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John Shimkus is a former U.S. Representative from Illinois, serving in the House from January 7, 1997, until January 3, 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Illinois's 15th congressional district. During his tenure, Shimkus was known for his work on issues related to energy, environment, and agriculture, often advocating for policies that supported these sectors. He served on several committees, including the Energy and Commerce Committee, where he focused on energy policy and environmental regulations.
I will just end in saying it is about these new emerging democracies. It is about our friends, the smallest countries and the new emerging democracies and the former captive nations. If anyone understands freedom and democracy, it is the…
Jingoism,'' ``yellow journalism,'' all words that I used to teach in U.S. history class. I have never been a vocal critic of the state of the national broadcast media, but ABC News has caused me to reconsider. The two-source rule for…
I want to thank Chairman Deal of the subcommittee for his work on this legislation, also Ranking Member Brown, and I think they accurately have mentioned what this legislation does. It wants to hold off these regulations that are decades…
The ranking member of the page program is the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), who has been on the program for decades now. I will not say how many decades. And he has been a great help to me in keeping the current environment and the…
I thank the gentlewoman. The pages have given to this institution and the page program. You have set a bar by which we can now challenge other page classes, and I want to thank you. Mr. Speaker, also joining us is the gentleman from…
This always gives me an opportunity to bounce back and forth between the podiums because this is really a special time. I will get a chance to address you all tomorrow at the departure ceremony, which will be a first for me, although being…
I would like to ask the page class of 2005 to come down and take seats in the first two rows. While we are doing that, I would like to yield to my colleague and friend, the minority whip, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), who is on…
In October, we will have fair and free elections in Afghanistan. Ten million Afghans are registered to vote, one-half being women. When they go to the polls. There will be threats, intimidation and violence, but the Afghans will go…
In April it was reported that employers added 288,000 jobs to the payroll, including 21,000 in the manufacturing sector. Progress is being made. The outsourcing- insourcing debate then has waned a little bit. But I want to highlight…
I want to address a ``thank you'' to Mel Gibson and his movie ``The Passion of the Christ.'' I think it is appropriate during this Easter break that we understand that no greater love is this, than one lays down their life for someone…
This is the beginning of my 8th year here, and that therapy cap issue has been presented to us year after year for 8 years, and I think it is right to bring that up. I am just sorry that the gentlewoman had to break her arm to make a point…
What this Medicare bill does is set up at least at a minimum two coverage areas that would cover the cities, the suburban areas, and out to the rural areas. That way we bring in a bigger pool. But I will also say again $24.9 billion to…
The private sector already does manage the Medicare system. The private sector is already involved in Medicare. They have been doing the job now. They can do it again. If we mandate, as in our bill, that there would be two providers and…
Last year we passed on this floor the ``kids.us'' site. President Bush signed this bill into law. It is a safe Internet site for kids. Now I call upon corporate America, nonprofits and governmental entities to put information on the…
Yesterday we had the opportunity to hear Prime Minister Blair here in this Chamber; and I want to thank him for his straight talk, his compassion, his love of freedom, and the words he imparted to this Chamber. He spoke from the heart…
Our constituents are concerned about gasoline price volatility. This energy bill addresses part of these concerns by promoting the use of domestic renewable fuels like ethanol. However, current regulations prohibit retailers from…
I appreciate my colleague's historical background. I am a relatively new Member still, in my sixth year, and I know there is a lot of water underneath the bridge on a lot of these issues, and it is always good to look back. He has been a…
Yes, Illinois has been hit hard. Illinois has had its fair share of deaths; and yes, we at the Federal level need to partner and assist our local responders. We need to move through this authorization, and, more importantly, work with the…
84 percent, 84 percent, 84 percent of all Americans say that we need to pass a national energy plan. Why? They know that we must decrease our reliance on foreign oil. That means we need to keep our marginal wells, expand the use of…
I support this rule. We labored hard for over 25 hours in the Committee on Energy and Commerce... It increases payments to community hospitals. It increases DSH payments, adds a 10 percent increase to rural home health care agencies…
It has been quoted as saying that war is hell. We mourn the reported deaths of our soldiers in Afghanistan. We know the risks of combat. We know that wars are fought and won on the battlefield, and it is only on the rarest of occasion that…
I just want to chime in on the words of praise and accolades on the work of Judge Beatty, the work that he has done as a resident of Madison County. He did bring honor and integrity to the courts. It is a very difficult job, as we all…
In the days and weeks of bad news, I would like to come to the floor with some good news. On Monday, I attended an announcement of a collocated coal mine and power plant that is being planned and developed in Washington County, Illinois…
From the 23rd Psalm, ``though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.'' God has blessed this Nation to be the most free, the most caring, and the most prosperous Nation in the world's…
The Ford family thanks everyone for their sympathy and concern about the death of Chaplain James David Ford. We wish to clarify that Chaplain Ford was very ill for an extended period of time. Many people did not realize this. This physical…
Politicians like John Shimkus
