Adam Kinzinger

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois, as it holds the 75th Theodor Lang May Day Medical Conference on May 1 and 2, 2014. One of the oldest medical conferences in the United States, May Day was started by Dr. Lang, a radiologist serving Saint Anthony Hospital. Dr. Lang's goal was to improve patient care by gathering physicians from the region for a day of education and fellowship under a large tent. The May Day conference has outgrown the tent on the front lawn, but OSF continues to strive to improve patient care by bringing fellowship and continuing medical education to health care providers. Throughout the years, the May Day conference has attracted such renowned speakers as Dr. Christiaan Barnard, the surgeon from South Africa who performed the first human-to-human heart transplant, as well as Abigail Van Buren and Ralph Nader. The physicians who have addressed the May Day conference through the years have come from some of the most prestigious institutions in the United States, including the University of Illinois Medical School, Washington University Medical School, Chicago Lying-In Hospital, University of Chicago, Penn State School of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Children's Memorial Hospital, Hines Veterans Administration Hospital, Northwestern Medical School, Baylor University Medical Center, Sloane- Kettering, and the National Institutes of Health. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I wish to express our deepest thanks to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center for continuing to provide valuable continuing education to clinicians and students.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to rise today in celebration of the Rockford Rescue Mission, which is set to celebrate its 50th Anniversary this May. Mr. Ray Stewart rented a building in 1964 in downtown Rockford in order to establish the Rockford Rescue Mission. There was a sign on the door that read, ``All are welcome here. The alcoholic, the addict, the stranger, the sojourner, the pilgrim, the poor. There is hope for all who enter here.'' This important work continues fifty years later and I am proud of the service they have provided to many constituents in Illinois' Sixteenth Congressional District. The Rockford Rescue Mission is open twenty-four hours a day, three hundred sixty-five days a year. They serve Rockford and the surrounding communities by providing prevention and recovery services for addiction, abuse, and destructive relations. They are also the primary provider for meals and shelter in northern Illinois and are able to provide these services with private donations from individuals, foundations, businesses, organizations, and churches. None of this would be possible without the tremendous help of the over 500 volunteers who contribute nearly 45,000 hours throughout the year. During the Rockford Rescue Mission's 2013 fiscal year, they served over 160,000 meals, provided over 58,000 beds for lodging, distributed over 159,000 items, facilitated over 10,000 counseling sessions, and served over 2,500 clinic patients. The City of Rockford and surrounding communities can take pride in the Rockford Rescue Mission which gives back to the community so willingly. I would like to congratulate all the volunteers who have helped this organization over the past fifty years and I encourage them to continue their important service. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Illinois' Sixteenth District of Illinois, I wish to express our appreciation for Rockford Rescue Mission's impressive service to the community and their diligent work.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Paul Nicholson, Streator City Manager, and to recognize his many years of service to the citizens of the City of Streator, LaSalle County, and the State of Illinois. Paul has served for more than 40 years in city management for the City of Streator and other municipalities. He has been a reliable steward of city resources in Streator and helped save the city time and funds due to his professionalism and expertise. Paul will be retiring from the position of City Manager after a new manager is selected. I would like to thank him for all he has done for the residents of Streator and LaSalle County. He has been a leader and advocate for many important issues throughout his years of service, and has become a well-respected member of the community. While he is leaving his post and heading into retirement, I know that Paul will always be there to lend a helping hand or offer advice to those in need. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I wish to express our deepest thanks to Paul Nicholson for his commendable years of service and dedication.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, we deal with a lot of very important issues in this body. In fact, everybody that is going to speak this morning is going to speak about some very important issues. But I would argue that there is no issue more important that we deal with in this body than the issue of American global leadership and the issue of national defense. I just got back from a security summit in Munich, and I want to share some of my thoughts in talking to our allies and talking to strategic partners around the globe. Ladies and gentlemen, there is a decline of American leadership around the globe. There is a perception that America is on the retreat from the rest of the world and is an America tired of a decade of war, which I fully understand, and is an America that decides the fight is just not worth it anymore. The decline of American leadership around the world is not just something that we can't do because it is not good, but it is dangerous--not just to us, but to the rest of the globe. Think about how we got in this position in the first place. It was the failure of American leadership through the nineties to pursue a terrorist jihadist by the name of Osama bin Laden. Instead, this Nation and the President treated him as a common criminal and not as a declared opponent and a war opponent of the United States of America. What we saw was an attack on the World Trade Center, an attack to the USS Cole, an attack on the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, and then, finally, it culminated in an attack that took 3,000 American lives and woke America up to the reality of global jihadism and terrorism, and the fact that we have people that live solely for the purpose of killing and destroying people that don't see eye to eye with their specific religious ideology. Failure to confront those terrorists in the 1990s led to that big problem we have today. And what we have seen lately is the same kind of retrenchment by the United States of America--undoubtedly, still the most powerful country in the world. Our enemies no longer fear us, and our allies no longer trust us. Let me label a few of these areas that have concerned me. In Iraq--I am a veteran of Iraq--the U.S. Marines actually fought to take the city of Fallujah and took the most casualties that they have taken probably since Khe Sanh in Vietnam. Today, the black flag of al Qaeda flies over Fallujah. The sacrifice of thousands of Americans is now being confronted by the black flag of al Qaeda because this President, eager to achieve a campaign promise, pulled all the troops out at the end of 2011 and didn't leave a residual force. As unpopular as it may be, if we had left a counterterrorism force in Iraq, we would not be facing this problem today. I look at a terrible deal that was just struck with Iran, a deal that basically says Iran is allowed to be a threshold nuclear state. Sure, the Secretary and the President will say that we are going from 20 percent enrichment to 5. He doesn't mention that bringing 5 percent enrichment to weapons-grade enrichment actually doesn't take that long. And, oh, by the way, all the surrounding states to Iran think that they are totally entitled to say that they have a right to enrich uranium up to 5 percent, in essence, creating a whole host of Middle East threshold nuclear states. And yet we call this a victory? I look at Syria--11,000 opponents to Assad, tortured and murdered and labeled with numbers--11,000 people--which made Srebrenica, the thing that launched America to intervene in Bosnia, look small. Eleven thousand opponents to Assad tortured and killed. And you look at Assad, who is purposely targeting the Free Syrian Army and not al Qaeda opposition so that al Qaeda opposition grows to him and he can stand in front of the West and say, ``I am the protector.'' If we get to the point where we look to Assad, a brutal dictator in Syria, as the protector of freedom, God help us. I look at instability in Lebanon, and I look at one of our greatest allies, Jordan, hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees. I look at Israel, surrounded by instability in the Middle East, and I look at a resurgent China that challenges America all over the globe now, and I look at a Russia that continues to occupy one-third of its neighbor to the south, Georgia. I look at Ukraine's people standing up for freedom. I haven't heard much from this administration. I am burdened by this lack of American global leadership. I don't care about the politics of it. I don't care about any of this. I care about the future of this country. And what I see is the decline of American leadership in what is still the greatest country around the globe.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. John Dowling, Middleport Township Supervisor, and to recognize his many years of service to the citizens of the City of Watseka, Iroquois County and the State of Illinois. Mr. Dowling has served for 35 years in education as a teacher, coach and administrator in the Watseka Unit 9 District. For the past twenty five years, John has also been a member of the Watseka Public Library Board and plans to serve in this role until his term expires. Additionally, he served on the Iroquois County Board for 26 years until November 2010 when he retired. In recognition of his tremendous service to the community, he has been named the Watseka Citizen of the Year and awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Watseka Area Chamber of Commerce and the Iroquois County Times Republic. Mr. Dowling will be retiring from the position of Middleport Township Supervisor at the end of March and I would like to thank him for all he has done for the residents of Middleport Township, the City of Watseka, and Iroquois County. He has been a leader and advocate for many important issues throughout his years of service, and has become a well-respected member of the community. While he is leaving this post and heading into retirement, I know that Mr. Dowling will always be there to lend a helping hand or give advice to those in need. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I wish to express our deepest thanks to John Dowling for his exemplary service and dedication.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it was a beautiful September day in 2001 as I was driving to work and I hear that a plane hits the World Trade Center. I was a newly minted private pilot at the time, and I remember thinking, How could a plane fly into a big building? And then I heard that another plane hit the other tower. Eventually, I heard one hit a field in Pennsylvania and the Pentagon not too far from here. I realized that America was a country under attack. It was under attack by an ideology that believes that anybody that thinks differently than their brand of theology is not just wrong, but that they are worthy of death. In fact, it takes that belief and actually implements it by killing innocent men, women, and children, including folks of their own religious ideology. Mr. Speaker, as a result of that, America became a generation that went to war to defeat this ideology. I am a veteran of the wars. I spent quite a bit of time in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, I heard the other day that al Qaeda, America's number one enemy, raised the black flag over Fallujah, an area that the United States Marines, who fought harder than they have any battle since Vietnam, fought to achieve and take over and bring peace to. Mr. Speaker, al Qaeda raised the black flag over Fallujah. This is an epic failure of American foreign policy and an epic resurgence of America's chief enemy. In 2011, President Obama had an opportunity to make a decision about whether America would continue to show its support for a free Iraq, whether America would continue to be the intercessor between difficult back-and-forths and continue to bring people together in Iraq as we did during the surge, which the President opposed and now we are finding out may actually have been for political reasons. Shocker. We are finding out, Mr. Speaker, that al Qaeda now has a town very close to Baghdad. This is a failure of American foreign policy. If you look into Syria, Mr. Speaker, you see a brutal dictator that kills people and has no compunction about killing innocent women and children just to maintain power. In essence, he has become a strong partner to the United States in order to take chemical weapons out of his arsenal. Yet as another part of Syria, you see not the moderate forces of opposition to Mr. Assad, but you now see al Qaeda-related forces overpowering moderate opposition to Assad. You see that because of America's foreign policy, which said we supported the Free Syrian Army but, in reality, has not supported the Free Syrian Army. If you look in Egypt, you see the Egyptian people stand up and say, We don't want to have one dictator replaced by another. We don't want the Muslim Brotherhood to run our country and change our constitution. But we have no idea where the President is at on this. We have taken a very important ally in the Middle East and basically told them we are not interested in their future. Look at the instability in Lebanon and the questions with the people of Afghanistan about what is going to happen post-2014, as America committed to defeating al Qaeda and defeating the Taliban. I could go on and on. Look at the deal we have with Iran, basically giving Iran the option of continuing to enrich uranium. Mr. Speaker, 5 years ago, I could not have written a sadder story about where American foreign policy could be. What I see now in the United States is that our allies no longer trust us and our enemies no longer fear us. Mr. Speaker, the United States needs to use limited air power in Iraq to push al Qaeda back out of Iraq. We need strong intelligence assets to work with the government of al-Maliki to ensure al Qaeda has no foothold in Iraq again. It is not too late to reverse the tragic foreign policy consequences and what we have seen in the Middle East. But, Mr. Speaker, this has to be done today. This has to be done now. Americans have sacrificed blood for a free Iraq and a free Afghanistan, and we cannot let that sacrifice be in vain.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Philip Nelson of the Illinois Farm Bureau (ILFB) and to recognize his years of service to the state and national agriculture community. Mr. Nelson began his career in agriculture in his youth and was awarded the prestigious Illinois FFA Star Farmer of the Year award in 1977 as well as the American Farm Bureau Federation's National Outstanding Young Farmer Award in 1984. He has continued to operate his family's fourth generation farm near Seneca, Illinois where he and his wife grow corn, soybean, alfalfa, and have a cow-calf operation. Philip has served five consecutive two-year terms as president of the ILFB which is the maximum he can serve under ILFB rules. Under his leadership, the ILFB has become an even more important voice in informing local, state, and national elected officials about the issues confronting the agriculture industry. His first-hand knowledge of farming has been instrumental to the organization in identifying and advocating on major challenges. In addition to his tenure as President of the ILFB, Mr. Nelson has served as President of the Illinois Soybean Association, President of the LaSalle County Farm Bureau, Vice President of the American Soybean Association, and Chairman of the American Farm Bureau Federation's Swine Advisory Committee. While he is leaving his post at the ILFB, I am confident his expertise and leadership on agriculture issues will continue to be put to good use. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I wish to express our deepest thanks to Philip Nelson for his exemplary efforts to advocate for the Illinois agriculture community.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Pontiac Chapter of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) for being named the 2013 Model of Excellence chapter during the Eighty-Sixth National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. FFA Chapters across the country that receive national three-star ratings are eligible candidates for the National Model of Excellence Award. The National FFA Organization consists of 579,678 students in all fifty states that are a part of 7,570 local chapters, making the competition for this prestigious award extremely demanding. While the Pontiac Chapter excelled in community and school development, it was especially successful in the area of chapter development as shown through their recruitment and retention of new members. The chapter made presentations to area middle schools that feed into their high school and were able to sign up 88 new members for the introduction to agriculture class. Additionally, the chapter worked with over 1,000 elementary students to increase their agricultural literacy and reading skills. Farmers across the United States are responsible for providing food to families around the world and Illinois is at the forefront of this driver to our economy. There are over 76,000 farms in Illinois and the state is ranked second in the United States for agricultural commodity exports with nearly $4 billion worth exported to other countries annually. The FFA helps keep this critical industry going by inspiring our youth to consider careers in agriculture and developing their leadership abilities for all facets of life. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I am pleased to honor the Pontiac FFA Chapter for their impressive accomplishments and for receiving this distinguished award. I wish these students the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tyler Loschen from Cullom, Illinois for being named the 2013 American Star Farmer at the Eighty-Sixth National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Tyler embodies the spirit of the American Farmer. After joining FFA as a freshman at Tri-Point High School, he bought 40 acres of farmland, a combine, tractor, planter, and other harvesting equipment. His story highlights the importance of the FFA program. This enterprising individual applied what he learned in the classroom to the field, started a business, and made financial decisions with his first-hand knowledge. I applaud his determination and I hope his experience will be an inspiration for others. The American Star Farmer award is one of the highest honors that a FFA member can receive from the national organization. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to honor Tyler Loschen for all of his hard work and I wish him continued success.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an inspiring effort to support homeless students in Rockford, Illinois. Under the leadership of Jeremy Hissong, friends and neighbors of the Rockford School District banded together to collect clothes and school supplies to benefit the District's homeless student program. After learning of the over 1,200 homeless children in the Rockford Public School District, Mr. Hissong utilized social media and the internet to organize ``Kids Need Us'' to gather support for a supply drive. His employer, Mondelez International, provided space in its parking lot for volunteers to collect needed supplies from the community such as socks, pants, coats, hats, pens, and paper to be donated to the homeless student program. I applaud Mr. Hissong, and the community, for their success in bringing people together, gathering needed items, and educating the public about the awful reality of youth homelessness in our communities. This story of action is an important reminder of the victims of a slow economy and the importance of taking action in order to help those most in need. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I wish to express our deep appreciation for Jeremy Hissong's work and the rest of the community for their support of this important cause.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I was stunned to see Russian President Vladimir Putin disparage American exceptionalism a few weeks ago. Simply put, Mr. Putin's human rights record leaves much to be desired, including his treatment of Ahiska Turks. A distinct minority, they are severely persecuted by top Russian authorities in Putin's government solely for their ethnicity and religion. During Mr. Putin's first term, the State Department designated Ahiska Turks as a group of special humanitarian concern. Since then, 12,000 Turks have resettled in America, including many in Illinois and in my district. However, 80,000 Ahiska Turks remain in Russia, and they routinely face discrimination and persecution in areas of their lives that we often take for granted. In an ethnic cleansing campaign, Stalin uprooted and resettled Ahiska Turks to central Asia from their ancestral lands in Georgia in 1944. Unable to return, they have since been perennial refugees in Central Asia and Russia. This is the reality of Putin's Russia: in Russia, people are routinely and severely discriminated against, tortured, even killed, and are economically and financially repressed. When given the freedom to chase the American Dream, these same Ahiska Turks have fulfilled their potential in less than a decade. I will let my colleagues make their own determinations about which nation is exceptional.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, October 10th marked the 102nd Anniversary of the Wuchang uprising, which led to the establishment of the Republic of China (Taiwan) on January 1, 1912. National Day of the Republic of China marks a significant day for the Taiwanese people as they celebrate each year with parades, fireworks and military regalia. The United States and Taiwan have been fortunate to share such a dynamic friendship that I believe will only continue to grow. As the U.S. seeks to rebalance our comprehensive foreign policy strategy, and we look to pivot to the Asian Pacific region, I feel that National Day deserves an appropriate commemoration from Congress. I believe it is vitally important for the U.S. to continue to bolster Taiwan's efforts as they are one of the most promising democracies in the region. Such stable regional partners should be valued and held in the highest regard. This significant anniversary also provides an opportunity for this Congress to reflect on the current state of our bilateral relationship with Taiwan and to take proactive steps to enhance it. As the 10th largest trading partner with the United States, Taiwan's economic importance is continuing to rapidly increase in a growing 21st century global economy. As longstanding friends and allies, I am pleased to add my voice to congratulate Taiwan on this momentous occasion.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize OSF St. James-John W. Albrecht Medical Center in Pontiac, Illinois for being named the Safest Hospital in Illinois by Consumer Reports magazine. Like many Americans, I am concerned about the increasing cost of healthcare in the United States. With healthcare spending by patients on the rise, it is critical to find ways to ensure healthcare remains accessible and affordable. OSF St. James is a leader in this regard. By striving to provide safe treatment to patients on a daily basis, they reduce the frequency of readmitted patients which in turn reduces the added cost of additional procedures and care. The City of Pontiac and the surrounding area can take pride in their local hospital for the quality of care it provides to family, friends, and neighbors. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I wish to express our appreciation of the staff at OSF St. James-John W. Albrecht Medical Center for their diligent work and commitment to providing safe healthcare to their patients.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Fred Esmond who passed away on October 2, 2013. Fred Esmond served in the U.S. Army Reserves, was a small business owner, participated in many community organizations, and beginning in 2001 was elected four times to serve as the Mayor of Utica, Illinois. I have no doubt that he will be remembered for his stewardship and love for his community during some of its most trying times, including a devastating tornado and multiple floods. Mayor Esmond leaves a legacy that will continue to serve the residents of Utica for years to come. Under his leadership, the town constructed a new village hall, fire station, and numerous community buildings. Additionally, visitors and residents often recognize the beautiful streetscapes lining the realigned Illinois Route 178 and a striking memorial to the victims of a 2004 tornado. Fred is survived by his wife Sandra; his daughters, Sarah Schweickert and Lisa Esmond; his grandchildren, Addison and Bailey Schweickert; and his three brothers, Jack, William, and Truman. While Fred has passed, his legacy and memory will endure in the hearts and minds of his friends and family. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I offer my heartfelt condolences to Mayor Esmond's family. The State of Illinois has lost an outstanding citizen and the Illinois River Valley community will miss him dearly.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mike Sutfin for his impressive leadership in floodplain management and his exemplary service to the City of Ottawa, Illinois and the State of Illinois. The City of Ottawa sits at the confluence of the Illinois and Fox Rivers which makes it one of the most flood prone communities in the State of Illinois. In 2008, the City of Ottawa was impacted by a devastating flood as part of the Hurricane Ike storm system. The flood damaged homes beyond repair, and also caused an Ottawa Elementary school to close for nearly two years. In an effort to reduce or avoid future disastrous floods, Mike Sutfin and the City of Ottawa developed a floodplain management plan that has since received state and national recognition. Mr. Sutfin has worked tirelessly to raise public awareness of the river valley floodplain through public meetings, maps, and an informative website. At his recommendation, the Ottawa City Council has incorporated better floodplain management regulatory standards into the City's ordinances. Additionally, he has helped reduce reoccurring flood loss through a major City of Ottawa buyout program and other mitigation initiatives. In recognition of his diligent work, Mr. Sutfin has received the 2011 Floodplain Manager of the Year Award from the Illinois Association of Floodplain and Stormwater Managers (IAFSM). Additionally, he recently received the 2013 Community Rating System (CRS) Award for Excellence from the National Flood Insurance Program. Currently, the City of Ottawa is rated at Class 5 under the CRS, but with Mr. Sutfin's leadership the community will likely be upgraded to Class 2. This would make it one of the best rated communities in the State of Illinois and across the United States. Mr. Sutfin has accomplished a great deal as Ottawa's Floodplain Manager and the resulting benefits, such as increased public safety, peace of mind, and reduced damage to property, are priceless to his community. His expertise is clearly put to good use in the City of Ottawa as well as at the IAFSM where he serves on the Board of Directors and chairs the Floodplain Management Committee. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I wish to express our deepest thanks to Mike Sutfin for his leadership in floodplain management and his diligent work for the City of Ottawa.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Royce for his leadership on this very important piece of legislation. For 60 years, the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea has brought stability, security and prosperity to the Korean Peninsula and Asia-Pacific region. Most recently, the U.S.-Korean Free Trade Agreement has demonstrated our mutual commitment of shared future economic growth and prosperity. I rise in strong support of this bill as it is critically important to extend the current U.S.-South Korea civilian nuclear energy cooperation agreement for two years. While substantial progress has been made by the negotiators, more time is needed to properly complete a new agreement that recognizes both our countries' status as global leaders of nuclear energy. Swift passage of this 2-year extension will give both countries the confidence that cooperation between our two countries will continue smoothly. I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 2449.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my sincere condolences to the people and Government of Turkey. On July 27, 2013, their embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia was attacked by three suicide bombers. Two security guards and a Somali student lost their lives in the explosions, while several members of the embassy staff were also injured. An al-Qaida-linked, Somali militant group named al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack. This serves as a stark reminder that al-Qaida remains strong throughout the Middle East and Africa and needs to be confronted at every turn. Turkey has been a force for good in Somalia and is actively involved with Somalia's reconstruction. Turkish aid workers have been assisting Somali authorities to rebuild their war torn country by undertaking development projects, including street renovations and the construction of schools. Furthermore, Turkey continues to strengthen commercial times with Somalia to help boost its economy. Mr. Speaker, I share the Obama administration's condemnation of this attack and express my condolences in the strongest terms possible.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue that, unfortunately, hasn't gotten as much attention lately as it should. I'm a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, spent most of my time in Iraq; but I remember I was in a nation outside of Afghanistan getting ready to fly an airplane one day, this was back in the mid-2000s, and, Mr. Speaker, the majority leader from the other Chamber basically got on television and said, the war in Iraq is lost. He said, it's lost, it's done, it's over. I remember that because I was on a treadmill getting ready to go fly a mission into Afghanistan when I heard that. The interesting thing about that is, I guarantee you, our enemy in Iraq probably cheered loudly at the moment they saw the majority leader from the Senate say those words. We know that something very courageous happened. The President of the United States at the time said, not only is the war not lost, we're sending more troops and we're going to win this thing, and we did. We saw the enemy realize that America could never be defeated on the battlefield, it could only be defeated by its will, and President Bush sent a very strong and loud message that America's will will not be defeated. This is a situation we face in Afghanistan today. Look, as a Member of Congress, as a politician, the easiest thing for me to do is to stand up here and say the war in Afghanistan is lost and we need to just go home. And I tell you, you look at the polling, and with the lack of a President leading this country on the public opinion side of what we're doing in Afghanistan, I'd probably get a lot of people sending Facebook messages and emails saying, go get 'em; it's time to leave Afghanistan. But you know what? If I did that, I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror and say that I did the right thing, because the right thing is generations of people that have lived under oppression and have lived for years under the Taliban regime. They stood up. They kicked the Taliban out of their nation, and they've looked at the United States and said, it took you decades at your inception to get your democracy right. Help us get our democracy right. What's at stake here? I look over here at this picture, and I see a couple of things. I see, number one, a girl by the name of Bibi; and if you could look closely at that picture, you would see that she does not have a nose or ears. They were actually cut off by the Taliban. They were cut off by swift justice because somebody in her family committed a crime, sold her into marriage at the age of 14 years old. And at 15 years old she left her abusive husband, went to her uncle's house, who turned his back on her, and eventually she was captured and apprehended by the Taliban, as they forced her family to cut her nose and ears off as justice for running away from a terrible situation. She eventually escaped and went to an American forward operating base and was saved. And then you see in this other picture, as she lives in the United States, she has a prosthetic nose today and is living as close to a normal life as possible, despite the trauma that she suffered. On the bottom down here, you'll see a number of girls in school right now, learning and being educated. You know, before we went into Afghanistan, there was something like 800,000 people in school. Today it's over 6 million. In fact, did you know that 60 percent of the Afghan population is under the age of 20? And there's this movement in Afghanistan called the Civil Society in which they stand up and say it's time for freedom and it's time to take our country back. Are you also aware, Mr. Speaker, that every province is now under control of Afghanistan, and the United States has reverted to a training mission and a counterterrorism mission. These are all huge victories for the Afghan people that we ought to be celebrating. But, instead, I wake up the other day and I look in the paper, and the President of the United States, the leader of the free world, is saying we are exploring an option after 2014 to take all troops out of Afghanistan. Now, let me ask you a question: Do you think that made the Taliban frightened, or do you think they cheered when they saw the President of the United States say, I'm considering all troops gone after 2014? The whole year of 2014 was pulled out of the hat for political reasons. When you say that we're surging in Afghanistan, but as the last troop goes in, the first troop's coming out from the surge, it's not very effective. You know, the Taliban have a saying, actually, that says, America may have the watches, but we have the time. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Speaker, we are on the verge of a clear victory in Afghanistan for the Afghan people. The biggest mistake we can make today is to let politics come into play and to withdraw and leave zero troops after 2014. In 50 years, history will judge us for that.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, I am very concerned about the so-called ``zero option'' that was floated by the President. Hundreds of thousands have fought for a victory for the Afghan people; and on the eve of victory for the Afghan people, the President is floating the option of no troops post-2014. I ask, Is the Taliban cheering that discussion, or are they scared of it? I would say that they are cheering the idea of no U.S. troops. Sixty percent of the Afghan people are under the age of 20. It is a new society. Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that we are on the verge of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. I would call on the President to announce a smaller post-2014 force and send a message to the Taliban that we will not back down and you will never rule Afghanistan again.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. I thank the gentlelady from Alabama for organizing this. It is great to be joined with you on this very important subject, the idea that over 7.5 percent of our fellow neighbors--and by the way, the President's own State of Illinois, it's higher than 7.5 percent. If you want to see what Big Government is going to eventually do, just look in my home State. You're going to see people that are desperately searching for work, that wake up every day just wondering if they are going to get a paycheck. If they have a job, they're wondering, Is this the last day? Am I going to go into work today and get that pink slip? Am I going to go into work today and have to tell my wife or husband or kids that we're going to have to tighten the belt because dad or mom just lost their job? Illinois has been hit very hard. The reason Illinois has been hit very hard is not because it is cold. It is cold in Illinois sometimes in the winter, and my friend from Colorado can talk about that, too. It's not because it's flat, although parts of Illinois are very flat. Illinois, in fact, used to be and still maintains some edge, but used to be the powerhouse for manufacturing in the country, but we've seen the disappearing of manufacturing. And in the bipartisan spirit of not trying to point too many fingers, I'll say that's happened under all administrations, where we've seen manufacturing leave. But the one difference between Illinois and what we've seen, and the States that surround us, is a big, stifling, bloated, bureaucratic government, a government that is so big it takes away the opportunity for the free market to breathe. Mr. Speaker, I understand, and I'll be the first to admit that my party, the Republican Party, has not done a great job of messaging. I think that's the understatement of the century. Sometimes we get absorbed in the idea of numbers, and we talk about what it means to balance the budget, but we don't explain why we want to balance the budget. Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle talk about the middle class and those in lower incomes. My father ran a homeless shelter, and he did this for a couple of decades. I was raised in an environment to understand conservatism and how that works with those who are homeless and down and out. My mom is a public schoolteacher. I understand the importance of public education in our society. And I understand that I became a Republican because I believe that a kid born in inner-city Chicago just 40 or 50 minutes from my house should have the same opportunity as a kid born in Channahon, Illinois, where I live, or Inverness, Illinois, a wealthy suburb. They should have every opportunity to find personal achievement to get an education and be successful. I look forward to having this conversation and talking about the fact that there is a compassion for those who need help and the fact that too many people are out of work today. I know my colleague from Colorado (Mr. Gardner) would like to say some things.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. I just would like to add to that. So, you know, we talked about regulations, and I know, look, the vast majority of Americans, myself included, are not small business owners. And so the vast majority of Americans can listen to this and say, I understand in theory what's being said, but it's not something I necessarily feel. So let's try to put this in a way that I think a lot of people can relate to. If you're looking at buying a house, now, you have a big decision to make. You're ready to buy a new house. You've got a family you're providing for. You know what your budget is, what you can afford on a mortgage. You know what you can afford for your property taxes. But let's say there's a lot of government uncertainty out there. Let's say, first off, you may not have a job in 6 months because of this economy. You may be saying, Boy, I just don't know what my cash flow is going to be like, and I don't know if it's going to be there. Well, let's relate that to the bigger economy. These companies don't necessarily know what's going to be brought and put before them by Washington, D.C., what it's going to cost them. Let's say your local government was threatening to raise property taxes in a major way. Well, now that comes into play. Let's say there was a threat of losing your home mortgage interest deduction, and so, as you put that into play and you're trying to decide ``Do I buy this house?'' now that's a threat. And you watch the television, and all over the television the idea is homes are collapsing in value. We remember that from a few years ago. That's uncertainty. That's the kind of uncertainty that every day Americans feel, the kind of uncertainty that you wake up sometimes in a cold sweat because you don't necessarily know what the next month is going to look like. Well, Mr. Speaker, that's our point is take that uncertainty that an individual feels, but now put that on a bigger level of a business owner, a business owner who sometimes is the last person to get paid because they sign everybody else's paycheck first. And sometimes these small business owners are literally in tears at night. They're in bed; they don't know whether they can make payroll. They know they have 5 or 10 people that are relying on them to provide that paycheck because they have families, too. That's a lot of pressure. So we're not talking about making businesses not pay taxes. We're not talking about getting rid of all regulations and letting this be the Wild West of business, but we're talking about creating a level of certainty that these businesses can plan, and they can begin to know what they can do and take a deep breath and create jobs.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. I understand that. And look, as we go forward, you hear the rhetoric a lot; right? I mean, the House of Representatives is filled with rhetoric; right? It's probably been like that since the day it was built and the day it was created. Some of the rhetoric I've heard is that our party only cares about big business, that we only care about the 1 percent. Recently, we talked about taking food from the mouths of children; right? We heard about that. Any sane, reasonable person knows that's not the case. Any sane, reasonable person knows, look, both sides of the aisle are very passionate about the future of the country; they want success. I think it's okay to have a conversation about how we get there. I believe that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want their country to be successful. I think if we can hear that they also agree that we want our country to be successful and we can have this conversation, this is so helpful. Now, let me ask, in that vein, in having a fair and honest debate about this, let's see what the President's plans are. I mean, we hear constantly more and more stimulus spending. Do you realize that the last stimulus bill that was really passed at midnight, basically, with a lot of Christmas tree ornaments for everybody to get ``yes'' votes, and only about 6 percent of that actually went to infrastructure, which is the job of the Federal Government in the first place; it's denoted in the Constitution. But, you know, interestingly to me, we spent, in one night, almost as much money, maybe even more money, but almost as much money as we had spent in Iraq to that point. And what did we get for it? What did we get for it? We had a promise of unemployment staying low. It didn't. Look, I get it. I believe that the President, I believe my colleagues on the other side of the aisle really thought this was going to be the thing that worked. I really believe they believed that. But it didn't. History shows it didn't. History shows this didn't work. So are we going to really, honestly, revisit the idea of more and more stimulus spending again?

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Let me add to that. I want to briefly remind people about the State of Illinois. I'm so proud of the people of the State of Illinois. I love my State. I've lived there most of my life, except my time in the military. But let's look at that approach. That approach has been a regulatory approach. That's been a big government approach. In fact, you look at, again, the south part of Chicago, and you see I think it was like nine people killed just in this last weekend. It's unreal. That's more than you will find killed in a day in Afghanistan. And this is an American city. How is the best way to fix that? It's to pull people out of poverty. Illinois has a big government. Illinois has very generous stuff they give. But Illinois is not good lately at generating jobs. So does big government help those people in a tough situation in south Chicago? You know what would help the people in south Chicago is an opportunity to go out, work hard, earn a living, and an opportunity to get ahead. That's what this is about. This is about how do we give everybody the opportunity that all of us speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives have, who have all the different backgrounds that we've got, whether it was from our parents or our education or from whatever it was. How do we ensure that we replicate that?

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. I think the great point on that is why do we want to lower the tax rate, right? Is it because we want to protect the 1 percent? I've heard that a thousand times. And I'll be honest, I probably haven't been the best at coming back at that and explaining why we want to lower the Tax Code and why we want a fair Tax Code for everybody--a tax that people pay what they need to pay to the government, they aren't overcharged, but then people aren't also allowed to get away with being undercharged. It's because on an individual level you literally have mothers filling their vans up with gasoline, buying groceries, and not able to afford to feed their children because the government, in some cases, takes a third of what these single mothers make. They just take it. And then we see people that can get away with all the loopholes in the system. They hire enough accountants and they don't pay that percent. So let's make it fair for everybody.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. That was very well said. Wouldn't it be nice if we could just all have conversations like that all the time? I mean, look, there are people that really believe that coal is bad. I disagree, I disagree vehemently. They believe it. And I'm sure my friend from Virginia would love to debate them, and debate them respectfully. I remember hearing rhetoric about our party supporting black lungs and that rhetoric that's meant to fuel instability and anger and division. That's what's disappointing to me. Mr. Speaker, as I look to the President to lead this country, I want to look at a man who--of his past and who he is is a very dynamic person. He came from some very tough circumstances to become President of the United States. I wish he would say that, you know what, my job is to lead this conversation about jobs and the economy. My job is to lead this conversation. Look, we tried stimulus spending. I really thought it would work, but it didn't. Some Republicans, why don't you come to the White House. Why don't you have a conversation with me. I haven't been invited to the White House in years. Why don't you come to the White House, and let's have a conversation. Maybe we're not going to find any agreement, but at least we can respect each other's opinions and say what do we need to do to get this economy back on track. Why is it that over 7 percent of our neighbors don't have jobs? Many more than that are underemployed in jobs they don't want. Why is that? What can we do to come together?