Dennis Kucinich

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Chorbishop Bernard C. Khachan, upon the occasion of his retirement that follows 45 years of service, faith, ministry and leadership within the Maronite Catholic Church. Chorbishop Khachan was ordained a Maronite Catholic Priest in Lebanon in 1960. In 1965, he journeyed to South America to serve for one year. After his ministry there was complete, he returned to Lebanon. During that time, leadership in Rome had established the first Maronite Diocese in the United States. Chorbishop Khachan was soon asked to serve as Pastor of a Maronite parish in a region of Pennsylvania where his relatives lived. With grace, dignity and an open heart, Chorbishop Khachan accepted the challenge of his new country. While always holding Lebanon alive in his life and close to his heart, Chorbishop Khachan also proudly embraced his new home in America. In 1972, Chorbishop Khachan became a citizen of the United States. In 1987, he was appointed Pastor of St. Maron Church of Cleveland, Ohio, where he served with kindness, guidance, support and compassion for the past eighteen years. Chorbishop Khachan's vision, concern for others and focus on uplifting our community has had a significant effect on countless members of the parish and on residents who live in the surrounding neighborhoods. His focus on restoring Maronite traditions and culture have succeeded, along with his successful restoration of the church building, social hall, parking lot and surrounding grounds. Chorbishop Khachan's insight and focus have served to increase the number of parishioners from 500 families to 1,300 families--a remarkable achievement. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of Chorbishop Bernard C. Khachan, upon his retirement that highlights 45 years in faithful service to others. Though he will be greatly missed, his gifts of faith, leadership, guidance and compassion will forever illuminate hope and faith within St. Maron parish community of Cleveland. We wish him an abundance of health, happiness and peace as his journey guides him back to Lebanon.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Sister Ann Kilbane, Pastoral Life Coordinator at St. Colman's Church, on the joyous occasion of her Golden Jubilee Anniversary, a ministry of faith that reflects a legacy of leadership, activism, instruction and unwavering service to others. Sister Ann, who is celebrating her 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary, currently serves as the Pastoral Life Coordinator for St. Colman Church. She began her vocation in service to others as an educator, teaching at several area schools, including St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Rose, St. Joseph Academy, Our Lady of Angels and St. Clement. From 1967 to 1977, Sister Ann held the position of treasurer for St. Joseph Parish. During that time, Sister Ann earned a Master's degree and led the effort to establish an outreach center for the people of the St. Colman neighborhood. ``Mission in the City'' continues to focus on the needs of families and individuals in this west side neighborhood. Sister Ann also served as business manager for St. Joseph Academy and finance coordinator for NETWORK in Washington, DC. She returned to St. Colman in 1994 as finance coordinator and was named Parish Life Coordinator in 1999. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and celebration of the 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary of Sister Ann Kilbane. Her vision, leadership, expertise and compassion for others continues to uplift the lives of countless families and individuals with the St. Colman Parish community, and her concern and activism continues to shine light, faith and the hope for a better day within the lives of those who are in greatest need, and throughout our entire community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of United States Marine Corporal Edward August ``Augie'' Schroeder II, who courageously and selflessly heeded the call to duty and made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country. Family, friends and service to others framed Corporal Schroeder's life. He gained personal strength and faith from those who knew him best and loved him most, especially his mother and father, Rosemary and Paul, and his sister, Amanda. A kind soul who possessed an offbeat sense of humor and tangible joy for life, Corporal Schroeder was always willing to go the extra mile for anyone in need. His commitment to helping others was reflected in his work as an Emergency Medical Technician, lifeguard and Boy Scout counselor. Corporal Schroeder reveled in the role of team player and reflected a true sense of connectedness to others throughout his life, as is clearly evidenced throughout his involvement as part of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of Lance Corporal Edward August ``Augie'' Schroeder II. I extend my deepest condolences to his mother, Rosemary Palmer; his father, Paul Schroeder; his sister, Amanda Schroeder; and to his extended family members and many friends. The significant sacrifice, service, bravery, joy and energy that framed the life of Corporal Schroeder will live on as a legacy and testament to all that is good in humanity, and his life will forever be honored and remembered by the Cleveland community, and will always be held close within the hearts and minds of all whom loved him well and knew him best--his family and friends.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of United States Marine Corporal Jeffrey Allen Boskovitch, who bravely and selflessly heeded the call to duty and made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country. Family, friends and service to others framed Corporal Boskovitch's life. He gained personal strength and faith from those who knew him best and loved him most, especially his mother and father, Katherine and James; his fiance, Shelley Tevis; his brother and sister, Brian and Kimberly; his stepbrothers and sisters, Brian, Michael, Amanda, Austin, Amy and Abby; and his stepparents, Steve and Vicki. Corporal Boskovitch's energetic spirit and expansive heart easily drew others to him. His steadfast focus on serving the public and his leadership abilities were evidenced throughout his life. He was a 1999 graduate of Normandy High School and a 2001 graduate and Class President of the Tri-C Police Academy of Parma. Corporal Boskovitch held his unit in Iraq, the servicemen and servicewomen of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, as closely connected to his heart as family. He declined a promotion in order to stay with his military unit. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of Lance Corporal Jeffrey Boskovitch. I extend my deepest condolences to his family members and many friends. The ultimate sacrifice, significant service and true heart that framed the life of Corporal Boskovitch will live forever in the memories and hearts of all those who knew and loved him best--his family and friends. And his legacy of service and courage will be honored and remembered by the Cleveland community and by our entire Nation, today and for all time.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Elsie Frank, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, dedicated public servant, community activist, and dear friend and mentor to many. Her passing marks a great loss for her family and friends, and also for the people of Boston, whom she served and inspired with the highest level of commitment, concern, integrity and honor. The great care and love that Mrs. Frank showered on her family extended throughout Boston where she carried the torch of advocacy on behalf of many social justice issues, including issues affecting gay teens and gay adults, and concerns faced by the elderly of our society. An inspirational and well-known leader in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood, Mrs. Frank dedicated her time and talents in bolstering the strength of several gay advocacy groups, and senior advocacy groups as well. She worked with PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), tirelessly lobbying state legislators to reinstate funding in support of PFLAG's Safe Schools program--a critical program that serves to educate, support and protect the well-being of gay teens in schools. In 2003, Mrs. Frank was honored with PFLAG's Voice of Truth Award. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of Elsie Frank, whose boundless joy for life served as a source of inspiration, protection and hope for Boston citizens of all ages. I extend my deepest condolences to her children, Barney, Ann, Doris and David; to her six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren; and also to her extended family and many friends. Mrs. Frank's immeasurable heart and focus on human rights has forever touched the lives of countless individuals, young and old, gay and straight, and her unbridled spirit and vital work will soar forever in the hearts of those who knew and loved her well, especially her family, friends and the people of Boston's Back Bay.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in tribute and recognition of Congressman Barney Frank, as he is honored by the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats for his significant service on behalf of the citizens of the 4th Congressional District of Massachusetts. Since being elected to the United States Congress in 1981, Congressman Frank has blazed a courageous road fortified by civil rights and human rights for every American, regardless of their differences. His candor, compassion and convictions have consistently given a voice to the oppressed and vulnerable of our society and his work continues to raise the level of grace and dignity for all Americans by casting the pall of ignorance and discrimination into the light of truth and justice. A highly regarded and respected attorney, activist and public servant, Congressman Frank's constituency in Massachusetts has demonstrated their overwhelming faith and admiration for him by voting him back in office twelve times. He is the Senior Democrat on the Financial Services Committee and has worked tirelessly on behalf of vital issues that affect the well being of our society, including gay rights, health care, education, preservation of the arts and the steadfast protection of our civil liberties. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of my friend and colleague, Congressman Barney Frank, for his immeasurable service and courageous leadership on behalf of the citizens of our country. Congressman Frank's steadfast advocacy and unwavering focus on human rights is framed by excellence, heart, integrity and personal wisdom. Congressman Frank continues to raise our society into the light of tolerance and truth, thereby elevating the lives of countless Americans into the realm of hope for a better tomorrow, and peace and justice for all, in the 4th District of Massachusetts and across our Nation.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I call our colleagues' attention to Asbestos Workers' Union Local No. 3 from Cleveland, which is celebrating its 95th anniversary on September 24, 2005. Members of Local No. 3 can trace the beginnings of their union back to the earliest day of the modern industrial era with the sudden expansion of steam power around 1880, creating the need for the insulation industry. An attempt to form a national bond between insulators came in 1900, when the Salamander Association of New York sent out an appeal to related crafts in other cities to form a ``National Organization of Pipe and Boiler Covers.'' This appeal struck a chord of solidarity and two years later the officers and members of the Pipe Covers Union affiliated with the National Building Trades Council of America and invited other pipe coverer unions and related trades to join them. The appeal for unity was sent to Cleveland, as well as other targeted cities such as New York, Chicago, Boston, Detroit, and Washington, DC. In all, seven local unions from around the country responded and this resulted in the birth of the foundation for an international union. The interested locals met for their first convention on July 7, 1902, where they drafted and approved a constitution and elected Thomas Kennedy of Chicago as their first president. They chose ``The National Association of Heat, Frost and General Insulators and Asbestos Workers of America'' as the name for the international union and on September 22nd of that year the American Federation of Labor issued an official charter designating the asbestos workers as a national union. The group met again in October 1904 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to adopt a constitution and issue local numbers: St. Louis, Missouri No. 1, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania No. 2, Cleveland, Ohio No. 3, Buffalo, New York No. 4, Chicago, Illinois No. 5, Boston, Massachusetts No. 6, and Seattle, Washington No. 7. The charter issued to Local No. 3 in 1910 contained the names of these Clevelanders: Thomas Richards, James Wiley, Phil Frigge, M.O. Taitle, Harry Jacoby, Archie Budd, Harry Morris, Harry Graff, and George Davis. James Dalton, Al Dalton, and Thomas O'Neil of Local No. 3 became officers of the International Association. Over the years Local No. 3 has fought for better wages, safer working conditions on construction sites, and benefits. Local No. 3 has established funds to help with medical expenses, retirement, apprenticeship and training. At its 95th anniversary and going into its second century, Local No. 3's goals remain to make a member's life safer, more productive, and more prosperous, to work to meet the needs of its members, and to educate new members that there is strength and prosperity in solidarity. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Asbestos Workers' Union Local No. 3 as its officers and members celebrate their 95th anniversary.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Sister Audrey Koch, Pastoral Associate at St. Coleman's Church, on the joyous occasion of her Golden Jubilee Anniversary, reflecting a life- long commitment to educating, inspiring and guiding the youth of our community; and reflecting an unwavering dedication of service on behalf of the most vulnerable of our society. Sister Audrey's significant work embodies the teaching profession, social community action endeavors and civic leadership. She taught for 24 years at Cleveland area schools, including St. Ignatius Elementary School, St. Agnes, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John in Lorain. She also served for 4 years as Principal of St. Coleman School. While at St. Coleman's, Sister Audrey directed numerous programs with the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) and taught in the CYO's preschool. She also taught theology at St. Joseph Academy. In 1991, she embarked on a new ministry through her work with the Catholic Charities Office of Disability Ministry at St. Augustine Parish. In 2003, she returned to St. Coleman Parish as a Pastoral Associate. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and celebration of the 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary of Sister Audrey Koch. The compassionate leadership and service, reflecting faith, hope and kindness, that Sister Audrey continues to offer to others, young and old, is immeasurable in its impact upon the lives of so many, from the very young to our senior citizens. Sister Audrey's steadfast commitment to healing the lives of others continues to strengthen lives of the people of St. Coleman's parish and continues to serve as a beacon of light and hope throughout our entire community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Sister Mary Eileen Duffy, in celebration of the joyous occasion of her 60th Jubilee Anniversary, reflecting a ministry in faith, service and concern for others throughout our Cleveland community. Sister Eileen taught at St. Joseph Academy and Nazareth High School. In addition to her dedication to teaching, she served as a community administrator and Pastoral Associate at St. Leo the Great Church and St. Colman Church. Sister Eileen also served diligently on the Diocesan Pastoral Council, Commission on Catholic Community Action, the Interfaith Commission and the Sisters' Senate. In 1972, Sister Eileen was elected as director for the Northwest Deanery. Inspired by a true calling of spiritual and humanitarian duty, Sister Eileen began her ministry with a strong foundation in education. She inspired that quest for knowledge and awareness in others, especially her students, and consistently touched the lives of countless children within our community. Her dedication, leadership and unwavering faith continues to strengthen and empower families and individuals throughout our community. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and celebration of the 60th Jubilee Anniversary of Sister Eileen Duffy. Her strength in leadership, energetic spirit and commitment to helping others, from our children to our elderly, has served to lift the spirits of countless individuals, and continues to radiate faith, hope and light throughout our entire community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor, recognition and celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Cleveland Job Corps Center of Cleveland, Ohio. For four decades, the Center has served as a vital source of education and vocational opportunity for thousands of at-risk young adults throughout the Cleveland community. The core mission and committed work carried out daily by the staff of the Cleveland Jobs Corps Center continues to offer a foundation of strength and assistance that supports, educates and guides thousands of young lives away from the shadows of struggle and despair and onto a pathway of personal independence, accomplishment, and the promise of a better life. The dedicated staff members and administrators of the Cleveland Job Corps Center assist young persons in attaining their GED; offer intensive trade and vocational training; and instill a sense of empowerment, self-confidence, personal responsibility and team interaction within each young person. These significant life goals and practical educational and job training programs hold the promise of career achievement and societal contribution as each young person is shown the way and given the tools to succeed. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of the staff, leaders, and especially the students of the Cleveland Job Corps Center, past and present. The Center continues to serve as an invaluable source of educational and vocational opportunities for countless teens and young adults throughout the Cleveland community. Moreover, the Center provides these young people with a sense of self- worth and accomplishment, and offers them the personal power to dream, to hope and to take control of their own destiny. The Cleveland Job Corps Center continues to elevate the life of every student into the light of possibility and achievement, thereby uplifting our entire community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that we remember 9/11, the victims, the aftermath of 9/11 and the policies which have been put in place as a result of that day of great tragedy. It is also appropriate that our remembering not be selective so as to preclude America from taking a path of truth and reconciliation. Immediately after the attacks upon our Nation, all across the world people responded in solidarity with America, much as we are seeing at this moment in response to the unfortunate disaster of Hurricane Katrina. The world is always ready to embrace America and to share in our highest aspirations. Unfortunately, sadly, decisions were made by some in the administration to use 9/11 as an opportunity to advance a longstanding ideological desire, with financial incentives to invade Iraq and overthrow its government. Whenever we remember 9/11, and we should, we must also remember that some in the administration used 9/11 as an excuse to wage an illegal war against a nation that did not attack us, that had nothing to do with 9/11, that did not have the capability or the intention of attacking us, and that had no weapons of mass destruction. 9/11 could never be justified, nor should any attack upon this Nation ever be justified. But I think America lost a moment after 9/11 to come together as a national community in search of ways that we could take new directions to meet an emerging challenge of terrorism with new strategies, new initiatives, because we are learning the limitations of trying to solve our difficulties through armed force. 9/11 was a tragedy, and it was compounded by the war in and against Iraq. That war has separated us from many of our friends in the international community. It has drained our resources. It has cost us the lives of over 1,900 American servicemen, servicewomen, and has cost the lives of countless Iraqis who are innocent. We need to heal our Nation. We need to come together as Americans so that we can assert our commonalities, our common interests in the general welfare of our countrymen and countrywomen. But in order to do that, we need to go back through that tunnel of 9/11, and the only way we can do that is to be guided by truth. We still need to heal the Nation, but we will not be able to do it with arms. We can only do it by seeking the truth. And I contend that at this moment, when we stand united to pass this resolution, that we should also highly resolve that violence is not going to be the means that we use in the future to solve the differences that we have with nations. Next week, Members of this House will come together to introduce legislation to create a Cabinet-level Department of Peace and Nonviolence, which recognizes that the path of peace can be active, can be firm, can have resolve, and can help us achieve a new world.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, for the people of the Gulf Coast region who were stricken by Hurricane Katrina, there is less to the emergency supplemental than meets the eye. I mean that exactly zero dollars of the $50 billion Congress will send today for emergency relief and temporary construction will be used for employing people displaced by Hurricane Katrina. However, the administration is not withholding anything from Halliburton. Halliburton received a no-bid contract immediately after the hurricane. Yet the CBO estimates 400,000 people were made unemployed by the hurricane with no hope in sight of regaining their former jobs because their workplaces were destroyed. For the region, the economic devastation is on par with the effects of the Great Depression. At that time President Roosevelt asked for a National Industrial Recovery Act with which the government put millions of people back to work rebuilding the country's infrastructure. That is what the hurricane-demolished region needs today. The people of the region who have lost their livelihoods should be given a preference in hiring for the Federal dollars spent, and the Federal dollars should be conditioned on local hiring targets. But this is not a New Deal administration. Instead of leveraging Federal tax money to put people back to work, this administration is content to send Halliburton billions of dollars in no-bid contracts.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) for yielding me this time and this opportunity. It is appropriate that we recognize, as this resolution does, the courage of those who have risked their lives to save lives in the gulf coast tragedy. It is appropriate, as this resolution does, that we offer condolences for those who have suffered such great loss. It is appropriate that we do these things. I would suggest that there is another way that this House can extend itself in an appropriate fashion to offer further condolences and consolation. We can console the people of the gulf coast with a plan for complete recovery, a new national recovery act, if you will, in that we can console the people of the gulf coast region with food, with shelter, with clothing and with health care. We need the Center for Disease Control to be tasked immediately with the responsibility of making sure that conditions that could create cholera or typhoid are met with the full resources of our government, and that we control any conditions that could create an outbreak of disease that would be even more devastating than the conditions we find right now. We can console the people of the gulf coast with complete efforts to reconnect families. We have heard over and over again how families have been broken up. We have heard over and over again how people are desperately searching for loved ones. Only our Federal Government can be involved effectively in helping to bring about the reuniting of families. We can use our resources and effectively console people with complete rebuilding of the infrastructure. We know and we have heard many stories of how there were many plans to repair the infrastructure or to shore it up so that people would be spared the devastation that occurred. We need to move forward from this point and commit ourselves to seeing the infrastructure and flood control programs brought forward, and also to make sure that all of the structures that have been destroyed that are public structures are rebuilt. We can console the people of the States who have been affected by this tragedy by helping to lift people out of poverty, to make sure that the jobs that are created are jobs that are created for people who live in the area, to make sure that people are paid a living wage. The whole Nation saw the images of poverty reflected in the rising flood waters, but what we need to also show reflected is action from this Congress that would provide appropriate consolation for those who are mired in poverty. We need to provide the resources that will rebuild the cities, that will provide jobs, and then we also can expect the cities to have responsibility then. One of the cruelest assertions that is occurring right now is certain Federal officials maintaining that local communities had the first responsibility in this regard. That is just not true. The Federal Government surely could have foreseen and taken action. Well, now we can foresee the action that must be taken to rebuild communities. We can console the people with the health care system that would be expanded through Medicare so that people can not only receive the long-term care they are going to need but also the immediate short- term care that is vital to their survival. We can console the people by providing appropriate environmental protections. Now we see the stories of pollution that was in New Orleans being pumped back into sources that are not polluted. We need to look at available technologies that can enable us to provide increased environmental protection in the immediate circumstances, while we are also trying to prepare for long-term environmental protection. We can console the people by making sure their children will be educated during this time and setting up temporary schools. We can console the people through letting them see their government finally at work and go from government inaction to seeing a government in action. We can console the people by being there for them at once and repair the breach, not only that has occurred in a levee, but the breach of faith that people have had in their government. This is the time for people to see their government in action, and I think that this Congress will provide effective consolation to the people when we take that position.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, this amount of money is only a fraction of what is needed and everyone here knows it. Let it go forward quickly with heart-felt thanks to those who are helping to save lives with necessary food, water, shelter, medical care and security. Congress must also demand accountability with the appropriations. Because until there are basic changes in the direction of this government, this tragedy will multiply to apocalyptic proportions. The administration yesterday said that no one anticipated the breach of the levees. Did the administration not see or care about the 2001 FEMA warning about the risk of a devastating hurricane hitting the people of New Orleans? Did it not know or care that civil and Army engineers were warning for years about the consequences of failure to strengthen the flood control system? Was it aware or did it care that the very same administration, which decries the plight of the people today, cut from the budget tens of millions needed for Gulf-area flood control projects? Countless lives have been lost throughout the South with a cost of hundreds of billions in ruined homes, businesses, and the destruction of an entire physical and social infrastructure. The President said an hour ago that the Gulf Coast looks like it has been obliterated by a weapon. It has. Indifference is a weapon of mass destruction. Our indifferent government is in a crisis of legitimacy. If it continues to ignore its basic responsibility for the health and welfare of the American people, will there ever be enough money to clean up after their indifference? As our government continues to squander human and monetary resources of this country on the war, people are beginning to ask, ``Isn't it time we began to take care of our own people here at home? Isn't it time we rescued our own citizens? Isn't it time we fed our own people? Isn't it time we sheltered our own people? Isn't it time we provided physical and economic security for our own people?'' And isn't it time we stopped the oil companies from profiting from this tragedy? We have plenty of work to do here at home. It is time for America to come home and take care of its own people who are drowning in the streets, suffocating in attics, dying from exposure to the elements, oppressed by poverty and illness, wracked with despair and hunger and thirst. The time is now to bring back to the United States the 78,000 National Guard troops currently deployed overseas into the Gulf Coast region. The time is now to bring back to the U.S. the equipment which will be needed for search and rescue, for clean up and reclamation. The time is now for Federal resources, including closed Army bases, to be used for temporary shelter for those who have been displaced by the hurricane. The time is now to plan massive public works, with jobs going to the people of the Gulf Coast States, to build new levees, new roads, bridges, libraries, schools, colleges and universities and to rebuild all public institutions, including hospitals. Medicare ought to be extended to everyone, so every person can get the physical and mental health care they might need as a result of the disaster. The time is now for the Federal Government to take seriously the research of scientists who have warned for years about the dangers of changes in the global climate, and to prepare other regions of the country for other possible weather disasters until we change our disastrous energy policies. The time is now for changes in our energy policy, to end the domination of oil and fossil fuel and to invest heavily in alternative energy, including wind and solar, geothermal and biofuels. As bad as this catastrophe will prove to be, it is in fact only a warning. Our government must change its direction, it must become involved in making America a better place to live, a place where all may survive and thrive. It must get off the path of war and seek the path of peace, peace with the natural environment, peace with other nations, peace with a just economic system.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, the amount of money that the House just appropriated is only a fraction of what is needed, and all Members know that. Let it go forward quickly, with bipartisan cooperation and with heartfelt thanks to those helping to saving lives with necessary food, water, shelter, medical care and security. Congress must also demand accountability with the appropriations because until there are basic changes in the direction of this government, this tragedy will multiply to apocalyptic proportions. The administration said yesterday no one anticipated the breach of the levees. Did the administration not see or care about the 2001 FEMA warning about the risk of a devastating hurricane hitting the people of New Orleans? Did it not know or care that civil and Army engineers were warning for years about the consequences of failure to strengthen the flood control system? Was it aware or did it care that the very same administration which decries the plight of the people today cut from the budget tens of millions needed for Gulf area flood control projects? Countless lives have now been lost throughout the South in the cost of hundreds of billions in ruined homes, businesses and the destruction of entire physical and social infrastructure. The President said a couple of hours ago that the Gulf Coast looks like it has been obliterated by a weapon. It has. Indifference is a weapon of mass destruction. Our indifferent government is in a crisis of legitimacy. If it continues to ignore its basic responsibilities for the health and economic welfare of the American people, will there ever be enough money to clean up after their indifference? As our government continues to squander the human and monetary resources of this country on the war, people are beginning to ask: Is it not time we begin to take care of our people here at home? Is it not time that we rescue our own citizens? Is it not time that we feed our own people? Is it not time that we shelter our own people? Is it not time that we provide physical and economic security for our own people? And is it not time that we stop the oil companies from profiting from this tragedy? We have plenty of work to do here at home, and it is time for America to come home and take care of its own people who are drowning in the streets, suffocating in the attics, dying from exposure to the elements, oppressed by poverty and illness, racked with despair by hunger and thirst. The time is now to bring back to the United States the 78,000 National Guard troops currently deployed overseas. Many of our troops are already stationed in the wrong Gulf. The time is now to bring back to the U.S. the equipment needed to search and rescue for clean up and reclamation. The time is now for Federal resources, including closed Army bases, to be used for temporary shelter for those who have been displaced by the hurricane. The time is now to plan massive public works with jobs going to the people of the Gulf Coast States to build new levees, bridges, roads, libraries, schools, colleges and universities, and to rebuild all public institutions, including hospitals. Medicare ought to be extended to everyone so every person can get the physical and mental health care they need as a result of the disaster. The time is now for the Federal Government to take seriously the research of scientists who have warned for years about the dangers of changes in the global climate, and to prepare other regions of the country for other possible weather disasters until we change our disastrous energy policies. The time is now to change our energy policies, to end the domination of oil and fossil fuel, and to invest heavily in alternative energy, including wind and solar, geothermal and biofuels. As bad as this catastrophe will prove to be, it is in fact only a warning. Our government must change its direction. It must become involved in making America a better place to live, a place where all may survive and thrive. It must get off the path of war and seek the path of peace, peace with a natural environment, peace with other nations, peace through a just economic system.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following speech for the Record: I wish to welcome musicians Ani DiFranco and the Indigo Girls (Amy Ray and Emily Saliers), actor James Cromwell, actress Joan McIntosh, leading opponents to PFS from the Skull Valley Goshute Tribe--Margene Bullcreek and Lena Knight, and Winona LaDuke, program director at Honor the Earth. Thank you everyone for being here today. Your presence means much to us. Perspectives from those not inside the beltway are essential if we are to make the best public policy choices. Today we will hear from the Native Americans who will be living next to a radioactive waste dump if the powers that be have their way. Private Fuel Storage (PFS) is a consortium of nuclear utilities that desire to dump nuclear waste on sacred Native American grounds in Utah. The proposal put forth by PFS would house 44,000 tons of high-level radioactive waste and is unjust, extremely dangerous, and unnecessary. Placing a giant nuclear waste dump on Native American land, against the consent of the tribe, violates Native American rights and raises environmental justice issues. The PFS proposal puts the safety of the American people at risk. High-level irradiated waste would need to be transferred thousands of miles across the country in order to get to the facility. This creates the possibility of a potentially catastrophic radioactivity release during transportation due to an accident or terrorist attack. I represent Cleveland and my constituents are not happy about living on a transportation route. This facility is not necessary because it does not reduce the risks posed by high-level radioactive waste, and would only exacerbate the problems currently facing nuclear power in the United States. In response, 61 Members of Congress signed a letter that urged the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to deny the license for PFS. We are awaiting the NRC's response. I urge all of you here today to demand accountability, responsibility, justice, and fairness. We cannot allow this trampling of Native American rights.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Nora Castle of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, upon the occasion of her retirement following thirty-two years of outstanding service in her role as champion of consumer rights, through radio and TV's consumer advocacy program, Call For Action. The work of Mrs. Castle has created a vital platform for countless consumers seeking justice throughout Northeast Ohio--consumers whose voices would otherwise not have been heard. In 1978, Mrs. Castle was the point person for Call For Action at WERE radio, when Virgil Dominic, then News Director at TV-8, brought Mrs. Castle and the Call For Action program to television. Cleveland area residents flooded the lines with calls ranging in scope from the mundane, to serious issues concerning the health and safety of the community. Mrs. Castle's work consistently reflected diligence, integrity, and an unwavering search for consumer justice. Comfortable working behind the scenes, Mrs. Castle shied away from the spotlight of praise and accolades. Her focus on protecting the rights of consumers was consistent throughout her career, and she infused the same value, energy and commitment into every case, whether it involved an individual citizen or a Fortune 500 company. Her work brought these cases into the light of public discourse, and her advocacy enlightened legislators, ultimately prompting them to pass consumer protection laws on local, state and federal levels, including the Lemon Laws. Beyond her career, Mrs. Castle's family and faith have always been central to her life: her husband, William; son, Peter; daughter, Amy; grandson, Aidan; and the memory of her daughter, Kate. Mrs. Castle's strength, faith and love for her family are extended throughout the community, where she continues to share her time, talents and energy with others. She and her family are long-time members of the Fairmount Presbyterian Church, where she serves as an officer with the Fairmount Women's Guild. Mrs. Castle taught Sunday school at the church for more than twenty-five years, and was also a twenty-five year volunteer at the Natural History Museum. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of Nora Castle, for her outstanding work in protecting the rights of thousands of consumers across Northeast Ohio. Mrs. Castle's unwavering dedication as wife, mother, grandmother, co-worker, mentor, teacher, volunteer and friend, framed by her energy, wit, and above all, her concern for others, has uplifted the lives of countless individuals, bringing the light of justice throughout our community. As she journeys onward, I wish Mrs. Castle and her family an abundance of peace, health and happiness, today, and in all the years to come.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit my testimony on Select Revenue Measures before the Committee on Ways and Means for the Record: Thank you Chairman Camp and Ranking Member McNulty for holding this important hearing. I would like to bring to your attention a proposal I introduced last Congress, H.R. 3655, the Progressive Tax Act of 2003, which will have a positive impact on millions of taxpayers. I think it is fair to say that all Members of Congress believe we need to strive for a fair, simple, and adequate tax system. We may disagree on how this has been accomplished, but we have the same goals. However, I think we can agree on the need for transparency. Transparency in the tax system is necessary to achieve fairness. Transparency permits the taxpayer to understand how fairness is arrived in the tax code. A simplified tax code can provide this transparency, which in turn provides a sense of trust in the government. This committee should enact my proposal to create a $2000 Simplified Family Credit, a refundable tax credit that simplifies the tax code by consolidating the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit, Additional Child Credit, and dependent exemption for children into one streamlined Simplified Family Credit. This tax credit will simplify the tax code, provide greater transparency, provide extra work incentives, and provide a stimulus effect. Families should not have to struggle to understand the eligibility requirements for each of the various family tax breaks in current law. All families should follow the same set of rules. The Simplified Family Credit is structured to provide progressive tax benefits and a work incentive. The families with lower income will get more benefit, but they are also rewarded for work. The credit would be steeply phased in at the lowest income levels providing the incentive to work and a substantial benefit. As income rises a slow phase out would be necessary to ensure we maintain a progressive tax system. The cost of this proposal would fall in the range of $20 billion a year. Given our current deficit problems, I believe that Congress should only create the Simplified Family Tax Credit if it is paid for. In my legislation H.R. 3655, there are several options to pay for this proposal including rolling back parts of the tax cuts enacted in the last 5 years. Those tax cuts only added to the complexity of the tax code and removed any remaining transparency. Thank you for this opportunity to testify today.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Daniel Ellsberg, a true patriot who has gone above and beyond the call of duty, dedicating his life to the service of his country. An expert economist with two years in the Marine Corps and two years at the State Department in Saigon, he is best known for revealing the truth about the Vietnam war through what became known as the Pentagon Papers. After his many years of dedicated service, he recently received the Rollo May Award, given to an individual whose life's work demonstrates his faith in human possibility. Daniel is a man who has had the courage to stand up for his beliefs and speak the truth even in the face of great adversity. In bringing the Pentagon Papers to the public's attention, he took a risk that no member of Congress was willing to take, despite their immunity. Daniel leaked the information to the press in a desperate attempt to get out the truth, knowing that he would likely spend the rest of his life incarcerated. But for Daniel the loss of American lives was too great a sacrifice to be allowed to continue needlessly. A man always looking out for the injustices of the world, Daniel has become a lecturer, writer and activist on the dangers of unlawful interventions and the nuclear era. He is there to remind us of our greater responsibilities to mankind, and I applaud his heroism and fortitude. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of Daniel Ellsberg for his years of outstanding service to his country. His strength and dedication to the ideals of this country are to be commended and admired.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Miller for his leadership on this bill. Mr. Speaker I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 525. Association Health Plans cherry-pick. They lower standards of care. They fail to reduce the growing ranks of the uninsured. But I would like to focus on a critical shortfall we don't often hear much about: Efficiency. AHPs fail to address the white elephant in the living room. One of the biggest reasons that America's health care costs are so high is that we pay far more for administrative costs in privately administered health plans than other industrialized nations. The average private health plan puts 12-15 percent--sometimes as high as 30 percent--of your health care dollar to administrative costs. AHPs would not only fail to address this problem, but could make it worse. In fact, a study by human resources consultants, William Mercer, Inc. found that ``... the potential administrative cost increases typically would exceed the potential administrative cost savings. We estimate that the additional costs for small firms who buy AHP coverage typically would range from 1.5 percent to 5 percent of premiums.'' That is above and beyond the average administrative costs of 12-15 percent. Now contrast that with the overhead costs of Medicare, whose 40th birthday we celebrate this week. On average, Medicare's administrative costs are 2-3 percent. That means that Medicare is about 5 times more efficient than private health plans and could be 7 to 10 times more efficient than AHPs. Health care costs are dragging small businesses down in their efforts to compete with their counterparts in other nations where health care is universal. It is time to stop dancing around the margins of reform by proposing more of the same inefficiencies. We already know what works. Lets expand Medicare to all.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, the average hourly earnings of U.S. manufacturing workers was $16.01 in March of 2004. The average hourly wages for Honduran workers producing goods for the U.S., 90 cents. CAFTA is about institutionalizing cheap labor. Multinational corporations want trade agreements where they can make a profit by closing factories in the U.S. and moving jobs to places where workers have no rights and work for very low wages. Cheap labor. Now, I have traveled across America. And I have seen the effects of agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA: padlocked gates of abandoned factories, grass growing in parking lots of places where workers used to make steel, used to make washing machines, used to make textiles, used to make machine parts. Free trade has meant freedom for the American worker to stand in the unemployment line while their jobs were traded away. So-called free trade has brought broken dreams, broken homes, broken hearts to the American manufacturing worker. Trade without equity is tyranny. Trade without economic justice is theft. Trade without integrity, without workers' rights, without human rights, without environmental principles is not worthy of a free people.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, the following is an abridged transcript of a film entitled ``We Become Silent,'' written and produced by Cleveland resident, Kevin Miller. The topic is the potential effects of the Codex Alimentarius Commission's guidelines on vitamin and mineral supplement safety. Narrator: FEAR. Its' darkness causes humanity to make awful choices. With dreadful power, fear can rule our lives--and paralyze lofty hopes and dreams . . . in an instant. It is the antithesis of god, fear is--a destructive dark side--the ghost that haunts the brain. It is a universal trait--a global affliction--and a tool deployed all-too-often by those intent on inflicting control over the masses. Robert Verkerk, Ph.D.--Fear preys on the most vulnerable among us. Fear sells. And Nowhere is fear peddled more shamelessly than in the fields of medicine and human nutrition. Narrator: Fear anesthetizes us . . . it coerces us . . . making us believe that we can do little on our own to prevent or treat disease . . . and forces entire NATIONS to kneel at the altars of orthodox medicine. Robert Verkerk, Ph.D.--And of course, the fear-mongers are also preying on the fear of disease. And the solution the fear-mongers give us are drugs, yet drugs are the single most dangerous thing we can put in our mouths. Narrator: It's a sad fact that Pharmaceuticals have become the dope of modern man--and make no mistake, we are addicted. Last year, between 3-5 billion prescriptions were written in the U.S. alone. And for all of its' miracles and heroism, western medicine has also left disaster in its' wake. The burdens of drug side effects are being exposed daily: Prozac, Vioxx, Celebrex, Baycol, Lariam, and Zoloft--just to name a few--are deeply uncomfortable reminders that secrecy and sales have often circumvented safety. There's also the crippling burden of health insurance, and the MILLIONS who are debilitated by a wave of red ink, bankrupted as a result of an unexpected illness that they could not afford. As if by design, health choices are limited, information is frightfully scarce, lives are ruined . . . and the truth be damned. Scott Bukow: Business is business, and people don't like competition. Smart business people may not always do something that's best for the people or for someone's health. Narrator: In addition to these painful realities of life, however, an abundance of evidence now suggests . . . that this holy reverence towards modem medicine--may be killing us. Carolyn Dean, MD--I wrote Death by Modern Medicine, inspired actually after writing a paper called Death by Medicine . . . And what I found after analyzing government databases and peer-reviewed journal articles . . . I found that 784,000 people are dying annually, prematurely, due to modem medicine intervention. When I added up the figures I could get my hands on, I came up with that astounding number, and also found studies that said we're only capturing 5-20 percent of the actual deaths . . . Simmon Wilcox, MD--We're clear that the status quo is equal to a premature death in this country . . . Someone needs to stand up and scream ``FOUL, SOMETHING'S GONE AWRY.'' Somebody needs to stop this madness, and say to the public, ``There's a better option . . . We will no longer accept the status quo.'' Narrator: But the fear machine is well oiled by petrochemical dollars and a near worldwide monopoly in medicine. It works overtime to prevent the truth about dietary supplements from getting out to the public. Governments, particularly in Europe and the United States, seem all-too-eager to comply with the robber barons of healthcare. It has always been so . . . as evidenced by this forty-year-old government film . . . which is but one of many in their arsenals. FDA Film: 1966: But it's still the same old snake oil . . . Title appears: ``Health Fraud Racket--Presented by FDA'' Narrator: During the 1990s, however--despite generations of institutional bias--American consumers won critical battles against the FDA and the medical/pharmaceutical establishment. Joseph BASSETT: In the mid-90s, there were movements to put all supplements on prescription basis and in all of the countries where they've done that it more than doubled the cost and made them not available and it's really a freedom of choice issue . . . it's a consumers issue . . . (1:30) so we were fighting for the right to access for our own use, our family's use, and for our businesses. And fortunately, the health consumer agreed. (1:40) . . . we were actually able to marshal, one day in a period of hours, one million phone calls to their government . . . (5:08) It was really a citizens' uprising. Narrator: This massive consumer movement for medical freedom was invigorated when the FDA became enveloped in controversy of its' own making. The agency approved a guns drawn raid at the clinic of Dr. Jonathan Wright, and also raided dozens of health food stores in a pre-meditated power- grab. Consumer outrage fueled Hollywood to become immersed in the debate, and actors like James Earl Jones and Sharon Stone became part of a national campaign for medical freedom of choice. When Mel Gibson came aboard, he documented his views in memorable fashion: Police: ``Freeze'' Mel Gibson: Hey guys . . . guys . . . it's only vitamin C! You know, vitamin C, like in oranges?'' Narrator: The result of the consumer outcry was that DSHEA--the dietary supplement health education act--passed overwhelmingly in 1994. This became the only national law that linked the use of nutrients in dietary supplements to reduced risk of disease. And since DSHEA helped ensure relatively free access to a wide range of dietary supplements for consumers, activists pulled back from the front lines, thinking that their struggles were over. Others like Joe Bassett knew better . . . Joseph Bassett: We're in a particular industry . . . the health food industry, that's always been under attack. It's never stopped, it still isn't stopping because you have vested interests. In our country you have everybody using vested interests and the one's who are really entrenched use the government. Gerald Kessler: I believe that DSHEA has always been under attack except for the first few years after DSHEA was passed. And the present attacks are very broad . . . which means worldwide, and some of the attacks are just specific to the Unites States. Narrator: Now, a bureaucratic shadow called Codex Alimentarius threatens to silence the medical opposition forever, both here and abroad. But Codex began innocuously enough in 1963, as a creation of two arteries of the United Nations: The Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Health Organization. Back then, nearly everyone endorsed their two major goals: to provide nutritious foods for developing nations--and to shape guidelines for dangerous industrial chemicals in the food supply. Within the past decade, however, Codex Alimentarius has altered its' mission dramatically--many say negatively so--to include a wide swath of products including dietary supplements and genetically modified organisms. Mr. Scott Tips began serving as a U.S. delegate to Codex in June of 2000. During the first meetings, he did everything he could to communicate with the head of the US Delegation. Scott Tips, National Health Federation: I, in a flurry of notes, passed comments and suggestions (and the like) to Elizabeth Yetley, who was the American delegate there--it made no impact. In fact, the only impact I had was collar her during a break and basically be very tough with her about a particular clause that she was trying to remove from the final report, that particular sentence or clause basically said that the United States supports the right of consumers to have free access to vitamins and minerals, and she unilaterally yanked that from the final report. Narrator: This attitude by Ms. Yetley, who is an employee of the U.S. Food and Drug administration, is reflective of codex meetings in general. In an attempt to shine light on those who are unilaterally making public policy private, health freedom advocate John Hammell took a small video camera into two Codex meetings in 1998. These grainy videos are all that remain of the tapes, which mysteriously disappeared. Yetley: moving right along, agenda No. 5 on vitamins and minerals Hammell: are you going to strike that second paragraph? Yetley: well this is a draft positions . . . they're only draft positions. they're not the final version or formal position. Hammell: you've seen the letter from Ron Paul, then? This was signed by Ron Paul, Congressman Stump and Congressman Cool. Yetley: we have received alot of mail and we've looked at all of it. Hammel: so you acknowledge this is the will of congress and of the American people correct? Yetley: there's a wide range of opinions this one . . .'' Narrator: Despite multiple written requests--and the intervention of a US Congressman--the FDA refused to answer any questions about Codex, dietary supplements--or even labeling--for this documentary. But judging from this rare interview with Michael R. Taylor, then-deputy commissioner for policy at FDA, it is obvious that the agency is unaccustomed to honest intellectual inquiry from the media. Kevin P. Miller: You stated your concern and the FDA certainly has on L-Tryptophan. What about your concern about something like Prozac, very well documented, 28,000 adverse reports, 1600 suicides associated with that drug. Michael R. Taylor, deputy commissioner for policy, FDA: Drugs that go thru our very rigorous testing and review process are very well understood chemicals. And drugs are recognized to have both risks and benefits, that's why they go through a rigorous evaluation. And when those products are put out on the market, we have a good scientific understanding of the risks and benefits. And that's laid out in very detailed labeling that physicians then use to decide whether to prescribe those products for their patients. Side effects are part of pharmaceuticals, that's recognized, and that's why we're so careful scientifically. There's just no comparison between that situation and dietary supplements, which have not been subjected to that kind of study . . . have not been evaluated by FDA, and a large part of the problem with these supplements is that we simply don't know about their safety, we don't know about their benefits, yet there being marketed in some cases for serious disease-related purposes. ``THERE'S A BIG

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in honor and recognition of Robert Hawk--Vietnam War Veteran, public servant and protector of the citizens of Cleveland and beyond. Mr. Hawk's dedication and integrity throughout his career as a Special Agent with the Federal Government reflects a continuum of law enforcement excellence. Mr. Hawk grew up in Western Pennsylvania and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA. After graduation, Mr. Hawk served in the infantry with the U.S. Army's Cavalry Division in the capacity of Team Leader in charge of a Reconnaissance Team. In 1978, following his exemplary service to our country, Mr. Hawk began his service with the FBI as a Special Agent. His assignments included working out of the FBI's Cleveland and Detroit offices. For the next decade, Mr. Hawk garnered extensive experience on high-level assignments, including working in undercover capacities on narcotics and white-collar crime cases. Since 1989, Mr. Hawk has continued to serve with diligence and integrity as the Media Coordinator in the Cleveland FBI Office. Aside from media-related duties, Mr. Hawk is a Firearms Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, and assists the Cleveland Organized Crime Squad on numerous cases. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor, gratitude and recognition of Mr. Robert Hawk, friend, mentor and leader within the FBI organization. His significant work continues to strengthen the vital bonds between law enforcement and the greater community, and also serves to strengthen the fabric of safety for every citizen of Cleveland and well beyond.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Reverend Vasilije Budimir Sokolovic, pastor of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Parma, Ohio, for his thirty-five year ministry with the church. I also rise today to honor the life and spiritual legacy of his father, Priest martyr Saint Budimir Sokolovic of Dobrun, recently canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church, who was executed by communist oppressors for his religious beliefs. Tyranny and violence took the life of Saint Budimir Sokolovic, yet his legacy of strength, spirit, faith and ministry to others continues to live on in the life and works of his son, Reverend Vasilije Sokolovic. Reverend Sokolovic was just a young boy when his father was jailed and executed, shortly after the end of WWII. Saint Sokolovic's vocation directed him to the battlegrounds in Yugoslavia, where he provided spiritual guidance to Serbian freedom fighters battling the German occupation. He lived to see the Nazis expelled from his homeland, only to be felled under the violence of the ensuing communist regime. Oppression and poverty dominated Eastern Europe after the war, magnifying the fear and loss for Saint Budimir Sokolovic's wife and two young boys. Rather than shrinking from his father's great legacy, young Vasilije carried his father's life and memory within his heart, following the path of ministry and service cultivated by Saint Budimir Sokolovic. Equipped with the spiritual guidance of his father and his own unwavering faith, Reverend Sokolovic entered the seminary, becoming the 42nd generation of Sokolovics to dedicate their lives to the priesthood. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and tribute of Reverend Vasilije Budimir Sokolovic, whose ministry and leadership continues to provide faith and support to countless individuals and families of the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, and serves as an instrument of spiritual connection to the life and works of his father, Priest martyr Saint Budimir Sokolovic of Dobrun. With courage and steadfast conviction in his faith, Saint Budimir Sokolovic paid the ultimate sacrifice in his quest for religious freedom. Reverend Vasilije Sokolovic continues to carry the faithful torch of his father--a blazing legacy of freedom from tyranny, a burning reminder of the fragility of democracy, and a light of hope and inspiration for people around the world searching for the light of liberty.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of James Flannery, a statesman dedicated to his family, his church, his community and his country. Named Cleveland's ``Man of the Year'' in 1981, his life of service continued for more than two decades and will be carried on by the friends and family whose lives he touched through his generosity and enthusiasm. While he was always ready for a game of basketball or football, Jim was more of a math wiz than an athlete. He earned his degree in accounting at the University of Notre Dame before turning to politics and serving Ohio's 48th district as a State Representative from 1967 to 1972. But his service did not end there. He served on the Ohio Board of Regents and the Ohio Accountancy Board before becoming the Chairman of the City of Lakewood Financial Review Commission and the Charter Review Commission. Jim also served as a member of the Board of Revision for the Cuyahoga County Treasurer's Office and was the founding president of both the University of Notre Dame National Alumni Board and the St. James Parent Teacher Union. As those closest to him know, even with his extensive community involvement, Jim's family was his true calling and passion, and was always a huge source of pride--and with good reason. His extensive family (33 grandchildren) known by many as ``The Flan Clan,'' has had quite an effect on their community. Almost a dozen of his family members have followed his footsteps at St. Edward's High School to receive a Holy Cross education, and the family's local political involvement goes back three generations. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of James Flannery and the family he leaves behind, for their outstanding service to their community. Jim's life of service will be remembered and he will be greatly missed by the many people whose lives were blessed by his presence.