Jerry Weller

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, our Nation is addicted to oil, and it is a national security issue. The fact that two-thirds of the oil that we consume is imported puts us at risk. Today left-wing autocrats like Venezuela's Hugo Chavez have told us very clearly they plan to use oil as a political weapon against the United States. There is a reason we have $3 gasoline. It is time that we replace imported oil with domestic, homegrown biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Last year's energy bill was a good start, doubling the biofuels that we consume from 4 billion to 7.6 billion gallons by the year 2011. That is why today there are 26 organizations in Illinois planning to move forward to build ethanol plants, five in the district that I represent alone. But that only represents 2.5 percent of all the fuel that we consume; so we need to do more. I urge this House to move forward on an aggressive plan to replace imported oil with the homegrown biofuels. The Biofuels Act of 2006 accomplishes that goal. Let us pass it. Let us move it now.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is all about jobs. Two years ago, almost 3 years ago in 2003, this Congress worked with the President. We lowered taxes for Americans. We lowered taxes for small business. We knew it was time to encourage investment and creation of jobs. Frankly, it worked. Over 5 million new jobs were created. Unemployment today is at 4.7 percent, lower than the average of the 1970s, lower than the average of the 1980s, and lower than the average of the 1990s. This economy is growing. My friends on the other side of the aisle say now is a good time to raise taxes. We should cut off that policy that was helping families and small business. So the question is who benefits when we put the breaks on the alternative minimum tax and cut capital gains and cut dividends? Small business does, 25 million small businesses; 28 million families benefit on average by reduction of almost $990 under 2006 tax returns. And 8.5 million of those beneficiaries are seniors who are going to be able to keep $1,144 on average. Think about that. If the Democrats succeed in raising taxes, 28 million families will see an average increase on their taxes of $990 this year, thanks to the Democrats' efforts to increase taxes. This policy has worked in creating jobs. This policy has worked to help regular people keep more of what they earn. While Democrats want to raise taxes, let us help working families and let us help small businesses by continuing to keep their tax burden lower than what the Democrats want. I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Madam Speaker, the statistics say it all: two-thirds of the oil we consume today is imported. Sixty percent of our trade deficit, the increase, is as a result of oil imports, and today we are paying $3 or more per gallon of gasoline. The message is clear: we need independence from imported oil. Last year's energy bill was a good start. In the district I represent, we are seeing new jobs created and much investment in wind energy, ethanol production, and a doubling of biodiesel production at the local plant, but we need to do more. I urge this House to take up and advance comprehensive legislation to replace oil with renewable fuels. Would you support legislation that would replace 1.6 million barrels of oil a day? I would hope so. We have that opportunity with the Biofuels Act, H.R. 4973, legislation that would increase the amount of ethanol and biodiesel we produce from 4 billion gallons a year today to 25 billion gallons by the year 2025. This legislation will reduce our oil imports, create energy independence, and it is home-grown fuels.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, we owe our veterans a great debt of gratitude. Their sacrifices have protected the democratic ideals that are the foundation of our country, and their heroism continues to be an example for all Americans. That is why I rise today to express my strong support of H.R. 4882, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Visitor Center Deadline Enforcement Act. This bill would ensure the proper remembrance of Vietnam veterans and the Vietnam War by designating a site for a visitor center for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I voted ``no'' by accident on this important bill yesterday, but strongly support it and intended to vote ``yes.'' Further, I praise Chairman Pombo for his leadership on this issue, and congratulate him on the overwhelming support he received yesterday on passage of the Act. As this valuable bill has not passed the Senate yet, I encourage them to take it up as soon as possible and pass it without delay. For the record, I have been a long time supporter of our Nation's veterans and will continue to support them in their causes and needs. In fact, I have introduced legislation that would further honor them, H.R. 995, the Combat Military Medically Retired Veterans Act, which allows combat military medically retired veterans who received the Purple Heart to collect their prorated military retirement pay. Many of these veterans served in the Vietnam War, and gave their all for us and should not be penalized just because they are receiving compensation from the VA. While many disabled veterans go on to enjoy happy, productive lives, many are unable to due to the severity of their wounds. Under any doctrine of fairness it is our moral obligation to ``care for him who shall have borne the battle.'' This bill is a good step in correcting the inequity of retirement and disability benefit to our combat disabled veterans. Again, let me express my support for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Visitor Center Deadline Enforcement Act and my gratitude for Chairman Pombo's leadership for our Nation's veterans.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and honor a young student from my district who has achieved national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in her community. Haley Sack of Mendota has just been named one of the top honorees in Illinois by The 2006 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, an annual honor conferred on the most impressive student volunteers in each state and the District of Columbia. Ms. Sack is being recognized for conducting personal interviews and research to create museum-like displays and a dramatic play that portray important aspects of her city's history. In light of numerous statistics that indicate Americans today are less involved in their communities than they once were, it's vital that we encourage and support the kind of selfless contribution this young citizen has made. People of all ages need to think more about how we, as individual citizens, can work together at the local level to ensure the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers like Ms. Sack are inspiring examples to all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow. The program that brought this young role model to our attention--The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards--was created by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principles in 1995 to impress upon all youth volunteers that their contributions are critically important and highly valued, and to inspire other young people to follow their example. Over the past 11 years, the program has become the nation's largest youth recognition effort based solely on community service, and has more than 70,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level. Ms. Sack should be extremely proud to have been singled out from the thousands of dedicated volunteers who participated in this year's program. I heartily applaud Ms. Sack for her initiative in seeking to make her community a better place to live, and for the positive impact she has had on the lives of others. She has demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and deserves our sincere admiration and respect. Her actions show that young Americans can--and--do play important roles in our communities, and that America's community spirit continues to hold tremendous promise for the future.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Provena St. Joseph Medical Center as they receive the ``Salute To Accomplishment'' award from the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Provena St. Joseph Medical Center is located in Joliet, Illinois and serves my 11th District Congressional constituents. Provena St. Joseph Medical Center was founded in 1882 and is located in downtown Joliet. In 1964, the hospital moved to its present location at 333 North Madison Street on Joliet's west side. Today, the Medical Center has a medical staff of more than 400 physicians representing over 50 medical specialties and employs over 2,200 professional, technical and support personnel. Provena St. Joseph Medical Center has received numerous accreditations including the following departments: Ultrasound Department, Neurology Lab, Vascular Lab, Cancer Care Center, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, Pulmonary Rehabilitation, and the CT Scan Facility. Jeff Brickman, President and CEO of Provena St. Joseph Medical Center, has stated that, ``At Provena St. Joseph Medical Center we strive to provide the community with the highest quality of patient care every day.'' The many awards and accreditations received by Provena St. Joseph are a testimony to the truth of this statement. Provena St. Joseph Medical Center is affiliated with the Provena Family Health Centers located in Coal City, New Lenox and Plainfield. The Medical Center is a division of Provena Health which has a history of providing health care to everyone regardless of their ability to pay for services. The heart of their mission is to ``build communities of healing and hope.'' Provena St. Joseph Medical Center truly lives up to the standards of its founding fathers. Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to identify and recognize other facilities in their own districts whose actions have so greatly benefitted and strengthened America's families and communities.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Peotone Firemen who are celebrating 125 years of service to the Village of Peotone and the surrounding area. The Peotone Fire Protection District lies wholly within the 11th Congressional District in Illinois. In 1881, the Village of Peotone purchased its first fire truck and the first drill for the volunteer firemen was held on April 15, 1881 under the command of Captain John Fedde. In 1924 a Model T Fire Truck was purchased. The Rural Fire District was formed in 1940 and a tanker was purchased in 1953 that could carry 1,000 gallons of water. In 1975, the Fire District purchased an ambulance and had the first operational paramedics in will County. 1978 was a banner year for the Fire District. The voters passed a resolution to support an ambulance service, the Peotone Fire Protection District was established and the Peotone Fire Protection District accepted the Peotone Fire Department as the organization to protect the residents of the district from fire; promote fire protection and prevention; and to provide emergency medical services to district residents. A new fire station broke ground in March 1992 and was dedicated to the memory of Trustee Gerald Borchardt in 1993. Today, the Peotone Fire Protection District has approximately 50- volunteer and part-time dedicated personnel under the direction of Fire Chief John Young. The district maintains a modern and well-equipped station at 7550 West Joliet Road in Peotone and also operates two Advanced Life Support ambulances. Residents in the entire Peotone area can rest assured they are well protected by firemen from the Peotone Fire Protection District. Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to identify and recognize other individuals in their own districts whose actions have so greatly benefitted and strengthened America's families and communities.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the conference report for H.R. 1815, the Fiscal Year 2006 National Defense Authorization. This legislation is critically important to our troops and our efforts in the global war on terror. In addition, the conference report contains a provision that is extremely important to my constituents in Illinois's 11th Congressional district. The ``Weller Amendment'', which pertains to Chicago's South Suburban Airport, ensures that the airport is built with local control and through a transparent process. The South Suburban Airport will be one of Illinois' largest infrastructure projects to be undertaken since the construction of Chicago O'Hare International airport. With the construction of the South Suburban Airport, an estimated 236,000 jobs will be created and it is projected to generate $5.1 billion in economic growth. In addition to the boost it will give the local economy, the South Suburban Airport will further reduce the congestion that currently plagues Chicago O'Hare. The ``Weller amendment'' is necessary to protect the taxpayers of Will County who will have the ultimate responsibility for the infrastructure and development associated with the airport. Local responsibility, accountability and control is essential for the airport to be successful. For Will County, where the entire footprint of the airport is located, to have a majority control on how this airport should take shape and operate. It is just common sense. The first section of my provision will ensure that Will County residents will receive a majority of the seats on the governing board of the airport. Since my days in the Illinois General Assembly, I have been a strong supporter of the Third Airport and have always maintained that local control is vital to the airport governance. It is the residents of Will County who will have to live with both the benefits and the consequences the new growth will bring to the county. They must have a majority of seats on the governing board to represent Will county taxpayer interests. The second section of my provision applies to current law, requiring that all contractual dealings of the airport follow federal procurement laws. There must be transparency and open bidding in the contracting for this airport. There is no room for sweetheart deals or backdoor no bid contracts which is the practice of the Abraham Lincoln Airport Commission, which is composed of communities in Cook County who seek to control the Will County site. This point has also been reinforced by the recent opinion by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. In her opinion, issued last Friday evening, the process that the Abraham Lincoln Airport Commission used to pick two airport developers violated state procurement laws. I also realize that some of my constituents, especially near the airport site, do not support the construction of a suburban third airport. With this understood, should an airport be built, I think they would agree that those that have to live with the airport should control the operation of the airport. I would like to deeply thank Speaker Hastert and Chairman Hunter for their support of this amendment. I would also like to thank Will County Executive Larry Walsh, Will County Board Chairman Jim Moustis, Illinois State Senator Debbie Halvorson and all of the public officials in Will and Kankakee counties for their support.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.R. 2099. Among its provisions, H.R. 2099 reauthorizes the Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal National Heritage Corridor to receive appropriations and transfers management entity status from the federal, I&M Commission to the non-profit Canal Corridor Association. I would like to commend Chairman Pombo and the House Committee on Resources for their hard work on this important piece of legislation. The I&M Canal changed the nation in 1848 when it opened the first shipping route between New York and New Orleans, designating Chicago as the nation's greatest inland port. While the canal eventually fell into disuse due to new transportation methods and routes, in 1982, business and industry leaders founded the Canal Corridor Association to help revitalize the I&M Canal region, and in doing so, created a national model for regional partnership, conservation and renewal. I am proud to say that the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor was America's charter National Heritage area, being created by an act of Congress in 1984. For 20 years, the federal I&M Commission has worked to carry out the mission of the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor. Its efforts have been particularly successful during the past five years that Phyllis Ellin has provided strong leadership as the Executive Director of the Commission. Since 1984, the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor has increasingly become an engine of economic growth in communities up and down the length of the Corridor; primarily through an increase in tourism but also in the use of the Corridor for recreational purposes. After consulting with local officials and those most interested and involved in the I&M Canal, it seems that the private sector approach offers more advantages to handle the increased work load brought on by the recent success of the canal and interest in heritage tourism. As a result, H.R. 2099 designates the Canal Corridor Association (CCA) as the new management entity of the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor. The CCA seeks to enhance economic vitality by raising awareness of and expanding the parks, trails, landscapes, and historic sites that make the I&M Canal region a special place. They have also successfully implemented education programs and improved the cultural, environmental, historic and tourism resources that the canal offers. Under the leadership of the CCA, through their governance of the I&M Canal, will continue to successfully educate citizens of the nationally historical importance of the I&M Canal and to play a pivotal role in the continued economic redevelopment of the region. Once again, I would like to thank Chairman Pombo and the entire Resources committee for making sure this important legislation passes before we adjourn.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that achieves a comprehensive approach to the future of renewable fuels. As we move forward with national energy policy, I strongly believe we need to start taking steps in a direction that will provide consumers with another option other than just oil based fuels. With crude oil hovering around $60 a barrel, renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel have started to become economically competitive with oil based fuels. By advancing the use and knowledge of renewable fuels, we can lower demand for imported oil by growing America's energy independence. The BioFuels Act of 2005 will push forward an aggressive schedule for renewable fuels by mandating the renewable content of gasoline to be 25 billion gallons by 2025. Under the Energy bill, we are mandating that the renewable content of gasoline be at 4 billion gallons by 2006 which is 2 percent of total gasoline. Once implemented, the ``25 by 25'' initiative would raise that percentage up to 12.5%. In addition, this legislation will ensure that government agencies will expand their use of renewable fuels. In the mentality of ``practice what you preach'' it is time for our own federal government to increase their use of ethanol and biodeisel where these fuels are reasonably available. In attempting to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, it should start right here in our nation's capitol. I believe the most innovative part of this legislation is a new tax credit that will provide for consumers who purchase a new concept vehicle which combines hybrid and flexible fuel technologies. It is this marriage of these technologies that will create a vehicle that will be better steward to our environment and will further reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil. In providing this tax credit, we promote a greater sense of innovation for the future of automobiles. One problem we face in the advancement of renewable fuels is the sub par infrastructure we currently have in place. With ethanol and biodiesel plants mostly focused within the Midwest and with only around 1,000 fuel stations that carry E-85 transportation fuels, it is essential that we provide tax incentives for the construction and development of ethanol and biodiesel plants. The legislation also builds upon the relationship between renewable fuels and industry that started in the last Energy bill. The legislation achieves this by providing multiple tax incentives for the construction and development of an infrastructure that will be more able to expand past the Midwest. The BioFuels Act of 2005 will provide an aggressive 7-year depreciation schedule for all ethanol and biodiesel refining equipment. Also included within this section is a provision that will expand and extend the installation of alternative fuel refueling property that we in Congress passed earlier this year. The provision will allow taxpayers to claim a more effective percentage tax credit for the cost of installing clean-fuel vehicle refueling property to be used in a trade or business of the taxpayer or installed at the principal residence of the taxpayer. This ramped up percentage schedule would help accelerate the construction of the E-85 infrastructure. Finally, this legislation makes the government put its money where its mouth is in advancing renewable fuels research and use. We can mandate the use of renewable fuels year after year but if we do not encourage research that will make renewable fuels more cost effective, the advancements in renewable fuels will only be small steps in innovation. The BioFuels Act reauthorizes the BioEnergy program that was handled in the 2002 Farm Bill at a level of $140 million for the next 9 years. This program has been a driving force in the advancement of renewable fuels and under this legislation will focus heavily on cellulosic ethanol and hydrogen technologies. It is now more important than ever that we move towards an energy policy that is less dependent on foreign oil. One of the attributing factors for the high costs of oil is the ever so present terrorist threats to the critical oil infrastructure in the Middle East and the other oil producing regions of the world. The volatility of the oil markets has been made fragile by international conflicts and disingenuous organizations. What happened in the 1970s with OPEC is a reminder of what can happen when nations are greatly dependent upon other nations for a single resource. By encouraging renewable fuels, we will have the ability to grow our own energy security and further ensure that we are not greatly affected by the volatility of world demand. In closing, I believe the BioFuels Act of 2005 sets forth the comprehensive approach we need in order to blend the use and knowledge of renewable fuels into our society. The latest Energy Information Administration energy outlook report, comments that we can expect these oil prices around $60 to be present from now until the year 2030. Also contained within this report showed that total petroleum consumption is projected to grow from 20.8 million barrels per day in 2004 to 26.1 million barrels per day in 2025. We need to make a serious investment in finding another option to oil. Oil will be used today, tomorrow and for probably the next 100 years but if we do not look towards other options, consumption and demand will only further increase. Now is the time to advance our knowledge, our use and our partnership with industry of renewable fuels. This legislation is good for farmers, the automobile industry, consumers, the environment and most importantly, the goal of reducing our dependence on foreign oil. I believe the BioFuels Act of 2005, the legislation I introduce today, achieves the goals in renewable fuels we need to achieve. I ask my colleagues to join me in moving forward with this innovative approach.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana for bringing this resolution to the floor. I am a strong supporter of this resolution. Democracy in Nicaragua has been and continues to be under threat from something known as ``the pact.'' The pact is an agreement based on corruption and desire for power between two men: former President Aleman and former dictator Ortega, known locally as the party caudillos, strongmen, party bosses; and they are both corrupt. Let us be clear: the pact today controls the Supreme Court of Nicaragua, the pact controls the Supreme Electoral Council, the pact controls the National Controllers Board, and the public prosecutor's office. These two corrupt caudillos have divided up power so they control it for themselves. The Pact is alive and well. A side agreement to weaken President Bolanos failed largely because of civil society, but control of the country's institutions, those I named, still continue. So democracy continues to be threatened in Nicaragua. What is the goal of the Pact? To manipulate the 2006 elections for their benefit, for the benefit of former dictator Ortega and former President Aleman, to feed their corruption. The Pact wants to stay in power, including through controlling the supreme electoral council. Now, what type of people make up the supreme electoral council? I would note that two out of seven of the members have had their visas permanently revoked by the United States. And according to a survey published September 19 of this year by La Prensa, the leading newspaper, three-fourths, 74 percent of Nicaraguans believe that the supreme electoral council is capable of fraud. Evidence points to possible fraud by the supreme electoral council in the most recent election, the 2004 municipal election. Now the supreme court, controlled by Roberto Rivas, is extremely corrupt and influenced by the Ortega side of the Pact. Fully three members of the supreme court of Nicaragua have had their U.S. visas permanently revoked. And the court recently suffered the embezzlement of over $600,000 in confiscated narco-trafficking funds allegedly by Sandinista officials of the court. Democracy is indeed in danger in Nicaragua, but I am pleased to see that efforts of civil society, groups like the Movimento de Democracia and other groups, particularly the government of Nicaragua under President Bolanos to create free and fair and transparent elections continues to push for true democracy. The United States must actively support democracy. The United States must actively support the rule of law and human rights in Nicaragua and to work with international organizations, especially the Organization of American States, to ensure the conditions exist for democracy and to ensure the integrity of the election process. I am particularly pleased that the International Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute are both involved, and I hope the Organization of American States becomes fully engaged now, sooner rather than later, in ensuring a transparent and fair election process. Mr. Chairman, I commend you for bringing this important resolution to the floor before us today. Democracy has had a good start in Nicaragua. It is under threat because of the Ortega-Aleman Pact. We must do everything we can to support true democracy and ensure free, fair and transparent elections, and that is why I strongly support this resolution and urge bipartisan support.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H.R. 4388--Tax Revision Act of 2005. This bill has many important components that assist the America in being competitive in a global economy, but I specifically want to talk about the provisions in this legislation that concern the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and all the hard work that one of our colleagues, Luis Fortuno has done on this bill H.R. 4388 extends the benefits of the manufacturing deduction enacted with the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 to manufacturing operations conducted in Puerto Rico. This is an issue of the utmost importance to the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico, and being such, was a top legislative priority for Mr. Fortuno. Under current law, U.S. corporations that operate in Puerto Rico are subject to full U.S. tax on the income from those operations in the same manner as income from operations in the mainland. Thus, a U.S. corporation's income from manufacturing activities in Puerto Rico is subject to immediate tax in the United States, as well as being subject to tax in Puerto Rico. This difference in tax treatment under current law means that the tax burden of operating in Puerto Rico is significantly higher than in the United States. This means, Mr. Speaker, that you pay a higher tax of 35 percent on income on a product manufactured in Puerto Rico versus a lower tax of 32 percent on that same product manufactured in the States. The higher tax burden creates a clear disincentive for U.S. companies to manufacture in Puerto Rico. It distorts manufacturing location choices, putting Puerto Rico at a disadvantage relative to the mainland in terms of attracting and retaining investment. This bill eliminates the disadvantage for manufacturing in Puerto Rico created under current law. It provides U.S. companies with comparable tax treatment for their manufacturing activities in Puerto Rico and their manufacturing activities conducted in the States. Last year, we enacted the American Jobs Creation Act to enhance the ability of U.S. companies to compete in the global marketplace. At the time, we stated that ``a reduced tax burden on domestic manufacturers will improve the cash flow of domestic manufacturers and make investments in domestic manufacturing facilities more attractive. Such investment will assist in the creation and preservation of U.S. manufacturing jobs.'' I agree with this wholeheartedly. Extending equal treatment to manufacturing conducted in Puerto Rico will further enhance the ability of U.S. companies to compete in the global marketplace. It will assist in the creation and preservation of the local manufacturing jobs that are so vitally important to the Puerto Rican economy. This bill does not provide special benefit to Puerto Rico or to companies operating in Puerto Rico. It simply levels the playing field by treating manufacturing in Puerto Rico the same as manufacturing in the mainland, leaving companies free to choose where to locate based on business considerations. Mr. Speaker, once again, let me thank Mr. Fortuno for his hard work on this issue. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and for his leadership on this issue as well as many others. It is good to be in the House doing something that is pretty basic. I support this legislation. I would note that if you vote ``no,'' you are actually voting to increase taxes because this is legislation simply extending current law that expires in the coming year. I also want to point out a provision that is very, very important in districts like mine, in areas like the Chicago suburban area, because it is legislation that addresses the need to revitalize old urban areas, to recycle, and to use old abandoned industrial sites. That is the brownfields provision. I have worked over a number of years with Chairman Thomas and others, and we have worked in a bipartisan way, to find ways to encourage reinvestment in old abandoned industrial sites. You will find, in many cases, that these old industrial sites have environmental contamination, and because of that investors would much rather go out and buy a cornfield, a greenfield site, and create an industrial park, which consumes five to six times as much land, creates urban sprawl, and also costs the taxpayers more because you have to replace the water and the sewer and the infrastructure and the roads. Well, in the coming year, the environmental cleanup provision for brownfields, that tax incentive, expires. So we extend that. But we also do something more, which I think is very, very important. And, really, the recent occurrence of Katrina highlights it, because we have often heard about the petroleum contamination in the New Orleans area and the need for cleanup. Well, if you think of your own communities and the south suburbs of Chicago and rural areas that I represent, we can always think of that gas station on a corner that has been closed for 20 years and which sat abandoned, with no one buying it. And if you ask the local real estate people or the local economic development people why, they say, well, they had some petroleum contamination there. If somebody buys it, they have to pick up the cost. It does not qualify for the LUST program. So the investor who purchases that old abandoned gas station has to pick up the cost. With this legislation, we expand the brownfields tax incentive to include petroleum. So whether it is oil factories, gas stations, transportation hubs, or rail yards, we give that opportunity to recycle, renew, and revitalize.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution honoring a sports team that will go down in history as one of the best there ever was: the 2005 Chicago White Sox. For a city so rich as Chicago in sports tradition--and sports misery, for that matter--our first World Series championship since 1917 has generated fond new memories for a whole new generation of Chicagoans. Perhaps most remarkable about the team that has restored baseball pride to Illinois is its recipe for success: teamwork, teamwork, and more teamwork. Ozzie Guillen, the man who led this team of non- superstars, is in immigrant from Venezuela whose coaching future was measured by some experts in terms of months. Players such Scott Podsednik, A.J. Pierzinski, and Bobby Jenks, who provided some of the series' most thrilling and memorable moments, were mostly cast-offs from other teams. This Chamber, and indeed this country, can learn a lot from the team-first principles which the Chicago White Sox proved are the ultimate winning formula. Mr. Speaker, I'm particularly proud of the manner with which the Chicago area celebrated our team's victory. The moment Paul Konerko caught the final out of Game Four, millions of Chicagoans and thousands of my own constituents poured out into the streets of most every neighborhood, and managed to conduct themselves in a wildly enthusiastic, yet safe and dignified manner. The victory celebration downtown attracted 1.7 million people and had to be held on a Friday because nobody wanted to wait until the weekend. Mr. Speaker, the world-class city that is Chicago now has another world championship calling card. I salute the 2005 White Sox and their fans, and I urge passage of this measure honoring this utterly deserving team.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues and this Nation in honoring the passing of American civil rights hero Rosa Parks. Looking back from our modern vantage point, it is difficult to imagine that an individual could exhibit so much courage and inspire thousands to rise up in protest merely through an act so simple as refusing to give up her seat on a bus. In many ways this entire country is fortunate that a white man looking for a place to sit on that bus on that particular day set his sights on Mrs. Parks and not someone else. A middle-aged African American woman, clearly tired after a long day's work, how could anyone have known that she would have the strength of spirit to look up that fateful day in 1965 and essentially say enough is enough? For if the exhausted and fed-up seamstress had not been among the African Americans asked to move, if someone else had asked and complied, there may not have been that seminal event which would crystallize an entire movement. One might say that Mrs. Parks' simple act of bravery preceded and, in fact, set in motion the many acts of courage of another civil rights hero, Dr. Martin Luther King. When a conference of black Baptist ministers met to discuss how to react to Mrs. Parks' arrest, they elected a young Dr. King as their president. When they decided that the strong and sympathetic figure of Mrs. Parks had given them the impetus they needed to act, the modern civil rights movement was born. Thus came the very successful 380-day boycott of Montgomery buses and the famous lunch counter sit-ins. And ultimately, thus came the Supreme Court's decision which struck down the remaining segregation laws once and for all. It took Rosa Parks to help accomplish the goals of Abraham Lincoln to bring equality for all Americans. Mr. Speaker, it is just and right that schoolchildren in America have long been taught the name of Rosa Parks as that of one of America's foremost heroes. Even now that she has passed on, I have little doubt that she will continue to be properly recognized for all of her contributions to our Nation.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to strongly condemn the evil words of the President Mahmoud Ahmandinejad and to support H. Res. 523 condemning this threat. Iran has taken an unprecedented action in threatening to wipe off the map another sovereign country, Israel. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and is our staunch ally and friend. Threats against Israel and her people are based in anti-Semitism and must be utterly and completely condemned by all countries in the world who want peace to reign over evil and terror. A responsible member of the international community cannot make these unprovoked and destructive threats against another member of the international community. At a time when Iran is flagrantly violating international bodies in their calls for transparency and restraint in Iran's nuclear ambitions, these comments are all the more concerning to the international community. Further, Iran remains the world's leading state-sponsor of terror and has praised and supported militant groups such as Islamic Jihad who commit suicide bombing atrocities against Israel. Mr. Speaker, Iran is not just a threat to Israel, but to the entire peaceful world community. The United States must continue to lead in efforts not only to keep a check on the danger presented by Iran to the world, but also to help achieve a lasting peace in the Middle East. I join my colleagues from both parties today in strongly condemning Iran's threats against Israel and urge passage of this important resolution.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Fire Chief Kerry Sheridan of the Troy Fire Protection District in Shorewood, Illinois. On Saturday, Sheridan will celebrate 45 years of service as the Fire Chief with the local volunteer fire protection district: Since first being elected in 1960 to the Fire Chief position, Sheridan has seen major changes from not only the size and scope of the fire protection district, but also advances in technology and equipment. In 1960, his equipment consisted of a used 1929 REO Speedwagon and a dispatch that was a phone call to the Chief to sound the siren. Now, the department consists of multiple engines, an enhanced 911 dispatch center and the protection district has grown to over 18,000 residents compared to the 800 residents in 1960. Within Sheridan's impressive 45 years of services, the Chief has provided a classroom in the Joliet Junior College to teach fire services, started one of the first cadet programs in Illinois and organized an Ambulance service that recruits and trains new EMT's every year. Chief Sheridan is still actively serving on the Joliet Junior College Fire Science Advisory Board which he has served on since 1974 and is very involved with the local government. The most impressive part of his service as a volunteer for the fire department is that he achieved all of these great accomplishments while being a full time employee with Illinois Bell Telephone and now AT&T. With 45 years of dedication to his township and the safety of its residents, Kerry Sheridan provides an example to all of what they can do to better their community. When we hear young children having aspirations of becoming firemen when they grow up, we should all point to the example Kerry Sheridan has set.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sheldon Latz who was named the 2004 Urban County Engineer of the Year award from the National Association of County Engineers during its annual conference. Sheldon was recently named Urban Engineer of the Year by the Illinois Association of County Engineers. That nomination put him in the running for the national award. Sheldon has been employed by Will County since June 11, 1961 and has been the County Engineer since 1996. When Sheldon first started working for the County, Interstate 55 was new and Interstate 80 did not even exist. A lot of the local roads were graveled and less than two lanes wide. Today, those same roads are paved and are four or five lanes wide. Will County has gone from a quiet rural area to one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. According to Sheldon, he is most proud of the CenterPoint development in Elwood which is located on the former Joliet Arsenal property. Bringing roads into the development has been a highlight of his career. Sheldon's dream as a child was to be an engineer. He has a passion for road work that has never left his system. His love for the profession has prompted Sheldon to become a Joliet Junior College Adjunct Professor in 1974 where he has taught several courses in architecture, engineering and construction. Sheldon served in the United States Army as an Army medic and a Preventive Medicine Specialist teaching sewage and water treatment process and prevention of water borne diseases. Not content to stay on the sidelines, Sheldon also serves on several local boards which includes Howell Shooting Club and the Howell Youth Shooting Camp. The camp gives girls and boys an opportunity to come together under a formal program to experience and grow in their appreciation of shooting sports. Sheldon and his wife Janice have four children and seven grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to identify and recognize other individuals in their own districts whose actions have so greatly benefitted and strengthened America's families and communities.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Record votes I would have cast had I been present on the legislative days of September 21, September 22 and September 28 of 2005 for Roll Call votes 478 through 493. On Wednesday, September 21, I underwent surgery for a detached retina and this was the reason for my absence. If I were present I would have voted ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 478, ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 479, ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 480, ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 481, ``No'' on Roll Call vote 482, ``No'' on Roll Call vote 483, ``No'' on Roll Call vote 484, ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 485, ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 486, ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 487, ``No'' on Roll Call vote 488, ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 489, ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 490, ``No'' on Roll Call vote 491, ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 492, ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 493. ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 494, ``No'' on Roll Call vote 495, and ``Aye'' on Roll Call vote 496.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the goals and ideals of National Health Center Week. I also wish to recognize the Will County Community Health Center which is one of Illinois' largest and most comprehensive public health agencies. The Will County Community Health Center has served Will County in my 11th Congressional District since 1942 and became a Federally Qualified Health Center in 1997. They annually care for more than 48,000 medically underserved county residents. On July 25, 2005, House Resolution 289, of which I am co-sponsor, passed the U.S. House of Representatives. House Resolution 289 reads as follows: Whereas community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers are nonprofit, community owned and operated health providers and are vital to the Nation's communities; Whereas there are more than 1,000 such health centers servicing more than 15,000,000 people in over 3,600 communities; Whereas such health centers have provided cost-effective, high quality health care to the Nation's poor and medically underserved (including the working poor, the uninsured, and many high-risk and vulnerable populations), acting as a vital safety net in the Nation's health delivery system; Whereas these health centers provide care to 1 of every 7 uninsured individuals, 1 of every 9 Medicaid beneficiaries, 1 of every 7 people of color, and 1 of every 9 rural Americans, all of whom would otherwise lack access to health care; Whereas these health centers are engaged with other innovative programs in primary and preventive care to reach out to over 621,000 homeless persons and more than 709,000 farm workers; Whereas these health centers make health care responsive and cost- effective by integrating the delivery of primary care mammograms, and glaucoma screenings; Whereas in communities served by these health centers, infant mortality rates have been reduced over the past 4 years even as infant mortality rates across the country have risen; Whereas these health centers are built by community initiative, and run by the patients they serve; Whereas Federal grants provide seed money empowering communities to find partners and resources to recruit doctors and needed health professionals; Whereas Federal grants on average contribute 25 % of such a health center's budget, with the remainder provided by State and local governments, Medicare, Medicaid, private contributions, private insurance, and patient fees; Whereas there are more than 100 health centers that receive no Federal grant funding, yet continue to serve their communities regardless of their patients' ability to pay; Whereas health centers tailor their services to fit the special needs and priorities of their communities, working together with schools, businesses, churches, community organizations, foundations, and State and local governments; Whereas health centers contribute to the health and well-being of their communities by keeping children healthy and in school and helping adults remain productive and on the job; Whereas health centers encourage citizen participation and provide jobs for nearly 100,000 community residents; and Whereas National Health Center Week raises awareness of the health services provided by health centers: Now, therefore be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Health Center Week; and (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies and activities. Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to identify and recognize Health Departments in their own districts whose actions have so greatly benefitted and strengthened America's families and communities.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I rise in support of the rule as well as in support of the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement. Let me ask a very simple question. Next door to you is a neighbor, and you are charged by your neighbor to enter his back yard. But then when he comes over to visit your back yard, he can come in free. That is really what this trade agreement is all about. Right now, 80 percent of all manufactured goods made in the Dominican Republic-Central America come in duty free into Illinois, into my State in the United States, and 99 percent of all farm products from the DR and Central America come into Illinois and the United States duty free. Now, is there reciprocity under the current status quo? No. Illinois corn faces a 20 percent tariff, Illinois soybeans a 30 percent tariff, Illinois pork a 40 percent tariff. Under DR-CAFTA, those tariffs are either eliminated immediately or phased out very quickly. We make yellow bulldozers. Caterpillar is the biggest manufacturer in the State of Illinois and the biggest employer in my district. Those yellow bulldozers made in Joliet face a 14 to 20 percent tariff under the status quo. Under DR-CAFTA it is eliminated immediately. Vote ``yes'' for DR-CAFTA. It is good for Illinois workers and good for Illinois farmers.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I stand here in strong support of the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, a trade agreement that is a win-win for Illinois farmers, Illinois manufacturers, and Illinois workers that currently trades one way with Central America and the Caribbean. In Illinois 40 percent of our farm production is exported, where right now under the Caribbean Basin Initiative 99 percent of the Caribbean and Central American farm products enter the United States duty-free, where Illinois corn faces a 20 percent tariff, Illinois soybeans face a 30 percent tariff, Illinois pork faces a 40 percent tariff. And, frankly, with DR-CAFTA we essentially wipe out those tariffs on Illinois products. When it comes to manufacturing there are 151,000 jobs in my State dependent on exports; and under the current status quo 80 percent of manufactured goods, textiles for example, from the Caribbean and Central America enter Illinois and the United States duty-free while manufacturing goods from my district, apparel, textiles, bulldozers face tariffs of 14 percent up to 20 percent. Again, under DR-CAFTA those tariffs are eliminated immediately. The status quo is not good for farmers. The status quo is not good for manufacturers because under the current status quo our products going to Central America, exported to Central America, suffer tariffs. Theirs come in duty-free. Let us make this trade a two-way street. Vote yes for CAFTA. Help manufacturers, help farmers eliminate those duties on our products.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 380, 381, and 382, I was delayed due to flight problems. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on all three.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my strong support for H.R. 2864, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2005. This historic legislation will provide funding for valuable projects across our Nation and the 11th Congressional District of Illinois. I want to thank and commend the Committee for including three projects specific to the 11th Congressional District of Illinois within H.R. 2864. Legislative language was included in the bill which will ensure the Army Corps continued commitment to the Village of Utica, the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and Ballard's Island in the Illinois River. The Village of Utica, IL has experienced periodic flood damage ranging from annual nuisance flooding to widespread flooding causing major damage. A majority of the commercial development in the village and multiple downtown municipal buildings are located in the 100-year floodplain. The impacts of recurring flood damage, along with the continuous risk of future damage, restrict the economic potential of the area. Additionally, since much of the downtown was destroyed in a massive tornado during April of 2004, rebuilding efforts have been hampered by having to adhere to floodplain guidelines. Changing the delineation of the 100-year floodplain is a complex process, and there is no easy way to immediately remove the downtown area from the plain as the post-tornado rebuilding proceeds. However, long-range flood protection options do exist including the construction of a flood control basin on Clark Run Creek upstream from downtown Utica, or the construction of a high flow bypass that would channel water typically flowing overland into downtown Utica into the Illinois and Michigan Canal instead. I am pleased that the Army Corps will be taking a closer look at these options. The City of LaSalle, IL has taken an aggressive approach to promoting itself as a historical tourism destination as a way to compensate for the loss of manufacturing. The highpoint of this project is the Port of LaSalle and the I & M Canal. The I & M Canal was integral to the success of Chicago as a transportation hub back in the 19th century as it connected the City to the Illinois River. While it fell into disuse and disrepair, the Canal Corridor Association and the City of LaSalle have remade a stretch at the Lock 14 site in LaSalle. A replica canal boat is planned to be constructed and act a tourist attraction and also a unique venue that can be rented for private functions to bring further revenue to the community. However, further contaminate testing (including cadmium and zinc) needs to be completed so that dredging may take place in order to create a long and deep enough channel for the canal boat to be successfully operated. I thank the committee for their continued support of this important project, and in making the Port of LaSalle initiative an Army Corps priority. Finally, I am pleased to thank the Committee for their support for studying the opening up of the Ballard's Island Channel in the Illinois River. The Army Corps completed its last dredging and stone removal at the Ballard's Island site in October 2003 with the intent to study the effects and ramifications. A significant time having passed, it is time for the Corps to continue with opening up this channel which the Corps closed almost 60 years ago. Cutting through the very large riparian bar which has built up over 60 years and which now blocks the original channel may be a means to this goal and I congratulate the Committee for their willingness to look further at this possibility. Passage of this all-important bill is not only important to the 11th Congressional District, but it is also imperative to the competitiveness and survival of Illinois and Midwestern agriculture within the global market. WRDA 2005 funds the Upper Mississippi and Illinois River Locks and Dams Restoration Project. This project will replace seven key 600-foot navigation locks with seven new 1,200-foot locks. Improvements to the inland water transportation system are long past due. Many structures were built over 60 years ago, when barge tows were less than 600 feet long. Today's barge tows are nearly 1,200 feet long, creating vast backlogs at many locks, and slowing the speed with which Illinois products can be shipped abroad. In order for U.S. agriculture to compete globally, we must have an updated water transportation system. Argentina, for example, has invested over $650 million in agricultural transportation. Brazil is reconstructing its waterway system in an effort to reduce the shipping costs of agricultural commodities by 75 percent. Due in large part to transportation advancements, these two countries have captured 50 percent of the total growth in world soybean sales during the past 3 years. The price farmers receive at their local market is often largely based on the price of transportation from the Mississippi River to the export markets. The lower the cost of transportation, the lower the cost of U.S. products on the world market; thus, the more demand for U.S. products in the global marketplace. Passage of H.R. 2864 with the inclusion of the Upper Mississippi and Illinois River Locks and Dams Restoration Project is also a jobs creation mechanism. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, construction of the 7 locks will provide at least 3,000-6,000 jobs per year for the construction period, estimated 12-20 years. I thank the Committee for their hard work on this important bill and strongly urge the Congress to join me in voting in support of WRDA 2005's final passage.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 2113, legislation in tribute to John Whiteside which names the Joliet post office in his honor. John Whiteside was a citizen and a local hero from the congressional district that I have the opportunity to represent, a man who touched so many lives through his daily commentary with the Herald News in Joliet, Illinois. John F. Whiteside inspired countless readers through his 34 years of service with the newspaper. Let me begin by thanking Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis; my friend Mr. Dent of Pennsylvania; my very, very good friend Mr. Davis of Illinois for joining me here on the floor today; and the support of the Government Reform Committee for this legislation, because today the House will be voting on legislation that I along with the entire delegation of Illinois, all 19 Republicans and Democrats, have cosponsored, legislation naming the Joliet post office the John F. Whiteside Joliet Post Office Building. I would note that this post office building is on McDonough Avenue just a few short blocks from the Joliet Herald News offices where he put in so many hours and so many days over the years. I ask my colleagues to support this legislation today. John Whiteside started his career with the Joliet Herald News in 1971 as a beat reporter and became a true storyteller in 1981 when he started his own personal daily column. Many of his columns focused on the good nature of people, and he especially loved writing about police officers and veterans because he looked to police officers and veterans as his heroes. Readers appreciated his dedication and his advocacy for veterans. John himself was a United States Air Force veteran and wrote thousands of stories about the concerns of local veterans. One of the biggest veterans accomplishments for John, something he was so proud of and something he invested so much time and personal effort in, was helping organize the honor guard units for military funerals at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery located outside of Joliet at the former Joliet arsenal. Mr. Whiteside's legacy included helping to raise funds that equipped squad cars in Will County with video cameras to help nail drunk drivers. He is also noted for reviving police interest in the unsolved disappearance of Joliet newspaper editor Molly Zelko in 1957. Mr. Whiteside was a recipient of many awards during his 34-year career with the Herald News in Joliet, Illinois, and some of these awards and recognitions included the Will County Sheriff's Department 2004 lifetime achievement award; Joliet area historical museum war heroes gallery named in John Whiteside's honor; and an Illinois State house resolution in 2004 honoring his long service to the Herald News and the Joliet community, just to name a few. As a columnist, John knew how to connect with every reader through the emotions he brought to his stories. He brought even more emotion to them when he found out he had melanoma cancer in the fall of 2003. Through his trials and tribulations, he chose to share his cancer story with his readers and gave many other cancer victims empathy and hope in their own troubled times. On January 22, 2005, John Whiteside lost his battle with cancer, leaving behind his wife, Mary Jane, and his daughter, Shelley. He so enjoyed spending time with his family and will be remembered for the time he spent creating birdhouses out of wood in the basement of his home. In Mr. Whiteside's very last column, he gave some very valuable advice. He said, ``Live every second of every minute of every hour of every day you are given on this good Earth. Look for the positive. Search for the smile. Seek out the good. It is all around you if you just take the time to recognize it.'' Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few minutes to share John Whiteside's last column with my colleagues. This column, of course, was published after John passed away on the front page of Joliet Herald News. It is entitled, ``Lifelong Dream Ends in Final Column,'' published in the Herald News on January 23, 2005. ``If you're reading this, I have already looked upon the face of God. And I pray that he has nodded his head in a positive way. ``I had a good life. A good wife and daughter. Good friends and good times. A good job. ``But, sure, I have some regrets. I did some wrongs at times, which I hope I have been forgiven for doing. The last months of my life were full of blessings. So many of you prayed for me and wrote of your concern for my health. I had hoped for a miracle, but it wasn't meant to be. I guess I completed my purpose in being in this world. ``In heaven, well, I don't expect pearly gates and streets of gold. But I know I'll find a place full of goodness, compassion, and mercy. There will be no evil. No meanness. No brutal crime and war. No disease and illness. No jealousy and no hatred. No greed. And no politics. ``If I am allowed to enter this place, I believe that I will be united with my lost loved ones, including my dad, Uncle John, Aunt Mary, Grandma and a whole bunch of great uncles and aunts who loved me as a child. I'll see my buddies like Happy Chopp, Dan Stobbe and Ralph Wick. ``As I visualize my role in heaven, maybe God needs a birdhouse builder to construct shelters for his birds which sing lovely songs. I really have enjoyed creating birdhouses. Some of my happiest hours were in my basement workshop cutting and hammering on them. ``But the real love of my life, outside of my wife and daughter, has been this column. From the time I was old enough to dream, I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to be a storyteller. And I even thought that God told me as a child that I would be a writer. ``The column gave me an outlet to hook words together and tell you a story on a daily basis. I wrote thousands and remembered most of them. But I couldn't remember the names. I thought that the Lord directed me at times to tell certain tales, which just seemed to fall into my lap. Someone told someone to call John Whiteside because they recognized that as my kind of story. ``Two of my very best friends have been storytellers, too, Marx Gibson and Lonny Cain. Both were mentors as well as buddies. ``In my last days, cancer changed me. I believe it made me a better man. It brought me closer to my wife and daughter. It made me more compassionate to mankind. It brought me honors from friends, colleagues and people. ``I have no major regrets. I called them, for the most part, like I saw them. But I wasted time when I should have been living every moment to the fullest. ``If I have any advice to pass on to the rest of you, it's all about living. Living every second of every minute of every hour of every day you are given on this good Earth. And don't get caught up in any form of hatred. Hatred, anger, and the negative only feeds upon you and will destroy you. Look for the positive. Search for the smile. Seek out the good. It is all around you if you just take the time to recognize it. And laugh a lot, because laughter is healthy. ``As my storytelling days have ended, now perhaps I have the final chapter of what happened to Molly Zelko. Maybe God will allow me to interview her if she made it upstairs, too. ``But, no, Molly isn't what I consider my best accomplishments. They include helping with the honor guard system at the national cemetery, the Taylor Pirc video camera project, writing veterans' memories and building the police memorial in front of the courthouse. ``But most of all, I like my people stories. Stories about ordinary folks caught up in some form of human drama. My favorite saying was, everyone has a story to tell if you just listen. I believed that all of my journalism life. ``But now it's over. Good-bye, my friends. Thanks for reading my stuff. God bless you all. ``At this time, my only regret is that I can't write a column and share with you what is happening to me right now. ``P.S. I don't have a phone number to accept calls anymore. But maybe I can hear a few prayers coming my way.'' That final column published in the Joliet Herald News on January 23 of this year says so much about John Whiteside, and he wrote it in his own words. Ladies and gentlemen of this House, I ask again that you join me in honoring and remembering this extraordinary man who touched so many lives in so many ways and I ask for an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 2113.