Tom Latham

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the excellence in education in the 4th Congressional District of Iowa, and to specifically congratulate Lizabeth Fox of Decorah Community School District, who earned the National Board Certification--the highest level of certification in the teaching profession. National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize and reward great teachers. National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices. Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete. Certification is offered in 25 different subjects, covering 97 percent of the subjects taught in K-12 schools. I congratulate Lizabeth Fox on her well-deserved certification, and I'm certain that she will continue to touch the lives of many youth in her community. It is a great honor to represent Lizabeth in the United States Congress, and I wish her continued success.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the excellence in education in the 4th Congressional District of Iowa, and to specifically congratulate Julie Fitzgerald of West Des Moines Community School District, who earned the National Board Certification--the highest level of certification in the teaching profession. National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize and reward great teachers. National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices. Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete. Certification is offered in 25 different subjects, covering 97 percent of the subjects taught in K-12 schools. I congratulate Julie Fitzgerald on her well-deserved certification, and I'm certain that she will continue to touch the lives of many youth in her community. It is a great honor to represent Julie in the United States Congress, and I wish her continued success.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the excellence in education in the 4th Congressional District of Iowa, and to specifically congratulate Shannon Dykstra of Nora Springs-Rock Falls Community School District, who earned the National Board Certification--the highest level of certification in the teaching profession. National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize and reward great teachers. National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices. Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete. Certification is offered in 25 different subjects, covering 97 percent of the subjects taught in K-12 schools. I congratulate Shannon Dykstra on her well-deserved certification, and I'm certain that she will continue to touch the lives of many youth in her community. It is a great honor to represent Shannon in the United States Congress, and I wish her continued success.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the excellence in education in the 4th Congressional District of Iowa, and to specifically congratulate Jennifer Axness of Southeast Webster--Grand Community School District, who earned the National Board Certification--the highest level of certification in the teaching profession. National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize and reward great teachers. National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices. Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete. Certification is offered in 25 different subjects, covering 97 percent of the subjects taught in K-12 schools. I congratulate Jennifer Axness on her well-deserved certification, and I'm certain that she will continue to touch the lives of many youth in her community. It is a great honor to represent Jennifer in the United States Congress, and I wish her continued success.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the excellence in education in the 4th Congressional District of Iowa, and to specifically congratulate Gretchen Conway of Decorah Community School District, who earned the National Board Certification--the highest level of certification in the teaching profession. National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize and reward great teachers. National Board Certified Teachers have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices. Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete. Certification is offered in 25 different subjects, covering 97 percent of the subjects taught in K-12 schools. I congratulate Gretchen Conway on her well-deserved certification, and I'm certain that she will continue to touch the lives of many youth in her community. It is a great honor to represent Gretchen in the United States Congress, and I wish her continued success.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the excellence in education in the 4th Congressional District of Iowa, and to specifically congratulate Ann Swenson of Norwalk Community School District, who earned the National Board Certification--the highest level of certification in the teaching profession. National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize and reward great teachers. National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices. Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete. Certification is offered in 25 different subjects, covering 97 percent of the subjects taught in K-12 schools. I congratulate Ann Swenson on her well-deserved certification, and I'm certain that she will continue to touch the lives of many youth in her community. It is a great honor to represent Ann in the United States Congress, and I wish her continued success.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the retirement of Brigadier General Mark Zirkelbach, the Deputy Adjutant General of the Iowa Army National Guard, and to express my appreciation for his dedication and commitment to his state and country. For the last 39 years, BG Zirkelbach has served faithfully and honorably. BG Zirkelbach enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard in the Non-ROTC College Student State OCS Program at Iowa State University in 1970. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business from Iowa State University in 1970 and graduated from the United States Army War College in 1998. In 1972, BG Zirkelbach was commissioned and qualified as Field Artillery and Signal Corps and commanded in both branches. He served as Commander, 67th Troop Command, Iowa Army National Guard and entered the Title 32 AGR Program in 1985. BG Zirkelbach also served as Chief of Staff, Iowa Army National Guard, where he directed and supervised the activities of the State Area Command, Iowa Army National Guard Staff. BG Zirkelbach has a long list of military awards and decorations which include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon. I commend Brigadier General Mark Zirkelbach for his many years of loyalty and service to our great nation. It is an immense honor to represent BG Zirkelbach, and it has been a pleasure working with him during my time in the United States Congress. I wish him a happy retirement from the Iowa Army National Guard and all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. I thank the ranking member. I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment. This is an issue that we have dealt with in the full committee markup. I believe Chairman Olver, wisely, slightly extended the time by States to make these investments in transportation investment. And now we're debating an amendment to make that timeframe even shorter than before. The CBO, Congressional Budget Office, has scored this amendment and said this amendment will not make a lick of difference as to how quickly these funds will spend out. Instead, we are asking our States to make hurried judgments. Haste sometimes make waste. We should expect our States to make wise decisions, and for that they could use a little more time. I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. LATHAM. I thank the gentleman, and I rise in support of this amendment. In the full committee, we offered an amendment to have this applied to all accounts, not just transportation accounts, in the bill, which unfortunately failed. But this is a very, very good start in this portion of the bill. I just wish it extended to the entire $825 billion being spent.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. I thank the ranking member. Mr. Chairman, we all know that we are in unprecedented economic times that call for unprecedented action. The bill we have under consideration is certainly unprecedented because of the size itself. $825 billion. That is just for now, without the add-ons we expect over in the Senate. This measure will have an unprecedented impact on the deficit by increasing it by hundreds of billions of dollars over the next few years. In turn, this dramatic rise will trigger large-scale borrowing from the future incomes of our children and our grandchildren. These add-on deficits will cause the Nation's debt to soar to a level at which we will owe interest payments of more than $750 billion per year by the year 2019, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Those numbers assume that the stimulus package actually works--and we don't know for certain that it will work. I raise these points because with spending numbers this high, we need to get it right. While there are certainly some good qualities to this bill, there are also numerous elements thus far, including spendout rates noted by CBO, that raise questions about the stimulus impact of the bill. Currently, there are estimates on the job creation potential of the bill that show only about 10 percent of the funds creating jobs. If those estimates are accurate, the question arises as to where the other funds are going. Some analyses show that the lion's share of the monies in this bill are destined for expansion of an assortment of government programs that have nothing to do with economic stimulus. Moreover, these programs are ones that are funded each year through the normal appropriations process, and will be funded again in 2010. That tells me that we are using this bill to expand the funding scope of certain programs in order to make room for additional spending in the 2010 cycle. We are calling this extra spending ``emergency'' spending so we will not have to find a way to pay for it. Whether we call it emergency, or something else, the deficit effect is still the same, and our children will pay for it. Many of these programs already have large, unexpended balances. For example, there's $5 billion for public housing. Yet, we have close to $7 billion in unexpended public housing balances. Many of the proponents of this bill talk of the need to rebuild the Nation's highway and bridge infrastructure, and speak of the job creation potential of these activities. Yet, the highway portion of this bill contains less than 4 percent of the total funding. I am very supportive of legitimate stimulus that results in net economic activity and job creation. For that reason, I offered an amendment in the full committee designed to ensure that all stimulus funds would produce net economic activity and not supplant existing funds. I also cosponsored an amendment with Mr. Frelinghuysen that would have moved some $60 billion to transportation, flood control, and environmental restoration projects. Ladies and gentlemen, our children and grandchildren are going to pay for this debt.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, there is no question the State Children's Health Insurance Program needs to be reauthorized to provide the funds necessary to maintain current coverage and enroll currently eligible low-income children. In the past I have supported bipartisan legislation that represented the input of both parties to reauthorize the SCHIP program, H.R. 976 and H.R. 3963, including legislation that was vetoed by President Bush. However, I cannot support this partisan legislation before us today because Democrats have radically departed from the bipartisan agreement that had been reached. First, they have removed the provision that would have capped eligibility for SCHIP for families making over 300 percent of the Federal poverty line, or roughly $63,000 per family of four, allowing unlimited expansion of the program in the future. Furthermore, there are no requirements that a certain level of coverage for low-income children be met before expanding eligibility to higher income groups. Second, they have rescinded a requirement in current law that noncitizens who are here must legally wait 5 years to become eligible for the SCHIP program. The bill also reduces citizenship verification requirements for the Medicaid program, potentially allowing illegal aliens to game the system to obtain taxpayer-funded welfare benefits. At a time when nearly 70 percent of uninsured American children are already eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP, our economy is weak and the budget deficit is soaring, it makes no sense to put non-citizens or wealthier children ahead of poor American children from hard-working, tax paying families who desperately need access to these programs.''

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, we have all heard from thousands of our constituents on this measure over the past two weeks. I spoke to one constituent of mine from Iowa yesterday who contacts me regularly to express her opinions and ideas. When discussing her opposition to this bill she summed up the frustrations of Iowans and the overwhelming majority of people across this country. She said ``the people out here in the heartland see this bill and bailout as a result of Washington talking to Washington--and not talking and listening to the real people beyond the beltway.'' She hit the nail on the head. This measure today is a true result of Washington talking to Washington, of Congressional partisanship blinding the legislative process and blocking the chance for real common sense comprehensive solutions, and members of an administration that are quicker to respond to the needs and pain of Wall Street than the needs and reality on Main Street. The measure we voted on Monday was based almost exactly on the original plan of one man--that of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. This plan was sold to us with no guarantee of success--even from its author. This plan was created and based on a randomly selected price tag of $700 billion to the American taxpayers. When asked about why that number was chosen, a spokesperson for the Treasury Department responded in a news article last week that they came up with it because they wanted ``a really large number.'' Additionally, the question has to be asked of this plan--is it morally right to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to reward and benefit those on Wall Street who were knowingly involved in risky and, sometimes, exotic financial investments that were hidden from the eyes of Federal regulators? Why is Washington so quick to focus on the needs of Wall Street at the cost of those responsible Iowans who have sacrificed, saved, and spent within their means? No wonder real America has lost faith in Washington. I voted against almost this same measure on Monday afternoon. It was a tough vote but it was the right vote. I took that vote so we could sit down as Americans who are truly interested in the well-being of all people in this Nation to find a more acceptable path--a well thought out common-sense path. After all, we do agree that something must be done to try and save this Nation and her people for what would be a devastating period of economic disaster. My hopes, and the hopes of the majority in this country, were dashed after the U.S. Senate not only embraced the plan we voted down earlier in the House, but added an even larger price tag on American taxpayers. And, the Senate--as only could be done in Washington--added hundreds of millions of dollars in pork to the bill to fund children's wooden arrows, race tracks and Puerto Rican and Virgin Islands rum. The Senate turned a deaf ear to the cries of the American people who are opposed to this measure and decided to add even more unwanted items to their tab. In the interest of full disclosure the Senate did add items that I fully support. Important provisions that could help Iowa's renewables industry--in wind, solar and biofuels--that could help Iowans who are struggling to rebuild after the devastating floods of this summer, and other common sense measures that include increasing FDIC insurance limits. But the foundation of the Senate bill that we are considering today remains the same--the randomly selected $700 billion plan that was the creation of one man, that empowers that one man to spend the money as he sees fit--yet has no guarantees for success or even realistic protection provisions that will close the taxpayer's check book if the plan is not working. I could never trust anyone person with complete discretion of $700 billion of taxpayer's money--no strings attached. As the members of this body know, I joined with a group of my colleagues yesterday to work to provide Washington with one last option other than the plan of based on a randomly selected number. We drafted an amendment that would give Secretary Paulson $250 billion to use as proposed in his original plan. Even he has said that he could only spend at the most $50 billion a month. This gives him at least five months to see if his plan is working, and if it is proving to have success for all of America's economy, then he can return to Congress to request the remaining funds. While I know even $250 billion is unacceptable to many fiscal conservatives, the plan gave the American people some level of control over their tax dollars to know that a plan based on a randomly selected number would have to show success and benefits to main street before it was permitted to move forward beyond that additional smaller price tag. Our amendment also gave us time--time to come back here and discuss alternatives for the good of the nation as a whole. I believe that this amendment would have received overwhelming bi- partisan support from the rank-and-file members whose voices were shut out of this process. Unfortunately, what has become standard operating procedure for a broken Congress, in a broken Washington, the members of this body-- representing the hundreds of millions of people in real America--were not even allowed the opportunity to vote on an alternate plan. Instead we are forced to consider--up or down, no committee hearings, no committee votes--this plan based on a randomly selected number. This week I have spoken with and listened to the reality of the economic landscape from small business employers throughout Iowa. I have heard from farmers, from colleges, from community governments, realtors, car dealerships, utility companies, and hometown bankers-- employers of hundreds of thousands of Iowans. They all have told me of the reality of their experiences with credit markets, the reality of economic turbulence, and the real fears that if nothing is done soon that Iowa is facing economic disaster like most of us have not seen in our lifetime. These are real people from real town America, who are doing the right things, providing good jobs for good people, who are leaders in their community and staples of the local economies who are suffering and face economic disaster not because of decisions they have made, but because of the decisions made on Wall Street and in Washington. It is clear to all of us that action is needed to protect our economy. But is this plan really the right action we should take? After all, supporting this bill just for the sake that we agree that action is needed does not guarantee that we are moving in the right direction. And, for those who are suffering in real America, actions we take now that are not fully debated and discussed could end up causing more economic harm over the long term. The events of the past two weeks--and the resulting proposal that we are forced to consider today--make it painfully clear to me, and millions of Americans, that Washington is unwilling, or incapable, of listening to anyone but Washington. That is why I must stand on principle once again today and vote against this measure with the hope that Washington will wake up and-- immediately following this vote--begin the responsible process of working together, working with the American people to find a solution that is well considered based on fundamental economic principles that addresses the real needs of real America--real main street. These are the principles on which our Nation was founded and these are the principles that we have the duty as Americans to stand up and protect.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. I thank the ranking member, my good friend from California. Ladies and gentlemen, last night Mr. LaTourette and myself went to the Rules Committee to ask that an amendment be made in order which would reduce the size of this bailout bill from $700 billion down to $250 billion, and then we would have the opportunity to come back to see if this thing is actually working and have a vote to actually affirm and spend more money if, in fact, this was working and this plan was right. Now the Rules Committee denied that. And I think it's very unfortunate that the will of the House is not being heard today. We do not have the chance to vote on an amendment which I believe would pass overwhelmingly in this House of Representatives, because it will bring some accountability to the administration. It won't just write the check to the Secretary of the Treasury. And we can finally solve this problem and still have the accountability that people are looking for in Congress. I would just encourage everyone to vote down this rule so that we can have a fair chance at an amendment that makes real sense to everyone.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the excellence in education in the Fourth Congressional District of Iowa, and to specifically congratulate Pocahontas Area Elementary School in Pocahontas, Iowa, for making the list of the 2008 No Child Left Behind, Blue Ribbon Schools. The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools that are either academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement. Pocahontas Area Elementary School scored in the top 10 percent in Iowa with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds. I consider it a great honor to represent Pocahontas Area Elementary Principal Lynn Moody, the teachers, students, school board members, and administrations of Pocahontas Area Schools in the United States Congress. I wish Pocahontas Elementary continued academic excellence as they provide a positive impact on future generations to come.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the members of Trinity Lutheran Church in State Center, Iowa, for their efforts in improving the lives of those affected by Hurricane Katrina in Pascagoulia, Mississippi. The day Katrina struck the Gulf of Mexico members of The Trinity Lutheran congregation loaded up a semi-truck with food and cleaning supplies and has been helping those in need ever since. Some volunteered with the Red Cross in Mississippi during the November following the hurricane and then Trinity Lutheran put together a mission trip in June where church members helped rebuild homes. The collective effort by Trinity Lutheran members in Pascagoula, Mississippi is a characteristic of what Iowa is all about--regular citizens motivated and dedicated to improving the lives of their fellow citizens, and in this case the very people who need help the most. I commend Jim and Kathy Lively, Melanie Maddick, Rachael, Alan and Ryan Johnson, Janelle and Emily Durlin, Ron, Shelly, Ron Jr., Brandy and Mary Wilkey, Tyler and Abbey Sheer, Denise and Jordian Berrey, John and Marva Tolson, Breanna Billman, and all people who financed and organized the mission trip. I consider it an honor to represent each of those involved in this effort in the United States Congress and I congratulate and thank them for their great acts of kindness.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Boone County Hospital employees who took part in a school supply drive to assist children whose families did not have the means to buy school supplies. The Boone County Hospital social events committee organized the school supply drive which accumulated many crayons, color pencils, No. 2 pencils, colored markers, pens and paper. The supplies were divided up among the Boone, Ogden, Madrid and United school districts. This collective effort at Boone County Hospital is a characteristic of what Iowa is all about--regular citizens motivated and dedicated to improving the daily life of their neighbors, and in this case our children. I commend all those involved in organizing and contributing to this heartwarming effort. I consider it an honor to represent each of these employees who assisted in making a difference for the children of their community in the United States Congress and I thank them for their great act of kindness.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Iowa Army National Guard for being recognized as the Best Installation Management Program in the nation during the Army National Guard's Construction and Facility Management Officers annual conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Iowa scored 902 points out of 1,000 and was the only state to receive a Gold Award in the installation management program. The Iowa Army National Guard has had a history of putting an emphasis on installations and stresses the importance of setting goals to provide facilities that make our Soldiers and citizens proud, which has included important modernization efforts such as improving accommodations for female Soldiers. It also provides continuing education for all Iowa Army National Guard installation management professionals to help them become the best they can be on the job. The Iowa National Guard, which has 42 armories, continues to make Iowa and our nation proud through its dedicated service. It is an honor to represent Installations Division Chief Col. Michael Bouchard, Construction and Facilities Management Officer Col. Scott Ayres and all those involved in installations at the Iowa Army National Guard in the United States Congress and I wish them success in their future work.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sue Boston of Marshalltown, Iowa as the recipient of the Governor's Volunteer Award for her time spent volunteering in the Marshalltown Community School District. The Governor's Volunteer Award program was established to honor and recognize volunteers for the commitment, service and time that they contribute to Iowa's government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Sue has volunteered with the Marshalltown Community School District for 20 years, contributing her time and talents to improving the lives of area students and the community as a whole. I consider it a great honor to represent Sue Boston in the United States Congress, and I wish her the best as she continues to provide a positive impact on young people and her community in the years to come.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate St. Boniface Catholic Church of Garner, Iowa, on celebrating their 125th anniversary as a congregation. The history of Catholicism in the Garner community dates back to the time neighboring priests of Charles City, Mason City, and Algona would come together once a month to celebrate Mass and administer the Sacraments in homes and in the public school. On December 21, 1883 the deed for the land, which was purchased for $100 in 1882, was recorded. Father Hanley was appointed pastor of Clarion, Hampton, and Garner and had the church erected. It was the first Catholic Church in Garner and Mass was celebrated in the church in August of 1883. In 1924, a purchase of two more lots gave St. Boniface ownership of the entire block and the rectory was moved to this location. In 1940, a new church was constructed for an estimated cost of $37,000. While growing as a congregation, St. Boniface Church saw many liturgical changes take place over the years but the community always came together and remained steadfast and united. St. Boniface Catholic Church is dedicated to benefitting the lives of those in Garner, and for this I offer my utmost congratulations and thanks on a prosperous history. It is an honor to represent all the parishioners of St. Boniface Catholic Church and the current pastor Reverend Henry Huber in the United States Congress, and I wish them continued success, grace, peace and celebration as a community.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Rayl Robbins of Huxley, Iowa for his service at the Wesley Community Hospice. Rayl is the hospice chaplain at Wesley Community Hospice, where he is able to incorporate his love for music at work. A self-taught musician, he sometimes plays on his guitar and sings hymns to some of the clients. He hopes to help others find peace in the midst of the chaos in their lives. Rayl's commitment to his job and his clients has earned him admiration, trust and friendship from the staff and from those residing in the hospice. Great service goes a long way, and I am honored to see fellow Iowans like Rayl providing service second to none. I know that my colleagues in the United States Congress join me in commending Rayl Robbins for his service at Wesley Community Hospice. I consider it an honor to represent him Congress, and I wish him the best.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the retirement of Jerry Howell, organist at the Maxwell Church of the Brethren and Loring United Methodist Church of Maxwell, Iowa, and to express my appreciation for his dedication and commitment to his church and community. For the past 50 years, Jerry has contributed his time and talents to his church community. He began piano lessons at the age of 11. In 1958, the organist at Santiago Methodist Church in rural Mitchellville retired, and at the age of 14, Jerry was called up to the organ bench. In 1989, Jerry and his wife Opal transferred their church membership to Loring United Methodist Church in rural Maxwell, Iowa. The organist at Loring retired, and Jerry was back on the organ bench. For the past 10 years, he was the organist for both Loring and Maxwell Church of the Brethren. It is estimated that in the past 50 years, Jerry has played for 2,700 Sunday morning services, 120 funerals and 25 weddings. Unfortunately, Jerry's career has been cut short with his diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration that has caused blurry vision that makes reading and playing the music difficult. Although he no longer plays the organ at church, the memories of Jerry's musical contributions live on, and he continues to be an active member of his community. Beyond retiring from his service at church, Jerry also retired from his job as an accounting technician at the Iowa Department of Transportation a year and a half ago, and he has taken the opportunity to travel around the country while his vision remains strong enough. I consider it an honor to represent Jerry Howell in the United States Congress, and I wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement as he continues to serve his community and travel around the country.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the retirement of a local Ogden, Iowa mechanic, Bob Ahrens and to express my appreciation for his dedication and commitment to his community. For 41 years, Bob has been fixing cars for his friends, neighbors and strangers in the Ogden area. He is known for doing quality car repairs without costing a fortune to his customers. He also has performed many jobs on cars where he did not bother to collect the money owed to him. His long-time business has been a staple holding the community's transportation needs together, and his services will be greatly missed. Bob Ahrens selfless, hardworking Iowa mentality has set a lasting standard for the people of the Ogden community. I know that my colleagues in the United States Congress join me in commending Bob Ahrens for his service. I consider it an honor to represent Bob in Congress, and I wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dave Gutz, of Jefferson, Iowa who competed in the 100 yard dash and in golf at the 2008 U.S. Transplant Games in Pittsburgh, PA. Four years ago, Dave Gutz found out that his only kidney, the other one was damaged at birth and was later removed, was failing and he was immediately put on dialysis for twenty-five months. A year later, Dave was placed on the transplant list and it took at least another eighteen months before a kidney was available. Last September he received the gift of life--the kidney he needed to survive. Hosted by the National Kidney Foundation, the Transplant Games are an Olympic-style event for athletes who have received lifesaving organ transplants. It provides the athletes an opportunity to celebrate that they survived and flourished. The Games have twelve different events and the athletes have the opportunity to win either a gold, silver, and bronze medal. Dave Gutz's courage and perseverance is an inspiration to all of us. I am honored to represent Dave Gutz in the United States Congress and I know that my colleagues join me in congratulating him and wish him success in the future.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gene Schultz of Lansing, Iowa and Dennis Olejniczak of Decorah, Iowa for their service and dedication to their schools' baseball teams. Together, their record is astounding: more than 2,500 wins, 12 state championships and 24 tournament appearances in a combined 79 years of high school baseball. But what is more interesting and incredible is that Gene Schultz and Dennis Olejniczak coach at rival high schools 35 miles apart. Although Iowa has multiple seasons of high school baseball, which is one of the reasons for the high numbers, it truly comes down to their coaching philosophies. North Fayette's Dan Hovden, said this of Schultz and Olejniczak, ``They both have a high regard for the game. They put the team above themselves and obviously it shows up in the end.'' I thank and congratulate both Gene Schultz and Dennis Olejniczak for their hard work and commitment to coaching high school baseball. It is a great honor to represent Gene and Dennis in the United States Congress, and I wish them the best.

Mr. LATHAM

Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Winnebago Scout Reservation on its 50th anniversary. The Winnebago Scout Reservation is located near Marble Rock, Iowa and serves over 4,500 people per year. In 1954, the need for scouting programs exceeded the capacity of the 25 acre campsite, Camp Roosevelt, in Ventura, Iowa. The Winnebago Boy Scout Council decided to build a new camp with three sites being considered. With the promotion of the Marble Rock location by the local scout leader and Executive board member, Arnold Staudt, the 450 acre location in the Marble Rock area was selected as the new camp site. The Winnebago Scout Reservation hosts many programs including Cub Scouts, Polar Bear Hunt, Spring Fling, Shooting Sports Weekend, and PALS. The camp also allows other public groups to reserve the grounds for their use. Over the last 50 years, the Winnebago Scout Reservation has thrived at meeting the needs of area scouts and the surrounding community. I congratulate the Winnebago Scout Reservation on this historic anniversary. It is an honor to represent each scout member and the council staff in the United States Congress, and I wish the Winnebago Scout Reservation an equally storied future.