COSTELLO, JERRY F. (a Representative from Illinois)
Appointments
Conferee: H.R. 4, Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE) Act, H3472 [12JN]
Bills and resolutions cosponsored
Abortion: prohibit partial-birth abortions (see H.R. 4965), H3775 [20JN]
Agriculture: provide emergency agriculture assistance (see H.R. 5383), H6560 [24SE]
American Road and Transportation Builders Association: anniversary (see H. Con. Res. 442), H5195 [23JY]
Amtrak: make loan guarantees (see H.R. 5024), H4068 [26JN]
Animals: ensure that all dogs and cats used by research facilities are obtained legally (see H.R. 4039), H1088 [20MR]
———prohibit use of polar bears in circuses (see H.R. 3932), H832 [12MR]
Armed Forces: provide for a Korea Defense Service Medal to be issued to members who participated in Korea after the Korean War (see H.R. 1935), H634 [27FE]
———reduce the age for receipt of military retired pay for non-regular service (see H.R. 3831), H3161 [4JN]
———restore the tax-exempt status of death gratuity payments (see H.R. 3973), H3161 [4JN]
Aviation: assist employees separated from employment due to reductions in service by air carriers and airport closures caused by terrorist actions, security measures, or a military conflict with Iraq (see H.R. 5678), H8022 [16OC]
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: support (see H. Con. Res. 502), H7930 [15OC]
Buck, John F. (Jack): tribute (see H. Res. 455), H3859 [24JN]
Bush, President: address issues of neighborhood crime prevention and community policing and support Federal participation in National Night Out (see H. Res. 437), H3292 [6JN]
Capitol Building and Grounds: authorizing use of Grounds for National Peace Officers' Memorial Service (see H. Con. Res. 347), H833 [12MR]
———authorizing use of Grounds for Special Olympics torch relay (see H. Con. Res. 354), H937 [18MR]
———authorizing use of Grounds for the National Book Festival (see H. Con. Res. 348), H833 [12MR]
Cesar Chavez Post Office, Chicago, IL: designate (see H.R. 3613), H6777 [26SE]
China, Republic of: ensure that future is resolved peacefully through a democratic mechanism with the express consent of the Taiwanese people and free from outside threats (see H. Con. Res. 221), H6420 [19SE]
Community development: provide and assure continuation of grant funding for additional empowerment zones and enterprise communities and correct certain inequities in the program (see H.R. 2637), H3037 [23MY]
Consumers: protect from predatory mortgage lending practices (see H.R. 1051), H1003 [19MR]
Cuba: lift travel restrictions (see H.R. 5022), H4606 [15JY]
Cyprus: membership in European Union (see H. Con. Res. 164), H142 [5FE]
Dept. of HHS: make grants to promote innovative outreach and enrollment efforts under State Children's Health Insurance Program (see H.R. 4764), H4932 [18JY]
Dept. of Transportation: authorize construction of a plaza adjacent to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (see H.R. 5012), H3927 [25JN]
Dept. of Veterans Affairs: increase amounts available to State approving agencies to evaluate the qualifications of educational institutions to provide courses under department-administered education programs (see H.R. 3731), H1201 [10AP]
———provide guaranteed adequate level of funding for veterans health care (see H.R. 5250), H6777 [26SE]
Diseases: blood cancer research, information, and education funding (see H.R. 2629), H36 [23JA]
———increase public awareness of Scleroderma (see H. Con. Res. 320), H227 [7FE]
Drugs: respond to the illegal production, distribution, and use of methamphetamines (see H.R. 3782), H907 [13MR]
Fair Credit Reporting Act: exempt certain communications from the definition of consumer reports (see H.R. 1543), H3453 [11JN]
Families and domestic relations: provide coverage of domestic violence screening and treatment under Maternal and Child Health Program, Medicaid, and Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (see H.R. 4032), H3928 [25JN]
FDA: grant authority to regulate tobacco (see H.R. 1097), H833 [12MR]
Federal aid programs: provide housing assistance to domestic violence victims (see H.R. 3752), H2235 [8MY]
Federal employees: clarify computation of annuities for air traffic controllers relative to law enforcement officers and firefighters (see H.R. 4957), H5998 [26JY]
———ensure that those activated by the National Guard or Reserves shall receive pay equal to the basic pay such individual would otherwise be receiving (see H.R. 3337), H36 [23JA]
Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act: amend relative to firefighter assistance (see H.R. 4548), H7018 [3OC]
Financial institutions: prohibit financial holding companies and national banks from engaging, directly or indirectly, in real estate brokerage or real estate management activities (see H.R. 3424), H227 [7FE]
Firefighters: establish the SAFER Firefighter Grant Program (see H.R. 3992), H7018 [3OC]
Fish and fishing: recover depleted fish stocks and promote the long-term sustainability of marine fisheries (see H.R. 2570), H1003 [19MR]
Forest Service: protection of certain roadless areas (see H.R. 4865), H3721 [19JN]
Harold, Erika: tribute (see H. Res. 575), H7303 [8OC]
Health: reauthorize health centers program and National Health Service Corps (see H.R. 3450), H367 [13FE]
Health care professionals: improve access to physicians in medically underserved areas (see H.R. 4858), H3563 [13JN]
Height, Dorothy I.: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 4531), H6303 [17SE]
Huerta, Dolores: tribute for commitment to the improvement of working conditions for children, women, and farm worker families (see H. Con. Res. 177), H142 [5FE]
Interstate commerce: prohibit transport of horses for the purpose of slaughter or horse flesh for human consumption (see H.R. 3781), H655 [4MR]
Iron and steel industry: remedy certain injurious effects of steel imports by protecting benefits of steelworkers and retirees and strengthening the U.S. steel industry (see H.R. 4646), H2099 [2MY]
Israel: express solidarity in the fight against terrorism (see H. Res. 392), H1675 [25AP]
King, Martin Luther, Jr.: mint coins in commemoration (see H.R. 1184), H1003 [19MR]
Korean War Veterans Association, Inc.: grant Federal charter (see H.R. 952), H284 [12FE]
Law enforcement officers: exclude availability pay for criminal investigators from the limitation on premium pay and modify levels of special pay for Federal officers in certain cities (see H.R. 4763), H6061 [4SE]
Medicaid: increase Federal medical assistance percentage to help States finance increases in enrollment (see H.R. 3414), H562 [26FE]
———provide the disabled and elderly with equal access to community-based attendant services (see H.R. 3612), H2019 [1MY]
Medicare: coverage for rehabilitation services provided by State vocational rehabilitation agencies to older, blind individuals (see H.R. 2674), H367 [13FE]
———enhance access of beneficiaries who live in medically underserved areas to critical primary and preventive health care benefits and improve the Medicare+Choice program (see H.R. 4000), H1156 [9AP]
———establish minimum geographic cost-of-practice index value for physicians' services (see H.R. 3569), H562 [26FE]
———extend a temporary increase in payment for skilled nursing facility services (see H.R. 5411), H7019 [3OC]
———improve access to services in rural hospitals and critical access hospitals (see H.R. 4515), H2101 [2MY]
———increase reimbursement for screening mammography services and funding for additional radiology residents and radiologic technologists (see H.R. 1354), H231 [8FE]
Mental health: provide for equal insurance coverage of benefits unless comparable limitations are imposed on medical and surgical benefits (see H.R. 4066), H2735 [21MY]
Motor vehicles: provide for greater fairness in the motor vehicle franchise contract arbitration process (see H.R. 1296), H4350 [8JY]
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: authorize development of research centers focusing on environmental factors related to the etiology of breast cancer (see H.R. 1723), H2235 [8MY]
National Safety Forces Appreciation Week: support goals and ideals (see H. Con. Res. 495), H8045 [28OC]
National security: enhance homeland security and the public property protection capabilities of the Federal Government (see H.R. 4770), H2661 [20MY]
NIST: authorizing appropriations (see H.R. 5074), H4424 [9JY]
Nobel Prize: recognition of Jimmy Carter for peace (see H. Res. 588), H7929 [15OC]
Office of Technology Assessment: reestablish (see H.R. 2148), H687 [5MR]
Pharmaceuticals: permit commercial importation of prescription drugs from Canada (see H.R. 4614), H3825 [21JN]
Pipelines: establish a cooperative Federal research, development, and demonstration program to ensure the integrity of pipeline facilities (see H.R. 3929), H2662 [20MY]
Pledge of Allegiance: circuit court decision on inclusion of phrase ``under God'' (see H. Res. 459), H4069 [26JN]
Postal Service: protection of post offices (see H. Con. Res. 181), H3161 [4JN]
Public Health Service Act: amend to provide services for the prevention of family violence (see H.R. 4916), H3928 [25JN]
Public lands: designate certain national parks, wild and scenic rivers, and wilderness areas in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming (see H.R. 488), H3774 [20JN]
Public safety officers: ensure that officers who suffer a fatal heart attack or stroke while on duty shall be presumed to have died in the line of duty for purposes of survivor benefits (see H.R. 5334), H6983 [2OC]
Railroads: reform the safety practices of the railroad industry (see H.R. 4761), H3454 [11JN]
Roads and highways: amend length and weight limitations for vehicles operating on Federal-aid highways (see H.R. 3132), H1155 [9AP]
Senior citizens: establish a consumer price index for elderly consumers to compute cost-of-living increases for Social Security and Medicare benefits (see H.R. 2035), H1620 [24AP]
Social Security: enhance privacy protections for individuals and prevent fraudulent misuse of account numbers (see H.R. 2036), H367 [13FE]
———repeal Government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions (see H.R. 2638), H79 [24JA]
———restore Social Services Block Grant funding and the ability of States to transfer Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds to such block grant (see H.R. 1470), H367 [13FE]
Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act: ensure coverage of National Guard troops mobilized for support services in the aftermath of terrorist attacks (see H.R. 4017), H1087 [20MR]
Syria: halt support for terrorism, end occupation of Lebanon, stop development of weapons of mass destruction, and cease illegal importation of Iraqi oil (see H.R. 4483), H5791 [25JY]
Taxation: allow a U.S. independent film and television production wage credit (see H.R. 3131), H781 [7MR]
———allow Federal civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a pretax basis and allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental premiums (see H.R. 2125), H634 [27FE]
———allow penalty-free withdrawals from individual retirement plans for adoption expenses (see H.R. 3713), H230 [8FE]
———clarify exemption from the self-employment tax for termination payments received by former life insurance salesmen (see H.R. 3139), H3928 [25JN]
———expand the Hope Scholarship credit for certain expenses and exempt certain Federal education grants when taking expenses into account (see H.R. 2219), H2019 [1MY]
———extend the transportation fringe benefit to bicycle commuters (see H.R. 1265), H1490 [22AP]
———prevent corporations from avoiding the U.S. income tax by reincorporating in a foreign country (see H.R. 3884), H1201 [10AP]
———prevent corporations from exploiting tax treaties to evade U.S. income tax (see H.R. 4993), H4326 [27JN]
———provide incentives for the use of biodiesel as a fuel (see H.R. 4843), H5791 [25JY]
———repeal the inclusion in gross income of unemployment compensation (see H.R. 2254), H833 [12MR]
———treatment of certain expenses of rural letter carriers relative to the business use of a personal vehicle (see H.R. 2350), H3775 [20JN]
———treatment of charitable remainder pet trusts (see H.R. 1796), H1283 [11AP]
———treatment of frequent flyer mileage awards (see H.R. 4374), H2235 [8MY]
Terrorism: anniversary of terrorist attacks (see H. Con. Res. 464), H6229 [11SE]
Thomas, Rex D. (Dave): tribute (see H. Res. 336), H104 [29JA]
Trade Act: amend to consolidate and improve trade adjustment assistance programs and provide community-based economic development assistance for trade-affected communities (see H.R. 3359), H105 [29JA] (see H.R. 3670), H142 [5FE]
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century: provide highway infrastructure investment at the guaranteed funding level (see H.R. 3694), H226 [7FE]
Turkey: claim of sovereignty over islands and islets in the Aegean Sea (see H. Con. Res. 97), H105 [29JA]
Veterans: increase pension rates for surviving spouses of veterans of a period of war (see H.R. 4798), H3669 [18JN]
———provide housing loan benefits for the purchase of residential cooperative apartment units (see H.R. 1808), H1769 [30AP]
———recognize the importance of veterans to the U.S. and express support for the goals of Veterans Educate Today's Students (VETS) Day (see H. Con. Res. 20), H5998 [26JY]
———verify military service of certain Philippine nationals during World War II to determine benefits eligibility (see H.R. 491), H1532 [23AP]
Veterans Day: issue annual commemorative postage stamp (see H. Res. 429), H5454 [24JY]
Vietnam Veterans Memorial: authorize design and construction of a temporary education center (see H.R. 510), H2235 [8MY]
Volunteer firefighters: remove civil liability barriers surrounding donating fire equipment to volunteer fire companies (see H.R. 1919), H3601 [17JN]
Water: authorize appropriations for State water pollution control revolving funds (see H.R. 3930), H3038 [23MY]
Bills and resolutions introduced
Dept. of Energy: external regulation of nuclear safety and occupational safety and health at facilities (see H.R. 5275), H5995 [26JY]
Homilies
Red Mass: Wilton D. Gregory, E1821
Remarks
Agriculture: continue certain programs (H.R. 2646), conference report, H2047
Alton, IL: anniversary of Alton Exchange Club, E1039
American Legion: clarify eligibility requirements (H.R. 3988), E1270
Americans With Disabilities Act: anniversary, E1398
Appropriations: making supplemental appropriations for further recovery from and response to terrorist attacks (H.R. 4775), H3025
Armed Forces: authorize use against Iraq (H.J. Res. 114), H7409 [9OC]
Armenia: anniversary of genocide, H1599
Atlantis (space shuttle): tribute to flight crew, E1885
Aviation: establish a program for Federal flight deck officers (H.R. 4635), H4447
———impact of Executive order allowing privatization of certain air traffic controller functions, E1074
———improve security by allowing pilots to have guns in the cockpit, H4447
Belleville, IL: Whiteside Elementary School designated as National Service-Learning Leader School, E1044
Bush, President: disapproving the action taken under the Trade Act in response to the surge of steel imports (H.J. Res. 84), disposition (H. Res. 414), H2177
Capitol Building and Grounds: authorizing use of Grounds for National Peace Officers' Memorial Service (H. Con. Res. 347), H1711
Chicago, IL: expand aviation capacity (H.R. 3479), H5191
Cusic, James G., III: American Red Cross Certificate of Merit award recipient, E1760
Dept. of Energy: external regulation of nuclear safety and occupational safety and health at facilities (H.R. 5275), E1462
Dept. of Homeland Security: establish (H.R. 5005), H5685 [25JY], H5883
———inclusion of FEMA, H5685 [25JY]
Dept. of Justice: first responders funding, H3025
Dept. of the Interior: promote efforts to provide a scientific basis for the management of sediment and nutrient loss in the Upper Mississippi River Basin (H.R. 3480), E540
Dept. of Transportation: authorize construction of a plaza adjacent to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (H.R. 5012), H6008
———use of Airport Improvement Program grants to retroactively reimburse certain airports for installation of air traffic control towers, H3739 [20JN]
FEMA: include Dept. of Energy National Laboratory representative on National Dam Safety Review Board, H6069 [5SE]
Hazardous substances: approve Yucca Mountain, NV, as nuclear waste disposal site (H.J. Res. 87), H2201
Health care professionals: improve access to physicians in medically underserved areas by extending and increasing foreign country residency requirement waivers for foreign medical graduates (H.R. 4858), H3870
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: anniversary of Illinois Local 309, E1212
Iron and steel industry: respond to the surge of steel imports, E171
Maeystown, IL: anniversary, E1042
Marion, IL: anniversary of International Union of Operating Engineers Local 318, E302
Medicare: establish voluntary outpatient prescription drug coverage program and modernize and reform payments and the regulatory structure (H.R. 4954), H4293
Middle East: hostilities between Israel and the Palestinians, E601
National Dam Safety and Security Act: reauthorizing (H.R. 4727), H6067, H6069 [5SE]
National Trails System: study potential addition of Revolutionary War route taken by George Rogers Clark and troops to capture British forts at Kaskaskia and Cahokia, IL, and Vincennes, IN (H.R. 1963), H707 [6MR]
NSF: authorizing appropriations (H.R. 4664), H3193
Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center, Chicago, IL: designate (S. 378), H2121
Political campaigns: ethics reform and contribution limits (H.R. 2356), H348
Public welfare programs: reauthorize and improve block grants to States for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (H.R. 4737), H2590
Segobiano, Gina: National Association of Elementary School Principals Illinois National Distinguished Principals Award recipient, E1513
Swansea, IL: anniversary of Catholic Knights and Ladies of Illinois, E1510
Terrorism: anniversary of terrorist attacks (H. Con. Res. 464), H6197
Transportation: provide assistance for the construction of certain air traffic control towers (H.R. 1979), H3739 [20JN]
Unemployment: extend period of availability of unemployment assistance in the case of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Somerset County, PA (H.R. 3986), H965
VFW: amend charter to make members of the Armed Forces who receive special pay for duty subject to hostile fire or imminent danger eligible for membership (H.R. 3838), E1270
Wetzel, Robert: Distinguished Eagle Scout Award recipient, E753
Young, Nancy Beck: Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation D.B. Hardeman Prize recipient, E1142
Tributes
Buck, John F. (Jack), E1187
Byrd, Verlyan R., E1571
Clement, Representative, E2084
Eilerman, Ted, E72
Gregory, Wilton D., E1821
Marker, James A., E1326
McGehee, Mike, E1888
Murie, Margaret (Mardy), E1509
Souders, Robert, E1038
Weeks, Donald P., E75