedom alive in Ukraine, even during some of her darkest hours. He is a freedom fighter. His mindful voice has been an essential component on the arduous path to a more open, democratic society following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the harrowing but steady progress of Ukraine to become part of the European community of nations. Mr. Karmazyn attended Ohio State University, receiving a B.A. in History. He then joined Voice of America in 1988 as an international radio broadcaster in VOA's Ukrainian Service, serving as a writer, producer, reporter, translator, announcer, and eventually as a correspondent in Kyiv. While there, he recruited a team of radio and video journalists in Kyiv and in other regional cities, helping to establish VOA's reporting presence throughout Ukraine. He continued to distinguish himself and in 1999 was named Program Manager of VOA's Ukrainian Service. Mr. Karmazyn directed the reorganization of the weekly Ukrainian Service TV magazine program Vikno v America, or Window on America. Over the next several years, the Ukrainian Service significantly expanded its network of reporters in Ukraine. In 2004, Mr. Karmazyn was assigned leadership over VOA's Ukrainian television programming. Later that year, during Ukraine's Orange Revolution, Karmazyn oversaw the launch of the daily Chas-Time television program. He was appointed Chief of VOA's Ukrainian Service in 2006 and served as one of the most reliable and valuable sources of information during the Euromaidan protests and Revolution of Dignity in 2013. This was vital as freedom of the press was under threat in the region. I have known and worked with Adrian Karmazyn for many years. Please allow me to extend my heartfelt appreciation for his years of exemplary and passionate service and his commitment to telling the stories of Ukraine, from Kyiv to Cleveland. His labor has brought the American people and the people of Ukraine closer for decades, with his regular presence and positive influence at VOA for the cause of liberty. His has been a voice of freedom and he will be missed.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to inform my colleagues and those who are listening of a very important conference that is occurring here in the Capitol today in the Capitol Visitor Center, a convening of nearly 500 Americans and those of Ukrainian American and Ukrainian heritage who are meeting to save Ukraine now. They are mobilizing humanitarian endeavors across our country to ship medical equipment, to ship used clothing, used shoes, mattresses, tents, to deal with the 1.7 million children who have been left homeless, and over 5 million refugees who have been affected by the brutal Russian invasion on Russia's western side and Ukraine's eastern side, as Russia has killed over 6,000 innocent Ukrainians and thousands have been injured. A cold winter is approaching in Ukraine. Many families are now eating more and more potatoes, lacking sufficient sustenance, and there are so many children that have been displaced. I am here saying, for those who are listening, go to the Web site of the U.S. Ukraine Foundation. Learn what is being done. If you can help in your communities to ship goods through your National Guard, this is the time for freedom fighters across our country to lend humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 65th anniversary of Toledo's unique train station. Toledo's Union Terminal, now known as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza, celebrated its 65th year serving America's rail system on September 22, 2015. Toledo's station is the busiest rail station in Ohio. It opened with fanfare just south of downtown Toledo in 1950. Envisioned as the presentation of the city to the world, Toledo's train terminal was a modern design creatively utilizing the glass which put Toledo on the world stage. As the 20th Century dawned, Toledoans clamored for a modern station with a look toward the future, even cheering when the city's train depot caught fire in 1930. However, it would be decades before the 1886 Victorian structure would be replaced. Following WWII railroads again turned toward infrastructure improvements, including the Toledo station. As Amtrak describes in its Great American Stations, ``Upon its opening in September 1950, Toledo Union Station was hailed in the New York Times as the ``$5,000,000 Dream of 40 Years,'' and a week of events was planned to celebrate the new building. Admiral Chester Nimitz, commander-in-chief of the combined American forces in the Pacific during World War II, was invited as the principal speaker. Events included a ``Youngster's Day,'' a city-wide tea party, and ``Glass Day'' during which the city's glass manufacturers unveiled a Vitrolite (an opaque, pigmented glass then manufactured by the local Libby Owens Ford Company) mural in the building. The highlight of the festivities was the opening day parade where a model of the old Union Depot was set on fire. ``The station which rose along Emerald Ave from 1947 to 1950 was unabashedly modern, incorporating restrained Art Deco lines and large expanses of glass block in reference to the city's main industry. Commentators expounded upon the variety of glass used in the building, including plate glass, glass block, double-glazed and tempered glass. Soon enough, the press referred to the station as the `Palace of Glass.' '' In 1995 the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority purchased Union Terminal from Conrail, which has succeeded New York Central. With the help of significant federal investment augmented by a partnership from state and private sources, the station underwent a major renovation and was renamed Central Union Plaza. Amtrak's history notes that ``The Port Authority worked with the State Historic Preservation Office and the Northwest Ohio Historic Preservation Council in order to maintain the building's essential historic design features remained intact.'' Because ``City funding stipulated that one percent of project monies had to be used on public art, the Port Authority worked with the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo to add contemporary sculptures to the grounds to enhance its function as a vital piece of the public realm.'' In 2001, the station was renamed in honor of eminent civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. It now serves as a modern train station through which more than 63,000 travelers pass each year. It will soon add bus service as it grows into a greater multimodal transportation hub linking rail and bus, as well as proximity to waterborne vessels. Historically, the Toledo passenger rail center has anchored northwest Ohio along the well-established east-west Chicago-Cleveland freight and passenger rail route so vital to the economy of the region and northern Ohio. Meeting the needs of the future for this region will require the recognition that modernization of this rail corridor is essential to future commerce including separation of freight and passenger service to make both more efficient. I am honored this week to join with the community of Toledo, Ohio in celebrating the anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza, a jewel in our city born of an era when trains were a modern marvel of transportation and traveling toward a future which meets the needs of travels in the 21st Century and beyond.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the centennial anniversary of Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral in Toledo, Ohio. The parish and Toledo Diocese celebrated this milestone on August 28, 2015. According to diocesan records, the Cathedral Chapel Parish was established on March 7, 1915, with the Most Reverend Bishop Joseph Schrembs named as pastor. Previous to that date, from the time the Diocese was established in April of 1910, St. Francis de Sales Church served as the cathedral. Shortly thereafter, land was purchased nearby on Collingwood Avenue and a Chancery, residence and school were built on the property in the ensuing years with completion in early 1915. Originally sponsoring both grade school and high school, the parish school soon grew too big. In 1920, Central Catholic High School was established, with most of its students coming from the Cathedral School. After a storm delivered substantial damage to the building in 1920, it was determined a new church would be built. The plans were developed in 1922. Its original architect and the man who would complete his design envisioned a cathedral such as those built in Europe's Middle Ages and mirrored aspects of the cathedral in Toledo, Ohio's sister city of Toledo, Spain. Thus, Toledo's Catholic Cathedral is unique: there is no other cathedral in the Plateresque style quite like Toledo's. Plateresque is a romantic style developed in 16th Century Spain and Toledo's cathedral combined the Plateresque style with Romanesque and Saracan architecture for a structure that stands alone in style and beauty. The Cathedral is truly an architectural wonder and treasure. Soaring above its Spanish style roof are twin towers Peter and Paul. Our Lady is carved out of a single block of limestone and is above the doorway. A window above the statue of Our Lady illustrates scenes from her life. The window was made possible by the pennies donated from the children in the Diocese. Other statuary depicting biblical scenes surround. The sanctuary features beautiful frescoes, murals and mosaics depicting stories and people from the Bible, the life of the Holy Family and the history of the church. The Cathedral is home to a grand pipe organ which was the culmination of the career of its creator, the famed Ernest Skinner. The pipe organ's sister resides in the Peristyle concert hall at the Toledo Museum of Art, home of the Toledo Symphony. The Cathedral's cornerstone was laid on Sunday June 27, 1926. Sufficiently completed to begin services, the building was opened in 1931. Work on the structure continued until completion in 1940. A joyous two day celebration and consecration was finally held on October 1 and 2, 1940. The Cathedral parish and school grew through the 1960s, but as Toledo's population moved to the suburbs and new parishes were established, the central city Cathedral parish and school saw a decline in families enrolled. Beginning in 1976, the Cathedral was to undergo extensive renovations to comply with the changes to the Mass brought by Vatican II. The renovations did not detract from the original design and the church was rededicated on September 18, 1979. In 2000, restoration was completed to remove the decades from the interior of the church and restore it to its early brilliance. The spiritual home of Toledo area Catholics, the cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese's parishes. Though its home parish is smaller now, Catholics from throughout the city and its suburbs see the Cathedral as their own, celebrating Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, Marriages and Requiem Masses. Priests are ordained at the Cathedral and special Masses are celebrated through the year. In tradition harkening back to the days they were part of the original parish school, the students of Central Catholic High School walk in procession for a yearly Mass. Though soaring vaulted ceilings, beautiful works of art, statuary, bell towers, giant wood doors and marble floors and ancient pews on which thousands have gathered over the years to celebrate Mass make the Cathedral a grand and glorious house of worship, at the same time it is intimate and peaceful. The faithful can always hear that ``still, small voice'' even among the grandeur. More important than the structure, though, are the people. We reflect on the early founders, those whose hopes, dreams and labors brought forth our stunning Cathedral, and in the present day we stand in solidarity with them. I was pleased to join in the celebration recognizing 100 years of faith in Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral. Through our cherished Cathedral, we are one.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Jeff Reutter, pioneering and indefatigable Director of the Ohio Sea Grant College Program, Stone Laboratory, Center for Lake Erie Area Research, and Great Lakes Aquatic Ecosystem Research Consortium, on the announcement of his retirement. Dr. Reutter's name has become synonymous with Lake Erie. He has spent his career fighting to develop the foundational data sets to support Lake Erie's recovery. During that time, Dr. Reutter has distinguished himself as a scholarly and popular leader; he is the foremost expert on the health of Lake Erie and our Great Lakes endowment. Dr. Reutter has tackled many issues facing Lake Erie during a distinguished career where he has witnessed the first Earth Day, the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, the return of nesting eagles to Lake Erie following a ban on DDT, and many other changes in our Great Lakes system. More recently, since the mid 1990s, Dr. Reutter has concentrated his efforts on finding solutions for Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB), caused by high nutrient run-off in the Western Lake Erie Basin, the largest watershed in the Great Lakes. Dr. Reutter's commitment and service to the people of Ohio and our Great Lakes will be celebrated for years to come. His talents will continue to be applied to those endeavors to which he has dedicated his life. I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation for his years of service and his unparalleled dedication to a healthy Lake Erie, a restored Great Lakes ecosystem and clean water for those who count on this amazing freshwater abundance--collectively, the most important freshwater body on the face of the earth.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Donna Smallwood Activities Center and Office on Aging in Parma, Ohio. The agency celebrates its 50th birthday today. In 1965 the Parma 60+ Club began meeting weekly. Parma Jaycees wives volunteered to coordinate activities led by Donna Smallwood. Donna Smallwood was later hired as the first director when the City of Parma decided to increase services in 1968. Five years later, in 1973, the Sixty Plus Center opened in the newly expanded Memorial Hall with services and activities five days a week. 1973 also marked the founding of the Parma Office on Aging to address the needs of Parma's older adults through an array of supportive services. Finally, in 1991 the Center's current building was constructed. City officials christened the building in 2009 as the Donna Smallwood Activities Center & Parma Office on Aging. Over 6,000 members belong to the Center. Though primarily for Parma residents, the agency also serves older adults in any community in the region, with partnerships developed with the nearby cities of Parma Heights and Seven Hills. From its small beginnings to the thousands of people served today, the Donna Smallwood Activities Center & Parma Office on Aging has become an integral part of both people's lives and the community in Parma. Focused always on offering a warmhearted and cheery place to meet, learn, be entertained and find help, the Donna Smallwood Activities Center & Parma Office on Aging is truly a home away from home for area seniors. We commend the caring service of its directors and staff both past and present, congratulate its membership on achieving this milestone birthday, and look forward to the future. I am pleased to join the membership of the Donna Smallwood Activities Center & Parma Office on Aging and the community of Parma, Ohio in celebrating this joyous occasion. Onward.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I also wanted to mention that Congressman Stokes' beautiful wife, Jeanette, who was at his side through all his years of service; his daughters, Angela, Shelley, Lori; his son, Chuck; and seven grandchildren. What an amazing family--the Stokes family has made many contributions to Ohio and to our country, but I think Jeanette and Congressman Stokes are proudest of the children and grandchildren that they have raised. They have represented the family well during this most difficult time. Honoring Speaker Jim Wright

Ms. KAPTUR. I would like to turn to a different subject, if I might, in the remaining time. Mr. Speaker, several weeks ago, there was a Special Order that was given on Speaker Jim Wright, and I was unable, because of duties in Ohio, to join my remarks to those of his friends and colleagues here in the Congress. I rise tonight to honor him for the leader and master of the legislative process that Speaker Jim Wright of Fort Worth, Texas, was. He approached life with an eager and courageous mission and a true democratic heart. He loved this House. He just loved it. He just basked in its glory and its power, and he had the keenness of intellect, the balance of knowledge, the intuition, the direction, and the wisdom that comes from the long years of experience that he had at the level of Fort Worth and then the State of Texas and then, obviously, federally. He was a veteran of World War II and had been a pilot and received the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was truly--truly--a courageous hero for our country and chose to serve then in elected life. What I will forever remember of him was his dignity and his strength. His personal ability to also forgive those who sought to harm him and move on was an amazing trait, and I think it revealed some of what he was able to bring as a negotiator and a statesman to the work here. He was a passionate fighter for the people of our country, especially those of ordinary means who might not have their voices heard, and when he got into a topic that he loved, he was absolutely unstoppable. He was a gifted orator. He spoke with all of his heart, and he elevated this House and the people who served in it. He loved Congress. He referred to it as a heady place to be, where Members of both political parties should cooperate to make America a world leader and to build and support a strong middle class. His early life growing up during the Great Depression had a permanent imprint on him, and he never forgot the common person. His service in the Army during World War II instilled in him a life of service and a dedication to help those less fortunate, but also a passion for liberty. His legislative achievements were legion. He helped create the Clean Water Act and the Interstate Highway System, and he helped guarantee benefits for returning veterans. I remember what a master he was. I believe he chaired the House Public Works Committee and rose from there. I can still see him making the case, right at this podium here in the House, for a modern transportation bill, clinking dimes in a large glass bowl to say that we have to pay our way forward here. He understood what it took to build and maintain a great nation's prosperity. He was a terrific, terrific orator. In foreign affairs, Speaker Wright had a contribution that one could describe as profound. He was a peacemaker. He visited the Middle East and facilitated the meeting that led to the accord between Israel and Egypt in 1977. More than a decade later, he led a successful push for a compromise that would end the war between the Sandinista government and the Contras in Nicaragua. Over time, his approach would lead to the end of U.S. military financing and the start of democratically held elections there. How many Americans can say they have ever been involved in something of that magnitude? In his farewell speech before Congress, Speaker Wright said: ``When vengeance becomes more desirable than vindication, harsh personal attacks on one another's motives, one another's character, drown out the quiet logic of serious debate on important issues, things that we ought to be involved ourselves in, surely that is unworthy of our institution, unworthy of our American political process. All of us in both parties must resolve to bring this period of mindless cannibalism to an end. There has been enough of it.'' Speaker Wright returned to Fort Worth where he donated his official papers to Texas Christian University's library and taught a TCU course called Congress and the Presidents for more than 20 years. His intention to keep the class small was simply impossible, as his enrollment grew at an increasing rate every year. Speaker Wright always treated me graciously. Here I was from Ohio, a completely different part of the country, but I appreciate the fact that he assisted my efforts to seek a seat on the Committee on Appropriations--it took me over a decade to arrive there--since no one from our part of Ohio had ever served on it. He saw the exclusion, and he helped me. I am so grateful to him forever for that and what I have been able to do to help the country in that position. He and I shared many experiences and pursuits during our shared years in Congress, but one of my favorite memories is something we had in common, and that was a love of gardening and roses. He was especially fond of a gray-purplish variety of rose that he had raised to perfection. He just loved life. Speaker Wright would often quote Horace Greeley in saying: ``Fame is a vapor; popularity an accident; riches take wings; those who cheer today may curse tomorrow; only one thing endures--character.'' Speaker Wright was certainly a man of great character and great talent and ability and great accomplishment. We shall miss him greatly. May the hearts of his loved ones, his beloved wife, Betty; his four children; 15 grandchildren; 24 great- grandchildren; and his sister Betty Lee Wright be warmed by the light of his memory and the legacy of liberty he bestowed upon us all and the great affection we shall always have for him in our hearts. May God bless the Wright family. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend deepest thanks to Congressman Garamendi for sharing his time with us and, also, to Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, who has been waiting almost an hour to share her memories of a very great American. We are here this evening, Mr. Speaker, and we rise to honor the illustrious career of a dear friend and stellar colleague, the late Congressman Louis Stokes from Cleveland, Ohio. Our hearts are heavy, but immensely grateful for his path-breaking life and legendary generous service. As the first African American Member of Congress elected to serve from Ohio, he wrote new history for America, for Ohio, every day of his life. Rising from the public housing projects of Cleveland, he and his brother Carl became revered as they built a more inclusive and representative America. What courage and passion that required. A proud, personable, and gracious man whose fashion and manner exuded dignity, it was actually never his aspiration to be a politician. He opted instead to serve the local neighborhoods of Cleveland, where he grew up, after returning from 3 years of service in the U.S. Army during World War II. After using his GI benefits to go to college, Lou served in the Veterans Administration and the Treasury Department before attending law school. He loved the law. He loved being a lawyer, and he loved writing laws here. His enlightened leadership moved America forward socially, economically, and legally. In Congress, his gentlemanly demeanor and sharp intellect allowed him to chair, again, as the first African American, the Appropriations subcommittee on Veterans, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies. As a much newer, younger Member of Congress, I had the great privilege of serving under him as he chaired that important committee. He also chaired the House Select Committee on Assassinations and served on the House Select Committee to investigate covert arms transactions with Iran. His agile legal mind was evident in the investigations he conducted. The people of Cleveland and Ohio have been blessed throughout his life and hold abiding gratitude for his extraordinary accomplishments and generous spirit. I can still hear his laugh. I am privileged, actually, to have served with Congressman Stokes for almost a quarter century and hold lasting memories of his deep love for his wife, for his mother, for his brother, for his children, and his grandchildren. He had indefatigable and inspired efforts to gain respect and equal justice in the law for all of our citizens. And he saw progress, great progress, in his lifetime that we have so far to go. I witnessed his perseverance in building America's communities forward and his dedication to meeting our Nation's obligations to veterans, to advance space science, and to catapult Cleveland's health and human services to the top rung of national assets. I have so many memories of Congressman Stokes. I can remember one time in a subcommittee he had the head of Arlington Cemetery come up, and he had these big volumes that he brought with him of who were the veterans who were interred there. And Congressman Stokes pointed out to the entire committee, ``Go down and read the roster.'' And the roster said, ``No name,'' ``No name,'' ``No name,'' ``No name.'' And Congressman Stokes informed us that, in fact, those were Africa Americans who had died in service to our country, but they were buried with no name at Arlington. And he made sure that that area was especially recognized, and he was writing history for America for the first time. I thought, wow, this isn't 1870. This was in the 1980s and 1990s. He was a great teacher. I shall sorely miss his dogged determination, easy smile, keen and measured counsel, and persevering nature. The last time we were together was at a Fair Housing meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, just a few months ago. Looking back on his generous attendance at age 90 and looking in really great shape, I think it was his way--he hadn't told anyone yet what was ailing him, but I think it was his way of saying good-bye. What a gracious gentleman he was. What a gifted leader has lived among us. I am going to place in the Congressional Record a special story that was in the Cleveland Plain Dealer entitled, ``Lou Stokes--The Congressman, Leading Lawyer, and Towering Political Presence Has Died,'' written by Brent Larkin, Tom Diemer, and Sabrina Eaton of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. Though I won't read the entire article into the record tonight, let me just read a few sentences: ``We have been blessed as a family with a legacy we can always be proud of,'' Lou Stokes said. ``Together with Carl''--his brother--``we made a name that stood for something. What greater honor could have come to two brothers who grew up in poverty here in Cleveland?'' And he tells a story about his mother. He would always get tears in his eyes when he would talk of his mother. She had become ill at one point, and he went to visit her. And he said, ``I took her hands to give her some comfort and, when I felt those hard, cold hands from scrubbing floors in order to give me an education, I began to understand what her life was about, what her life meant.'' And that piercing memory Lou carried with him every day of his life. ``Beginning in junior high school, Stokes took jobs delivering the Cleveland News, shining shoes, and working in a small factory that made canned whipped cream.'' When he was 16, a man named Isadore Apisdorf hired him to perform odd jobs at his Army-Navy surplus store on lower Prospect Avenue. Seeing something in the youngster, Apisdorf ignored the risk to his business in those days and hired Stokes as a salesman. When speaking of his early years, Stokes always remembered to mention the kindness demonstrated to him by a man ``who sort of acted like a father to me,'' Congressman Stokes said. Stokes graduated from Central High School in 1943. And with World War II raging, he joined the Army and was assigned to a segregated unit that remained Stateside, mainly in the south. Stokes recalled a layover his unit once had in Memphis where a group of German prisoners of war in a train station restaurant were treated better than the Black soldiers. Louis Stokes embodied so many memories and so much progress that he helped not just Cleveland, not just Ohio, but our country and people everywhere to persevere, no matter what the odds. I shall miss him. What a gifted leader has lived among us. I know all of the people of Ohio join me, as do our colleagues, in saying: May the angels carry him to a deserved, peaceful rest close to the heart of God. There are other Members that wish to speak this evening. I just feel very honored to be here. I can still see Lou in the cloakroom in the back with his good friend, Bill Clay, and some of the guys. We weren't included, as women, in those conversations, but we respected them. And he was always cordial. He always sort of stood halfway turned so he could say hello to those Members going by. He had a special gracious manner about him. [From Cleveland.com, Aug. 19, 2015] Lou Stokes--The Congressman, Leading Lawyer and Towering Political Presence Has Died (By Brent Larkin) Cleveland, OH.--Louis Stokes, whose iconic career in public life assures him a place as one of the most revered, respected and powerful figures in Cleveland history, died Tuesday night. He was 90. The older brother of former Mayor Carl B. Stokes had an aggressive form of cancer, diagnosed in late June. A proud, personable and gracious man whose dress and manner exuded dignity, Stokes never wanted to be a politician, aspiring instead to become Cleveland's leading black lawyer. But the reluctant officeholder who came to Congress in 1969 left it 30 years later as a towering political figure both in Washington and at home. Mayor Frank Jackson was one of dozens to publicly mourn the death of his longtime friend. ``Congressman Louis Stokes' long career in public life was a model of how to serve with dignity, integrity and honor,'' Jackson said. ``His service paved the way for many who would follow in both public and private careers. I know full well that, but for him, I would have never had the opportunity to become mayor.'' For more than three decades, Stokes, his brother, former Council President George Forbes, and former Cleveland School Board President Arnold Pinkney dominated every aspect of black political life in the city. Now, only Forbes survives. ``The four of us had parallel careers in public life,'' Forbes said. ``It was not unusual for some of the things we did or said to be questioned. But not Lou Stokes. If he said it, or did it, it was like a pronouncement from Sinai. It was the gospel. It was the last word. No one disagreed with him.'' Stokes' resume in the House included stints as chairman of the select committee that from 1976 to 1978 investigated the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., chairman of the House Ethics Committee, a member of the House select committee that investigated the Iran-Contra affair, and the first black to chair the Intelligence Committee and serve on the influential House Appropriations Committee. In Cleveland, Stokes' political muscle was the 21st Congressional District Caucus, a political organization founded by his late brother that became so powerful, its ability to influence election outcomes sometimes surpassed that of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party. When Stokes and the caucus urged Democrats in his district to vote against a sitting Democratic president in the Ohio presidential primary in 1980, they did just that, supporting Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy over President Jimmy Carter by a margin of nearly 2-1. Stokes never lost an election. Nor did he forget where he came from. And he never strayed from his commitment to expand political and economic opportunities for minorities. In an interview at his home just a month before his death and days after he learned of his terminal illness, Stokes emotionally reminisced on his storybook life. ``I was a very blessed guy,'' he began. ``I've been blessed with the opportunity to participate in history, to rise to opportunities I never envisioned . . . and to provide for people opportunities that, in many cases, they would have never had. ``We have been blessed as a family with a legacy we can always be proud of. Together with Carl, we made a name that stood for something. ``What greater honor could have come to two brothers who grew up in poverty here in Cleveland?'' Humble beginnings Lou Stokes was born Feb. 23, 1925, the first of two children born to Charles and Louise Stokes. Carl was born a little more than two years later. Their father died when Lou was three, and Louise Stokes took an $8-a-day job as a domestic worker at homes in the eastern suburbs. To help raise the young boys in their small apartment on East 69th Street, Louise's mother moved to Cleveland from Georgia. Stokes spoke often and with great emotion of his mother, and her repeated lectures on the importance of an education. ``One night, she was lying in bed ill and I went into her room and sat with her,'' Stokes recalled during an interview last year at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. ``I took her hands to give her some comfort. And when I felt those hard, cold hands from scrubbing floors in order to give me an education, I began to understand what she meant.'' Beginning in junior high, Stokes took jobs delivering the Cleveland News, shining shoes and working in a small factory that made canned whip cream. When Stokes was 16, Isadore Apisdorf hired him to perform odd jobs at his Army-Navy surplus store on lower Prospect Avenue. Seeing something in the youngster, Apisdorf ignored the risks to his business and hired Stokes as a salesman. When speaking of his early years, Stokes always remembered to mention the kindness demonstrated to him by a man ``who sort of acted like a father to me.'' Stokes graduated from Central High School in 1943. With World War II raging, he joined the Army and was assigned to a segregated unit that remained stateside, mainly in the South. Stokes recalled a layover his unit once had in Memphis where a group of German prisoners of war in a train station restaurant were treated better than the black soldiers. After the war, Stokes attended Western Reserve University on the G.I. Bill. He worked for a time for the Veterans Administration and Treasury Department before graduating from Cleveland State University's Cleveland Marshall College of Law in 1953. Stokes opened up a small law office on St. Clair Avenue, and was later joined by his brother. Carl also became a lawyer and, in 1962, became the first black Democrat elected to the Ohio House. Around this time, Stokes drew the attention of Norman Minor, considered one of the greatest lawyers in Ohio history and the greatest black lawyer Cleveland ever produced. ``I tried to be like Norman Minor in every way I could,'' Stokes recalled in 2014. ``Carl loved politics. I didn't have that love. I loved being a lawyer.'' Making history On the night of Nov. 7, 1967, Stokes sat with Martin Luther King Jr. in the Rockefeller Building just west of Public Square, and experienced what he described as ``a pioneering political event for America''--Carl Stokes' election as the nation's first black, big-city mayor. In 1965 and again two years later, King had made numerous trips to Cleveland aimed at registering blacks to vote. Carl Stokes lost the 1965 mayoral primary by about 1,700 votes. Two years later, he beat Republican Seth Taft by about 2,500 votes. Lou Stokes said King was ``tremendously helpful'' to his brother in both those elections. Less than a month after his brother's winning election, Stokes enjoyed his own first moment of fame, arguing a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The case involved John Terry, a Cleveland man suspected of preparing to rob a Euclid Avenue store downtown in 1963. Terry and two others were stopped on the sidewalk by a Cleveland policeman, who frisked Terry and found a gun. The landmark case of Terry v. Ohio upheld the arrest, but allowed police to stop and frisk suspects only when the officer has a ``reasonable suspicion'' the suspect is about to commit a crime, and may be armed and dangerous. That same year, another landmark Supreme Court ruling known as ``one man, one vote'' led to Carl Stokes and Gov. James Rhodes collaborating in the creation of a new, majority- minority congressional district comprised of Cleveland's East Side and some eastern suburbs. At his brother's urging, a reluctant Lou Stokes put his law career on hold and became a candidate. In the Democratic primary, Stokes beat 13 opponents, including George Forbes, Leo Jackson and George White. In January 1969, Stokes entered Congress along with Shirley Chisholm of New York and William ``Bill'' Clay of Missouri. Their elections brought to nine the number of blacks in Congress. Stokes immediately began to make his mark, becoming a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus a little more than a year after taking office. Always served well by his personality, Stokes was a tall, hard-working man with a loud, infectious laugh. His gentle nature masked a steely commitment--and, at times, he was viewed as a bit too thin-skinned. Nevertheless, among his colleagues, Stokes was always considered one of the body's most popular members. When Tip O'Neill became speaker of the U.S. House in 1977, Stokes' career took off. O'Neill's respect for Stokes earned him prestigious and powerful committee assignments, which often translated into federal spending on projects important to Cleveland. ``We had a very special relationship,'' Stokes said of O'Neill during his July 14 interview. ``He used to call me `Louie, my pal.' He gave me some very tough assignments.'' In 1987, Stokes had a memorable back-and-forth with Oliver North during the Iran-Contra hearings, telling the Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, ``While I admire your love for America, I just hope you will never forget that others, too, love America just as much as you do--and . . . will die for America just as quickly as you will.'' The power broker Back in Cleveland, the 1971 decision by Carl Stokes to leave town for a television career in New York instead of seeking a third term as mayor created a significant power vacuum within the black political establishment. Stokes moved decisively to fill that vacuum, and Democratic leaders awarded him a co-chairmanship of the county party. But Forbes and Arnold Pinkney were becoming powerful black political figures in their own right. For the next 10 to 15 years, the inevitable tensions that arise with power-sharing led to public disagreements and some angry private moments--with Call and Post founder and publisher W.O. Walker often serving as a mediator. Over time, those strains disappeared. And while Forbes would eventually cement a legacy as the most powerful City Council president in Cleveland history and Pinkney twice waged competitive campaigns for mayor and became a nationally recognized political consultant, there was never any doubt who owned the magic political name. That name at times moved Stokes and the 21st Congressional District Caucus to part ways with the Democratic Party. And Stokes was not above using the caucus as a weapon to punish and defeat candidates he believed did not deserve black votes. The caucus' influence was often most pronounced in down- the-ballot races for judge and other offices. But in the 1977 election for mayor, one of the most competitive and dramatic in the city's history, support from the Stokes brothers probably made the difference in Dennis Kucinich's victory over Democratic Party-backed Edward Feighan. Tim Hagan served as Feighan's de facto campaign manager. Several months after the election, he would become chairman of the county's Democratic Party. ``If Congressman Stokes was with you, it gave you unquestioned credibility with the people he represented,'' said Hagan. ``It made the difference between winning or losing an election. Lou's endorsement was the most important endorsement a candidate sought.'' There were a few stumbles, but none major. And they did little or nothing to tarnish Stokes' relationship with his constituents. [In 1983, following a late-night session of Congress, he was convicted on a minor charge of driving under the influence and also of running a red light; Stokes said he was overly tired but sober, but decided not to appeal the jury verdict.] In the early 1990s, he had 551 overdrafts at the House Bank, most for small amounts. In 1993, Stokes reached the height of his power in Congress, joining the prestigious ``College of Cardinals'' when he became chair of the Appropriations subcommittee for the Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development. It was a position that gave Stokes enormous say in how and where tens of billions in federal dollars were spent. The Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center on East 105th Street is one of several Cleveland buildings named in his honor. But his enthusiasm for the job would soon wane. In 1994, Republicans took control of the House. Two years later, at age 71, Stokes had open heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic and a tumor removed from his vocal cords. When, in April 1996, Carl Stokes died of cancer, Stokes lost his best friend. The denouement By 1998, after 30 years in office, Stokes decided not to seek re-election. On the day he announced his retirement, Plain Dealer columnist Elizabeth Auster wrote, ``Stokes brought more than money home from Washington. He also brought laughter and inspiration and pride. And sometimes those are harder to come by.'' Then-Cleveland Mayor Michael White said of Stokes, ``Someone will fill his seat, but I don't think anyone will ever fill his shoes.'' It was always a foregone conclusion Stokes' job would pass to Stephanie Tubbs Jones, county prosecutor at the time. When Tubbs Jones died unexpectedly in 2008, Marcia Fudge became only the third person to hold the seat. In retirement, Stokes became senior counsel at the Cleveland-based law firm of what was then Squire Sanders & Dempsey. He served on several corporate boards, including Forest City Enterprises. When asked in the July interview about the lack of civility in Washington today, Stokes said he was sometimes embarrassed to be a former member of Congress. ``I have members of Congress whom I see, on both sides of the aisle, and they tell me, `Louie, you wouldn't want to be here now.' It's a waste of your time and intellect to be involved there now and see how difficult it is to concentrate on doing what's best for people--considering you were sent there to help people. That's gone now.'' Stokes retired from the law firm in 2012, and resigned from the Forest City board last year. In recent months, he spent time assisting his daughter, Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Angela Stokes, who is contesting disciplinary charges filed against her by the Ohio Supreme Court's Disciplinary Counsel. Besides Angela, he is survived by his wife of 55 years, Jeanette (Jay); daughter Shelley Stokes-Hammond, retired public affairs director at Howard University; daughter Lori, a television news anchor in New York City; son Chuck, editorial and public affairs director at a Detroit television station; and seven grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield to Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, who I know was a very, very dear friend of Congressman Stokes. I thank her so much for joining us this evening.

Ms. KAPTUR. Thank you, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, a long way from Cleveland, for your great service and for sharing your memories of our beloved friend, Congressman Louis Stokes. General Leave

Ms. KAPTUR. I know others want to enter material in the Record in memory of Congressman Stokes. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to pay tribute to an historic, distinguished former Member of this Chamber--Louis Stokes of Cleveland, Ohio. Congressman Stokes passed away on August 18, at the age of 90, with his loving wife of 55 years, Jeanette, by his side. On behalf of the people of Ohio and the Ohio delegation, I would like to express our deep sadness and enduring gratitude for the life of Louis Stokes. Growing up in Cleveland in public housing, with his brother, Carl, and their widowed mother, life was hard, but Lou triumphed over hardship to become a passionate voice for the less fortunate. He gave his life to public service, serving 3 years in the Army before using the benefits he earned under the GI Bill to attend college and law school; and, I might say, he served in a segregated Army. He worked closely with the NAACP and argued the landmark stop and frisk case, Terry v. Ohio, before the U.S. Supreme Court. In his 15 terms in Congress, he served as an ever-present voice for people of color and vulnerable communities across this country, playing a role to help found the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971. He was a foundational figure. His leadership was also historic, as he was the first African American Member of Congress ever elected to represent Ohio. Lou's resume in the House included stints as chairman of the select committee that investigated the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., from 1976 to 1978; as chairman of the House Ethics Committee; as a member of the House select committee that investigated the Iran-Contra affair; and as the first Black person to chair the Intelligence Committee and serve on the influential House Appropriations Committee and chair its Subcommittee on Veterans, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies. A month before his passing, Lou gave an interview to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He said: ``I was a very blessed guy . . . I've been blessed with the opportunity to participate in history, to rise to opportunities I never envisioned . . . and to provide for people opportunities that, in many cases, they would have never had.'' We stand here today in the footsteps of this historic champion. It is we who are blessed to have worked alongside Congressman Stokes; and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Jeanette; his beautiful daughters Angela, Shelley, and Lori; son, Chuck; and seven grandchildren. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of them during this difficult time of loss. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Ohio delegation, I ask that the House observe a moment of silence in memory of the legendary, transformative life of former Congressman Louis Stokes, and I thank you all.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise, as dean of the Ohio delegation, to bring to my colleagues' attention and those who are listening that one of our great Members of Congress from Ohio, Congressman Lou Stokes, who served so ably, with such dignity, with such acumen, and with such heart has been diagnosed with a very serious type of cancer. His days with us are numbered. I know that many Members hold memories of Lou, and there will be many tributes paid to Congressman Louis Stokes of Ohio. Without question, his service was legendary, along with his brother, who became the first African American mayor in our country, the city of Cleveland. If we look coast to coast, the people of Ohio are walking in prayer with the Stokes family now. If Congressman Stokes is listening, I hope he knows that the love of this House, the place to which he dedicated the best years of his life, are with him. Thank you, Congressman Louis Stokes of Ohio, for what you have done for America, for the people of Ohio, and for the people of Cleveland. History will record the greatness of your service to others. We love you. We pray with you. We walk with you.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an issue of critical importance--the U.S. relationship with Russia. The U.S. has a complicated bilateral relationship with Russia, which includes a number of vital global issues including ISIL, Syria, Iran's nuclear ambitions and peace in the Ukraine, among others. However, a central aspect in the relationship that must guide all of the issues is the rule of law-- and Russia has shown little respect for this essential principle. As a Member of Congress of Polish descent and who is the co-chair and leader of a number of country caucuses in the Congress, I am well aware of Russia's sometimes unacceptable behavior on the world stage. An important but not widely known rule of law issue, is the $50 billion arbitration brought against Russia by GML on behalf of the shareholders of Yukos Oil, whose company was illegally seized over a decade ago. In July of 2014, a tribunal in The Hague ruled that Russia violated the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), and awarded Yukos a $50 billion arbitration award. Since last summer, Russia has appealed the ruling, asking that it be set aside and dismissed by the Dutch Courts, a review process that could continue for 10 years. In the decision, an independent arbitral tribunal sitting in The Hague ruled unanimously that the actions of the Russian Federation were politically motivated and constituted expropriation of the majority shareholders' investment in Yukos. The roots of the ECT date back to political initiatives in Europe following the end of the Cold War. The fundamental aim of the ECT is to strengthen the rule of law on energy issues by creating a level playing field of rules to be observed by all governments who are signatories to the Treaty. Mr. Speaker, Russia needs to do much better in respecting rule of law, international institutions and global treaties. The GML case is a bellwether for Russia's behavior, intentions and future actions. It will help demonstrate if Russia will truly be accountable under rule of law and serve as a constructive partner in the global community. I urge my colleagues to learn more by reading the November 15, 2014 article in The Economist entitled, ``The Yukos affair: The chase is on.'' It is a case the U.S. Administration and Congress should follow closely to strongly support and urge adherence to the rule of law.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. I want to thank you, Congressman Garamendi, for your continuing leadership on jobs in America and Make It In America. It is a pleasure to join also with Congressmen Norcross and Sherman, who are here tonight after hours as we attempt to bring the cause of the American people here to our Nation's Capitol. I want to thank you for the logo of ``Make It In America.'' We in the Midwest would also say ``make it and grow it in America'' because agriculture is a major underpinning of Ohio as well, and I know it is of California. I want to begin my remarks tonight by saying that the American economy, in a way, is upside down. We have seen two-thirds of the manufacturing jobs in America eliminated over the last three decades, and it isn't just because of technology. It is because those jobs have been outsourced to third-world environments, where people work for penny wage jobs, and their livelihoods don't really increase. They aren't bettering themselves. They are basically not starving. They certainly don't live a middle class way of life. But two-thirds of the manufacturing jobs, gone in America. And at the same time, we see the financial sector growing in power. Six banks headquartered on Wall Street mainly controlling the investment that occurs that allows the outsourcing, the very same characters that brought this economy down and hurt the world through the development of derivatives. It has been interesting to read about the Greek financial crisis and to see that Goldman Sachs is right in there again, creating a derivative instrument that can't hold water. So the inner tube is just leaking all over the place. It is important for the American people to see that manufacturing jobs have gone down. We have lost two-thirds of them. And the financial sector, meanwhile, has gained power, the very same characters that are outsourcing these jobs. Because who has the money to invest in third-world environments? It sure isn't the community banks that I represent. Let me point out that, over the last 30 years, we haven't had a single year where the United States was able to send more out--export goods--than import from other places. So we have been upside down as an economy now for going on 30 years. And from my region, that means the average family has had their income go down, their net effective buying power, $7,000 as the middle class hemorrhages. Let's look at the numbers. We have had over $10 trillion of trade deficit since the mid-1970s, when the first free trade agreement was signed. That $10 trillion probably translates into a loss of over 40 million jobs over that period of time. We are growing now sluggishly, sluggishly, because the ``make it'' and ``grow it'' parts of America have been very, very trimmed back. If you lose two-thirds of your manufacturing jobs, you have growing poverty and you have sinking wages and sinking buying power across our country. Now, there is a book. I recommend it to everybody. ``American Theocracy'' by Kevin Phillips. In chapter 8, he talks about the financialization of the U.S. economy: loss of manufacturing jobs, increase of jobs in the financial sector, high rewards for the people that sit at the top, but for everybody else, sinking wages and a shrinking middle class. The derivative instruments that hurt our country and the collateralized debt obligations that threw us into a spin back in 2008, those weren't invented by people in Toledo, and I doubt they were invented by people in Cleveland or central California. They were invented by money-changers. And they had figured out how to trade away American jobs, make huge, huge profits for their shareholders at the expense of the rest of the American people, the 99 percent. On agriculture, I want to say that what has happened over the same period of time--because we have a vast underpinning of agriculture in this country. But even with it, 15 percent of our food is now imported. It used to be about 3 percent. Start looking at the shelves and you are going: Oh, what did we trade away for that or that or that? And certainly, in pharmaceuticals, we have traded away most of those jobs someplace else. And isn't it interesting that the cost of pharmaceuticals hasn't gone down, as we have just seen an avalanche of drugs coming in here, whether they be generic or brand-name. There are people who are financing this outsourcing, and they are sitting fat and happy in the major financial center of our country. I can go through my region. I can look at companies like Dixon Ticonderoga. It didn't close its doors in Sandusky, Ohio, because it couldn't make its crayons and school supplies anymore. It was moved to Mexico, where it sits near Mexico City. It moved from Sandusky, Ohio, down there. Delphi moved from the same general area, Port Clinton, Ohio. Ford Focus just last week announced 4,000 jobs out of suburban Detroit down to Mexico. Champion Spark Plug in Toledo, closed. Acklin Stamping in Toledo, closed. Dura, Dana, Chase Bag, Textile Leather, the list goes on and on. Ford's Maumee Stamping, there couldn't be a better Ford stamping plant in America than the one in Maumee--doors shut, jobs gone. Two-thirds. That is just one part of America. Two-thirds of the manufacturing jobs of this country, lost. Our economy is lopsided. It is benefiting a few. We are seeding the field, and that is why the American people feel the pinch. I just wanted to make one other important point where the gentleman references research and innovation. There will be a patent bill coming up here very soon which I hope people will vote against because it will further dampen the ability of individual inventors and those working in our universities inventing the new products of the future and will reward only the big companies. And I say to my colleagues, if you haven't decided how to vote on H.R. 9, I hope you will vote ``no'' on what is being called the Innovation Act because what it is, it is a transfer of more power to the biggest global corporations to say to their patents: Full steam ahead. But if you are an individual out there in America or you are a person who doesn't have a whole legal team of lawyers who are being paid at your behest, you don't have a chance. You won't have a chance with H.R. 9. We have a bill, H.R. 2045, that I hope people will look at as an alternative. It is supported by all of the research universities, small inventors across our country, who can't afford any longer to put their invention out there because they don't have the legal or financial capacity to defend it. There is something really insidious about what is going on with our patent system and will make it so much harder. And I give as proof, I read in our local newspaper the other day-- they listed all the patents that had been approved this year over the first half of the year from my part of the country. There wasn't a single individual patent approved. Every single patent that was approved belonged to a company that had already been successful. There wasn't even a university patent approved. I thought: Oh, my goodness. This is really not going to support innovation. This only supports the very same big-pocketed folks who already hold all the power in this society and have far too much sway in this Congress. So I thank the gentleman for allowing me to add my two cents to the discussion this evening and to say the American people deserve a better deal than this. I hope that Members will look at our Glass-Steagall Act as well. That is my bill, Elizabeth Warren's bill over in the other body, to break up the big banks and to have more democratic activity among the financial institutions of this country and not just lodging over two-thirds of the power in the big six. It is really warping our society, and it is making it much less representative. It is harming manufacturing. It is harming agriculture. It is harming innovation. Thank you, Congressman Garamendi, for the phenomenal work that you do in allowing all of us whose districts have been so impacted to add to the American fabric and represent all of America, not just the wealthiest part of it.

Ms. KAPTUR. Will the gentleman yield?

Ms. KAPTUR. I just want to place on the record that our Glass- Steagall bill to essentially break up the big banks and take the investment side of the operation away from the prudent banking portion of it is H.R. 381. We have over 60 cosponsors of our bill here in the House, and I am hoping, as the American people hear our message tonight, they will encourage their Members of Congress to sponsor our Glass-Steagall Restoration Act, H.R. 381.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember the life and achievements of Frank E. Miller, who passed from this life at the dawn of Spring, not long after the first ships began arriving after winter's break. Frank was instrumental in the development of Toledo, Ohio's seaport. Frank Miller was born in Marion, Ohio in 1929 to Carl and Alverta Miller. He married his wife Vera in 1951 and together they raised three children, Gary, Brian and Linda. Frank served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the Korean War. After coming home, he moved to Toledo, Ohio to work as a crane operator. In 1962 he became an equipment operator and overseas docks supervisor for the Toledo Lucas County Port Authority. With his 1976 appointment as Director of the Seaport Frank moved the port forward to become a major seaport both domestically and internationally. His claim to fame was as ``the man behind the seaport's `Big Lucas' gantry crane. He designed and operated the large cargo handling crane for many years and taught many others to do the same.'' Frank was a pathbreaking, early leader for development of Toledo's Port, its cranes and storage capacity, now the busiest on the lower Great Lakes. He mounted the equipment and literally, made the Port hum with activity. He was an enthusiastic, persevering advocate for the Port and its global potential. Frank was a leader in the Association of Great Lakes Ports and served as a director of the American Association of Port Authorities. He also was a self published author and good humored observer of everyday life. After leaving his imprimatur on the Toledo Lucas County Port Authority, Frank started his own business, Toledo World Industries located in Toledo's East Side. He was also owner and publisher of Business Venture Magazine until his retirement in the 1990s. A community leader, Frank Miller also found time to enjoy ``golf, Ohio State University football, Detroit Red Wings hockey and spending time on the docks at the Port Authority.'' Most important was his family and he was a supportive grandpa to his five grandchildren. To Vera, their children, grandchildren and great-grandchild, we offer our prayers that they find comfort in their memories of a wonderful, devoted man who understood what it takes to create a close family and an enterprising community.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the gentlewoman from Minnesota, Ranking Member McCollum, as well as Chairman Ken Calvert of California for working with me to include important language relative to the National Park Service. Specifically, the report addresses a threat to a significant part of the history of the region I represent, the Battle of Lake Erie that paved the way for America's expansion beyond 13 colonies, commemorated by Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial at Put-In-Bay, Ohio. Perry's Memorial is at the heart of coastal tourism in Ohio, attracting 130,000 visitors just last year, and more than double as many people were reached through their educational activities. Despite its popularity, this site has been unnecessarily targeted for consolidation. The idea that resources and, more importantly, management of this popular site would shift to a noncontiguous, smaller installation in a different State is both concerning and, frankly, quite puzzling. Reporting requirements included with the bill are there to ensure that Perry's Memorial will continue operating as a stand-alone site. I would also ask the chairman and ranking member to continue working with me to address this need moving forward to ensure that this misguided consolidation plan is stopped.

Ms. KAPTUR. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman very much, and I thank the ranking member. I yield to the gentlewoman from Minnesota.

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank both the chairman and ranking member.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Janusz Borzuchowski of Bialystok, Poland, who helped keep the flame of liberty alive in one of this country's most important allies since the birth of the American Revolution. As the 2016 election cycle roars into our television sets and permeates our consciousness, I am pleased to be able to report from time to time on the sometimes secret heroes whose lives we can all celebrate in the most bipartisan fashion. Many of their stories we find in our civil and human rights movements, on our factory floors, in our military and police, in our hospitals, and myriad other places--all bearing the stamp: MADE IN THE USA. However, it is also important to remember those around the world who, while not sharing our sacred citizenship, do share our values--often at the greatest risk and greatest potential cost to themselves. Janusz Borzuchowski was not quite six years old when his father, Lieutenant Tadeusz Borzuchowski, was taken from their home by a Soviet Union then allied with Hitler's Germany. He, along with thousands of others of Poland's intelligencia, was murdered on Stalin's orders in Katyn Forest. As a young man, Janusz Borzuchowski became a civil engineer and well- known outdoorsman, teaching at the local university and marrying a woman with whom he deeply fell in love, Halina Dworakowska, who herself returned to Poland very young after being born in Kazakhstan, where her parents had been sent into exile by the Soviet regime. As the Polish motto, ``For Our Freedom--and Yours,'' slowly resurrected itself from behind the Iron Curtain, Janusz went on to be a key clandestine figure in the Solidarity movement in Eastern Poland. Working out of Bialystok, he was in charge of collecting money to support the cause--distributing in the process beautiful clandestine postage stamps for secret sale among liberty's partisans--and secretly running the region's printing press from one of his apartments. At the same time, his sister Agnieszka, who passed away three years ago, was a fabled physician in the Medical University of Bialystok who hid Solidarity movement fugitives from Communist authorities-- disguising them as patients in her hospital ward for infectious diseases. She was also the premier and pioneering figure in the largest city in northeastern Poland in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Just last year, Bialystok named a local park after Agnieszka in recognition of her vast following of well-wishers and her many medical, social, and political contributions to Poland. Agnieszka's passing was followed last year by that of Janusz's oldest daughter, Dorota, an architect in Warsaw who was very well known for her designing of the interiors of some of the most famous gambling casinos in Poland's capital. His other daughter, Polish American Congress Washington Director Dr. Barbara Borzuchowski Andersen, is one of the Polish American community advocates best known for her work with both Congress and the White House. Unfortunately Janusz--a devoted husband, father, brother and advocate for liberty--is himself now facing major health problems. I cannot think of a better tribute to him now than to salute him: ``W imie Boga za Nasza i Wasza Wolnosc''--thanking God, for our freedom, yours, and that of people around the world.