Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, let me echo some of the comments that the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez) just made. Last week, the Asian Longhorn beetles were found infecting a dozen blocks in the Ravenswood neighborhood in Chicago's North Side in my congressional district. City officials and scientists from the United States Department of Agriculture are still trying to determine the extent of the infestation. This threat is very real. This beetle came to the United States in wooden packing crates from Asia. A few years ago the Asian Longhorn beetle turned up in New York. It killed thousands of trees and cost more than $4.3 million to kill them. Experts tell us this invader could wreak the same kind of destruction in Chicago and, if allowed to spread, pose a threat to hardwood forests around the country. Because this problem was just discovered, we did not have time to work with the subcommittee to find a way to address this issue. But we would appreciate any effort that the chairman could make as this bill goes to conference with the other body to find funding or a way to help the City of Chicago address this problem.”