John Shimkus

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a championship team from Germantown, Illinois. The Germantown Bulldogs beat Mt. Vernon-St. Mary 35-32 to clinch the 2009 Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association Class S state championship. The Bulldogs brought home the trophy after finishing the season with a stellar 28-1 record. To win the title, the Bulldogs built an early lead, then had to hold off an intense second-half rally, but they showed poise under pressure, and held on to get the win. I want to congratulate Coach Gerard Alpers and his assistant coach, Jeff Lampe, on their fine work with this group of student athletes. I also want to extend my congratulations to the members of the 2008-2009 Germantown Bulldogs state championship boys basketball team: Seth Haake, Nick Hitpas, Jalen Albers, Drew Foppe, Grant Haake, Kevin Haar, Kyle Kohnen, Brandon Becker, Mitchell Langenhorst, Christian Kohnen, Kyler Scheer, Jordan Lampe and Travis Wuebbels. This outstanding group of young men represented themselves, their school, families and community in a first-rate fashion. It is my privilege to congratulate them on a job well done.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, yesterday, in my district, and close to my hometown in Maryville, Illinois, Pastor Fred Winters lost his life to an assailant who came into the church during the first service. Pastor Winters was a friend, and had done a tremendous job in growing First Baptist Church in Maryville to a church of great size and a great ministry in the area. My thoughts and prayers go out to the community of Maryville, Illinois. My thoughts and prayers go out to the church and congregants of First Baptist Church in Maryville. We live in an age of sinful human beings. Sometimes we don't understand God's will, but the people at First Baptist Church in Maryville are trying to make sense of an issue that doesn't make sense. All they do know is that God is in control, and that Pastor Winters is joined in heaven with Christ, his Lord.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to talk about the hypocrisy of this current administration. First they say they want to cut the deficit in half by their first term, but then they add, in 6 weeks, $1.5 trillion to the national debt. They attack earmarks as being bad, but they're soon to sign an omnibus bill that has 9,000 earmarks in it. And last but not least, a promised tax cut to 95 percent of all Americans, while in their budget planning to raise $646 billion by a carbon tax. What does that do? This is Peabody Mine Number 10. The last clean air bill we passed, 1,000 mine workers lost their job. A carbon tax kills the fossil fuel industry in this country, raises the cost of energy, will destroy manufacturing. As the Detroit News said in its editorial yesterday, it's a job destroyer for the State of Michigan. Be aware of the carbon tax.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105. Requesting Member: John M. Shimkus. Bill number: H.R. 1105. The Account: Agriculture Salaries and Expenses. Requesting Entity: National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center NCERC at 400 University Park Dr. in Edwardsville, IL. Funding would go to ensure that the NCERC remains capable of validating new cellulosic technologies and to accelerate commercialization. NCERC will be able to find more uses for agricultural products in renewable fuels and lessen our reliance on foreign oil. NCERC is an established research center of excellence in this field. The Account: Department of Justice, COPS Law Enforcement Technology. Requesting Entity: Jasper County Sheriff Department at 106 E. Morgan St. in Newton, Illinois. Funding to provide new radios that will allow the sheriffs office complete interoperability between first responders in Jasper County. The Account: Department of Justice, COPS Law Enforcement Technology. Requesting Entity: Shelby County Sheriff Department at 151 N. Morgan St. in Shelbyville, Illinois. Funding to provide new radios that will allow the sheriffs office complete interoperability between first responders in Shelby County. The Account: Department of Justice, COPS Law Enforcement Technology. Requesting Entity: Jasper County Unit 1 School District at 609 S. Lafayette St. in Newton, IL. Funding to provide a new camera security system for Jasper County schools to help secure the schools. The Account: Department of Justice, COPS Law Enforcement Technology. Requesting Entity: Marion County Sheriff Department at 204 N. Washington St. in Salem, Illinois. Funding for new digital fingerprinting machine to make sheriffs booking process more efficient and allow for easier access to database. The Account: Energy & Water, General Investigations. Requesting Entity: Corps of Engineers St. Louis District at 1222 Spruce St. in St. Louis, Missouri. Funding for a deficiency correction study to investigate solutions such as rehabilitation-replacement of existing relief wells and the construction of additional relief wells at the Prairie DuPont Levee. The Account: Energy & Water, General Investigations. Requesting Entity: Corps of Engineers St. Louis District at 1222 Spruce St. in St. Louis, Missouri. Funding for this project, also referred to as the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program, this project will provide for the first phases of construction of new 1,200 foot lock chambers at L/Ds 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, LaGrange and Peoria; implement small-scale navigation aids; and begin ecosystem restoration projects along the Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway. The Account: Energy & Water, Construction General. Requesting Entity: Corps of Engineers St. Louis District at 1222 Spruce St. in St. Louis, Missouri. Funding to continue projects which are vital to the ecological restoration of the Upper Mississippi River, including island construction, habitat creation and long-term monitoring. The Account: Energy & Water, Construction General. Requesting Entity: Corps of Engineers St. Louis District at 1222 Spruce St. in St. Louis, Missouri. Funding for this project will go to develop the correct design deficiencies and assure that the Chain of Rocks levee will withstand a 500-year flood. The deficiency correction includes the installation of relief wells, construction of levee berms, a pump station, relocations, and mitigation. The levee protects a major urban area. The Account: Energy & Water, Construction General. Requesting Entity: Corps of Engineers St. Louis District at 1222 Spruce St. in St. Louis, Missouri. Funding for the project in East St. Louis to provide flood protection to 200,000 residents and over $1 billion in economic value. The flood control project is aged and requires rehabilitation to provide a thorough level of protection. The Account: Energy & Water, Construction General. Requesting Entity: Corps of Engineers St. Louis District at 1222 Spruce St. in St. Louis, Missouri. Funding that can be used to initiate design work for the Maryville, Illinois, project. This project authority covers communities in Madison and St. Clair Counties, Illinois, including East St. Louis, Belleville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, and Collinsville. The communities of the region rely heavily on combined sewer systems, some of which exceed 100 years of performance. Problems created by this compromised infrastructure impact the health, water quality, and economic development potential of the area. The Account: Energy & Water, Construction General. Requesting Entity: Corps of Engineers St. Louis District at 1222 Spruce St. in St. Louis, Missouri. Funding for this project at Wood River goes to replacing 163 of 170 existing relief wells and installing 60 new relief wells as a deficiency correction under the existing project authorization. Additional reconstruction/replacement is proposed for various components of 26 closure structures, 38 gravity drains, and 7 pump stations. The Account: Energy & Water, O&M. Requesting Entity: Corps of Engineers St. Louis District at 1222 Spruce St. in St. Louis, Missouri. Funding will be used to operate and maintain Carlyle Lake. This lake provides flood control, water quality control, and water supply to nearby communities; recreation; fish and wildlife conservation; and is authorized to augment navigation flows downstream on the Kaskaskia River. The lake offers 3 marinas, 18 public boat ramps, a sailboat harbor, 4 beaches, 5 campgrounds, and a visitor center; numerous outlying areas provide a variety of opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. The Project includes a St.ate Resort with hotel, cabins, restaurant and conference center and two St.ate Parks, one of which offers overnight cottages, a swimming pool, and a restaurant/store. Large sub-impoundment dams, managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, are located at the northern end of the lake and are flooded each fall, providing excellent hunting opportunities. The Account: Energy & Water, O&M. Requesting Entity: Corps of Engineers St. Louis District at 1222 Spruce St. in St. Louis, Missouri. Funding at Lake Shelbyville to be used to provide flood control, water supply, recreation, conservation of fish and wildlife, and water quality control and augments navigation flows downstream on the Kaskaskia River. The lake extends northeastward to approximately river mile 275 through Shelby, Moultrie, Douglas, and Coles Counties. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project. The Account: Energy & Water, O&M. Requesting Entity: Corps of Engineers St. Louis District at 1222 Spruce St. in St. Louis, Missouri. Funding at Rend Lake to provide flood control, water supply, recreation, conservation of fish and wildlife, and area redevelopment. The earth fill dam with an un-gated main and auxiliary spillway provides the necessary features to create Rend Lake and support the project's purposes. The earth dam is located on the Big Muddy River at mile 103.7 and two sub-impoundment dams are located on the upper arms of the lake. The Account: Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, EPA, STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure. Requesting Entity: RE Water at 320 Northwest St. West Salem, IL 62476. Funding would be used to expand service to rural water customers in Richland County. The Account: Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, Higher Education. Requesting Entity: Southeastern Illinois College, 3575 College Road in Harrisburg, IL 62946. Funding to purchase materials to set up a new training program for students in mining and mining safety measures. The Account: Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, Higher Education. Requesting Entity: Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, University Park Drive in Edwardsville, IL 62046. The funding would be used to purchase advanced fabrication, analytical, and processing equipment to enhance SIAM capabilities. The Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Federal Highway Administration. Requesting Entity: Illinois Department of Transportation, 2300 S. Dirksen Parkway in Springfield, IL. The funding would be used for the design, engineering, land acquisition and planning of the Godfrey Crosstown Connector project in conjunction with US67. The Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Federal Highway Administration. Requesting Entity: Illinois Department of Transportation, 2300 S. Dirksen Parkway in Springfield, IL. The funding would be used for the design, engineering, land acquisition, and planning for expansion of Rt 162 from Maryville toward Troy, IL. The Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Federal Highway Administration. Requesting Entity: Illinois Department of Transportation, 2300 S. Dirksen Parkway in Springfield, IL. The funding would be used for the resurfacing and the expansion of Mt. Erie-Golden Gate Road in Wayne County. The Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, EDI. Requesting Entity: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 1 Old State Capitol Plaza, Springfield, IL. The funding would be used in the renovation of the Tinsley Project for upcoming Lincoln Bicentennial. The Tinsley project needs to be overhauled to be historically accurate. The Account: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, EDI. Requesting Entity: Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission at 200 S. 9th St in Springfield, Illinois. The funding would be used to institute a redevelopment plan for Macarthur Blvd between 172 and S. Grand.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member. It's good to be with my friend Mr. Gordon, who's the chairman. Nanotechnology is a very important aspect. I know Newt Gingrich for years has talked about the benefits of nanotechnology. Benefits, what this can do for current competitiveness and future competitiveness, I think a lot of people don't know because it's so small. That's why it's called nano. Water filtration, dental bonding agents, bumpers and catalytic converters on cars, protective and glare reducing coatings, burn and wound dressings. But other things, solar cells in roofing tiles and siding, tires that improve skid resistance, high performance footwear, automotive parts. I think it is very, very exciting. I think this is something that if we were to move in a stimulus package that would be helpful would be putting money into nanotechnology. That's not what we're doing. We are going to be putting more money into the repairing of three golf courses in the District of Columbia than we're going to be doing for putting money into nanotechnology. We're going to be putting more money into creating cafe table settings for lunch in the District of Columbia than we're going to be putting in nanotechnology. We are going to be putting more money into free spring lunch jazz concerts for people in the District of Columbia than we're going to be putting into nanotechnology. The chairman of this committee also has the benefit of sitting on the great Energy and Commerce Committee. One of our issues of concern is the conference committee that I sat on on the energy bill in 2005, the much-maligned energy bill, was open. We had hearings. We had a markup.

Mr. SHIMKUS. We actually had C-SPAN covering it. We had amendments offered by both sides. We had votes. We had discussions on the conference committee. On this stimulus bill, there is none. It's going to be cut in the back rooms by 10 Members. There's 435 of us who are elected to represent this government here. Ten Members are going to decide what is in the bill, and we're going to end up with cafe tables for people to have lunch in D.C. instead of research into nanotechnologies.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an important community institution in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Trinity Episcopal Church this month celebrated its 100th anniversary. Since the first service was held at 1100 Harrison Street in Mt. Vernon on January 3, 1909, thousands of people have visited Trinity Episcopal to share a worship service with their neighbors. Generations of families in Mt. Vernon and Jefferson County have been welcomed into the congregation at Trinity Episcopal. Today, Trinity Episcopal is an important part of the spiritual fabric of the community and also serves as a good neighbor to families in need throughout the area. Through a century of the congregation's generosity, many have found a helping hand, warm embrace, and comfort in times of despair. I want to congratulate Father Gene Tucker of Trinity Episcopal, all members of the congregation, and the extended Trinity Episcopal family on 100 years of service and thank them for the important role they play in our community.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Will the gentleman yield briefly?

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, it's always fun to hear my friend from New York come down on the floor. And I enjoy his passion. A couple of points. This movement of the spectrum was directed and suggested by the 9/11 Commission years ago. Those of us on the subcommittee worked diligently to comply with the movement of the spectrum because we had 9/11, which was very serious. We had--and Anthony, you know this, we had firefighters that didn't know that the buildings were falling. We couldn't talk to them. Well then came along Katrina. And Katrina rolls in. And we've got National Guardsmen on one side of the flood who can't talk to the police officer or the disaster team going into New Orleans. So that is where a lot of us come from on this. Now we know the Fraternal Order of Police are not supportive of this movement. We know that the Sheriffs' Association is not. We do know that other public service agencies have, at the cajoling and the encouragement of the majority, said, ``we don't need this.'' But I will tell you one thing for sure is that I do not want to be the Member of Congress who delays the ability of the spectrum for first-line responders. Now when we had this debate last week, my good friend and colleague, Rick Boucher, was quoted and said, and I'm going to paraphrase, it will not be extended again. And we will hold the majority to that. Because not only is it a life-and-death issue on our first-line responders to get them to communicate, but it's also as important to make sure that we move to this new era. Now many of my colleagues have done what I have done. I spent 8 months in my district going to senior centers promoting this movement on February 17. I pray that we don't move it past June 12.

Mr. SHIMKUS. The other caveat I have is that we are already sending money to first-line responders based upon the promise of selling the spectrum. So we are already trying to move to help the first-line responders. But if we delay, the cost-benefit analysis of the spectrum is in question.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I too want to congratulate Chairman Boucher on his ascension to the Telecommunications Subcommittee. We have had a great working relationship, I look forward to doing it again. But this is bad policy, and I am sad that you are the one who has to come and try to pawn it off on the American people. Chairman Dingell always used to talk about the takings clause, passing litigation and then the aspect of litigation. We have auctioned spectrum off. We have got small broadcasters who have people lined up to climb the towers, to do the transition, and we are saying, stop. I know what I have done in my district. I have been working for 8 months with public service announcements, going to senior centers, newsletters, I have done about everything a Member can do to educate my individuals. What I did today was I asked when was income tax day enacted into law, 1955. Everyone knows April 15 is the day you pay your taxes. Guess how many people we had not pay their taxes on April 15 last year, 12 million people, advertised, historic, annual. The reason why we have this provision is because of the 9/11 Commission, the ability for the spectrum to be released for first-line responders to develop interoperability. Woe be it to us, Mr. Barton, woe be it to us, Chairman Boucher, and we have another national catastrophe in these next months and we have failed to enact interoperability and released the spectrum to first-line responders so they can communicate with each other.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Would the gentleman include that for the record?

Mr. SHIMKUS. Would the gentleman yield?

Mr. SHIMKUS. Thank you for yielding the time. I appreciate that. You know, I chair the E-911 Caucus, and I have worked across in a bipartisan basis with now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was on the Senate side. I would ask if the National Emergency Number Association, NENA, which is the premier association that supports first-time responders, if they provided a recommendation on this legislation--I see staff saying yes.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, today I come to the well and before my colleagues to remember one of my employees who was with me for 5 years and a true Chicago South Sider, an individual who worked diligently here in the Washington, D.C. community for many, many years, Ray Fitzgerald. Ray was my legislative director for 5 years. Before that, he worked for the State of Illinois in Gov. Jim Edgar's administration. He then moved to the Science Committee for 1 year, and then came to my office. Ray, during his time here, met the love of his life, Kristin Wolgemuth, who also was a Congressional staffer and also from Chicago, and who had worked for Harris Fawell, a Congressman and Congresswoman Judy Biggert from the Chicagoland area. They fell in love, got married, and then were able to enjoy D.C. and the community and work hard for this country. They have three children; Nora, 7, Maggie, 4, and Lucy, 2. Ray was a devout Roman Catholic, and Ray was able to live his faith, along with his wife, Kristin, and affect many lives positively. Ray just last week lost his life in a terrible battle with cancer. Many of us from around the country attended his funeral yesterday in Chicago and the wake the night before. The wake was as large as you would expect when you have a loved one who has left you. Of course, the funeral was just as large, and I appreciated the funeral service focusing on the hope of salvation to those who believe, and remembering Ray's life. But the thing that highlighted Ray's service here in Washington and the respect he garnered was his honesty, his transparency, the friendships that he developed and his work effort. Many people from the Washington, D.C. area went out for the wake and for the funeral yesterday, and we will pass the word out to the Washington, D.C. community about a memorial service that will be conducted here in Washington in the weeks to come. Kristin and the girls are coming out, along with Ray's mother and other family members and friends. What was as important in this fight with cancer was the ministry that Kristin and Ray did as they struggled with what is God's will. Many times we pray for God's will to be done, hoping that it is the answer to our desires and aspirations and prayers. God's will in this case was not for Ray to stay here on Earth, but to take him up in His loving arms with Him in Heaven and thus be truly healed. This battle that was raged joined numerous people from across the country as Kristin was faithful in providing us the highs and the lows of the battles; the times when they were able to take the girls out to parks and to zoos and the times the family was very hopeful, but also times when Ray was really physically just struggling. She continued to ask for prayer and support and focus on her husband, her family and that loving environment. One of the last e-mails I sent to them was talking about how they were able to comply with God's will. I really hated when Ray left Washington, D.C. He was a trusted confidant and a good friend. But, in hindsight, I see how God was preparing for his departure to get him in and around his family. He has five sisters. His mother is still there. Kristin has an extended family in that area. They were there to lift Ray, Kristin and the girls up and provide the love and care that they needed in this battle, and they will be there for the duration of strengthening the family and helping Kristin raise these three young girls. I would like to share one of the last e-mails that Kristin sent to us as a whole on the announcement of her husband's death. She writes, ``Loved ones, oh to never have to write this e-mail. After meeting with all of Ray's doctors yesterday and today it is clear that they have done all they can do to fight his cancer. ``Despite the many rounds of chemo, the cancer is growing and getting stronger and Ray is much too weak to endure another round of chemo. Even if he weren't so sick, Ray's liver status renders chemo dangerous and ineffective.'' In this, she is talking about putting him into hospice, and Ray died shortly after that. Now, think of a young wife and mother of three children, ages 7, 4 and 2, to be so strong in faith. She always would end her e-mails with the phrase ``not afraid and not alone,'' and this is in the 10 month battle with cancer. ``Not afraid and not alone.'' In the funeral yesterday, I thought I heard Kristin say many people attributed that to her. She attributed it to her husband.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to an outstanding group of women from Lewis and Clark Community College who last week completed an amazing soccer season by winning the National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1 National Championship. The Lewis and Clark Trailblazers defeated previously unbeaten Darton College by a score of 3-2 on November 3, 2008 to cap off a 27-1 season, thereby setting an NJCAA record for most wins in a single season. My congratulations go to head coach Tim Rooney, assistant coaches Ryan Hodge and Meghan Rooney, and the members of the 2008 National Champion Trailblazers: Taylor Bivens, Nicole Yaun, Brittany St. John, Liz Pivin, Molly Kellett, Meredith Morkel, Sarah Schultenhenrich, Kim Kahre, Bridget Belli, Kaylee Neutzling, Jennifer Vandever, Mallory Morkel, Kelly Musenfechter, Bianca Busch, Jessica Randazzo, Emily Winschel, Jamie Beuhrle, Kristin Pelley, Emily Silorski, and Danielle Lucks. These women represented themselves, their families and their community in a first-class fashion, and I wish them all the best in their future endeavors, both on and off the field.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding group of young women from Effingham, IL. The St. Anthony Bulldogs Girls Golf Team took State Championship honors October 18, knocking off runner-up Champaign St. Thomas More by 10 strokes to capture their second consecutive State title. The conclusion marked a rally from a seventh place standing midway through the State Championship competition. I want to send my congratulations and those of the House to Coach Kevin Behl and the members of the St. Anthony Bulldogs State Championship Team: Kelli Griffin, Kelly McHugh, Lauren Kabbes, Emily Calhoon, Taylor Behl, Jackie Wortman, and Shelby Spruell. We are all inspired by their dedication, their courage in the face of adversity, and their determination not to give up, even when trailing going into the final day of competition. Their victory is one which will long be remembered in the storied history of St. Anthony, and their back to back titles will stand as a statewide tribute to their devotion to excellence.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a great American, who was recently honored by the Illinois Air National Guard. Senior Airman Aaron Rath of Springfield, Illinois, has been chosen as the 183rd Fighter Wing's Airman of the Year. Airman Rath earned this honor after two tours of duty in Iraq in 2006 and 2007. He serves as a life member of the National Guard Association of Illinois, senior vice commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 755, a member of the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, and vice president of the Defendors Association. Locally, he has been active in Big Brothers Big Sisters, and in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Airman Rath enlisted in the Illinois Air National Guard at the age of 29, after the September 11 terrorist attacks on our Nation. He told the local newspaper that he felt it was his ``utmost duty as an American to enlist and serve, and give a little back for what so many before me had sacrificed.'' I want to congratulate Senior Airman Aaron Rath on this much deserved recognition, and to thank him and so many other brave young Americans for their service to our Nation. It is through their dedication and their sacrifice that we are able to enjoy the liberties we all hold dear.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor St. Mary's Parish in Trenton, Illinois. St. Mary's has represented Catholicism for 150 years in the community of Trenton. During the 1820s and '30s the local Catholics of Trenton gathered at the railroad station once a year to take the train to St. Louis to fulfill their Easter duty. In 1858 Fr. Peter Peters began holding mass with a small group of Catholic families in Trenton. The first church was built in 1864. Yet, it was not until 1868 that St. Mary's Parish of Trenton had its first permanent pastor, Fr. Anthony Brefeld. Just two years after Fr. Brefeld took the position as pastor, St. Mary's built a small school where the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ came to teach. By 1950 it was evident that a larger church was needed. In 1953 the new church was completed and by 1955, about 1,500 parishioners called St. Mary's home. To help celebrate the 150th anniversary, the St. Mary's family placed a ``time capsule'' into the ground at the parish. The capsule contains materials related to the parish celebration. The time capsule will be opened in 2058, 50 years from now. I join with my fellow Representatives to congratulate St. Mary's on 150 years of faith and service.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor St. Dominic's Parish in Breese, Illinois. For 150 years, St. Dominic's has represented the spread of Catholicism in rural America and has also acted as one of its community's cornerstones. The first church building was used from 1858 to 1868 and measured 40 feet by 60 feet. In 1858 Father August Reineke was called to act as the first pastor of St. Dominic's and served until 1909. A larger church was needed due to the growing number of settlers in the area. The parishioners donated the land as well as the stone and limestone for construction of the present church still in use today. The original parish began with 70 Catholic families and today has grown to 867 families. One of St. Dominic's largest accomplishments was the establishment of Mater Dei High School. The men and women of St. Dominic's help by reaching out to their community and world with the parish's volunteer efforts. St. Monica's Altar Sodality and St. Joseph's Men's Sodality donate money to the parish's Vacation Bible School, food pantry and youth ministry. The ladies of the parish are currently sponsoring a child in Guatemala, while the men have donated over $20,000 to the new multi-purpose room. I join with my fellow Representatives to congratulate St. Dominic's on 150 years of faith and service.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding group of young men attending Rend Lake College in Ina, Illinois. On November 8, 2008, Rend Lake Warriors Men's Cross Country Team placed fourth in the National Junior College Men's Cross Country Championship. After an impressive fourth place finish in 2007, the Warrior's trained hard during the 2008 season to maintain their spot in the top five cross country teams in the Nation. The Warriors had an outstanding freshman on their team this year. Kenyan native Stephen Sambu, also an All-American, was the National Champion, or ``cross country king'' and helped lead the team to fourth place. My congratulations go out to Coach Brent McLain on this great achievement. Most of all, I want to congratulate the members of the 2008 Men's Cross Country team: Dey Tuach, Bailey Bunyan, Scott Speare, James Noonan, James Gramtham, Stephen Sambu, and Clay Locke. I congratulate them on their achievement, and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Mater Dei Knights Volleyball Team. The Knights placed third at the IHSA State Volleyball match on Saturday November 15, 2008. Continuing their tradition of success, this is the Knights' 12th trophy in school history. The Knights competed for their title against Chicago Payton. Winning in just two games, the Knights defeated Payton by scores of 25-17 and 25-22. It is my pleasure to congratulate Coaches Fred Rakers and Chad Rakers along with the Knights Volleyball Team members--Cortney Crocker, Morgan Dall, Laura Thole, Tabatha Albers, Andria Lampe, Kalye Boeckmann, Maria Gebke, Alison Mueller, Ashley Rakers, Nicole Strieker, Samantha Bedard, Kayla Eversgerd, Alyssa Hitpas, Brooke Schulte, and Abbey Winter--on their success. I wish the Knights continued success for seasons to come!

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great city in Southern Illinois which has earned a great honor. Centralia, Illinois, was recently named a 2008 Governor's Home Town Award winner for its Centralia Clean Community Campaign, a community cleanup program. This year, roughly one in eight members of the community participated in some facet of the community cleanup, which included such events as curbside pickup, school neighborhood cleanups and liberty garden planting. I want to congratulate the citizens of Centralia not only on earning this recognition, but also on their civic mindedness and their willingness to take the time to show their pride in their community by helping to keep it clean. I especially want to acknowledge Bev Virobik, coordinator for Clean & Green and Keep Centralia Beautiful for her organization's efforts in leading this project. Centralia's efforts are truly a model for other communities to follow in expressing their civic pride.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the admirable accomplishment of kidney transplant recipient, Carrie Conley. Mrs. Conley won two gold and two silver medals at the U.S. Transplant Games. In a brief statement Conley says, ``I attend the games to promote organ donation and to honor my donor family, which I met in 2004 at the Louisville games.'' Mrs. Conley received her kidney failure gradually from polycystic kidney disease. She won gold medals in swimming and golf, and her silver medals in the 5K race and track and field. The U.S. Transplant Games encourage athletes of all ages who have received transplants to participate in this admirable and charitable event. Carrie Conley is an inspiration to transplant recipients of all ages, and I admire her greatly for her benevolent efforts.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Principia College Solar Car Team. Since 1995, students and advisors have worked on perfecting their solar car model. This year, they came very close to that goal by finishing second in the 2008 North American Solar Challenge. The Challenge is a 2,400-mile race from Plano, Texas to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This year, fifteen cars began the race; only five finished. Principia College is a small liberal arts college in Elsah, Illinois that does not even have an engineering program. The Principia solar car team beat out much larger schools to finish second in the exhausting ten day event. On the second to last day of the race, Principia's car experienced electrical trouble and stalled for seventy-five minutes. The team electricians were able to remedy the problem and put the car back on the road. Advisor Joe Ritter and his team remained calm throughout the race, especially during the electrical complications. The pioneering spirit of the young people on the Principia College Solar Car Team deserves recognition and thanks. These students are the ones who will carry our country forward. I stand with my colleagues today to honor the Principia College Solar Car Team for an outstanding second place finish in the North American Solar Challenge.