Jerry Weller

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to inquire how much time remains on each side.

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I think the gentleman from California (Chairman Thomas) laid this out very accurately. Tonight is all about politics. I remember when I was elected in the class of 1994 I campaigned on creating the child tax credit which was a centerpiece of what was called the Contract with America at the time. And I remember many of those that are now somehow laying claim to the child tax credit were the same ones in 1995 who criticized the child tax credit somehow as a tax break for the rich. So it is the same well-worn-out, tired, partisan rhetoric that we hear from the other side. One of the things I hear from my colleagues is they always like to somehow make everyone a victim. They always say that someone's going to get hurt. Let us think about who gets hurt if the Democrats prevail: poor people who have their child tax credit raised from $600 to $1,000, who right now qualify for the earned income tax credit. If Democrats have their way, it is only there for 1 year. Then they take it away at the end of 2004; and if the Democrats have their way, married couples, for example, who suffer from a marriage tax penalty in the child tax credit will suffer as well. As the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) pointed out, we eliminated the marriage tax penalty in the child tax credit in the legislation we passed out of the House. The version they support, we do it in not 10 years, but we eliminate the marriage tax penalty. We want to eliminate it for the decade so it is in effect right now and stays there rather than waiting a decade for, as the Democrats would want to do, to eliminate the marriage tax penalty. Again, by eliminating the marriage tax penalty, we say if a person makes $75,000, they qualify, as they would today, for the $1,000 tax credit; and if they make twice what a single person makes, which is $150,000, and that is a good income, but as the chairman pointed out, that is what a schoolteacher in New York City and a fireman in New York City who are married, a combined income, make, and they are denied the child tax credit under what the Democrats would like to do. We want to eliminate the marriage tax penalty right now. We also, under our legislation, make the child tax credit available for the entire decade. I mentioned that earlier, and one other group that I think it is important for us to note is that if the Democrats have their way, our military men and women who would benefit from the House-passed tax relief targeted to our military families, many of whom have loved ones engaged somewhere in the Middle East, in Afghanistan, Iraq or elsewhere, the Senate, as my colleagues know, has not yet passed that legislation. We feel it should have been done not yesterday but months ago that we should have passed that legislation. That was coupled with the bill that passed the House of Representatives. Again, if the Democrats had their way, our military men and women who would benefit from the package of targeted tax relief to help our military men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan would be hurt, to use a Democrat's term. So those are some of the victims out there. The victims, of course, are low-income families who have the child tax credit increased from $600 to $1,000 but immediately so, but it would only be there for 1 year. So it would be taken away from them. Second, under the Democrat plan, we would not eliminate the marriage tax penalty for those who could benefit from the child tax credit. We want to do it immediately. They want to do it essentially 10 years from now. In particular, we are also trying to help our military men and women, those in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere, who are risking their lives today by ensuring that they get the tax relief, the help that we promised them months ago, unfortunately which other body has not yet passed. We think that needs to be done as well. One thing we want to make clear. In this House, we Republicans want to ensure that all children who should qualify benefit from the child tax credit. As my colleagues recall, the Bush tax credit, the same children who they claim to be trying to help right now were already provided $1,000 tax credit. It was phased in. We agree that it needs to be increased. We want to increase it for the entire decade. We want to eliminate the marriage tax penalty for the child tax credit, and we also want to help our Armed Forces currently in Iraq and Afghanistan with tax relief they should have received months ago; but unfortunately, for whatever reason, it has not yet been passed by Members of the Senate. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I always enjoy my good friend from Illinois, the former member of the Clinton administration, but I would point out again that it was a Republican Congress that passed the $500 per child tax credit. He is right. President Clinton did sign it in the Balanced Budget Agreement that was passed by a Republican Congress, but I would note that it was the centerpiece of the Contract With America, the child tax credit; and many of my friends on the other side of the aisle again called the child tax credit a tax cut for the rich because they would rather spend the money here in Washington. We have heard a lot of rhetoric tonight, and it has all been political. That is what this exercise is all about, rhetoric and name calling. But so much of it is not true. It is often asked, who benefitted from the Bush tax relief package? Who benefitted from the jobs and economic growth package? Well, in my State of Illinois, the average tax-paying family will see lower taxes, or what we like to call higher take-home pay of about $1,000. And if they are married couples, they see an elimination of the marriage tax penalty. Three million Illinois children are already benefitting from the doubling of the child tax credit to $1,000. It will be a big help to millions of Illinois families. Again, if you pay income Federal income taxes, you benefit, and millions of low-income taxpayers are no longer on the tax rolls thanks to this package. One other example of someone who benefits from the package that was just signed into law by President Bush is Jose and Magdalena Castillo of Joliet, Illinois, a couple of construction workers. They work hard in Joliet. They have two children, Eduardo and little Carolina, and they suffered from the marriage tax penalty. Under the provision that eliminated the marriage tax penalty for couples like Jose and Magdalina, they see about $1,400 in benefit. Think about that. That is a couple of semesters worth of tuition at Joliet Junior College. It is several months worth of day care at a local day care center. It is several months worth of car payments. It is probably 2 months worth of house payments for Jose and Magdalina. They benefit. They also benefit from the legislation we passed out of this House because they benefit from the child tax credit. Under the legislation the House passed, we extend the child tax credit for Jose and Magdalina Castillo through the end of the decade. The Democrats, of course, want to take that away at the end of 2004, once the election is over with. Well, we want to honor our commitment and keep our commitment, and many of us believe that we should make the elimination of the marriage tax penalty and the doubling of the child tax credit permanent forever. That is a separate debate, but the House- passed bill, which my Democratic friends oppose, extend it at least to the end of the decade so families can make plans. If the Democrats had their way, Magdalina and Jose Castillo, for each of their two children, would lose that $1,000 tax credit. In that case, it would cost that family $800 in higher taxes for Jose and Magdalina Castillo, if my Democratic friends had their way. That is why it is so important to oppose what the Democrats are proposing today and that is to take away the tax credit from Jose and Magdalina Castillo. That is why I strongly support what the House passed with bipartisan support, legislation to extend it through the end of the decade so families like Jose and Magdalina Castillo can make plans. The second thing is that we eliminate the marriage tax penalty. I thought the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) laid it out very well, because he pointed out that, under the House-passed bill, which my Democratic friends stand in opposition to, we eliminate the marriage tax penalty under the child tax credit. Right now, if you are a single person with a child, a single mom making up to $75,000, you can get the thousand dollar tax credit. However, if you are a married couple, you can only make up to $115,000. Who gets hurt? Mr. Speaker, I, of course, urge my colleagues to vote in bipartisan opposition to the Democrats wanting to take away the child tax credit and also their efforts to oppose our efforts to eliminate the marriage tax penalty and the child tax credit.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my friend and constituent, Gerald V. Pierard, the Mayor of the Village of Coal City, whose untimely death occurred on July 9, 2003. A native of Coal City and graduate of Coal City High School, Mayor Pierard spent much of his adult life serving the citizens of Coal City. Serving a term as Commissioner and then 2 terms as Mayor, the citizens of Coal City displayed their esteem for Mayor Pierard by reelecting without opposition earlier this year to yet another term as their Mayor. Mayor Pierard also served his country as an officer and fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. He will rest with honor in the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. After his graduation from the University of Illinois and military service, Mayor Pierard returned to the community he loved and began his career of service to Coal City. Largely because of his strong leadership, the Village of Coal City is today well positioned for future growth and prosperity. Displaying great vision, Mayor Pierard expanded the boundaries of Coal City and made major infrastructure improvements such as new streets, a new water system and a new sewage treatment system his priorities. The citizens of Coal City and their families will clearly benefit from the new jobs and higher standard of living which will come about as the result of Mayor Pierard's dedication to his home town. I am proud to recognize Mayor Gerald V. Pierard as a veteran, family man and progressive community leader--a truly fine example of an outstanding American citizen. Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to identify and recognize outstanding citizens in their own districts whose actions have so strongly benefitted and strengthened their communities and our great Nation.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder) and commend the gentleman for his leadership and efforts to eradicate the threat of narcotics coming onto American soil. I commend and am thrilled to participate tonight in this Special Order. Imagine this here in the United States, if our judges were assassinated, our candidates for Congress, our candidates for President were threatened with kidnapping and assassination. Imagine if our elected officials were threatened and ordered to resign their positions at gunpoint, and this threat emerged from narcotraffickers here in the United States. Imagine how the American people would feel about the need to deal with this threat to our democracy and such a threat to our Nation's security. Well, the people of Colombia have been threatened with these types of threats for decades where you have narcoterrorists organize military groups, in fact three groups, two left wing, one right wing, who are funded through the trafficking of narcotics, cocaine and other drugs. And, of course, they threaten something we hold very dear, which is freedom and democracy. Mr. Speaker, Colombia is a wonderful country. It is a country of great history, great heritage; and today its democracy is threatened at gunpoint by those who make their means through the trafficking and production of narcotics. I support Plan Colombia. I support President Bush's Andean Regional Initiative. Colombia is important to the United States. Not only does Colombia share our values of freedom and opportunity and free enterprise, but Colombia is an important partner in the western hemisphere for the United States. It is a trading and economic partner. We share a culture and heritage. Latin America is important to us, and Colombia is an important part of Latin America. Colombia continues and has always been a strong ally and friend of the United States. It is a significant U.S. trading partner and supplier of oil. In fact, Colombia, as I noted, is today the longest-standing democracy in Latin America, and it is currently under siege by a number of guerrilla and paramilitary groups that we in the United States have designated as terrorist organizations, designated terrorist organizations by the United States Government. These terrorist groups today obtain their primary means and monetary support by the destructive drug trade. Unfortunately, our friends in Colombia suffer from this; and today Colombia serves as a source of 90 percent of the cocaine and a majority of the heroin found on the streets of America, significantly contributing to the 19,000 drug-induced deaths in the United States each year. And many of those 19,000 drug-induced deaths here in the United States are children, kids in our home communities back in Illinois and Indiana and Arkansas and all 50 of our great States. Today, Congress needs to support Plan Colombia. We also need to support President Bush's Andean Regional Initiative, legislation that recognizes the importance of Colombia. Today, as we approach the 3-year anniversary of Plan Colombia, it is important tonight to review the progress being made by the United States' support for the freely elected government of Colombia. I am proud to say and pleased to say that our support of Plan Colombia has given us positive results that we can point to. In fact, there are many strong indicators that Plan Colombia and the Andean Regional Initiative programs are beginning to bear fruit. Eradication of coca plants has led to major decreases in cocaine production, and purity of the drug has dropped as well. Law enforcement efforts have led to increased seizures on land and sea. Extraditions of drug traffickers to the United States is at an all-time high, and I note something that is so important for us, and that is the professionalism and the performance and the human rights record of Colombia's armed forces, and in particular that the counterdrug battalions and the Colombian National Police have shown tremendous improvement, as well as getting results. I would also note that alternative economic development programs are also beginning to show great promise, and utilization of expanded authorities are being fully leveraged by our friends in Colombia to more effectively attack both drugs and terrorism. These are positive things that we can report happening right now today in Colombia, and there are many others. But the job is not done yet, and that is why we stand here tonight to continue our support for Plan Colombia as well as the Andean Regional Initiative. Plan Colombia and the Andean Regional Initiative has put Colombia on the road to success, but as I noted, the road is long, and we must continue to support Plan Colombia. I would note that Colombia today is in much better position to win this fight against narcoterrorism than they were 3 years ago, not only because of U.S. support, but also because of Colombia's freely elected, democratically elected President Uribe. Since taking office in August of 2002, President Uribe has shown an unwavering commitment to achieving democratic security and has brought new hope to Colombia. He has acted quickly and decisively to address terrorism and narcotics trafficking while also promoting human rights. His national security strategy shows his determination to deny terrorists the drug-related resources they use to finance their operations against the people of Colombia. And President Uribe has made tough decisions necessary to improve Colombia's economic prospects, moving forward and ahead on tax, pension and labor reforms. Overall President Uribe has energized Colombia, receiving high praise and high job-approval ratings from his own people, the Colombian people. No doubt with President Uribe's leadership, Colombia is on the right track to restoring security and prosperity, and we in Congress applaud Colombia's efforts of late and recognize the sacrifices that Colombian people have made over the last few decades. Again, Colombia matters, Latin America matters, and I know there are meetings that will soon be held in Europe, and my hope is our friends in Europe will join the United States in supporting the people of Colombia and supporting the freely elected democratic Government of Colombia. And again, I note that no Latin American country has a longer history of democracy and freedom than Colombia. They are our friends. They are our allies. They stand with us in the values that we as Americans stand for, freedom and democracy and free enterprise. We in this Congress want to ensure that the people of Colombia continue to have freedom and opportunity, and that democracy grows and flowers and blooms, and that the people of Colombia have the opportunity to enjoy economic freedoms and free enterprise. So I would urge our European friends to join with the United States in supporting Colombia in its war against terrorism and to support Colombia's war against narcoterrorism which is threatening democracy right in our own neighborhood. I again thank the gentleman from Indiana for his leadership in the war against drugs which finances, and let us remember the primary source of terrorism in the Western Hemisphere is narcotrafficking. That is why his leadership is so important, my good friend from Indiana.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, tonight we hear some partisan political rhetoric, particularly from the other side of the aisle, who began this process by announcing they were going to oppose the bill. It does not matter what is in it; they are going to oppose it. So I think the important question that we really should ask is: What does this mean, this modernization of Medicare? What does it mean that we are modernizing Medicare for the 21st century? What does it mean that we are investing $400 billion in modernizing Medicare with prescription drugs? When I think of prescription drug coverage, I think of the seniors who I have met over the 9 years I have had the privilege of serving in this body. They are men and women who I have talked with in their homes who sit there and they sit in that easy chair and right next to their chair, they have that tray, a tray full of pill bottles, and they talked and shared with me the choices they have had to make, whether or not they go to the drugstore, the grocery store that particular week because of the expenses they are facing because of rising prescription drug costs. Well, those are the people that are the primary beneficiaries of this legislation. Because we have a plan before us that helps those who are truly needy, low-income, by ensuring they pay no premiums; and for others, they pay a pretty affordable premium. This plan would cost a senior about $35 a month, $1 a day. Think about that. A dollar a day for a senior participating in this plan. And if you qualify for Medicare today and you are going to be eligible tomorrow, you qualify and are able to take advantage of this new prescription drug plan. But for a dollar a day, it is projected you could save anywhere from 30 to 70 percent of your prescription drug costs. Think about that. When you think of that elderly man or woman who you have had the opportunity to talk with in their home and sit there while they are seated in that chair, perhaps they are home-bound, they have that tray of pill bottles, and they are, frankly, very concerned because they cannot do much else, other than buy their drugs and hopefully get to the grocery store, they are going to really benefit from this plan. It is affordable. It is available for all seniors. We also give seniors choices. It is affordable, a dollar a day, $35 a month; it provides real savings, 30 to 70 percent that is projected by nonpartisan analysts who look at this and say, what does it really mean, is the question they ask. To qualify for Medicare, you qualify for this program, and you are going to have choice. You do not have to pick the one-size-fits-all that some of my friends on the other side of the aisle want to have and say, seniors, you only get one choice, and we are going to tell you what it is. Mr. Speaker, we are going to give seniors more than one choice so they can find a plan that best fits them. Think about that. That is what this really means. We are helping seniors who need help with their prescription drug costs. We are modernizing Medicare for the 21st century. We have a plan that is almost 50 years old that has not changed. We are going to modernize it. The most important choice that seniors face today is, of course, the availability and affordability of prescription drug costs. Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense plan. It deserves bipartisan support. I hope my friends on the other side of the aisle will do the right thing. I recognize that they set out today with a decision to oppose the bill, regardless of what is in it. Well, let us work together. Let us provide a bipartisan vote to provide prescription drug coverage that will help every senior in America.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, let us take a few minutes here and actually focus on the legislation before us today because those who represent 21 States may want to pay very close attention to the legislative proposal that the Democratic side is offering as a substitute to that which is before us today. Because if you vote for the Democrat substitute, workers who have been dislocated, workers who have lost their jobs as a result of trade action or are eligible for trade adjustment assistance or are benefitting from the PBGC programs to help those who are dislocated, if you vote for the Democratic substitute, these dislocated workers in your State will be shortchanged because they will be denied help when it comes to obtaining health care coverage for themselves and their families. Let me note these States, and I urge my colleagues to listen very carefully, because if you come from one of these 21 States and you vote for the Democrat substitute, it is workers in your own State who will be hurt by the Democrat substitute: The States of Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Washington State, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Again, my colleagues, if you represent one of these 21 States and you vote for the Democrat substitute, it is workers in your State who get hurt because the Democrat substitute takes away the help that we have in this legislation to help workers who are dislocated and desperately need health care coverage for themselves and their families. Now, the Democrats have used a lot of rhetoric to distract all of us from the real intent of their legislation, which is to remove this help for these dislocated workers. Let me tell you why it is so important. In last year's trade act legislation, we provided a groundbreaking refundable 65 percent tax credit for health insurance purchased by those eligible Trade Adjustment Assistance and PBGC beneficiaries. The credit can be used to buy coverage through COBRA, one's spouse's coverage, or under very limited circumstances, the individual market. If these choices are not available, the insurance must be purchased through state-based options, including risk pools, State employee programs, and State contracts with private insurance that must guarantee issuance of insurance without preexisting condition limits. What we have discovered is that States are not uniformly moving ahead to develop compliant programs. Twenty-nine States have made initiatives. I am proud to say my State of Illinois, in a bipartisan effort, has worked to protect their workers. That is why this legislation is so important today. Because, again, if you are from the 21 States where your legislature and your Governor have not put a program in place to help these workers, they are cut out; and their opportunity to get health care coverage is taken away if you support the Democrat substitute. That is what this is all about. Vote ``no'' on the Democrat substitute to take away help for dislocated workers that need health care and vote ``yes'' on final passage to help these workers that need help.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, it is always interesting to hear the rhetoric of some of my friends on the other side of the aisle. Let me tell you something. Here is the news. The All-American Tax Relief Act provides immediate tax relief for working families and for our military. Immediate tax relief. It does it in a number of ways. A tremendous benefit to working and military families. In fact, not only do we recognize that we increase the child tax credit in the legislation the President signed a few weeks ago from $500 to $1,000 but we extend that through the end of the decade. Our friends on the other side of the aisle would like to see it sunset in a couple of years and drop back to $700. I would also note that we eliminate the marriage tax penalty in the child tax credit. One of the great successes of the Republican majority is we have targeted and worked to eliminate the marriage tax penalty; but in the child tax credit, it still exists. If you make $75,000 as a single person, you can claim the full child tax credit. But you can only claim the full child tax credit as a married couple if you make up to $110,000. That is not right. Those who are joint filers, men and women who happen to be married who are both in the workforce, if you want to eliminate the marriage tax penalty and treat them equally and fairly, you should allow a married couple to earn twice as much as a single and still be able to qualify for that credit without being punished for being married. That is why we raise the eligibility level to $150,000. It is a single 75, and then we double it for a married couple to 150. That is policeman and a teacher in the south suburbs of Chicago. Some would say they do not deserve that child tax credit, but they have earned it and we, of course, want to assure that we will bring fairness by eliminating the marriage tax penalty. We also accelerate the increase in the refundable tax credit, a point that my Democratic friends say we need to do. What they omit is it is already law. All this legislation does is move it up to this year. That acceleration for low-income families was to be phased in over the next couple of years. We make it effective immediately, this year. Not only do we accelerate the increase in the refundable child tax credit but we bring up an issue which is so important. Remember the men and women who went to Iraq? Remember those men and women who fought so valiantly and liberated the 28 million people who were oppressed under Saddam Hussein? This House passed tax relief specifically targeted to help them. Unfortunately, that has yet to become law. We on the Republican side of the aisle feel it is time to take care of those military men and women who fought in Iraq and that is why we combine this child tax credit with the legislation which provides tax relief and enhances tax fairness for members of our United States Armed Forces. Ladies and gentlemen, this is legislation that deserves bipartisan support. I ask for that kind of vote.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. I rise today to congratulate McLean County, Illinois, recipient of the 2003 Communities Can! Community of Excellence Award. Communities Can! is a program initiated by the Department of Health and Human Services, coordinated by the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development. The Community of Excellence Award is presented to only four communities each year for demonstrating their ability to efficiently collaborate and utilize resources provided by public and private programs for supporting young children and their families. McLean County has successfully tailored these complex programs to meet their specific needs. McLean County, a community of 154,000 people located in Central Illinois, received this honor for their innovation, flexibility, and the broad range of service and support they provide. Their approach is to identify the needs of families in the community, match those needs with appropriate service, and do so in a cost effective manner, which has produced great results. I am proud to represent McLean County, Illinois, and commend her citizens of for their hard work and the success it yielded, leading to their receiving the Community of Excellence award. I look forward to working with them as they enjoy future success, hopefully leading other communities to adopt the creative, effective service to needy families that our Nation needs to meet the challenges ahead.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I would really like today to take a few minutes to celebrate the enactment into law of the Jobs and Economic Growth Package legislation that was passed by a majority of this House and a majority of the Senate and signed into law just 2 weeks ago, legislation that will help every Federal income tax payer. It will help revitalize our economy. It takes the approach that if you put extra money in the pocketbooks of consumers, they will have more money to spend to meet their families' needs and also to give incentives to businesses to invest. It will create jobs. One of the benefits of this package is it not only helps everybody who pays Federal income taxes, but also 3 million low-income families who 2 weeks ago paid income taxes will no longer be required to pay income taxes because we lowered the rate so they no longer have to pay Federal income taxes benefiting 3 million low-income taxpayers. I would like to focus on one provision that was a key and central part of the Jobs and Economic Growth Package and is really a provision that not only put extra money in the pocketbooks of families, but it also brought fairness now, fairness this year to the Tax Code, and that is the provision which wipes out the marriage tax penalty this year for 42 million married working couples. As one of those who has raised this issue over the last several years, I congratulate President Bush for signing this legislation into law. It is really an issue of fairness. Is it right, is it fair that under our Tax Code 42 million married working couples on average paid $1,700 more in higher taxes just because they were married? Think about that. Husband and wife, they are both in the workforce, they file their taxes jointly when they are married; and because of that, our Tax Code previously pushed them into a higher tax bracket and required them on average to pay $1,700 more. If you think about it, that is a lot of money. Take Jose and Magdalena Castillo of Joliet, Illinois. A working family in Joliet. They work hard. They have two children, Eduardo and Carolina. They are construction workers. For this family, for Jose and Magdalena Castillo, their marriage tax penalty was about $1,450. Now here in Washington, for some that is chump change; and they would rather spend the Castillos' income here in Washington rather than allow the Castillo family to keep more of what they earn to meet their needs. If you think about it, $1,450, that is a semester's worth of tuition at Joliet Junior College. It is several months of day care for Eduardo and Carolina while mom and dad are at work. It is several months' worth of car payments. It is a mortgage payment or two for the average family in Joliet, Illinois. So by eliminating the marriage tax penalty, we really help the Castillo family. So I want to thank the President for signing into law the Jobs and Economic Growth Package because as a result of the President signing the Jobs and Economic Growth Package into law, 42 million married working couples like Jose and Magdalena Castillo of Joliet, Illinois, they no longer pay the marriage tax penalty this year. We help married couples in two ways. There are two kind of taxpayers. Those who itemize and those who do not itemize. If you own a home, if you donate to your church or charity or synagogue, you probably itemize. And the way we benefit those who are married and are both in the workforce and who have suffered the marriage tax penalty before is we widen the 15 percent tax bracket so that a two-earner couple, a married couple, could earn twice as much as one single person. And by earning twice as much, they would still stay in that 15 percent tax bracket. So we essentially eliminate the marriage tax penalty for 42 million couples. For those who do not itemize, we have doubled the standard deductions. If you do not itemize, you use the standard deduction; and we make the standard deduction twice that for joint filers, for married couples. Twice the size of a single filer's standard deduction. The bottom line is, we eliminate the marriage tax penalty for 42 million married working couples. Whether they itemize their taxes or whether they do not itemize their taxes, we eliminate their marriage tax penalty. And for a married couple like Jose and Magdalena Castillo, who like 42 million other married couples across this country suffer the marriage tax penalty, they will have extra money that really, rightfully should be theirs. The Castillo family should not have to pay higher taxes just because they chose to get married. It is not right. It is not fair. And really it punishes society's most basic institution, to punish marriage. I want to thank the President. I want to thank the majority of this Congress for passing the Jobs and Economic Growth Package. And we should be celebrating the fact that 42 million married working couples will see their marriage penalty tax eliminated this year.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. As Americans, we owe the men and women who serve our Nation a great debt of gratitude, and that is why I rise in strong support of H.R. 1954, the Armed Forces Naturalization Act of 2003. Many immigrants have proven their patriotism by fighting in this country's wars. These soldiers are real patriots, adopting America as their home to honor and defend. America's armed services have long included soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who were noncitizen residents of the United States. These men and women fight and die along with their fellow citizen-soldiers and deserve the privilege of U.S. citizenship. Currently, over 37,000, or 2.6 percent of active members of the armed services are noncitizens or immigrants. There is one specific American patriot I would like to honor today, Lance Corporal Jakub H. Kowalik. Sadly, having given the ultimate sacrifice, Jakub died in an ordnance explosion while serving in Iraq on May 12 of this year. Jakub, a native of Poland, migrated with his family in 1991, settling in Schaumburg, Illinois. He played football at Maine East High School, where he graduated in 2002. Jakub enjoyed fishing with his father, Henryk, who preceded him in death 2 years after their arrival in the United States. Jakub enlisted in the Marines his senior year in high school, a few months before the attacks of September 11. His older brother, Paul, called him his best friend and hero. His mother said he just enjoyed being a Marine. Jakub is but one example of the many noncitizens who have proudly served our country. The message of this legislation is very clear: While we can never fully repay these men and women who have willingly entered harm's way to preserve, protect, and defend our freedom around the world, serving with courage and selflessness, we can honor and respect them for their service. Throughout history they have answered the call. Today, we have the opportunity to reply with the greatest privilege we have to offer, which is U.S. citizenship. My colleagues, I urge passage and bipartisan support for this legislation.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend President Bush for his leadership, to thank this Congress for passing a tax plan that is predicted by outside and independent economists to generate about 1.3 million new jobs over the next 18 months, legislation that says if you pay Federal income taxes, you will receive Federal income tax relief. For the people of Illinois that I represent, it is estimated that the average Illinois family will see an extra thousand dollars in higher take-home pay. If they are Federal income taxpayers, they will receive Federal income tax relief. The bottom line is that it will create jobs. If we put extra money in the pocketbook of workers, we put incentives for workers to invest, and it creates jobs. One of the issues I have been involved in over the last several years has been an effort to bring fairness to the Tax Code, and that is to address the issue of the marriage tax penalty. A quirk in the Tax Code or a complicated Tax Code which has gotten more complicated over the years where you had a situation where both the husband and wife were in the workforce, and because they both are in the workforce and pay Federal income taxes, when they file, as married, they file jointly, combine their incomes, and that pushes them into a higher tax bracket; whereas if they lived together and filed as two single people, they would have saved money. Is that right, that under our Tax Code 42 million married working couples paid on average $1,700 in higher taxes just because they are married? I have an example of a couple in Joliet, Illinois, that I represent, Jose and Magdalena Castillo. They are construction workers in Joliet. Their son is Eduardo and their daughter is Carolina. For them, their marriage tax penalty has been about $1,400. For them, $1,400, that is several months' worth of car payments or day-care for their children while they are at work, or home mortgage payments for this family. So eliminating the marriage tax penalty and bringing fairness to the Tax Code will make a big difference in the lives of the Castillos of Joliet, Illinois. I am proud to say in the first tax cut of 2001, we passed the first effort into law to eliminate the marriage tax penalty. It had twice been vetoed by Bill Clinton, but President Bush signed it into law, an effort to phase out the marriage action penalty. I am pleased to commend the President for signing into law the Jobs and Economic Growth Package that made effective this year the elimination of the marriage tax penalty. So rather than Jose and Magdalena Castillo having to wait over this decade for the marriage tax penalty to be eliminated, we eliminated it this year. So that means the Castillos will have an extra $1,400 that they will be able to spend at home to take care of their family's needs, make some improvements around the house, buy some back-to-school clothes, and make a down payment on a new car. That creates jobs. I am pleased to say the President signed the legislation passed by a majority of the House and the Senate, which will eliminate the marriage tax penalty now. When we think about it, this unfairness in the Tax Code had existed for years, and those on the other side of the aisle, they resisted efforts to eliminate the marriage tax penalty. They said we could better spend the money here in Washington than Jose and Magdalena Castillo back in Joliet, Illinois. I am pleased to say that a majority of this House believes that Jose and Magdalena Castillo of Joliet, Illinois, can better spend their hard- earned money back in Joliet, Illinois, than I and my colleagues can for them here in Washington. I think we need to be celebrating the fact that we eliminated the marriage tax penalty, and we did it in two ways. For those who itemize their taxes, people like Jose and Magdalena Castillo, they are homeowners, so they itemize their taxes, we widen the 15 percent tax bracket so people like Jose and Magdalena Castillo can earn twice as much as a single person and stay in the 15 percent tax bracket, and that wipes out their marriage tax penalty. And for those who do not own a home or give to their church or institution of faith or charity, so they do not have enough to itemize, they use something called the standard deduction, under our legislation, we double the standard deduction to twice that for singles, and for those who do not itemize, we eliminate the marriage tax penalty. I thank the Republican majority and President Bush for eliminating the marriage tax penalty and helping bringing fairness to the Tax Code in 2003.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, 42 million married couples got good news this past week when President Bush signed into law the jobs and economic growth package, legislation that wiped out the marriage tax penalty for 42 million married working couples this year. This is an issue that we have been working so hard over the last several years to address, and that is fairness in the Tax Code affecting married couples. In the case of a husband and wife who are both in the workforce, because they file their taxes jointly, combining their income, in many cases, most cases, all cases, they are pushed into a higher tax bracket. That average married tax penalty for 42 million couples is almost $1,700 a year. Well, thanks to the President's stroke of a pen just a few days ago, the marriage tax penalty for the vast majority of those who suffered, almost all of them, will be eliminated this year. Let me give an example of a married couple in the district that I represent, the south suburbs of Chicago, the town of Joliet, Jose and Magdalena Castillo and their son, Eduardo, and their little daughter, Carolina. They are an example of a typical married couple in Illinois who suffer the marriage tax penalty. In fact, for Jose and Magdalena, they are both construction workers. They are laborers, and they work hard for a living. For them, the marriage tax penalty is about $1,400 each year. Thanks to this legislation, the jobs and economic growth package, 42 million married couples just like Jose and Magdalena Castillo will see their marriage tax penalty eliminated this year. Think about it: $1,700, that is chump change here in Washington, where people are coming up with all sorts of creative ways to spend billions and trillions of dollars over the next decade. But for married couples like Jose and Magdalena Castillo of Joliet, Illinois, $1,400, in their case that is several months' worth of car payments, that is a couple months' worth of mortgage payments on their home, that is several months of day care for little Eduardo and Carolina, their children, while they are at work. It is real money for real people. As everyone knows, in the Bush tax cut of 2001, we began the process of eliminating the marriage tax penalty. Unfortunately, under the Bush tax cut of 2001, for the marriage tax penalty for married couples like Jose and Magdalena Castillo, it was phased out over the decade, which meant the marriage tax penalty continued to be there. It just got a little smaller each year. Clearly, one of the greatest accomplishments of the jobs and economic growth package is we eliminate the marriage tax penalty this year for married couples like Jose and Magdalena Castillo. We do it two ways. For those who do not itemize their taxes, maybe they do not give a lot of money to their church or charity, or do not own a home so they do not have the home interest mortgage deduction, they benefit because we double the standard deduction for joint filers, married couples, to twice that of singles. So for those who do not itemize, we eliminate their marriage tax penalty. For those who do itemize, married couples like Jose and Magdalena Castillo of Joliet, Illinois, who are homeowners, and of course give to their church and charity, they itemize their taxes, we eliminate the marriage tax penalty for them by widening the 15 percent tax bracket, which is the basic middle class tax bracket, so those who are among the married couples will be able to earn twice as much as a single person and stay in that 15 percent tax bracket. The bottom line for Jose and Magdalena Castillo of Joliet, Illinois, is we eliminate their marriage tax penalty this year, clearly one of the greatest accomplishments of the jobs and economic growth package that President Bush signed just this week. So if we think about it, for 42 million married working couples, $1,700 they will be able to have this year to spend at home to meet their own needs. In the case of Jose and Magdalena Castillo, for their children Eduardo and Carolina, that will be extra money for back to school; extra money for making some improvements to their house; maybe even take a family vacation, perhaps for the first time in their lives. But the bottom line is, as we are working to get this economy moving again, by giving good working people like Jose and Magdalena Castillo what is really their money by eliminating an unfairness in the Tax Code this year, that is extra money that is going to be spent in Joliet, Illinois, in the district that I represent. Like 42 million other married working couples, that extra money they are going to spend in their home towns is going to help create jobs. When they go to the local store and they spend some money to improve their home or they make an improvement to their car or they do some home improvements, that creates jobs for their neighbors and their friends. That is what this was all about. The most important thing we can be doing today is revitalizing this economy here at home; and by eliminating the marriage tax penalty this year, thanks to this Republican majority in the Congress and our good President down at the White House, President George W. Bush, we eliminate the marriage tax penalty this year for couples like Jose and Magdalena Castillo of Joliet, Illinois.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Ladies and gentlemen of the House, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2185. It is simple legislation that helps people, a simple, straightforward 7-month extension of the current Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation program. It is going to benefit 2.5 million unemployed, many in Illinois and many in the district that I represent. I would note that 2.5 million unemployed workers will receive extra help through this extension on top of the 5 million workers who have already received Federal extended benefits in 2002-2003. For those who measure their compassion by how much money you spend, I would note that this proposal before us provides about $7 billion in additional extended unemployment benefits on top of the $16 billion that we provided the States earlier this year. This is important legislation. My State in Illinois has 6.6 percent unemployment. My district, my home county, has 12.8 percent unemployment. The manufacturing sector in the district that I represent is hurting. Many of those laid off are employed or used to be employed in the manufacturing sector. This legislation extending unemployment benefits combined with the economic growth and jobs plan that we will be adopting, which deserves bipartisan support, would be a boost for the manufacturing sector as well as the economy in my State of Illinois. I urge support of this 7-month extension of unemployment benefits. I urge support for the jobs and growth plan later on this evening.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, what is this all about? What this is all about is 1.2 million new jobs. Economists tell us that this plan will create 1.2 million new jobs over the next 18 months. How? By putting extra money in the pocketbooks of workers and giving incentives to invest in the creation of new jobs. If you pay taxes, you benefit from this plan. We lower rates for everybody. We double the child tax credit, if you have children. We eliminate the marriage penalty, all this year, benefiting every taxpayer. Think about what an extra thousand dollars will mean for the average family in Illinois and in our congressional districts across this country. We also create jobs by encouraging investment. The bonus depreciation, for example, allows companies to deduct an extra 50 percent to recover their costs of purchasing an asset, a company car. We create jobs in manufacturing to encourage investment in new company cars and machine tools and bulldozers. We create jobs in the technology sector by encouraging greater investment in computers and telecommunications equipment. We create construction jobs by encouraging business to rehab commercial buildings, whether office buildings or shopping centers. And we also encourage business to invest in security, making private sector buildings safer for workers and visitors and customers, by again encouraging investment in security- related equipment such as surveillance equipment or computers or other types of equipment to make private sector buildings more secure. The bottom line, my colleagues, and what this is all about, is creating 1.2 million jobs. We have a choice tonight. Do we vote to get this economy moving again or do we do the old-fashioned thing and just spend more money here in Washington? Let us create jobs, let us give American workers the opportunity to go back to work, and let us raise take-home pay and encourage investment and the creation of jobs.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association. The South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association (SSMMA) was incorporated in 1978 and is celebrating its 25h Anniversary during the year 2003. SSMMA currently represents 43 municipalities and 650,000 residents in southern Cook and Will counties. Mayors, Village Presidents, and Village Managers take an active role within SSMMA and work in a cooperative effort to serve the southland communities and its residents. The leadership exhibited by SSMMA through its member municipalities has greatly benefited the Chicago Southland. SSMMA has been critical in its support to the region in areas such as transportation, economic development, open space preservation, and stormwater issues. They have also offered finance and municipal administrative support and training. SSMMA helped start the recycling efforts throughout the Chicago Southland. They also support the region with housing and diversity issues, public safety, education funding and property tax reform. On May 16, 2003 the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association will formally recognize its past and current leaders and the achievements of the organization at a dinner to be held at the Villa de Bruno in Lynwood, Illinois. I offer my congratulations to the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association for its 25 years of service to the Southland region. I commend the mayors, village presidents, city and village managers who have served the region so well. Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to identify and recognize other associations 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 in very strong support of this legislation that deserves bipartisan support. The jobs and growth package that is before us today is projected by independent economists to generate 1.2 million jobs over the next couple of years, and we do it in 2 ways: by putting extra money in the pocketbooks of working Americans, by raising their take-home pay, by lowering their taxes, and by providing incentives for businesses to invest. If we want to create jobs, we need investment and we need consumers to spend. Two-thirds of this tax package goes to individuals. In fact, the average family, the average tax-paying family, if you pay taxes, Federal taxes, you benefit from this proposal. Two-thirds of this package goes to working Americans, individuals. Over $1,000, it is projected, the average family will see in higher take-home pay by doubling the child tax credit, this year; by lowering the rates for everybody, this year; and by eliminating the marriage penalty, this year. In fact, I have a couple in my district I have often talked about, Jose and Magdalena Castillo of Jolie, Illinois, laborers, construction workers. As a result of this legislation, their marriage tax penalty will be eliminated this year. This is $1,400 that they will be able to spend back home. Think about that. Spend it back home in Jolie, Illinois, rather than back here in Washington, as some do. But this legislation also creates jobs. It is estimated that it is going to create jobs by encouraging business investment, up to 1.2 million new jobs. The way it does that is that it encourages investment in manufacturing jobs, technology jobs, real estate and development jobs for construction workers. In fact, by doing this, we provide for the bonused appreciation or what some called accelerated appreciation, 50 percent expensing. We should think about that. If we are investing in a business, investing in new security for a plant or a workplace to protect workers and customers and visitors, we will be able to deduct 50 percent of the cost of that this year, creating a job for a technology worker, or someone that is producing that security product. The same thing if it is a machine tool or a company car, or telecommunications equipment. We encourage business to purchase a product, which the bonused appreciation will do now, and that is why this legislation is going to be so effective in jump-starting the economy now, creating 1.2 million jobs. These are all good provisions and are going to create good jobs for working Americans.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment as I begin my remarks and talk about an issue that is so important. I first begin by commending President Bush for his strong leadership on the economy. While so much of our Nation's attention, in fact attention around the globe, has been focused on President Bush's successful leadership as well as the successful efforts of our American men and women to liberate the oppressed people of Iraq from the brutality of Saddam Hussein, President Bush and House Republicans have been working to get this economy moving again. It is so important that we focus attention today on the economy. Today we are going to have action in the House Committee on Ways and Means to create jobs and give Americans the opportunity to go back to work. Let me tell you why it is important to the people of Illinois. In Illinois we have 6.6 percent unemployment. Unfortunately in the district that I represent, an agricultural-industrial district in the south suburbs of Chicago, our unemployment is actually higher. Grundy County, the county that is my home county, has almost 12 percent unemployment; LaSalle has 9.8 percent unemployment; Will County has 7.9 percent unemployment; Bureau, 8.7; Kankakee, 8.5 percent. Clearly we need to get the economy moving again because it affects folks back home. The philosophy of what we are going to pursue today is following the direction the President laid out for us earlier as we work to get this economy moving again, creating jobs, giving those who are unemployed the opportunity to get a good-paying job and go back to work. Our strategy is to put extra money in the pocketbooks of workers so they can meet their families' needs and raise their take-home pay by cutting their individual taxes. We want to give business the incentive to invest in the creation of jobs. Economists have analyzed the plan that is before us today and they project that the plan that we will be debating and passing out of the Committee on Ways and Means and hopefully out of the House this week with bipartisan support will create 1 million jobs over the next 16 months. Two-thirds of this package benefits individual taxpayers. In fact, if you pay Federal income taxes, you benefit. We double the child tax credit, from $600 to $1,000. That benefits 1.1 million families with children in Illinois. We eliminate effective immediately the marriage tax penalty. We make effective immediately the Bush individual rate reductions and expand the lowest tax bracket for low-income Americans so more low-income Americans will have their taxes lowered in that new 10 percent tax bracket created for low-income Americans. I note that we also provide additional alternative minimum tax relief, one of the consequences of a bad policy we are still living with from the 1980s. The bottom line is two-thirds of this package benefits average taxpayers, putting extra money in the pocketbooks of workers for their families' needs. We also jump-start the economy by providing incentives for business to invest, providing for what some people call bonus depreciation, that others like myself call accelerated depreciation, but allowing business to deduct at least 50 percent or more this year of the cost of buying a company car, an office computer, telecommunications or machine tool equipment, or if they are making their office or business more secure, investing in security and equipment, they would be able to recover the cost of that much more quickly. When you think about it, when you encourage a business to buy a company car, there is an autoworker in Chicago or the south suburbs whose job is created. We also allow companies losing money this year to go back and recover some revenue and capital from previous years so they have capital to invest in the creation of jobs. And due to the President's leadership, we work to provide assistance and relief for those who invest for their retirement. Today, 84 million taxpayers are stockholders. That is over half of American households. Many are senior citizens who have saved for their retirement. Today they are taxed twice on their dividends from their stock holdings. That is not right. It is not fair. I realize my Democratic friends think that is okay because they want to keep the money here in Washington and they think they can spend it better than these stockholders can. The President says we should eliminate that double taxation. We make a big step with the proposal before us today by equalizing the tax treatment between capital gains and stock dividends. Those in the 10 and 15 percent bracket will only pay a 5 percent tax rate. Those in the higher brackets will pay 15. This is a good plan. It puts extra money in the pocketbooks of consumers as well as encourages businesses to invest. I want to draw attention to one issue which I have been so involved in, which is a key part of the plan that is going to be debated and passed out of the Committee on Ways and Means today, and that is the issue of the marriage tax penalty. There are 42 million married working couples, like Jose and Magdalena Castillo of Joliet, Illinois, two laborers, and, of course, their children Eduardo and Carolina. They live in Joliet, Illinois. They work hard for their living. They benefit from this plan today. When we worked 2 years ago to pass legislation to eliminate the marriage tax penalty because of the rules in the other body, we had to phase it in. Today we are going to pass legislation to make marriage tax penalty relief effective this year. It is wrong to tax marriage. We benefit the Castillo family by eliminating the marriage tax penalty this year. When you think about it, that is $1,400 they can spend in Joliet, Illinois.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, first let me applaud and cheer the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) for their leadership in bringing this very, very important legislation to the floor. This is important legislation. We are all very concerned about the economy today. This is the first major jobs-related legislation that has come to the floor. This legislation will create jobs and it will also reduce our dependence on imported sources of energy. Today, I want to draw attention to a key conservation component that is included in this legislation before us. Conservation is a key component of this balanced legislation, and it is also a big win for consumers and for homeowners. This legislation includes the Save America's Valuable Resources Act; H.R. 1459 was included in the Energy Policy Act in 2003. This legislation is a big win for consumers and homeowners because it provides up to a $2,000 tax credit for homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient. Think about this: Under this legislation they will be able to obtain up to a $2,000 tax credit, 20 percent of the first $10,000 they spend in making their homes more energy efficient. To qualify for this tax credit, homes must be made 30 percent more energy efficient according to the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code, a private-sector energy code used here in the United States. Covered supplies include windows, insulation, calking and sealers, air conditioning and heating units. If you think about it, if you look at the statistics, residential use matters. It has a big impact on our consumption of energy in America. Recent figures show that homes account for almost one-fifth of all the energy that is consumed; twenty percent of the energy that is consumed in our country is used by residential consumers. Today, it costs the average American $1,500 to heat and cool their homes each year. That amounts to a cost of $150 billion annually that is spent by homeowners and consumers on heating and cooling and use of energy in their homes. By simply making changes in energy efficiency in one's home, consumers can save real money. Consumers can save 10 percent or more on energy bills by simply reducing the number of air leaks in their homes by doing better sealing and calking. Double-paned windows with low- emissivity coating can reduce heating bills by almost a third in places like Chicago. And if all households upgraded their insulation to meet the International Energy Conservation Code level, the Nation would experience a permanent reduction of annual electric consumption totaling 7 percent of the total consumed. This legislation is balanced. This legislation is a big win for consumers. It is also a big win for homeowners. This legislation reduces our energy dependence on foreign sources and creates jobs, our number one priority today in the Republican House of Representatives. It deserves bipartisan support.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Ridgewood Baptist Church in Joliet, Illinois. The Ridgewood Baptist Church is celebrating its 100th anniversary on March 9, 2003. In 1888, Mr. William Rix, Mr. Hartwell, and Reverend J. W. Conley started Sunday School meetings that were held in various homes. In 1891, an unsightly building formerly used as a pest house was cleaned and renovated. This is where the first Sunday School session was held with George L. Vance acting as Superintendent. In 1895, property was purchased on the southeast corner of Brown and Leach Avenues at a cost of $400. A Chapel was built and dedicated in November 1896, at a total cost of slightly more than $2500 and at that time was nearly debt-free. On March 8, 1903, 32 people met in the chapel and organized themselves into what has since been known as the Ridgewood Baptist Church. During that March, a church covenant was adopted, a baptistry was built and the Plano Baptist Church donated their old church pews. Out of this humble beginning, Ridgewood Baptist Church emerged. The Church has grown in many ways since its humble beginnings. Today, around 300 people attend services at Ridgewood Baptist Church. In 1974, the Church opened its doors to their new school, Ridgewood Baptist Academy. Reverend Albert Baker is the current pastor of the Church. Reverend Baker's vision for the church is to have more land for the sports programs at the school. He also desires spiritual growth for his people and a desire to share their worship with others. Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to identify and recognize other groups 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 140th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. On January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation to grant freedom to all slaves. The proclamation declared ``that all persons held as slaves . . . shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free''. Not only did the Proclamation liberate the slaves, but it announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy. By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom. Mr. Speaker, the Emancipation Proclamation can be considered one of the greatest documents of human freedom. I am honored to speak on the House floor today with my highest regards to President Lincoln's actions and accomplishments. I am proud to say that Abraham Lincoln was elected to the state legislature in my home state of Illinois in 1834. He served the wonderful people for four successive terms until he was later elected in Congress in 1846. Mr. Speaker, I applaud and commend Abraham Lincoln's efforts to abolish slavery and I would like to encourage the citizens of the United States to celebrate the 140th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Thank you.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 5 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Russell, Linda, and Michael Busby for their outstanding citizenship in the City of Wilmington. The City of Wilmington has been overshadowed by drugs. The drug community has risen throughout neighborhoods, local parks, and even in the privacy of some homes. One of these homes belonged to Russell, Linda, and Michael Busby. A drug induced neighbor forced his way into their home threatening their privacy and safety. The Busby family not only convinced local groups, the police department, and the city council the importance of a canine unit, they contributed their own time and money in the process. The Busby family set up contests and car washes to raise money. They encouraged donations from individuals and organizations. The Busby family also attended all city council meetings to ensure their concerns were being heard and progression was being made. Russell, Linda, and Michael rose to national recognition through their timeless efforts in reducing drug activity in their community. Their devotion and perseverance will be remembered by everyone. Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to identify and recognize others in their own districts whose actions have so greatly benefitted and strengthened America's communities.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Patrol Officer Kevin Delaney of the Wilmington City Police Department for his deserving efforts in retaining a canine unit for the community. Since March 3rd, 1990, Officer Kevin Delaney has served his community over and beyond the call of duty. Officer Delaney has received the Distinguished Service Award, an Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists Award, and a Felony Arrest Award. Officer Delaney continues to keep our district safe through his many live safe efforts, and specializations as an evidence technician and truck enforcement officer. Officer Kevin Delaney shows his concern throughout the community as he speaks to local schools about the dangers of gangs, drugs, drinking and driving, and speeding. His involvement in the Will County Gang Suppression Unit has initialized the drug enforcement issue in Wilmington, resulting in his determination to acquire a canine unit. Officer Kevin Delaney will be the officer in charge of the canine unit and take full responsibility in carrying out the duties expected of him. Officer Delaney represents one of the finest in the Wilmington City Police Department and will use his full potential to preserve the safety of the community. Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to identify and recognize others in their own districts whose actions have so greatly benefitted and strengthened America's communities.

Mr. WELLER

Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution to Authorize the Use of the United States Armed Forces Against Iraq. This resolution grants to the President all the authority he needs to protect U.S. national security interests--including the use of military force if necessary--against the threat posed by Iraq. After more than a decade of deception and defiance since the end of the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein poses a new and growing threat to the world. He has deceived and defied the will and resolutions of the United Nations Security Council through many means including; continuing to seek and develop chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons; brutalizing the Iraqi people, using chemical weapons against his own people and committing gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity; and supporting international terrorism. Saddam Hussein's evil regime wields a massive stockpile of chemical and biological weapons that remains unaccounted for and is capable of killing millions of innocent people. Evidence also reveals that Iraq is rebuilding facilities that it has used to produce chemical and biological weapons--and to develop nuclear weapons technology. The facts are clear--Saddam Hussein desperately wants a nuclear weapon--and the wretched history of his evil regime demonstrates that he will use it. This threat grows more dangerous with the knowledge of ties between Hussein and Al-Qaida. Iraq and the al-Qaida terrorist network share a common enemy--the United States of America and its allies in the War on Terror. After September 11th, Saddam Hussein's regime gleefully celebrated the terrorist attacks on America. But Saddam Hussein doesn't limit his involvement in the death of innocents to merely cheering from the sidelines. In April 2002, Saddam Hussein increased from $10,000 to $25,000 his regime's payment to families of Palestinian homicide bombers. He continues to encourage violence in the Middle East and hopes his funding will help the violence to continue. I urge my colleagues to speak with one voice in support of this bipartisan resolution. While use of military force should be used as a last resort we must support the President and speak with one voice. History has taught us that we can not wait. We must act now.