| Honoring The Achievement Of Adam Leemans |
June 17, 2013 |
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Cheri Bustos, D-IL
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"Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Adam Leemans of Port Byron, Illinois on his recent achievement as valedictorian of his class at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Adam completed his course of study at West Point with an emphasis on mechanical engineering and earned a 4.2 grade-point average. He also attained nine post-graduate honors for both academic and athletic excellence. In addition to his classroom success, Adam was the captain of the West Point triathlon team for two years. After graduation, Adam will spend one month working at the Rock Island Arsenal, followed by one year working towards a master’s degree in the United Kingdom. Following the completion of his studies he will report to Fort Leonard Wood for training and will eventually take over command of his own unit. Mr. Speaker, I want to applaud Adam for his momentous achievement. His parents, Bonnie and David, along with his community should be extremely proud of this fine young man, and I wish him luck with his future endeavors."
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| Marketplace Fairness Act—Motion To Proceed |
April 18, 2013 |
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Richard Durbin, D-IL
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"Hundreds of families have been evacuated from their homes, and more than 30,000 people are without power and we are experiencing a major storm. The Rock, Fox, DuPage, Illinois, and Mississippi Rivers have overtopped their banks, damaging hundreds, if not thousands, of homes and businesses. Several levees are near the breaking point."
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| Honoring Patagonia Founder Yvon Chouinard, Recipient Of The Los Padres Forest Watch Wilderness Legacy Award |
April 10, 2013 |
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Julia Brownley, D-CA
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"Mr. Speaker, today, I congratulate Yvon Chouinard, the 2013 recipient of the Los Padres Forest Watch Wilderness Legacy Award. Mr. Chouinard started out as a self-taught blacksmith, selling aluminum pitons for mountain climbing out of the trunk of his car. The only pitons available at that time were made of soft iron, placed once, and then left in the rock to rust. In Yosemite, multiday ascents requiring hundreds of placements had left these once-smooth majestic surfaces scarred and pocked. Aluminum pitons revolutionized the sport, preventing further damage and preserving awe-inspiring peaks across the United States. This past year, the company Mr. Chouinard founded, Patagonia, Inc., grossed $414 million dollars in sales. As his business expanded to outdoor gear and clothing, Mr. Chouinard has brought these same ethical principles to bear by using recycled and organic materials and adapting energy efficient production methods. Every year, Patagonia pledges 1% of its yearly sales to further conservation work across the globe. Patagonia’s tireless commitment has proven that in business the planet does not need to be sacrificed for profit. Patagonia is an invaluable partner in the Ventura County community, working with local organizations like Los Padres Forest Watch to protect California’s wild places. Shortly after Los Padres Forest Watch held its first board meeting in 2004, they received a grant from Patagonia. Since that time, Patagonia has generously given grants to support their important local forest protection work, as well as volunteering their employees, donating their products, and organizing fundraising events like the annual 5k Salmon Run. Yvon Chouinard and Patagonia have had a positive and lasting influence on the preservation of the Los Padres National Forest. I am pleased to join Los Padres Forest Watch in honoring Mr. Chouinard for his legacy of environmental activism and ensuring Patagonia is an exemplary model of environmental corporate stewardship."
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| Commemorating The Life Of Joan Margaret (Kathan) Zerzan |
March 13, 2013 |
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Greg Walden, R-OR
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"Though we mourn the loss of Joan Zerzan, we also celebrate the life of a woman whose contributions to this country leave an enduring legacy and inspiration to others. Joan Zerzan believed nothing was impossible and taught her children and grandchildren that, when faced with uncertainty or given a choice between hope and despair, the only reasonable choice was hope. As recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” The woman who built her own life on solid ground, who grew up in a humble dwelling in southern Oregon, now retires to the mansion that has been promised her. On this solemn but ultimately joyful occasion I know this whole body will join with me in giving thanks for the life of Joan Zerzan."
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| Averting Sequestration |
February 27, 2013 |
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Cheri Bustos, D-IL
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"Earlier today, I met with the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce and representatives from the Rock Island Arsenal. Last week, I met with a defense contractor from Rockford, Illinois, and I toured the USDA Research Lab in Peoria, Illinois. That’s the place where they figured out how to mass produce penicillin, and these are the kinds of programs that are at risk. These programs are rightly worried about the impact of sequestration."
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