Aaron Schock

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this flawed health bill.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Madam Speaker, this bill really is not about health insurance reform. If you watched the President's televised health care forum, you heard them say it time and time again: this is about entitlement expansion. And that is really where the real debate comes down this center line. Both sides agree that there needs to be heath care reform. Republicans have put forward a thoughtful bill since last April promoting reform, competition across State lines, covering people with preexisting conditions, on and on and on. But how can my friends on the other side of the aisle endorse this bill when the Congressional Budget Office, the nonpartisan determiner of how much these bills cost us, has not come out with their cost estimate for this bill? I know from my home State of Illinois, our Governor is talking about a 50 percent tax increase to pay for $9 billion in unpaid Medicaid bills. This bill we do know will cost my State of Illinois $1.89 billion over 5 years just for their match. I don't know how anyone from my State can support this bill.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. I thank my good friend from California for the time. What a novel idea. The United States House of Representatives would debate the power of a good idea. You know, in my short 1 year in this body, it's amazed me how many amendments have come before this body at a straight up-or-down party vote. Republicans vote one way and Democrats vote another. We live within the confines of majority rule. It's something that our voters and taxpayers live with. It's something that we in this body live with. But I think there's something that almost everyone that I represent in my district abhors, and that is the notion that the power of a good idea is not allowed the form of debate in this body and is not allowed a straight up-or-down vote for each Member to cast his or her vote based on the best interests of their districts. And for that reason, Mr. Speaker, I offered three what I thought were thoughtful amendments specifically dealing with the proposal to move the much- talked-about Guantanamo Bay detention facility to my State in Illinois. I might add, Mr. Speaker, that this wasn't just an idea that I had, but rather, I was joined by every single member of the Illinois delegation on my side of the aisle. They felt this was important enough to allow both sides to be able to debate this issue, both sides, each individual Member, a straight up-or-down vote. Now, what is it that we wanted each Member to be able to vote on? Well, ladies and gentlemen, there's been much talk about moving all of these prisoners, close to 100 of them, from Gitmo to the center part of our country, in the Midwest, in Illinois, and the idea that somehow that will make us safer as a Nation by moving those terrorists to our country. Yet one of the questions that continually is asked of me, as well as my colleagues who represent the State of Illinois, is who are these people? What are their names? Why are they being held? What acts of terror have they attempted or committed against our country? So our amendment was very simple. It said this: The American people ought to know what we know. If the American people are supposed to weigh in to their elected representatives to say, yes, we think it's a great idea for Guantanamo Bay to come to Illinois, don't you think they should have the information to make an educated decision? After all, I sat in this front row a year ago and listened to the Speaker of this House talk about how I was going to be a part of the most transparent and open government in United States history. Imagine being a part of the most transparent and open government in United States history. And yet today, ladies and gentlemen, taxpayers, voters, not just in the State of Illinois where these terrorists are supposed to be coming, but every American----

Mr. SCHOCK. Thank you. I'll wrap up. Ladies and gentlemen, it's real simple. In the most transparent and open government in United States history, shouldn't the American people know what we know?

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3250, designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1210 West Main Street in Riverhead, New York, as the ``Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn Post Office Building.'' Garfield M. Langhorn's selfless and heroic actions, for which he received the Congressional Medal of Honor, serve as an inspiration to all Americans. On January 15, 1969, U.S. Army Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn of New York was serving as a radio operator in the Pleiku province of North Vietnam. His platoon's assignment was to rescue two helicopter pilots who had been shot down and were behind enemy lines. Langhorn coordinated with aircraft that were providing cover to his platoon during the rescue mission. While soldiers in the platoon were bringing the bodies of two helicopter pilots they were rescuing to an extraction site, well disguised North Vietnamese soldiers suddenly surrounded the platoon. Langhorn radioed the support aircraft for assistance and helped provide cover for the other soldiers in the platoon. As night came, the fighting continued, but the air support could no longer accurately pinpoint the soldiers on the ground. The enemy soldiers continued to close in. An enemy soldier threw a hand grenade near Langhorn and wounded several of his colleagues and men. According to his Congressional Medal of Honor citation, ``choosing to protect these wounded, he unhesitatingly threw himself on the grenade, scooped it beneath his body and absorbed the blast. By sacrificing himself, he saved the lives of his comrades.'' Mr. Speaker, Garfield Langhorn was a true American hero. In his last dying words, he is reported to have said, ``You have to care.'' Private First Class Langhorn did care deeply about his fellow soldiers and he cared about his country. His story is an inspiration to all Americans. I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 3250 to honor Private First Class Langhorn's sacrifice for years to come. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3250. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend my appreciation to my friend from Massachusetts. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we rise today to honor a great woman, a great leader, and, really, an icon in our country and around the world for what the power of one person, working with hundreds and thousands of others, but really one person's vision, tenacity, and hard work can mean for her fellow mankind on Earth. We rise today to honor Nancy Goodman Brinker. She was born December 6, 1946, in Peoria, Illinois, and is most notably known for her work with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, the world's leading breast cancer grassroots organization, which has impacted millions of lives. This organization was established in memory of her sister, Susie Komen, who passed away from cancer in 1980. Ms. Brinker since then has also founded the Susan G. Komen for the Cure's signature program, the Race for the Cure, the largest series of 5-K run and fitness walks in the world. Since its origin in 1983 in Dallas, Texas, the Race for the Cure series has grown from one local race with 800 participants to a national series of 112 races that yielded just over 1.5 million participants last year. Ms. Brinker's contributions to society extend beyond her work with the Susan G. Komen centers. Ms. Brinker has served in the government as Chair of the President's Cancer Panel in the early 1990s. She then went as the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary from 2001 to 2003, and then as the Chief of Protocol for the United States from 2007 to 2009. Time magazine in 2008 named her as one of the 100 most influential people in the entire world. In July, 2009, President Obama named Nancy Goodman Brinker as a recipient of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, of course, is America's highest civilian honor that is awarded to individuals who make an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interest of the United States, world peace, cultural, or other significant public or private endeavors. She was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Wednesday, August 12, 2009. The inscription on her Presidential Medal of Freedom says this: Drawing strength from tragedy, Nancy Goodman Brinker has transformed the Nation's approach to breast cancer. When her sister was diagnosed in 1977, most breast cancer victims knew relatively little about the disease and suffered from popular stigmas. Nancy Brinker promised to challenge these norms. She founded Susan G. Komen for the Cure in honor of her sister. Today, the organization supports research and community awareness programs across the United States and around the world. Nancy Goodman Brinker's unique passion and determination have been a blessing to all those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer. In fact, it's these 1.5 million participants in the Race for the Cure and the thousands of people that this organization have touched that have led to the increased awareness of breast cancer. It's her work that has led to the infamous pastel pink being synonymous with breast cancer awareness and the work of the organization. But let us be clear. The work has done much more then just create awareness about breast cancer research. Nancy Goodman Brinker's work has saved lives. In fact, the work of the Susan G. Komen Centers has generated over its 27 years $1.5 billion in cancer research. As a result, we have discovered the first breast cancer susceptibility gene. The research dollars have led to the first use of magnetic resonance imaging scanners, or MRIs. They discovered the pathways that some cancer cells take in the body, leading to treatments to potentially stop the spread of cancers to other organs. And as a result of this continuous work, mortality from breast cancer is down. In the last decade, deaths from breast cancer fell by over 20 percent, and more than 2.5 million people in the United States are breast cancer survivors, the largest group of cancer survivors in America. Now, as we read through the life and the work of Nancy Goodman Brinker, one might think this sounds like an obituary. But, my friends, rest assured Nancy Goodman Brinker's contributions to society are far from over. While many might retire, given this long resume of accomplishments, she continues to take on the mantle and fight. Since her retirement from public service in our government, she has returned back as the CEO of the Susan G. Komen Centers and also was recently named the first ever World Health Organization's Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control. Finally, I'd like to read a quote by our President, Barack Obama, when he issued the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Ms. Brinker. He said, One of the last things Susie Komen did before she passed away was ask her sister Nancy to make her a promise. Nancy promised her she would prevent other families battling breast cancer from hurting the way theirs had. What began with $200 and a list of friends has become a global race for the cure, a campaign that has eased the pain and saved the lives of millions around the world. In the months after her sister's death, Nancy lay awake at night thinking about the promise she had made and wondering whether one person could really make a difference. Nancy's life is the answer. Mr. Speaker, that is the reason we rise today to honor Nancy Goodman Brinker for what she has done, for what she continues to do, and for the inspiration that she is to all Americans of what one person can do for their country and for the world. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHOCK. I yield 2 minutes to my distinguished colleague and good friend, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).

Mr. SCHOCK. I yield 2 minutes to my distinguished colleague and good friend, the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, with that, I urge all Members to support the passage of House Resolution 708, honoring one of the finest Americans, Nancy Goodman Brinker. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4095, which would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service, located at 9727 Antioch Road in Overland Park, Kansas, as the Congresswoman Jan Meyers Post Office Building. Congresswoman Meyers dedicated her career to serving the people of Kansas. After working on Larry Winn's successful campaign for a Kansas City- based House seat in 1966, Meyers began her own career in public service as a member of the Overland Park City Council from 1967 until 1972. In 1972, Meyers won a seat in the Kansas State Senate. She would serve in the State senate for 12 years, eventually becoming the Chair of the Public Health and Welfare Committee. In 1984, Congressman Larry Winn decided to retire. Meyers won the election for the district's open seat. She served her constituents for five terms, during which time she became the Chair of the Small Business Committee. She was the first woman in almost 20 years to chair a Permanent House committee. Small businesses were very important to her throughout her career. She once commented, ``There may be more dramatic issues, but none that are more important . . . because the small business sector employs at least 50 percent, maybe a little more, of the individuals in this country. Virtually all of the entry-level employees are with small business.'' A quote that is relevant to today. While some wanted to eliminate the Small Business Committee at the time, Congresswoman Meyers was committed to seeing the committee was active and served an important purpose. In 1995, Congresswoman Meyers decided that she would retire and not run for reelection in order to spend more time with her family. She considered bills that she introduced that lowered taxes and reduced regulation on small business owners as some of the greatest accomplishments in her career. Throughout her five terms of service, Congresswoman Meyers believed that it was very important to ``listen to your conscience and your constituents, both. Most of the time, they'll agree.'' Mr. Speaker, to honor Congresswoman Meyers' career of service and the work that she did both for her constituents in Kansas and for small business owners throughout America, I encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to my distinguished colleague from the great State of Kansas (Mr. Moran).

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I urge support and passage of H.R. 4095, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 158, which expresses support for the designation of an Early Detection Month for breast cancer and all forms of cancers. Each year in the United States, there are over 1.4 million new cases of cancer, and hundreds of thousands of Americans die from this dreaded disease. Most of us know a family member, a friend, or a colleague who has been diagnosed with cancer and who has died from a struggle with cancer. Inevitably, cancer will affect every one of us in some way. While early detection of cancer does not make every case treatable, early detection can dramatically increase the chance of survival. The American Cancer Society reports that the rate of death from breast cancer has been declining since 1990 largely because of the increased rate of early detection. The American Cancer Society has similar conclusions for the declining mortality rate among men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Early detection is essential to helping to treat cancer and save thousands of lives every year. Unfortunately, despite the benefits of early detection, many Americans do not get the yearly examinations from their doctors that could detect various forms of cancers. The American Cancer Society reports that only 51 percent of all women 40 years and older had a mammogram in the last year. Less than half of all men age 50 and older were screened for prostate cancer in the last year. Nearly half of all Americans who are in the age groups most vulnerable for these types of cancers are not getting the early detection tests that could save their lives. Mr. Speaker, we need to encourage more Americans to get early cancer detection tests such as mammograms and prostate screenings. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this resolution which will create an Early Detection Month and raise public awareness of early detection of cancer to encourage more Americans to get lifesaving, early detection tests. I appreciate the opportunity to speak in support of this, Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton).

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of House Concurrent Resolution 158, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Madam Chair, first, I wish to thank the thoughtful gentleman from Idaho for his work on this important amendment. Clearly, the fact that we are debating this amendment towards the end of this piece of legislation speaks to the support for it, and I truly hope that a majority of our colleagues join together in supporting this amendment. A couple of thoughts. Last week, the President hosted a job summit here. We go back home every weekend and the prevailing concern on the minds of our voters and our constituents is jobs. They're concerned about double-digit employment, they're upset with the greed and the lack of oversight that has been provided. And so, rightfully so, this body has tried to rein in some of that lack of regulation and tried to put forward a thoughtful program. I know that the chairman of this committee is doing what he believes is best. But the fact of the matter is we need to look to those who are hurting. We need to look to those who are the job creators in this economy and ask: How will this affect them in their effort to employ people? Well, the fact of the matter is this is going to hurt our economy. This is going to lead to fewer jobs. The goal of this CFPA is to lead to improvement in the marketplace for the American people. However, consolidating the power into one bureaucratic appointee, creating a $1 billion dollar agency, adding to our national debt, increasing taxes, restricting lending, and costing small businesses to shed millions of jobs hardly justifies itself. This agency would make it more difficult for lenders to offer services and products that are important to small businesses. At a time when the economy is still struggling to recover, the last thing Congress ought to consider is an additional layer of regulation that will discourage new job creation. The University of Chicago just this week released a study that they suggest the CFPA, as it stands, would increase consumer interest rates by more than 1.6 percentage points, consumer borrowing would be reduced by at least 2.1 percent, and net new job creation would fall 4 percent.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the First United Methodist Church of Peoria. For 17 years First United Methodist has partnered with Irving Primary School to present a variety of services to students from low income families. Bear Buddy Ministry volunteers provide reading and tutoring services to Irving 250 students in second, third, fourth and fifth grade. Bear Buddy Ministry volunteers visit Irving weekly and serve over half of the 353 students who attend Irving. First United Methodist sponsors a Fine Arts Ministry which partners Irving students with artists from Bradley University and the Peoria Art Guild so Irving students can have a chance to participate in artistic opportunities using visual arts, pottery, writing and photography resources. The Community Ministry also supports a children's choir which has grown to 52 members in recent years. First United Methodist transports the young vocalists to all of their concerts and civic engagements, including performances at Peoria City Council meetings. First United Methodist proudly backs a soccer program in Morton, Illinois for Irving students which lasts six to eight weeks. The soccer program gives students proper exercise and shows them the importance of teamwork. First United Methodist members have also built two Habitat for Humanity homes for families of Irving School students. These successes have led First United Methodist to explore future partnerships with Lincoln Middle School and the Peoria Alternative High School. The First United Methodist Church-Irving Primary School partnership is a model relationship which works together to provide a better future for the children of Peoria District 150. I congratulate First United Methodist Church of Peoria for 17 years of quality ministry to the students and families of Irving Primary School. I look forward to many more years of this great partnership which furthers the education of our students. Thank you and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the Republican adopted standards on earmarks, I submit the below detailed explanation of the Biotechnology Research and Development Corporation in Peoria, Illinois. Bill Number: H.R. 2997--FY 2010 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Provisions/Account: Agriculture Research Service--Salaries and Expenses. Name and Address of Requesting Entity: The entity to receive funding for this project is the Biotechnology Research and Development Corporation at 1815 North University Street, Peoria, Illinois 61604. Description of Request: This funding will be used to find new market opportunities for commodity agricultural products, improve efficiency of production, develop new methods of disease control for both plant and animal commodities, and facilitate communication between the government and academic scientists and American Industry.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the Republican adopted standards on earmarks, I submit the below detailed explanation of the Peoria Riverfront Development, Peoria, Illinois. Bill Number: H.R. 3183--Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Provisions/Account: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--Investigations Name and Address of Requesting Entity: The entity to receive funding for this project is the Rock Island District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers located at Clock Tower Building, P.O. Box 2004, Rock Island, IL 61204. Description of Request: The funding would be used to enhance aquatic habitat in the Peoria Lake.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the Republican adopted standards on earmarks, I submit the below detailed explanation to Replace a Combined Sewer in Peoria, Illinois. Bill Number: H.R. 2996--Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Provisions/Account: STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Project Name and Address of Requesting Entity: entity to receive funding for this project is the City of Peoria, located at 419 Fulton Street, Peoria, Illinois 61602. Description of Request: This project is intended to control combined sewer overflows along Spring Street. This is part of a larger community initiative which the City of Peoria has committed $127 million towards.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, this past Monday night I decided I could better serve the citizens of the 18th district of Illinois by hosting a town hall meeting to listen to their thoughts and concerns with the Speaker's health care proposal, rather than rush back to Washington to vote on a resolution honoring man's best friend. As I participated in a town hall in Washington, Illinois with more than 1,000 people in attendance, I heard a reoccurring theme of concern, outrage, disbelief, frustration and fear for what Speaker Pelosi's health care proposal could mean. The final question of the night came from a young man named Joshua. In a room surrounded by those three or four times his age, young Joshua had the courage to ask me the difficult question if I supported what President Obama wants to do with Healthcare. I told Joshua that I've spent my first 9 months in office trying to figure out exactly what the President was actually trying to do with health care. It is this precise confusion of goals, conflicting messages and lack of communication from the Majority which has all Americans still trying to figure out exactly what the President and the Speaker are trying to do. Unfortunately, we've finally learned what they want to do. Tonight, under the cover of darkness, the majority finally passed a health care plan that will raise taxes, raise health care costs, add to our national debt, and hurt America's seniors, families and small businesses. Over half those covered in the bill are done so by expanding entitlements instead of helping them afford insurance. This only exacerbates insurance premiums for ordinary Americans and dramatically increases our nation's debt. The bill tonight was about expanding the size of government and leading us down the road to a no-choice government-run healthcare system. Instead of working across party lines to pass bipartisan reform, Speaker Pelosi has decided to let the votes against this massive entitlement expansion be the only true thing bipartisan about it.

Mr. SCHOCK

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 1845, legislation that I introduced earlier this year to help modernize the Small Business Development Center programs, often referred to as SBDCs, with the resources they need to deal with increased demand and usage during this difficult time. First, I would like to thank Chairwoman Velazquez for her leadership and work on this important Small Business Committee and also Ranking Member Graves for working together with me to move this important piece of legislation through the committee and now here on the House floor. Nationwide, the over 1,000 SBDCs serve as important and informative resources for growing small businesses. SBDCs provide emerging entrepreneurs with the tools needed to successfully take their small business concepts into reality. Additionally, they provide existing small business owners with important financial and budgeting consulting to assist in long-term growth and management. The investments made into the SBDC network provide a cost-effective way to help grow the economy while also enhancing American competitiveness. Let us look at the facts. A new business is opened by an SBDC client every 41 minutes. A new job is created in the United States by an SBDC client every 7 minutes. And, in 2007, Small Business Development Center clients created over 70,000 new full-time jobs. With the recent unemployment figures over 10 percent nationwide, more and more small businesses are investing and visiting their local SBDCs seeking advice on how to best manage their companies. As such, I am pleased this House is considering H.R. 1845 today. This legislation will do a great deal to continue to help develop the resources and programs our small business owners depend on. Additionally, H.R. 1845 makes several operational changes to the SBDC program to eliminate waste, fraud, and duplicative programs within the SBDCs. Lastly, I am encouraged by the provisions in this legislation which will reward SBDCs which focus on access to credit and capital for small businesses. Everyone understands that the economic rebound for our country will be directly related to the growth and fortune of our Nation's small businesses. Their access to credit and capital is essential not only to keep them in business today but also for future expansion, growth, and investment within their business. This body voices its continued backing of the important support system on which our Nation's small businesses truly rely by passing H.R. 1845. I urge passage. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) for such time as he may consume. (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)