[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13082]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE LIFE OF SUMNER W. MEAD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Dold) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Sumner 
Wright Mead of Kenilworth, Illinois, who, unfortunately, passed away on 
September 6 at the age of 92. I will always remember Mr. Mead as a most 
colorful character who never hesitated to let you know how he felt.
  For Mr. Mead, his family always came first. He was a beloved husband 
to Nancy; a father to Sumner, Laura, and Melinda; and a grandfather to 
Elisabeth, Sumner, Katie, Grace, Brooke, Price, Steele, Will, Paige, 
and Tyler.
  Mr. Mead was known for greeting everyone with his welcoming smile. 
When he wasn't relaxing in Martha's Vineyard or Florida, you could 
catch him with his family volunteering at the Kenilworth Union Church 
or sailing on Lake Michigan.
  Mr. Mead also served our country during World War II. His service to 
our Nation, I believe, exemplifies how he lived his life, putting 
others ahead of himself on a daily basis.
  Mr. Speaker, I will forever remember Mr. Mead for his integrity, his 
loyalty, and most importantly, his friendship. He will be dearly 
missed.


                         Honoring the U.S. Navy

  Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the United States 
Navy, which is celebrating its 241st birthday this year.
  Since October 13, 1775, the Navy has tirelessly protected our shores 
and our seas. The Navy will always hold a special place in my heart as, 
51 years ago, Lieutenant Commander Robert Shumaker was shot down over 
Vietnam. I know him as my Uncle Bob. He became the second naval aviator 
captured during the Vietnam war. For the next 8 years and one day, he 
was held as a POW, much of that time in what was the Hoa Lo prison, 
which we know as the Hanoi Hilton.
  To me, his story is a reminder of the darkness and cruelty of war, 
but much more importantly, a reminder of faith and strength of the Navy 
brotherhood and the honor of serving our country that nobody could take 
away from him or his fellow sailors.
  I am also proud to recognize the Great Lakes Naval Station located in 
Illinois' 10th Congressional District. Every sailor who serves our 
country in the Navy has, at one time or another, traveled through the 
Great Lakes. Since World War I, Great Lakes Naval Station has trained 
more than 2 million sailors.
  I offer my most sincere thanks to all the men and women who have 
continued to make the sacrifices to protect our rights of life, 
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.


                          Hunger Action Month

  Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Feeding America and to 
recognize nationwide Hunger Action Month.
  Everyone knows that feeling of an empty stomach, but for 48 million 
people in the United States, including 15 million children, that 
feeling is a daily reality. Without nutrition, people--and especially 
children--don't have the energy to learn, grow, and achieve success.
  The Feeding America network is the Nation's largest domestic hunger 
relief organization and is headquartered in my home State of Illinois. 
Their network includes more than 200 food banks that provide 4 billion 
meals to feed virtually every community in the United States through 
food pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens. This September is a time to 
advocate, raise awareness, and take action to eliminate hunger in our 
communities.
  Over the past year, I have had the honor to work with numerous local 
organizations fighting hunger, including the Northern Illinois Food 
Bank and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. There are also tons of 
local park districts in the 10th District that help provide food and 
support before and after school, as well as during the summer months, 
such as the Waukegan Park District summer feeding program.
  Moving forward, I remain committed to working with these groups to 
fight hunger in the 10th Congressional District of Illinois, and I hope 
my colleagues will use this month to find organizations in their 
districts that are doing similar lifesaving work.


                    National Hispanic Heritage Month

  Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Hispanic 
Heritage Month, which runs annually from September 15 to October 15. 
During this month, we celebrate the culture and heritage of Hispanic 
Americans and their many historic contributions to our Nation.
  In the 10th Congressional District of Illinois, we are fortunate to 
have many community and business leaders with Hispanic roots. Take, for 
example, Luis Fuentes, a community leader who helps families in 
Mundelein, and Esteban Montes de Oca, the owner of multiple bakeries in 
my district.
  Mr. Speaker, I also had the amazing opportunity not long ago to bring 
Erika Martinez, a DREAMer from Round Lake, to the State of the Union 
Address. Mr. Speaker, until we pass immigration reform, families like 
Erika's are forced to continue to live in fear of being torn apart. We 
need to act now.
  So, this month, please join me in recognizing the important 
contributions that Hispanic Americans have made to our country, and 
let's redouble our efforts to uphold our long and proud history as a 
nation of immigrants.

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