John Shimkus

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the victory of the Highland High School Bulldogs as the Class 3A baseball state champions. This is their second title since 2008. On June 13, 2015, the Bulldogs won the Class 3A State Championship in a 7-6 victory over Nazareth Academy. I would like to congratulate senior Grant Geppert for scoring the bases-loaded single during the seventh inning to give the Bulldogs the win. I would like to congratulate the Bulldogs on their numerous, outstanding defensive plays, which kept the Nazarene Academy scoring to a minimum. My congratulations go out to the entire coaching staff and team comprised of: Grant Geppert, Pete Baumgartner, Andrew Winning, Tyler Kimmle, Cody Bentlage, Will Greenwald, Jordan Smith, Matt Augustin, Griffin Welz, Seth Luitjohan, Mike McGill, Austin Brown, Jim Smith, Jarrett Dubach, Tyler Pollard, Sam Greene, Chris Dickman, Nick Schmollinger, Kyle Schmitt, Matt Beyer, Trent Carriger, assistant coaches Sam Weber, Caleb Houchin, Dave Miscik, and head coach Joel Hawkins. I look forward to the continued success of the Highland High School Bulldogs. I extend my best wishes for another outstanding season next year.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the third state victory of the Nashville Community High School Hornettes as the Class 2A softball state champions. On June 6, 2015, the Hornettes won the Class 2A State Championship in a 1-0 victory over Brimfield. I would like to congratulate freshman Mackenzie McFeron for scoring the game's only run, after reaching base on a bunt single. I would like to congratulate Coach Dempsey Witte for leading the team to three state trophies in the past four years. I would also like to congratulate senior, Maci Ingram, who pitched for the team in all three state appearances. My congratulations go out to the entire coaching staff and team comprised of: Maci Ingram, Jordi Harre, Emily Thompson, Daley Buchanan, Karly Stanowski, Brooke Bartling, Paige Kasten, Dierdra Holzhauer, Brooke Burcham, Mackenzie McFeron, Jordan Stiegman, Alli Liske, Bethany Hinkle, Charlie Heck, Dakota Hunter, Patrick Weathers, Joey Lane, trainer John Becker, and head coach Dempsey Witte. I look forward to the continued success of the Nashville Community High School Hornettes. I extend my best wishes for another outstanding season next year.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, my thanks to Chairman Conaway and the Agriculture Committee for their prompt, bipartisan response to the recent WTO ruling against country of origin labeling. Since 2009, Canada and Mexico argued that our country of origin labeling policy distorts trade across our borders and increases the cost of meat and poultry. In the U.S., we had hoped for a favorable ruling from the WTO, but their rulings and appeals have all been against us. Today, it is time to act to address the problems posed by COOL and prevent the retaliation from our friends in Canada and Mexico. If not addressed, Canada and Mexico have threatened $3.6 billion in trade retaliation. This would be a major blow to pork and beef producers in my district; but it is not just livestock producers that would feel the pain. Threatened retaliation would also impact the corn growers in my district, one of the most productive corn growing districts in the Nation, and candy makers like Hershey and Mars that have plants in my district. Again, I am grateful to Chairman Conaway and his attention to this issue and his prompt response to the WTO's ruling. I support this bill to repeal COOL and end the years of uncertainty faced by our farmers, ranchers, and so many others and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Mrs. Sybil Mervis of Danville, IL, for being named regional Outstanding Philanthropist for 2015. Noted for her civic involvement and charitable activities by the Association of Fundraising Professionals of East Central Illinois, Sybil Mervis has achieved an enviable record of philanthropy, especially in the areas of education, art, and faith. I salute Sybil Mervis, who has given so much to her hometown, and thank her for her philanthropy.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 2015 Major Norman Hatch Award being awarded to filmmaker Bob Zimmerman of Tuscola, Illinois. On April 25, 2015, the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation presented this award to Zimmerman during a special ceremony at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. These annual awards go to Marines and civilians from across the nation to recognize their work in preserving Marine Corps history. Zimmerman received the Feature Documentary award for his work, Rise of the Valiant. Zimmerman's documentary is the story of veterans from the 6th Marine Division, starting with their enlistment through their return home during World War II. The documentary combines interviews, war footage, and photographs to mainly focus on the 82-day Battle of Okinawa that claimed 250,000 lives. Footage and photographs from the National Archives, the Marine Corps History Division, the National Museum of the Pacific War, and personal collections, combined with historical commentary from Bill Sloan bestir this extraordinary work. I would like to extend my congratulations to Bob Zimmerman on his distinguished accomplishment.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the centennial anniversary of the Isaac Hull Chapter of National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The Isaac Hull Chapter was organized on July 17, 1915, and will celebrate its centennial anniversary on July 17, 2015. Locally, the Chapter sponsors Good Citizenship Awards, the American History Essay contests, as well as many school, community, and veteran programs. At this anniversary date, the Isaac Hull Chapter Officers are: Carolyn Baker Stubblefield, Regent; Julie Wood Barnes, Vice-Regent; Sarah Jane McClellan Gaston, Chaplain; Lael Nesmith Snyder, Secretary; Susan Hayes Burgess, Treasurer; Sharen Lawson Harvey, Assistant Treasurer; Carol Simcox Wood, Registrar; and Ada Joyce Quick White, Historian. I look forward to the continued success of the Isaac Hull Chapter and I extend my best wishes on the occasion of its centennial celebration.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. It is the government's fuel; it is the government's waste. You highlighted this earlier. When we don't have a long-term repository to take the spent nuclear fuel or the defense waste--mostly, the spent nuclear fuel--we have to pay the nuclear utilities to hold that spent fuel because we have an obligation by law to receive that. Even from a fiscal conservative position, we should be moving forward. We should get a return on the investment of 30 years and $15 billion, especially since the NRC has said this location is safe; but then we should relieve ourselves from having to pay the additional cost to utilities for holding the waste that we should be holding. I appreciate your leading this Special Order and, of course, again talking about the local issues that are very important in your district, but they are important in districts all around this country. Someone has to lead the charge and make that statement for the Federal Government to start doing what it is legally obligated to do. I am just happy to join you, and I thank you.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the time and just for having this national debate. The State of Illinois is a large State with a lot of nuclear power. We are very fortunate to have that, not only to have the power generated, but to have the jobs, high-paying jobs, to be located around our State and paying a lot of taxes to our local communities, our local schools, and the like. It would even be better if the Federal Government would keep its promise. Part of the movement to promote nuclear power was a promise by the Federal Government. In fact, they enforced a fee on those States that have nuclear power to go into a fund, the nuclear waste fund, to fund long-term geological storage. Now, you might say: Why a long-term geological storage? Why a centralized location? Because the world community, the best scientists have determined that one repository, one location, is better than 104, not counting defense sites--one geological repository--in other words, someplace in the ground--is better than above ground--or in the case that you are particularly concerned about, next to Lake Michigan. That is not the only location that isn't what you would think would be some sensitive areas, whether it is large lakes, large rivers, flood plains, and the like. The world community, the scientists, have all said: let's get it all located in one place, and let's put it in long- term geological storage location. The Federal Government passed a law in 1982 called the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. It had 10 locations. The top pick in that location was Yucca Mountain; then they narrowed the list down to three. The top pick of the three was Yucca Mountain. Then the 1987 amendments to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act said: that is where we are going to send it. Now, after that, 30 years, $15 billion, the greatest scientific minds in the world, this is the most studied piece of ground on the planet, has concluded, based upon a report by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission--an independent science commission of our government--said that, once Yucca Mountain is closed, it will be safe for 1 million years. That is a long time. That is really what has turned this debate again back into this country because it has always been a question of the science. Will the science prove it? We don't know. We have to do the studies; we have to do the research. Well, fortunately, we were able to finally get the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to render the safety evaluation report which said, once closed, this site will be safe for 1 million years. Now, as you mentioned, Yucca Mountain is 100 miles from Las Vegas. It is in the desert. It is a mountain in a desert. It is 1,000 feet below the crest of the mountain. It is 1,000 feet above the water table. The other story that is not told very well, until you go out and visit, is it is surrounded by the nuclear test site, the place where our government used to test nuclear weapons. There is an Air Force base there, so the adjoining land around Yucca Mountain is all Federal land. When people say, Well, you need to get local buy-in, local folks to decide, well, the Federal Government is the local folks in this case. I appreciate you highlighting not just Yucca Mountain, but the need for communities around this Nation to start having this debate again because the Federal Government has already invested. We have a site. It is time to move forward. It is time to get the spent nuclear fuel, in your case, or the defense waste, like Congressman Newhouse, it is time to get that in a single repository.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, Congressman Rodney Davis and I rise today to acknowledge the outstanding victory of the Moweaqua Central A&M Girls Basketball Team as State Champions. The Raiders won the Class 1A State Championship in a 51-41 victory. We would like to congratulate Coach Tom Dooley, Assistant Coaches Todd Rork and Mike Garner, the Athletic Director Jess Lehman and Athletic Trainer Timothy Berger who have worked hard to help the Central A&M High School Raiders achieve this victory. Members of the state championship team include: Ryan Dooley, Taylor Jordan, Kaylee Collins, Kaylee Hennings, Kaylan Schinzler, Kayla Gibson, Jorji Sparrgrove, Olivia Jordan, Mikah Maples, Shelby Dailey, Gabby Cole, Katie Conlin, Taryn Sams, Morgan Damery, and Abigail Hilton. Congressman Davis and I both look forward to the continued success of the Moweaqua Central A&M Raiders and we extend our best wishes for another outstanding season next year.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise the different international internship programs that I have had the pleasure of experiencing this year. These programs represent a brilliant method of cultural and educational exchange not only for the bright young leaders of some of our closest partners but also for myself and many of my colleagues. Thus far, I have had the pleasure of having two Australian interns and one German intern within my office. They are the beneficiaries of different programs and have each had an unique and rewarding time here. Mr. Joshua Sprake is an Australian student studying a combined Bachelor of Commerce and Arts at the University of Sydney Business School. He is participating in an exchange program called the International Placement Program between his university and the University of California, District of Columbia. This allows him to study in the evenings and work during the day in our office. He has excelled in managing his different commitments and has been able to apply his skills to look outside of the box in many of the tasks that have been assigned to him. As a political science major he has also been able to provide useful and different perspectives to many different discussions within the office. Mr. Mathias Weber is a German intern who has come to us through the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals program. During this time Mathias has applied himself with German efficiency becoming well known for his diligence and precision. Mathias has shown why the German economy prides itself on its efficiency as our office could not have asked for more dedication in whatever task he was assigned. Mr. Samuel Edwards is our final Australian intern and has participated in the Uni-Capitol Washington Internship Program. Samuel is a student of the University of Canberra. Samuel has also shown himself to also be very intelligent and hard working. He easily slid into life at the office and was always available to help in any way he could whether that was answering phone calls from constituents or drafting office correspondence. Finally Mr. Speaker, I want to reflect upon how these programs will only strengthen and preserve the relationships our countries enjoy. As these future leaders grow and move on through their lives, I hope they look fondly back upon their time here and are able to take back some knowledge and American values with them, throughout their life.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I also want to say congratulations again to my friend Congressman Pallone for assuming the ranking position. We look forward to working with you. Today is a great day. This pipeline should have been approved 6 years ago, like so many other transnational pipelines in our history. A pipeline is the safest way to move bulk liquid product, more than any other means. It will be from an ally, a trusted ally. More crude oil on the world market lowers prices for everybody. It is more money in the individual citizen's pocket. It actually is a very great day. Let's just debunk this myth. This oil is going to go in refineries in my district, Mike Bost's district, Ohio, Indiana, and in the gulf coast. We are going to get the double effort because we are going to be able to refine this, put it on the U.S. market, and lower energy prices for all our citizens. It is a great day. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for bringing it to the floor.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend. This is a debate that we shouldn't even have to have had since this should have been approved 6 years ago. If you understand how Keystone was supposed to happen, all it took was the President and, really, his Cabinet, Secretary of State, to approve the cross-border passage 6 years ago. But because of politics and the President making a decision--we thought this was going to be done 6 years ago, hence, the legislative body getting involved. And what has happened over the past 6 years? Fifteen hearings, four markups. This is our 10th vote, and it is time to move on. Moving liquid crude by pipeline is the safest way to move product-- the safest. In the Energy and Commerce Committee, people have no understanding how many pipelines we have in this country--thousands of miles and multiple cross-border. The only reason this got involved in a political debate is the whole debate on climate change and fossil fuel. That is the debate. Now, you put more bulk crude product on the world market, that lowers the prices for all Americans. Why are we seeing low gasoline prices today? It is because there is a glut of crude oil on the entire world market. Moving Keystone XL allows even more bulk crude oil to get on the world market. Most of that would be refined in our country. Major refiners have done billions of dollars of investments--next to my district in Ohio, up in Chicagoland--to be prepared to refine this type of crude oil, so this is, unfortunately, a problem that we need to move and fix. I appreciate the rule, and I look forward to debating the bill.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. I thank my colleague. Mr. Speaker, I know there are a lot of Members, so I will be quick, but you have to really come down to the floor to recognize a man who has served honorably for so many years--58 years to be exact. I would like to highlight the fact that, at 18, he joined the United States Army and rose to the rank of second lieutenant and was prepared to be part of the invasion of Japan until the bomb was dropped and the war ended. John won a special election to follow his father, and he has been here ever since. He was the leading congressional supporter of organized labor, of social welfare measures, and of traditional progressive policies. He was also known as a big hunter and fisher, which we heard many, many times. I also want to highlight that he was well-known for Dingell-grams, which were missives sent to the administration, regardless of party, that held them to account for public policies and the excesses of the executive branch. He is well-known for that. I know he will be followed ably by his wife, Debbie, and I look forward to working with her. May God bless you, John Dingell, and may God bless the United States of America.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague from Ohio mentioning Lane Evans. The point of this time is to recognize two of our colleagues who have have passed. We want to remember them. I appreciate Marcy for those kind words about Lane Evans. I am going to manage this hour. So with respect to my colleagues who are down here, I would like to yield to Congressman Hultgren.

Mr. SHIMKUS. I thank my colleague. It is great that you took the time out to come. A lot of our colleagues want to come down but are caught up with time issues. General Leave

Mr. SHIMKUS. As I said, Mr. Speaker, we want to recognize two colleagues whom I served with. Congressman Hultgren mentioned Phil Crane and Congresswoman Kaptur mentioned Lane Evans. Both were colleagues of mine that I was fortunate to serve with, so I am going to talk about both of those at this time. Lane was born in Rock Island, Illinois. On August 4, 1951, he joined the Marines at the age of 17. He had orders for Vietnam, but he served in Okinawa, Japan, as a security guard because his older brother was already deployed in the war. In 1982, Lane was first elected from his western Illinois district and served for an additional 12 terms. He worked for more than a decade after his Parkinson's diagnosis, but announced in 2006 that he wouldn't seek reelection because of his deteriorating health. As a Congressman, he fought for the rights of veterans and became the senior Democrat on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. He pushed legislation to help those exposed to agent orange and to give former servicemembers' rights to judicial review in pursuing their benefits. He also campaigned for veterans grappling with post-traumatic stress disorders and other health problems. As I know Lane, he was very adamant and focused on serving the veterans. He also was one of the first to start talking about the concerns of veterans in finding jobs after their service. President Obama credited Lane Evans with aiding his own political rise, saying once that he wouldn't have made it to the U.S. Senate without early support from his fellow Illinoisan. Lane is survived by his three brothers. Lane and I bordered each other in our congressional districts. We split the community of Adams County and a little bit of a town called Quincy. When you share congressional border lines with a colleague, you do numerous events together. And when they are of different parties, they are even more important because there are so many things that unite us. A lot of times there is a view that there is always division here, but back home when we are working on issues like infrastructure, roads, bridges, and veterans' benefits, it really is a chance for the public to see Members working together. So I relished my time meeting and serving with Congressman Evans as we shared a congressional boundary line. He gave his all to his country. He gave his all to this country through his service as a Member of Congress, and he fought a very tough fight against Parkinson's. He would still be here today had he not had this debilitating disease that forced him to leave public service. I will remember Lane well. I wish God's blessing to his family. We also want to take this time to remember Congressman Phil Crane. Congressman Crane was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 3, 1930. He received his undergraduate degree from Hillsdale College in 1952, and went on to earn a Ph.D. in history from Indiana University in 1963. He also served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956. In 1969, Phil Crane won a special election race triggered by the appointment of then-Illinois Congressman Donald Rumsfeld to the Nixon administration. He served in that seat from 1969 until his defeat in 2004. In the 1970s, Congressman Crane was instrumental in founding, as was mentioned by my colleague, Congressman Hultgren, the Republican Study Committee, the Heritage Foundation, and the American Conservative Union, stalwarts of the view of conservatism who lead the way in the debate of conservatism in this country. So I reached out to friends of mine this afternoon, Don and Wanda Weder, who reside in Highland, Illinois, because they were very close to Congressman Crane, and I would like to read from some remembrances that were put down on my behalf to submit for the Record: We met Phil in 1964 when my father arranged for Barry Goldwater, Jr., and Phil to speak at the Highland High School auditorium concerning the Presidential campaign of Barry Goldwater. Phil and Barry, Jr., delivered excellent speeches. My father, Wanda, and I were amazed at Phil's intellect and the fact that he spoke eloquently, including detailed budget numbers and cogent economic theory, all without notes. Let me interject here, for those of us who served with Phil, that was true then and it was true when he served here in Washington. At that time, Phil was a professor of history at Bradley University. In 1966, I transferred from the University of Illinois to Bradley, at my father's suggestion, to enable attending Phil's classes and those of Professor Nicholas Nyaradi, the former Minister of Hungary prior to and during World War II. The first of Phil's classes I attended was a lecture series with about 300 students. Phil typically arrives in the auditorium about 5 minutes after his aides had imposed order on the students. He entered impressively, at a brisk pace, and with the Chicago Tribune and other papers under his arm. Placing the papers on the podium, he greeted the class and began a wonderful lecture, citing facts, dates, describing personalities, and humorous anecdotes, all with no reference to notes. His most memorable lectures were those on the Spanish American War and Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. His lecture on TR was so memorable that I could recite most of it today: TR commandeering two leaky boats to transport the Rough Riders to Cuba; TR being down to his last pair of glasses at the time of the charge up San Juan Hill; the deficiencies of the Rough Riders' lever-action Craig rifles being outranged by the Spanish 1898 Mausers; and the real hero at the Battle of San Juan Hill, a young second lieutenant recently graduated from West Point and leading a platoon equipped with Gatling guns. In 1969, Donald Rumsfeld was appointed by President Nixon to head the Office of Economic Opportunity, and Phil decided to run for the congressional seat vacated, the 13th Illinois District. I graduated from Bradley that spring and spent a good deal of my time attempting to be of some service to Phil in his campaign. He referred to his philosophy as conservatism, an approach I thought daring at the time. He attended many ``teas'' throughout the district and was always received, especially by the lady voters who were the primary attendees. In subsequent campaigns, I had the privilege of flying Phil around Illinois. Phil frequently introduced me generously as his best student and a Bradley summa cum laude. I recall him sitting next to me in a single-engine Cessna on a trip from Springfield to Vandalia when I asked him what he intended to say to the group of voters in Vandalia. Phil commented, ``I have no idea. I will have to think fast.'' On another occasion, I asked him if his exceptional speaking skills came to him naturally. He said, ``No. I developed them by forcing myself to speak publicly and turn the cobwebs in my brain into high voltage electrical cables.'' Phil was not only exceptional mentally. Hunting rabbits and quail with my father and me, he demonstrated considerable skill with a shotgun. His endurance was phenomenal. In 1980, Phil ran in the primaries against Ronald Reagan, John Connolly, and others. Phil campaigned on an intellectual plane. He was obviously the most capable and sincere candidate. Had Phil been elected, he would have made his best efforts to move the country to smaller government, greater personal liberties, and a more nearly free market economy. Phil enjoyed the New Hampshire debates and commented that Reagan was well-received, primarily as a result of the old B movie lines he used. During President Reagan's second term, I commented to Phil that the President had not actually made any real progress in reducing the size of government and establishing a free market economy. He invited my father and 11 other people to meet about twice monthly in Washington to advise him. My father was hospitalized prior to an early meeting of this group, and Phil asked me to attend. Thereafter, the group asked me to be the 13th member of group. Phil's campaign accountant left the campaign. We could not find the financial records. His political adviser had not had a bad day. He also left the campaign. His lead staff person left the campaign and joined the Reagan campaign, later to receive an appointment under the Reagan administration. Phil wound down the campaign and stumped for Reagan. A few months later, he commented to me, ``I have not had a bad day since the campaign ended.'' In 1987, Phil told me that President Reagan always treated him courteously but seldom sought his input. He believed that the First Lady was adverse to him because he sought the nomination in 1980. Phil and Barry Goldwater, Jr., delivered eulogies at the funeral of my father and mother in 1987 and 2005. Both recalled many years of happy times and were most touching. You know better than I Phil's legislative contributions. Two major successes in which he played a significant part were the bill that legalized ownership of gold by private citizens and the Freedom of Information legislation. Phil was an inspiration to his students, his constituents, and the many advocates of personal liberty who heard him speak or read his literary works. His passing represents an irreplaceable loss of knowledge, capability, and spirit to our society and all who pursue the ideal of liberty. So I couldn't put into words any better than what my good friends Don and Wanda Weder did in a short time in doing remembrance of someone they knew very well. I know I have other colleagues coming down to make sure they make their voices heard. I was fortunate to serve with Phil. I was fortunate to go sit in his office in the Cannon Building, around with colleagues talking about public policy issues of the day. It will be times that I fondly remember. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the McHenry Chapel for 200 years of serving the community in White County, Illinois. For 200 years, the McHenry Chapel has continually been a spiritual home for area residents. Being almost as old as our country and older than the State of Illinois, the McHenry Chapel has a long history. It was formed by Daniel McHenry in 1814, two years after the War of 1812 with many immigrants flooding into the area from southern states. This gave McHenry the inspiration and devotion to preach the gospel to his neighbors. After forming the church, McHenry served in creating the town of Carmi. The original log church was used from 1814-1870. And as the faith community continued to thrive, plans for a new, larger church were begun in 1914, during World War I. Completed in 1916, the existing church has continued to attract people from the area. I would like to congratulate and thank the current pastor and his wife, Jon and Stephanie Carrell, for answering the call to serve their community and bring hope and faith to the people. McHenry Chapel will hold a 200th anniversary celebration on October 19, 2014, with services in both the morning and afternoon. A lunch will be held after morning service at the fairgrounds. Mr. Speaker, I salute the McHenry Chapel and offer my best wishes for another 200 years.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor The Village of Thomasboro upon the 150th anniversary of the village. The village celebrated this special anniversary on the weekend of June 13th and 14th, 2014, with live music, games, a Raminator demonstration, and a 5k run. The Village of Thomasboro was founded in 1864 and named after John Thomas, who owned a considerable amount of land in the area. The Village boasts a number of entertainment opportunities including a tradition of street dances, a mobile comedy club, and the Thomasboro Fire Museum. The village is now home to 1,200 residents, and remembers its past fondly. This past includes Olympian Mark Arie, a former resident and trapshooter who won two gold medals in the 1920 Olympics, and a visit from President Gerald Ford during the country's bicentennial celebration in 1976. I extend my congratulations to the Village of Thomasboro upon this special occasion. It is my prayer that the Lord blesses them with many more years of extending hospitality.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for yielding. I rise today to celebrate the lives of two extraordinary public servants, both considered from southern Illinois--one from deep southern Illinois--Senator Alan Dixon and Congressman Kenny Gray. Both passed within the last week or so, but our mourning has turned into remembrance and reverence for their undeniable commitment to all of us. Senator Alan Dixon--or as he was commonly known, Al the Pal, as we from Illinois knew him, and eventually everyone else in this institution and in Washington knew him as that also--was a larger-than- life personality, with a can-do spirit, if you will. He came to Washington to get things done, particularly for his beloved Illinois. From his beginnings in Belleville and St. Clair County to being State treasurer and secretary of State, he modernized the offices he served in to better serve the people of the State. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980, he soon realized that Illinois lacked a cohesive message in Washington, D.C. With Senator Chuck Percy, he began a monthly Illinois get-together that continues to this day. It brings together Members of the House and the Senate, downstate, Chicago, Republican, Democrat, conservative, moderate, and liberal. We sit around, and we talk about the Illinois agenda and how we can work together to advance it. Our prayers and best wishes go out to his wife, Jody, and his family and friends. I would also like to single out a couple of other people who were very special in his life. One was Gene Callahan and Scott Shearer. Their public service on his behalf is emblematic of that of all those who worked with my friend, Al the Pal. Just as a side note to my colleague, we have a colleague here who is a Member of Congress, Cheri Bustos, who is the daughter of Gene; and there is that great connection of, in essence, a politically active family that continues to serve. We will miss Al the Pal. He was a great friend and a great public servant. Now, Mr. Speaker, let me turn to Kenny Gray. Kenny Gray was a very colorful Member of this Chamber, well known for spending many hours in the chair. He loved this House so much that, after he retired, he ran again and came back. He was known as really a cult of personality. In a sea of Washington grey suits, white shirts, and red ties, Kenny stormed through this place in a flurry of colors that had never been seen before, but you dare not look away, as the Prince of southern Illinois was here, and he was determined to fight for his constituents. Kenny made a big difference in southern Illinois. As the coal industry started suffering challenges, he worked hard. He was known as the Prince of Pork and the Prince of southern Illinois. He worked diligently to bring the interstate system to southern Illinois, and he is also credited to bring a major water conservancy, Rend Lake, which brings and provides much of the needed drinking water to southern Illinois, and I would argue deep southern Illinois. I am reminded of how he helped young people from southern Illinois come and grow here in D.C. A favorite example is my friend Brenda Otterson of West Frankfort, who came out to D.C. a few years back. She came here as a Republican--Kenny is a Democrat--but as a Republican. Brenda came from a family of Democrats. Try as he might, Kenny worked hard to convert her. When he finally realized she wasn't budging, he said, fine, and he helped her get a full-time job with a Republican Member. She served with distinction and never forgot her Kenny Gray roots. Kenny's wife, Toedy, and their family deserve a special prayer and thanks from all of us. Mr. Speaker, time comes, and time goes--rabid debates, a flurry of activities. We always take time out to remember those of our colleagues from future generations who are served, served nobly, and then gone home. I think it is just fitting to remember that we remember those who served selflessly for many years as we take up their call to continue to do the same. It is also important to remember to enjoy each and every day, enjoy life, work hard--because everything has its time under the Sun and everything is passing. That is why I appreciate the opportunity to serve. I love the Chamber. I love my colleagues. With that, thank you for this opportunity, my colleague, Mr. Schweikert.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. I thank my colleague. To my friends from Nevada, I, too, understand their issues of concern, and we look forward to working with them. To the Appropriations Committee, you have done great work. Mr. Chairman, there have been two laws passed: the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 and the amendments offered in 1987. It is the law of the land. In fact, the Federal courts have ruled in favor of the law of the land. That is why we are where we are today. The gentlelady's amendment would say: take the money away for finishing the court-mandated scientific study. She even mentioned in her opening comments of the scientific research. The Federal courts have said: DOE--the Federal Government--finish the scientific study. Her amendment would take that money away. We are going to find out, through the scientific study, that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is going to end up saying that this is the best place on the planet Earth for the long-term nuclear storage of waste. It is going to be safe for a million years, and that is going to come if we reject this amendment; but if we accept this amendment, it is their last chance to pull money away from finishing the court-mandated scientific study. That is what her amendment would do. I know my colleagues here don't believe that I am all science-based, but in this case, I am. We have an independent commission that is ready to finish its work and render a decision, and all we are asking is to let us do it. If the Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it is not safe, we are done, right, Chairman? Yet, if it is safe for a million years, I think the folks from Nevada are going to say: Okay. Let's work together to make this feasible. Let's bring jobs and economic growth. The State of Nevada can't rely on gaming for economic growth and development. By closing Yucca Mountain down, you have lost high-paying Federal jobs in the scientific arena, and for a State that has such a need for jobs and a diversification of economy to reject this is really hard. We are pledging right here--and the chairman is here also--that, as this moves forward and as we get a rendered decision that this location is safe, we are going to work with the State of Nevada to make sure the transportation location is safe; that the infrastructure is in place; and that the jobs, economic growth, and economy occurs. That is what we plan to do, and I pledge here today my full support to being with the State of Nevada in jobs, in growth, and development as they diversify their economy. Remember, Yucca Mountain is about 90 miles northeast of Las Vegas. It is in the desert, and it is underneath a mountain. There is not a lot there. I have been there a couple of times. We are appreciative of the nuclear heritage of the State of Nevada. The law is the law of the land. It was passed and signed into law. It is time that we not jettison the $15 billion and 30 years. Let's finish the project. Mr. Chairman, thank you for what you have done. I think we will get a chance to talk on this one more time in an additional amendment. I appreciate all you have done. We look forward to moving this process forward, so that not just our spent nuclear fuel, but our defense waste has a long-term geological repository.

Mr. SHIMKUS. I thank the committee for doing again fine work. The amendment talked about none of the funds can be used for the NRC's work. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is the independent agency to ensure the safety of the nuclear power industry and the disposition of its waste. In attacking this and pulling this money out, it is the last attempt to say: We are not going to allow the scientific basis and our Commission, most appointed by Democratic administrations, to do their work. We know what they are going to come out with. They are going to say it is safe for a million years. People need to go visit the great State of Nevada. But I will just tell you that it is a great State, and I have been there. There will be a time when we need to move forward, and I am pledging, along with the chairman, to do what is right by your State. Yucca Mountain is just a small portion of the nuclear waste test site. You have DOE land; you have Bureau of Land Management land; you have military land. It is bigger than most States, and people don't understand that until they go out there. Seven of your 17 counties at least support--what has been raised by the chairman--support the Nuclear Regulatory Commission coming to a final conclusion, and you all know that because they have passed a county resolution. So to say that everyone from the State is opposed, what many folks from the State of Nevada say is let's find out the safety of this, let the NRC do its work, and we have resolutions from seven of the 17 counties that support that. We will eventually get through this. We voted numerous times in this Chamber over my many years here. Last year, 335-81, 337-87. The House as a body, representing Members from across this great Nation, have spoken in support of supporting Federal law. You have the right to come down here and try to stop the implementation of law, and I understand that and I respect that; but there will be a time when we continue to pledge, as this policy moves forward, that we will do everything to do what is right for your State in moving and storing and ensuring safety for this as the national policy over land enacted by the Federal statute in 1982 along with the amendments in 1987. I know I have got a lot of support on your side, and we need to get closure to this so that we can continue to have, really, an energy policy that is diversified. If we move on this climate agenda, how do you move on a climate agenda without nuclear power? You just can't. Large major generating facilities. How do we deal with the World War II nuclear waste without a place to safely store, a place like Hanford in Washington State that is a legacy site from World War II? Do you know where that should go if the NRC concludes it is safe? Under a mountain, in a desert, 90 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Again, I am not trying to be a jerk. I know it is tough. Eighty-two, 30 years, $15 billion--we can't walk away from that as an investment of this country. If we do, we are not being good public stewards of the taxpayers' funds and the ratepayers, which are about 32 States in this Union. Thirty-two States have put in money to the Nuclear Waste Fund on a promise that the Federal Government would have a site. Your amendment would say no, we are just going to walk away again. Respectfully, I would ask for the defeat of the Titus amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your great work.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, headlined today in one of the papers: ``Oil Prices to Rise as High as $120 Per Barrel Due to the Iraqi Crisis.'' Headlined a couple of days ago: ``Oil at a 3-Month High on Iraq Anxiety.'' This brings me back to an issue that I have spoken of many times throughout the years as a Member of Congress, that this Nation needs to have a national energy policy and, just like you would in a good investment portfolio, a diversified energy portfolio. In the energy arena, I break it into two areas: electricity generation and transportation fuels. In electricity generation, we need to have the full range of competitive fueling technologies to have enough electricity at low prices to fuel and run our economy. It is hot in Washington, D.C., today. A lot of air conditioners are on, and we want to be able to cool our homes at low prices. That means having a diversified energy portfolio: nuclear power, coal, natural gas, hydro, wind, and solar. A debate on a diversified energy portfolio doesn't put all of your eggs in one basket. It allows you to have flexibility when there is a crunch or crisis in one of the other areas--likewise in the transportation fuel arena, especially with the crisis in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, who would have thought, after all these years, we would still be held hostage to high crude oil prices from an unstable region far away off our shores? Shame on us for not taking advantage of what we have locally and in the North American continent. That is why we need to continue our focus on a diversified portfolio for liquid transportation fuels. Based upon the premise of energy security, we should not be held hostage to countries that don't like us, who want to do us harm, who use our money to fund extremists, but here we are again, in that same position. So what would a diversified liquid transportation fuel portfolio look like? Well, we know what it would look like. Let's make sure we use this new technology of fracking and take this crude oil and natural gas out of our ground and use that to fuel ourselves, not relying on other countries. Let's finish the Keystone XL pipeline from our North American neighbors--the Canadians--who are our friends and allies, who will not be an unstable regime, but would be a loyal ally, as they have been for years and years and years. Let's continue to move on a renewable fuel portfolio, use our agricultural resources in ethanol and soy diesel and beef tallow to ensure that there is a diversified portfolio, so that if any one sector is stressed, you have other sectors in the liquid transportation arena that can pick up the slack and make sure that we are never held hostage again by these foreign regimes. It is very frustrating to go through this energy cycle where we think everything is fine, the world is at peace, and we start having debates about shutting down this diversified portfolio, only to be reminded-- like we are right now--of unstable regimes that don't like us, that when they go into crisis, we all pay. Mr. Speaker, it is time that we remember energy security means energy security and a diversified portfolio on electricity generation and liquid transportation fuels. I hope we continue to make that message as we move through the legislative calendar this year.