Jean Schmidt

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Kenneth P. Anstaett, a life-long resident of Clermont County who passed away on Wednesday, February 11th. Mr. Anstaett, known by many as Kenny was born on January 28, 1925 in the Ohio River community of Felicity. Kenny later moved and graduated from Owensville High School in 1942. After the completion of high school, Mr. Anstaett went on to serve our Nation in the United States Army achieving the rank of captain. He served tours in World War II and the Korean War. But Kenny's civic service did not end after his military career. Kenny was later elected to the Batavia Local School Board of Education, twice serving as president. He also served as president of the Batavia Rotary. As a lifelong and active Republican, he founded the Clermont County Young Republican Club with his wife Virginia. He was also an active member in the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3954 and American Legion Post 237. Kenny Anstaett also owned a small business for roughly 50 years, operating a farm service equipment company, a Dodge automobile dealership, and a gasoline service station. Madam Speaker, my thoughts and prayers go out to Kenneth's lovely wife Virginia, four children, and his many grandchildren and great- grandchildren.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, this past Monday, Senator George Voinovich announced that he will not be seeking re-election to the United States Senate in 2010. Senator Voinovich has dedicated the last 40 years of his life to public service. I look forward to continuing to work with him over the next 2 years, but would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that he will be sorely missed when he leaves. Since 1967, George Voinovich has been a fixture in Ohio politics. Ohio has been blessed to have such a tireless advocate so dedicated to serving others. Although Washington, DC will be losing a respected voice on so many pressing issues, I congratulate him on his 40 years of distinguished and outstanding service to the citizens of the State of Ohio and wish him, his wife, Janet, and his entire family the best in the coming years.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to applaud this House for standing with our friend, the nation of Israel. Madam Speaker, Israel has a right and a duty to defend herself from the savage attacks of Hamas launched from Gaza. The Israeli government continues to work for peace, but the relentless attacks have left her with little choice but to use military force to stop the Hamas militants hiding among innocent civilians in Gaza. Madam Speaker, Hamas must end its attacks on the people of Israel for peace to take root; I applaud this House for its strong support of our friend Israel.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to three retiring Members from Ohio, my friends, Ralph Regula, Dave Hobson and Debbie Pryce. The entire State of Ohio owes these three a huge debt of gratitude for their hard work on our behalf and the dedication to their constituents. But, particularly, I owe each of these colleagues a special debt for the help they have given me in the 3 years that I have been here. Ralph Regula, the dean of our delegation, as a group, we will miss your steady hand at the wheel. Over his 18 terms in the House, there is not much that Ralph Regula has not seen. His experience and his advice have been invaluable, and I appreciate all that he has done for me. Dave Hobson, rightfully called Uncle Dave, because he is everyone's uncle in this House, has also been a special mentor to me. His Seventh District is very close to the eastern part of my district and shares many of the same struggles and values. Uncle Dave has been a great source of wisdom and advice in steering me towards the best course of action for dealing with the issues that face the folks I represent. I have appreciated having his counsel and, most importantly, his wisdom and his humor. Last but not least, Debbie Pryce, my friend. Few in this body can relate to what the challenges that any woman, Republican or Democrat faces, when they enter Congress. When I first got elected, Debbie took me to lunch in Columbus, and we sat down for almost a 3-hour lunch. She addressed my concerns and made me feel like I had a friend, not just here, but forever. I am going to continue that friendship with Debbie because she is a remarkable woman. Ohio is a better place for these fine Members, and our State will miss them. After they have ridden off into the sunset to embark on new and undoubtedly successful endeavors, I know that they will be leaving a great legacy behind. God bless them for all they have done for this body, Ohio and the United States of America.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay my respects to a great lady, Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Just over 3 years ago, I first saw Stephanie in this very room. As I was sworn into office, she came over and greeted me with a great big smile and an enormous hug, welcoming me to this wonderful body. Although we share different political views, Stephanie understood that friendship trumped politics. I felt fortunate to call her my friend. When I went to Cleveland last week to pay my respects, I was welcomed by her wonderful family--her sister, Barbara; her nieces, her cousins, and her wonderful son, Mervyn. I learned something about Stephanie I didn't know. I didn't realize that she was involved in a very famous case, a case that spurred not only a TV show but also a movie, ``The Fugitive.'' It was the Sam Shepard case. She was involved with that case, making sure justice was done. I want to say thank you to the Lord for letting us have Stephanie as long as we did. We never know when the hour comes that he will come for us. I know that Stephanie was prepared for him because she was always prepared for her family and for her constituents, and she had that great big smile. I'm sure that it's there in heaven. To Mervyn, to Barbara and to the rest of the family, you have my prayers. To the constituents of Cleveland, you have her heart. May she rest in peace.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Busken Bakery on their 80th birthday. Busken Bakery is truly an American success story. From humble beginnings, Busken's has grown into a Cincinnati institution through hard work, innovation, and a commitment to the local community. Joseph and Daisie Busken began their business in 1928, opening their first bakery in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Cincinnati. Their goals were modest. According to Busken's website, Joseph Busken was just looking for a way to feed his family and keep them happy. During the Great Depression, when other companies were failing, Busken's survived by offering products that their customers loved. Following World War II, Joseph's son, Joe, Jr., entered the family baking business and began making his mark. Joe, Jr., streamlined production and expanded business to local grocery stores. He introduced the city's first 24-hour drive-in bakery and began offering dinner rolls--something unheard of at that time. Some of Joe, Jr.'s other touches are still in existence today, such as his recipe for double- butter coffee cake. Today, Busken Bakery is still run by family including: Page Busken, chairman of the board, Brian Busken, senior vice-president, and Dan Busken, CEO. And, the family has continued to change and innovate with the times. On a personal note, I must admit my favorite Busken item is the Maysville chocolate brownie. Madam Speaker, please join me in celebrating the rich history of Busken's Bakery and wishing the entire Busken family continued success in years to come.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize The Thank You Foundation of Lebanon, Ohio. The Thank You Foundation is an all volunteer, non-profit organization whose stated mission is to show appreciation and express gratitude for those who have served in the United States Armed Forces both past and present. The Thank You Foundation was created by John Guinn, a veteran of the United States Army and the organization's current President. John's inspiration came from his mother, who worked tirelessly for the Am Vets Organization and served as President of the Ladies Auxiliary, Post 24, in Dayton, Ohio. John's mother Juanita believed that gratitude and appreciation for soldiers and veterans should always be a priority and that without exception our support and respect should be presented publicly. The Thank You Foundation provides an array of support for our soldiers and veterans. This includes sending care packages to active duty personnel serving overseas; providing resume and job coaching services to veterans and their families; and visiting veterans in care facilities. The Thank You Foundation is currently spearheading a large project to construct a Mobile Health Unit for use by the Veterans Affairs Cincinnati Medical Center. Once completed the mobile unit will travel the Cincinnati region and act as a one-stop center for veterans to enroll for care, receive initial examinations, and have access to mental health counseling. Just recently, The Thank You Foundation visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where they helped entertain and bring encouragement to the children of wounded veterans. Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing all the amazing volunteers from The Thank You Foundation who continually lend their time to give so much to our men and women in the Armed Forces who preserve our Freedom.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota for providing us this hour for a commonsense view on the energy situation and for my colleague from Iowa for his bird's-eye perspective of what it is actually like in Alaska. Behind me it says $2 a gallon. I wish I could say that it was a long time ago that we saw $2 a gallon at the pump, but it really wasn't that long ago. And that's unfortunate because Americans are feeling squeezed as they see the price at the pump continue to rise. You know, since the new Congress took over in January of 2006, we have seen an almost 70 percent increase in the price of gas. So that means every time Americans go to the pump, they're seeing more and more of their precious dollars out of their wallet being used for their transportation costs. And this is making them make some really tough decisions. Discretionary spending is down, which is, in part, affecting our economy. Americans are feeling squeezed, and some are feeling that squeeze when they try to feed their family at the table. And you might ask what does food cost have to do with petroleum? Well, it has a lot to do with petroleum. Half of my district is agriculture. And I hear from farmers that the cost of producing their crops, their grain, their cattle is rising exponentially.

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Exactly. Because everything they do to produce the food at our table has some sort of a petroleum element to it. It's hard to remove the petroleum element from the production of food. But farmers are not alone in feeling the price at the pump. Governments are also feeling that price, and I think we forget about that. Local governments especially are hard hit with the pain because their ability to garner dollars for their governments are so restricted. When you just think about police departments and how much fuel they use and how much of their budget is now eaten up with the price of fuel, what kind of decisions are they having to make in order to meet their fuel costs? It's not just the police departments. Think about your road departments. When you put asphalt on the ground, that's petroleum based, and so now you're looking at trying to put new pavement on the ground. You're looking at an exponential rise in the cost of that pavement. What kind of decisions are being made there? But it's not just that part of local government. Think about our schools and how hard hit our schools are because it's not just in keeping their buses running, which is, again, fuel based, but keeping the lights and heat on in their schools. How much of their budget is being eaten up in operational costs, costs that should be going to educating our children? But my folks in my district, especially the rural parts of my district, are being especially hard hit, and it's because we don't have the luxury of mass transit when you get to parts of my district like the eastern part of Clermont County and Brown County and Adams County and the rest of the counties out east. So they have to rely on cars to get to their jobs. And when you look at folks in Adams County and Brown County and you look at their average commute to and from work, it's not surprising to see them go over 100 miles a day to and from work just to put the food on their table. And when they see gas prices rising from $2.33, which was the average price of a gallon of gas 2 years ago, to $4.09 a gallon, which is the average price today, you can imagine what kind of a bite that's taken out of many of the folks in my district. It is our responsibility to address this problem and address this problem now. Our folks are saying they can't afford for us to wait. They can't afford for bickering and partisan politics. They want us to come together and solve this issue. And we can do that. But it requires us to do two things, my good friend from Minnesota. It means increasing the supply and decreasing the demand. And that's what we can do and do now. When most Americans are asked in poll after poll, they're willing to drill, drill in the Outer Continental Shelf, drill in Alaska. And they understand that we now have technology that is environmentally sensitive to do this. But it's not just drilling that will solve this issue. We must also decrease demand. And Americans are doing their part. They're driving less. They're conserving their energy. They are doing their part. They are doing what they can because they have got strained wallets. It's up to us to complete the task and do ours. But, unfortunately, this new Congress, with its Democratic leadership, lacks the will to do just that. It is the middle of July, and we have done nothing to address this situation. Why aren't we looking at drilling and not just drilling but looking at wind, solar, hydrogen, nuclear, all those things that will help us reduce the demand for foreign oil and increase the supply of energy here in the United States? My dear friend from Minnesota, the American public expects us to act and act now. They are tired of our bickering. They're tired of the partisan politics. I thank you tonight for talking about this critical issue. I am willing to roll up my sleeves. I know you are willing to roll up yours. It is incumbent upon each and every one of us to do our part because we can no longer wait. Thank you.

Mrs. SCHMIDT. If we had acted in 1995, look where we would be today. I don't think we would be in this energy situation, this energy crisis that we're in. I don't think we would see a downturn in our economy, because we would be relying on ourselves and not the rest of the world to keep our lights on. It is incumbent from not just a national security perspective, an economic security perspective, but the perspective of the American public that we act and we act now. I thank you so much for this opportunity.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of C.H. ``Boots'' Duesing who passed on July 6, 2008. Boots was an entrepreneur whose commitment to his community led to the founding of Graduate Service, Inc. Many high school students in Southwestern Ohio know Graduate Service because it supplies class rings, caps and gowns, and commencement announcements to graduating high school students. Prior to his business endeavors, Boots graduated from DePauw University and showed his passion for his country by serving in the U.S. Navy Air Corps for a year. Ohio's Second Congressional District shared Boots and his wife Doris with the citizens of Palisades Park, Michigan, where they spent their summers. Boots established a youth tennis program there which continues to thrive to this day. Although Boots was active in the community and worked to enrich the lives of those living in the communities he called home, he was most devoted to his family. I am certain that his wife Doris; daughters Donna, Susie, Nancy, and Linda and his seven grandchildren Kelly, Kevin, Matt, Christine, Jessica, Brett and Bridget, will miss him terribly and remember him fondly. They will definitely recall his ``infectious laugh'' and ``colorful attire.'' While his passing brings sadness to the many lives he touched, his legacy and contributions will be remembered for years to come. I ask my colleagues to join with me in honoring C.H. ``Boots'' Duesing, and offering condolences to his family.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Could you both yield on that? Because I do want to talk about that. This is something that's happened in my district at least on two occasions. You know, in 1997 it came to light the title X grantees were not reporting rape, incest, sexual abuse, child abuse, and molestations. In response, Congress rightfully included language in the 1999 Labor HHS bill to appropriately clarify that title X grantees are not exempt from State reporting laws. I only wish that Cincinnati Planned Parenthood was doing this because let me tell you what is going on there. Cincinnati Inquire on May 10 of last year reported an incident of two young ladies who were victims of sexual abuse, and I would like to talk about the kind of sexual abuse these ladies incurred. The first one was a young lady who was continually molested by her father. The abuse began when she was just 13 years of age. In November of 2004, she was forced by her father to have an abortion. She told the employees at Planned Parenthood that she was being forced to have sex and do things she didn't want to do. But despite this fact, no report was made. She was sent home to endure another year-and-a-half of sexual abuse. The abuse only ended when she told a school official what was going on at home. Thankfully, because of our wonderful prosecutor in Warren County, her father is now serving hard time in prison. Not long enough, but what the law allows him to serve. She has filed a civil case against Planned Parenthood. Unfortunately, even if her allegations are proved true, no financial reward can bring back the extra year-and-a-half of absolute abuse she had because Planned Parenthood looked the other way and failed to follow Ohio's law. But that's not the end of the story. In another case, a 14-year-old girl was taken by her 21-year-old soccer coach to have an abortion. She allegedly used her junior high school ID, and her abuser paid for the procedure with a credit card and driver's license and said he was her guardian. The abuse was never reported. According to the same Inquire story regarding the second case I mentioned, a form filled out by Planned Parenthood said, The patient reports pregnancy is a result of sexual assault by a stranger. After consultation with an attorney, report of a crime to the police was not made due to physician-patient privilege. We are prohibited from reporting as no severe bodily injury was reported. What about the mental injury, the mental abuse that this girl suffered? You know what happened? A year later, I think it was a year later, some time later, she was back at the doctor with her parents, and the doctor said, Do you know your daughter had an abortion? That's how the parents found out she had an abortion, and she fessed up it was the soccer coach. The young lady's attorney said that the prosecutors in four local counties know of no such exemption to the reporting issue, and it isn't in Ohio. You know, we're giving this organization money, and this organization is forcing these young women to have abuse. I would like somebody else to continue with this colloquy because I think this is a very serious issue.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Chairman, I rise to engage in a colloquy with Ranking Member Shuster. Ranking Member Shuster, I deeply appreciate the opportunity to discuss a very important matter to the future of Amtrak. As you are aware, Amtrak was formed by private shareholders who gave Amtrak their assets in exchange for ownership of the railroad. You were also aware that even though the Congress has previously insisted that these shares be redeemed, Amtrak has failed to act. I would deeply appreciate it if you would work to address this issue in conference. These shareholders have been held hostage for decades. Our government has hijacked their investment, and they deserve restitution. This is not a new issue but still a major impediment to the future of Amtrak. I thank you and subcommittee Chairwoman Brown for your work on these issues. I ask that you work to fix this continuing problem before it becomes even more complicated to solve.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask Congress, no, to beg Congress to do something about the ever-increasing cost of gasoline. Mr. Speaker, my constituents are struggling every day with this ever- growing burden. Just Sunday, as my husband was filling up with gas, a young couple begged him for money so that they could get home. This very day there is indeed drilling activity off of our country's coast. Not by our U.S. companies. That would be illegal. Instead, the Chinese are drilling off the coast of Florida with their new energy partner, Cuba. This Congress has failed to act time and time again. Our oil resources along our coastlines and in Alaska remain untapped in the name of environmentalism. Mr. Speaker, my constituents are more than willing to do their part for the environment, but without their ability to earn a paycheck, there is little they can do, except to suffer like that young couple was on Sunday. We have all suffered enough. Please, Mr. Speaker, let us act. Let us act wisely. Let us act prudently. Let us drill, and let us drill now.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to read a poem written by Albert Carey Caswell about a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Staff Sergeant Matt Maupin was listed as missing in action for many years. Missing No More: In Honor of a Fallen Hero Missing in Action, Matt Maupin

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate May 19 as a very significant day in the history of our dear friend the Republic of Turkey. In Turkey, May 19 is celebrated as the commemoration of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of the Republic of Turkey. It was May 19 in the year 1919 when Mustafa Kemal landed in the Black Sea port of Samsun and the war of independence began. Under his leadership less than a year later the Turkish Grand National Assembly was established and a few years later the Republic of Turkey was born a new nation. Ataturk had a vision for Turkey and he set about reforming her. His vision of a pro-western, secular, and democratic state under the rule of law quickly became reality. President John F. Kennedy said, ``The name Ataturk reminds mankind of the historical accomplishments of one of the greatest men of this century. His leadership gave inspiration to the Turkish nation, farsightedness in the understanding of the modern world, and courage and power as a military leader.'' It was in 1934 that Ataturk demonstrated his commitment to the rights of women by giving them full political rights. He understood that a country can only flourish when it's people are truly free. My hero, General Douglas MacArthur described Ataturk better than most could ever attempt. ``He was a soldier-statesman, one of the greatest leaders of our era. He ensured that Turkey got its rightful place among the most advanced nations of the world.'' May 19 is a very important day when it all began. On this day a great leader began his journey, a vision became reality and a great nation was born. We should all learn a lesson from this man's life. A leader with a vision coupled with determination can lay the roots for a great future. Turkey's neighbors who today wrestle with their own beginnings should take note.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and celebration of the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding and pay tribute to a man who contributed greatly to the freedom and democracy enjoyed both by Israel and the United States. Marvin Belkin enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 18 to fight in World War II, and by the age of 19 he was a bomber captain. Ultimately, he flew 51 combat missions over the South Pacific until his plane was shot down on New Year's Day in 1945, when he was subsequently taken prisoner. He was a prisoner of war until August of 1945 when the hostilities with Japan ended. In 1947, Marvin answered the call again and volunteered to travel to Palestine to help support the formation of the State of Israel. In Palestine, Marvin worked to establish the ground school of the Israeli Air Force. He remained in Israel through the War of Independence, playing an active role in training the new Israeli Air Force pilots. Upon returning to the United States in 1949, Marvin was again called back into military service as an instructor during the Korean War. Marvin Belkin's commitment to Israel and the United States is symbolic of the relationship shared by our two nations and his service should be commended, for without it, we may not be here today to celebrate Israel's independence. To all the citizens of Israel, I wish you a great happy birthday. I look forward to the continued growth and strengthening of our relationship with you, our ally and our friend.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Trooper Robert ``Bobby'' Hayslip of West Union, Ohio, for being awarded the Ohio State Highway Patrol's Trooper of the Year Award. Trooper Bobby Hayslip was commissioned a State Trooper only 6 years ago as part of the 138th academy class and has quickly risen to the top. Bobby's District Commander, Captain Daniel Kolcum, best describes him as being hardworking and aggressive but also compassionate and professional. Trooper Hayslip is known for being a leader in making both enforcement and non-enforcement contacts; he is constantly working to keep Ohioans safe through investigations, assisting motorists, and getting drunk and impaired drivers off Ohio's roads. The dedication of Trooper Hayslip does not end after his shift. It continues in his free time as a volunteer working with local juvenile traffic offenders and at-risk high school students. Mr. Speaker, I am very thankful that the best trooper in the State of Ohio is patrolling Ohio's Second Congressional District. Congratulations, Bobby, and continued success in years to come.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, the World Health Organization estimates that more than 1 billion people across the globe do not have access to clean, safe drinking water. The lack of clean water means that more than 4,000 children die every day because of the diseases they acquire due to unsafe water. These deaths are preventable, and I am proud to call attention to the work that the Procter & Gamble Company, one of my constituents, is doing to prevent these deaths. P&G teamed with over 30 partners to provide safe drinking water to 40 countries and has provided safe drinking water during the global crises such as the tsunami in Asia, hurricanes in the Caribbean, and floods in the Philippines and Bangladesh. On Monday, former P&G CEO John Pepper delivered the one billionth liter of safe drinking water at a rural clinic near Lagos, Nigeria. The billionth liter of safe drinking water was delivered through PUR Purifier of Water. PUR is a powdered water clarification and disinfectant that comes in small, easy-to-use packets. One packet has the same ingredients as a municipal water system to remove pollutants and cysts and kill bacteria and viruses in a liter of polluted water. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of what Procter & Gamble does. Their philanthropy extends far beyond this. They are committed to doing this for another 5 years and creating two more billion liters of safe drinking water.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, tonight in my community we will celebrate the lives of our fallen heroes who have fought so bravely to defend our freedom, including our own Matt Maupin. Today General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will speak to us and report on the surge and its success. As we debate this issue, I ask that we continue to support our men and women who have chosen to wear the uniform of our country and fight to keep us free. They know all too well freedom is not free.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to offer my sincere condolences to the family of Staff Sergeant Keith Matthew Maupin. Yesterday, Keith and Carolyn Maupin learned that the United States Army had positively identified the remains found last week in Iraq as that of their son, Matt Maupin. After nearly 4 years of suffering the torment of not knowing the status of their missing son, I pray that this news may bring some closure to the Maupins and allow them to begin to mourn their loss and celebrate the life that Matt lived. Keith Matthew Maupin was born in Batavia, Ohio, on July 13, 1983, and was a student at Glen Este High School in Union Township, Clermont County, Ohio, where he played football and was a rower on the county's high school crew team. Matt graduated in 2001 and enrolled in the University of Cincinnati's Aerospace Engineering Program. He joined the United States Army Reserve in 2002, attending basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and completed his advanced individual training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in the spring of 2003. After completing his training, Matt continued his studies at the University of Cincinnati while fulfilling his obligations as an Army reservist. In November 2003, Matt received orders to transfer to the recently mobilized 724th Transportation Company based out of Bartonville, Illinois. Matt and the 724th arrived in Kuwait on February 20, 2004. The following month Matt's unit was moved to the Logistics Support Center Anaconda in Balad, Iraq, to begin missions delivering fuel to various coalition bases. On April 9, 2004, Matt's convoy was ambushed near Baghdad International Airport. The convoy came under fire from small arms, RPGs, and mortar fire. When the convoy was able to move clear of the attack, it was found that nine people were unaccounted for. Later, five civilians and one soldier were found dead, presumed to have been killed during the ambush. One civilian driver had been taken hostage during the ambush but managed to escape his captors a few weeks later. Matt and one civilian contractor remained missing. On April 16, 2004, Matt appeared in a videotaped broadcast aired on al Jazeera television surrounded by his armed captors. During the brief interview, Matt identified himself as Private First Class Keith Matthew Maupin. From that day forward, Matt's status was listed as a prisoner of war. And the men and women of the Armed Forces, as well as those from various Federal agencies, worked tirelessly to find Matt and secure his return. The Army has a creed. And within that creed there are four stanzas referred to as the warrior's ethos. This ethos is the standard by which all soldiers conduct themselves. They read as follows: I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade. I believe that it was these four stanzas that directed and guided the search for Matt. The mission was to find Matt and return him to his family. I thank Secretary Gates, Secretary Geren, General George Casey, General Petraeus, and all the leaders in the Multi National Forces-Iraq and Joint Special Forces Command for making the mission of finding Matt the number one priority in this Nation. I also think it's important that we thank all the soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen who patrolled the streets of Iraq every day refusing to accept defeat, refusing to quit, and refusing to leave behind our fallen Matt. I would also like to thank General Jim Campbell, recently retired, who visited with the Maupins on numerous occasions, providing them with updates on the status of the search for Matt. I would also like to thank Major General Galen Jackman and Joe Guzowski for their efforts to keep me informed on the details of their search. It has been almost 4 years since Matt went missing in Iraq, and through the joint efforts of all these extraordinary people, Matt can finally come home. As Matt's father told me, ``Matt is coming home. He has completed his mission.'' My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his friends. Their torment is replaced with a broken heart, and I ask this Nation to pray that that heart is healed. May God bless Matt and Matt's family, and may Matt rest in peace.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, this morning when I woke up and read the clips from Cincinnati's The Enquirer, the headline said, ``Cincinnati Philanthropist Dies.'' It should have read, ``Cincinnati's Best Friend Dies.'' We have lost a great friend of the arts, Patricia Corbett. When we say the name Patricia Corbett in Cincinnati, we don't have to explain who she is. Her name appears on buildings: the University of Cincinnati Performing Arts building, the Northern Kentucky Arts Performing Center, Music Hall, Riverbend. And in a few short months, the Cincinnati public schools new Performing Arts Center will again bear her name. But it is not just the buildings that she so actively got involved in and helped build. It's also what she did for the arts itself. The opera, the symphony, the Pops, the ballet, the May Festival all owe a deep gratitude to the financial support that this woman gave. Her generosity to the arts went beyond the boundaries of Cincinnati. In my own local town that I grew up in, Loveland, Ohio, we received a Patricia Corbett award, and now we have a stage company that has a small portion of the arts for our local residents to benefit from. There are so many people in the newspaper today that talked about what a figure she was. But the one that brought to my mind the most was a woman by the name of Martha Winfrey of Westwood who worked as an usher at Music Hall, and she conveyed the kind of kindness that Patricia Corbett had that we don't know about. At Christmas, she would hand envelopes to the ushers and say, ``Just be quiet with these.'' She had the most prestigious box at Music Hall, Box 5, and when it got crowded, she'd say to Martha, ``I don't need to sit here. Let somebody else sit here instead of me,'' and she'd stand out in the hall and listen to the performance. She didn't like people to know how old she was. I'm going to be kind and not tell you, since my own mother never wanted anyone to know how old she was. But we were blessed for many years to have Patricia Corbett be our gracious benefactor. It is said over $65 million from the Corbetts were given to enrich the lives of the citizens of greater Cincinnati. I was one of those citizens that benefited not from just her generosity, but her kindness. I had the pleasure to meet her on several occasions. Her warm smile, her gentle hand will be a lasting memory. A few weeks ago, we lost Joni Herschede, another friend of the arts. And now we've lost the Grande Dame. I only hope that they are in heaven enjoying the harps of the angels and that they will continue to smile down on us in Cincinnati.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Joni Herschede, a true icon of Cincinnati. Joni understood the Second Congressional District. You see, she grew up in Portsmouth in rural southern Ohio, one of eight siblings. She came to Cincinnati in the 1960s where she met and married Mark Herschede. She will always be best known for her passion and generosity to this community. Joni never forgot her humble beginnings. Whenever Joni got behind a cause or an issue, others always followed because they knew if you didn't follow, you might as well get out of the way because she would succeed. It is nearly impossible to find an organization in southern Ohio to which Joni did not give her time or her energy. Her son Donald said, ``Mother wasn't happy unless she was doing something for someone else.'' Her true passion was the University of Cincinnati. As an avid Bearcats fan, Joni's hats and outfits always proudly displayed her beloved red and black. But that passion went beyond just trappings of her clothing. It went to the philanthropy that she did for the University of Cincinnati as well. Mr. Speaker, southern Ohio and Cincinnati will always be grateful for the kindness that Joni showed to so many and to so many organizations, the arts, the zoo, education, and her beloved Bearcats. Joni's life should paint a path for future generations. Joni's legacy of public service will not be easily surpassed. May she rest in peace.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Anderson Redskins of Hamilton County, Ohio for winning the Division II Ohio School Athletic Association Football Championship. The Redskins capped off their incredible run into history Friday night by beating the Louisville Leopards of Stark County 31-25 in front of 11,065 fans at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon. After 19 years as assistant coach at Anderson, first-year head coach Jeff Giesting led his team to a final record of 13-2, including a win in the playoffs against township rival the Turpin Spartans. On Sunday, the Anderson township community celebrated the Redskins' first-ever State championship in their history where all 15 seniors took to the podium to talk about their incredible victory. The resounding theme among those players was not the championship trophy itself, but the sense of community, togetherness and pride which has spread throughout the area. Madam Speaker, I salute the school, the players, Head Coach Giesting, and the entire Anderson township community on their championship season. Well done, Redskins.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Last week, I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Congressman Henry Hyde. The United States lost a great statesman. I lost a role model and a valued friend. We all lost a man who exemplified civility and led a life dedicated to his country, serving others and his ideals. His story should serve as a beacon of hope for all who knew of him. Congressman Hyde came from humble roots. He earned a basketball scholarship to college, fought in World War II, and earned a law degree. He was the American Dream. Congressman Hyde was first elected to Congress in 1975. As a stalwart in Congress for nearly 3 decades, it was his voice of civility and passion which Members from both sides of the aisle respected and appreciated and which he is oftentimes remembered for the most. But he is most often remembered by all for the Hyde Amendment, legislation to prohibit the use of Federal taxpayer dollars for abortions in the United States. During his years in Congress, he not only worked to protect the lives of the unborn, but he also was active in the United States and Russian relations during the Cold War, wrote legislation to address worldwide AIDS epidemic, and presided over the House impeachment proceedings of President Clinton. Most will remember Henry Hyde for all that he was able to accomplish as a Member of Congress. I will remember him as a man who was true to his ideals and who spoke to our hopes, not our fears. His legislative accomplishments were just a reflection of who he was. His compassion for the unborn and the weak and the forgotten was not simply a veneer pasted on for public consumption. He understood the meaning of life and championed laws to protect it from its natural conception to its natural death. He treated everyone he met as if he or she were the most important person in the world because he saw them as God's children and knew that they were. Congressman Hyde was truly a life well lived. The country and the world have experienced a great loss. I have lost a dear friend on this floor. My condolences go out to his entire family. I truly feel privileged to have served with such a great man. And I would like to add that, when I was elected, I was excited to meet here, but I was most excited to meet Congressman Hyde. May he rest in peace in the Lord's arms.