John Shimkus

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to recognize two very special constituents of mine, John and Verna Leskera of Vandalia, Illinois, who will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary on August 7 of this year. John Leskera married the former Verna Bitzer on August 2, 1928 in, Hoopeston, Illinois. They raised one son, Jack, currently of Collinsville, Illinois, and are the grandparents of three, and great- grandparents of six. Verna, the former schoolteacher, and John, the former business owner, have continued to lead very active lives since their retirement. John, in fact, just learned to water ski at the tender age of 75. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join the friends and family members of the Leskeras in wishing continued health and happiness as they celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary, and in the many years to come.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Vergil Fletcher, who spent 32 years teaching young people important life lessons, the value of hard work and fair play. He began an outstanding career coaching basketball in 1946 at Collinsville High School. Coach Fletcher led the Kahoks to 747 victories, creating an impressive 81 percent winning average. In his 32 seasons coaching, the Collinsville basketball team won two State titles and 20 Southwestern Conference titles, a notable record in anyone's book. Often referred to as one of the greatest high school coaches of all time, Coach Fletcher won the hearts of players and fans throughout Collinsville. In recognition of his dedication to school and community, he is being honored by the Collinsville High School Alumni Association later next month. All former athletes, cheerleaders and fans of Coach Fletcher are invited, with at least one player from each season he coached expected to attend. The event is a small gesture to thank a man who affected hundreds of young lives in ways that cannot be measured in win percentages. Thanks, Coach.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise for two purposes. First to honor three women who have dedicated their lives to the rights of the unborn, and secondly to thank the 296 Members of this body that voted yesterday to protect the right to life. Felicia Goeken, Mary F. Jones, and Christy Holt have served the Illinois Federation for Right to Life in countless ways, and it is women like these that made yesterday's vote to ban partial birth abortions possible. I have had the pleasure of knowing each of these women personally, and I have witnessed first hand their dedication, compassion, and leadership. Tomorrow these women will be honored for their outstanding service and I wish them the utmost congratulations and thanks for their efforts. It is through the work of caring individuals like Felicia, Mary, and Christy, that the rights of the most vulnerable members of our society will be protected. I know the hard work these women have contributed to the fight, and on their behalf I am proud to say that a overwhelming majority of this Congress has finally proven its dedication to the unborn.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, Mrs. Margaret Barnett has a distinction no other woman in Illinois has. She was the first female high school band director in Illinois. Mrs. Barnett studied piano and received her Bachelor's Degree from Shurtleff College in 1930. She played trombone with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and earned a Master of Arts Degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition, Mrs. Barnett studied clarinet at the Western Military Academy. Fortunately, Mrs. Barnett did not keep all her musical talent to herself. She taught every child the proper techniques on his or her instrument, leading her bands at Alhambra High School and Bethalto High School to win many contests and awards. However, music was not the only subject Mrs. Barnett could teach. She taught English, mathematics and Latin at both Alhambra and Bethalto High Schools. She even served as librarian and assistant to the superintendent at Bethalto. Earlier in her career in 1932 she was Vice President of the Illinois State Teachers Association. I applaud Mrs. Barnett for her dedication to teaching young people. She is definitely a pioneer and an inspiration for women in high school band positions. Most importantly, Mrs. Barnett is a role model for all teachers to follow.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, our armed forces are based on honor and discipline. These principles lead to trust and accountability on the battlefield, a situation which the majority of civilians will never have to face in their lifetimes. Yet Defense Secretary Cohen has proposed to change military rules regarding adultery to bring them more in line with civilian law. Secretary Cohen has said that he would like to clear up the ambiguities and inconsistencies so members of the military know what standard they are to be held to. Mr. Speaker, there are no ambiguities. In the military, adultery is a felony. It could not be much clearer than that. We expect the most from our men and women in the armed forces. Dumbing down the standards of these men and women is insulting to all them. As an Airborne Ranger, I salute the United States Marine Corps and Colonel Stuart Wagner, who put it so eloquently: Semper fidelis, always faithful, is not a slogan.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, it is time to remind the American people what the Republican agenda is for the remainder of the 105th Congress. First, let us recall that last summer this Congress passed an historic balanced budget agreement that contained tax cuts for millions of middle-class taxpayers and middle-class savers. Last summer, Republicans vowed to pass more tax cuts in the year ahead. So, here we are, back in Washington and on track to pass more tax cuts for the middle class, the middle-class backbone of America that pays the taxes, plays by the rules, and gets up every morning to engage in productive labor. The tax burden on the middle class is simply too large. The cost of government is too high. It is simply not right that the Federal Government should take between one-fourth and one-third of what a middle-class family earns. Liberals may disagree, but most Americans do not believe that the middle-class families should work until the month of May before getting to keep what they earn. It is time for this Congress to pass a middle- class tax cut.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to announce that my home church, Holy Cross Lutheran, in Collinsville, Illinois, is celebrating its sesquicentennial, 150 years of laboring for the Lord. Our theme for the celebration is Celebrate, Reflect, Focus. Holy Cross Lutheran will celebrate this month with a reunion of former church workers, along with sons and daughters of the congregation who have moved on to be pastors and teachers, of which I am one. We will also celebrate the Church's German heritage, using translations of the original services and a sermon preached in 1873. In addition, Holy Cross will reflect upon its history. The church and Christian day school were founded in 1848 after Pastor Frederick Lockner began meeting with German Lutherans in Collinsville, Illinois. Our focus will be on God, thanking Him for all the blessings He has given our Church and the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. I extend my deepest congratulations to Holy Cross Lutheran Church as they Celebrate, Reflect and Focus on 150 years of hard work and rich blessings.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to compliment the House for its vote last week to abolish the Tax Code by 2002. Although it is unlikely that this bill will become law, it is a significant first step in our effort to fundamentally reform the current Internal Revenue Code. If we are ever to reform our tax system, we must focus the debate on how we will change the Tax Code, not if or when. The existing Tax Code is a complex web of credits, deductions, and revenue rulings which shifts resources and time from productive economic activities to tax compliance. Furthermore, taxpayers with identical incomes often have vastly different tax liabilities. It is time we in Congress provide the American taxpayer with a Tax Code which promotes economic growth, lessens the burdens of compliance on individuals and small businesses and, most importantly, reestablishes fairness. Madam Speaker, I look forward today to voting on IRS reform later on this afternoon.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, it is hard for this West Pointer to say, ``Go Air Force,'' but today I must. Yesterday, the voters of New Mexico's First District chose Heather Wilson, an Air Force Academy grad, to replace our friend and departed colleague, Steve Schiff. I welcome Heather to the Congress, adding to the ranks of distinguished women who currently serve in this body, more than any other time in our Nation's history. More importantly, I welcome her as a fellow veteran of the armed services. As fewer and fewer veterans elect to serve in Congress, it is important that we have people like Heather Wilson who, even though she served in the Air Force, still understands the need for a strong national defense. Mr. Speaker, I expect Heather will be a strong and forceful voice for our men and women in uniform, as well as for the common sense family values that are the true strength of this Nation. Heather Wilson is a worthy and welcome successor to our friend, Steve Schiff.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, after 18 successful years with the Edwardsville High School Tigers, Coach Tom Pile is retiring from coaching baseball. He has never won fewer than 20 games in a season, and his teams have made five State tournament appearances. In 1994 he was elected to the Illinois High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Even better, Coach Tom Pile is going out on top. Just recently his Tigers won the Class AA Baseball Championship, being the first Illinois Class AA team to finish with a perfect undefeated season, 40 and 0. While Coach Tom Pile is a constituent of mine, his daughter, Elizabeth Pile, is on the staff of our colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Costello). Congratulations to the Edwardsville Tigers baseball team for a championship season, and especially Coach Tom Pile for a great coaching career and a great daughter.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, our President said to D.C. schoolchildren, ``Tough luck.'' We do not get to hear a liberal say that very often, but the President's veto of D.C.'s scholarship bill last month is an in-your-face slap at D.C. parents and D.C. children. ``Too bad for you'' is the message. Too bad for you, that is, if you happen to be poor. Just look at the pattern. Failed, dangerous schools, and the liberals ask for more money. Congress votes for more money, and in return we get failed dangerous schools where almost no learning takes place. And so the liberals come back the following year and say, ``Look, the problem is the schools need more money.'' And so Congress spends more money, more money for everyone knows that the problem is not enough money. More failure, more school violence follows, and so the pattern is repeated year after year after year. The same people who would never one second accept dangerous, dysfunctional schools for their own kids are as determined as ever to deny school choice to those who do not have a choice. As a former teacher it makes me sad.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, as we continue to debate campaign finance reform some of my colleagues continue to press for free air time. Some of the legislation we will be considering requires broadcasters to sell time to candidates at 50 percent below the already discounted rate. I really do not think they have carefully considered the consequences of this issue. The first problem is that it will not necessarily reduce campaign spending. What would stop a candidate from buying twice as many spots? Secondly, the glut of commercials will simply turn voters off. A survey by Opinion Research Corporation last year showed that 61 percent of adults do not want more campaign ads on TV or radio. What do they want? They want more debates and news coverage, all of which are currently provided by broadcasters for free. Mr. Speaker, Congress needs to take a step back, let the voters decide and allow the best candidate to win.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge Congress and the President to send more dollars to our classrooms instead of Washington bureaucrats. The Dollars to the Classroom Act is a Republican initiative which would require 95 percent of all Federal funding for K- through-12 education programs to be sent to local schools. As a former teacher, I support this act. Unfortunately, the Clinton administration and its core of Washington bureaucrats believe that they know best how to educate our children. They believe that our children should submit to another national test and that they would benefit from another Federal mandate. However, the American people know better. The Dollars to the Classroom Act will send nearly all of our Federal tax dollars for education back to local schools. That means $10 billion will be taken from the grasp of bureaucrats and put into the hands of a teacher who actually knows your child's name. Support H.R. 3248, the Dollars to the Classroom Act.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, there they go again. The Clinton administration is again attempting to force nationalized tests upon our schoolchildren. Unfortunately the President believes that our students must spend more precious class time taking nationalized tests created by some bureaucrats in Washington who think they know what is best for our children. As a former teacher, instead of testing our children again, we should give them more time to do what they are supposed to do in school, learn. What a novel idea. For the last year and a half, a bipartisan majority of the House and Senate has expressed the will of the people and fought the administration on the creation of national tests. Congress has made it clear to the President that Americans do not want another standardized national test. Please call the Federal bureaucrats back to their desk and out of the classrooms. Let the parents, teachers and local schools decide how best to test and educate our children. Local control is still the best control.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, Congress wrote a massive energy bill in 1994 called the Energy Policy Act which outlined ways for the United States to address our Nation's vulnerable reliance on foreign oil. Unfortunately, this statute has already run into trouble. The Department of Energy admits this in its own report to Congress stating, quote, ``Despite the many uncertainties, it preliminarily appears that the programs authorized by Congress in EPACT will fall substantially short of the year 2010 goal of 30 percent displacement.'' Mr. Speaker, the program does not work. I and the gentlewoman from Missouri (Ms. McCarthy) have introduced legislation to address this problem. Our legislation would allow fleet managers to use biodiesel blends to comply with the mandates of EPACT, without tax credits or incentives. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 2568, the Energy Policy Act of 1997.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor and strong supporter of H.R. 2604, the Religious Liberty and Charitable Donation Protection Act. This legislation, which will be on the floor later today, will provide churches and charities with equal protection under this Nation's bankruptcy laws. Under current law, local churches and charities could be forced to return a contribution if the donor filed for bankruptcy. Imagine what would happen to the financial structure of one's church if a major donation made 11 months earlier and already spent was forced to be returned. Churches run on tight budgets and retroactively forcing them to return gifts is wrong. This practice might even be okay if we applied the same standard to restaurants, hotels or casinos, but we do not. Churches and charities are singled out. Mr. Speaker, right now our bankruptcy code places casinos above churches. This is wrong, and I look forward to passage of H.R. 2604 later today.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to support provisions in our upcoming campaign finance debate which require full disclosure of all campaign contributions and expenditures. In the past several years, we have too often seen abuses of the campaign financing system, where money is pouring into elections from foreign and other unknown sources with little consequence. I find it disturbing that campaigns are sometimes run behind the scenes, behind the backs of voters, so that the campaign finance process generates fear and distrust among voters, instead of honesty and openness. Although the popular opinion polls may show an indifference or apathy toward campaign finance, I feel that many Americans see these questionable escapades as an inherent part of the campaign finance system, and they feel the situation may never improve. As a Member of Congress who has no extravagant personal wealth, and no means to independently finance my own campaign, I believe in letting the system work. I believe that candidates young or old, rich or poor, black or white, can and must continue to be able to serve their community and country as a Representative in Congress. The opportunity to serve in Congress must not be limited to only those who have personal wealth, which is the effect that many of the campaign reform bills would have on candidates. In order to preserve this opportunity for future Congressional aspirants, I believe we must focus our campaign finance reform efforts on getting the truth to the American people--because that is what they want. And finding the truth means opening up our books, all of our campaign finance documents, and letting the light shine brightly on who is giving money to our candidates, who is spending special interest money on their elections, and how much they are spending on these races. Because too often, people inherently fear that which they do not know. The American people have been kept in the dark about who is getting what money, how much is coming in and from where it comes. Only then will the people be able to decide who best represents them. Congress must support full disclosure of all campaign related financing, and full publication of campaign documents, and let the sun shine in on how candidates finance their campaigns.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recall a tax imposed on our colonial forefathers by the British monarchy in the days before the birth of our Nation. Like the British monarchy, the United States Postal Service has imposed a Stamp Tax upon the American people. Despite recording a net operating surplus of more than $4.5 billion over the past 3 years and a surplus of over $1.3 billion already in 1998, the Postal Rate Commission has approved a 1 cent increase in the price of a stamp. Mr. Speaker, I do not understand how the Postal Service can justify this tax increase on the working families of America, as the agency itself runs a record billion-dollar profit. Our colonial forefathers would be ashamed of the Postal Service that is now imposing this unnecessary tax on its people.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, while the other side is becoming increasingly hysterical every time evidence is unearthed, I would ask my Democratic friends a few questions. What do you suppose Webster Hubbell meant when he said on tape, so I need to roll over one more time? Again, for the benefit of those on the other side who may be too busy attacking and smearing everyone whose job it is to uncover the truth, I ask them, what do they think convicted felon Webster Hubbell meant when he said, ``So I need to roll over one more time.'' Or, ``I will not raise those allegations that might open it up to Hillary.'' What about Mrs. Hubbell's statements about overbilling that, ``That would be one area Hillary would be vulnerable.'' Is this not evidence of crime? Is this not relevant to the investigation now ongoing? Can we not agree that our citizens deserve the truth and that no citizen is above the law?

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an event that will occur in my hometown of Collinsville, Illinois. On May 3 of this year, the First United Presbyterian Church of Collinsville will celebrate its 175th birthday. It is the oldest church in continuous existence in Madison County. Informal worship services began in 1818, the year Illinois became the 21st State. To honor this celebration, the church is having at least one special program a month from February through July. Each month a different group within the church will lead services. The first program in February was a reenactment of a Society Meeting in the style which was held in the 1800s. Many members of the congregation dressed for the occasion in period pieces, including the pastor and members of the choir. Besides a special service on May 3, the actual date of the organization of the congregation, there will be programs to honor the church-related Glenwood Cemetery, established in 1822, on May 16 and 17. These celebrations are geared so that members of the congregation will have the opportunity to share with the community and rejoice in the blessings that God has given them.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, obeying the law should be the first tenet of campaign finance reform. The White House insists time and time again that they are cooperating fully with the various investigators charged with finding the truth about illegal campaign contributions in the 1996 elections. However, the facts show otherwise. Ninety-two witnesses, that is 92 witnesses, either have fled the country or have taken the fifth amendment or refused to testify. If there is nothing to hide, why would 92 witnesses flee the country or refuse to testify? Fifty-four House and Senate witnesses have asserted their fifth amendment rights, and 38 witnesses have fled the country. In fact, so many witnesses who have fled the country are taking the fifth that FBI Director Louis Freeh was asked last year if he had ever seen so many, and he said often he has seen this kind of activity only in investigations of organized crime. Mr. Speaker, the White House says it is cooperating fully, but no one is cooperating. And then the same White House turns around and asks why the investigators are taking so long. If the American citizens are becoming cynical about their government, House investigators are becoming even more cynical about this White House.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, welcome back to all my colleagues from the Easter break work period. I am interested in hearing the collective view of our Nation's citizens from my colleagues. I will share mine. From the 20th District of Illinois comes one consistent message on the budget surplus: Pay down the debt. Pay down the debt. Pay down the debt. It is the best way to ensure economic growth and opportunity for all, and the most important method of ensuring Social Security. Let us work toward that end.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I come to the House floor to praise the heroic action of 8-year-old Christopher Simmons of Mount Vernon, Illinois. On April 6 of last year, Christopher and his younger brother Michael were helping their neighbor with some yard work when out of nowhere, a 95-pound dog attacked young Michael. Instantly, Christopher's quick intuitions led him to save his younger brother's life from the vicious jaws of the male boxer. Had it not been for Christopher's selfless and chivalrous behavior, this life-threatening situation could have resulted in tragedy. Madam Speaker, I am honored to announce today that Christopher will be presented the distinguished Scout's Medal of Honor. His heroism is worthy of much praise and serves as a model to the American people.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 740.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.