[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2215]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                  TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN CHRIS CHOCOLA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE BUYER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 8, 2006

  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, my colleague Chris Chocola of Indiana will be 
leaving Congress at the end of this session. I was impressed by the 
dedicated service offered during his tenure in the House of 
Representatives. His background as a lawyer and successful businessman 
was instrumental as a constant champion of fiscal restraint by the 
Federal Government. His extensive experience of managing a large public 
corporation proved invaluable to his vision of how the Federal 
Government should operate. It inspired his advocacy that government 
should be run like a business, efficient and effective, always with the 
customer and our fellow citizens.
  As a member of both the Ways and Means and Budget Committees, he 
introduced legislation to streamline the budget process with the hope 
of reining in excessive and unfocused spending. Chris sought a 
reformation of the tax code so that hard working Americans could keep 
more of their paycheck. He introduced legislation so that families 
could continue to make tax free withdrawals from an education savings 
plan, as well as legislation to allow individuals to make tax free 
deductions of medical expenses without a gross income limitation. His 
boundless leadership and bold initiatives will always be looked upon as 
an asset to a grateful nation.
  As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he 
secured $12 million in Federal funding needed to make historic 
improvements to U.S. 31, a roadway connecting South Bend to 
Indianapolis. In addition, his work on the committee also helped to 
complete the Hoosier Heartland Corridor, a transportation project that 
after over a decade is in its final stage of construction.
  Chris Chocola's service to this Nation and to Indiana's Second 
Congressional District will leave an indelible mark for years to come.

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