September 13, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6333 

hand in every major aviation safety 

bill over the past decade. Congressman 

COSTELLO’S legacy will be safer skies 

and runways for America. 

No one in Congress has a better understanding of or a stronger commitment to improving America’s transportation infrastructure. 

JERRY COSTELLO has helped write 

three national Transportation bills. We 

served together on the conference committee for the most recent Transportation Act, which passed earlier this 

year. It was a bipartisan victory that 

will create or save 3 million good jobs, 

strengthen America’s infrastructure 

and provide the certainty that transportation planners and builders need. 

Building modern, regional transportation networks to support economic 

development and improve people’s 

quality of life has always been one of 

his top priorities. 

JERRY COSTELLO has been involved in 

every major transportation project in 

the St. Louis-Metro East region for the 

last 30 years, from construction of the 

Clark Bridge to the New Mississippi 

River Bridge connecting St. Louis and 

East St. Louis. 

He helped bring light rail to the 

Metro East region and he helped lead 

the effort to create a high-speed rail 

corridor connecting St. Louis and Chicago. He helped pass the strongest airline safety law in 50 years. His leadership was critical in securing the funding to strengthen the flood control levees and dams along the Mississippi 

River and in the adoption of new flood 

insurance maps that are fair and equitable. 

The first vote JERRY COSTELLO cast 

in Congress was a ‘‘yes’’ vote to help 

bring a South Africa trade sanctions 

bill to the floor for debate. He has remained a committed, consistent champion of basic human rights and worker 

rights—including worker safety and 

the right to bargain collectively. 

He has fought for fair trade, for efforts to create good jobs in America, 

and against rewarding companies for 

shipping American jobs overseas. He 

has voted to make college more affordable, and he helped pass the Affordable 

Care Act. Presidents and Congresses 

tried for a century to pass comprehensive health care. JERRY COSTELLO

bravely cast one of the votes that finally got the job done. 

Coal lies below 65 percent of Illinois’ 

surface. It could be a real economic and 

energy boon to America—if we can find 

a way to use it safely and cleanly. 

JERRY COSTELLO has fought for cutting-edge new technologies and publicprivate partnerships including 

FutureGen and the new Prairie State 

Energy Campus that can advance clean 

coal exploration and bring thousands of 

good new jobs to Illinois. He has also 

been a strong supporter of expanding 

the use of biofuels—a move that would 

help our environment, boost our energy 

security and benefit Illinois farmers. 

Scott Air Force Base is the largest 

employer in Illinois south of Springfield. When the future of the base hung 

in the balance during successive rounds 

of BRAC closings between 1995 and 2005, 

JERRY COSTELLO led the effort to maintain and expand its missions. Instead of 

shutting down, Scott Air Force Base 

actually added 800 new jobs and when 

then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates 

visited Scott in 2007 he hailed it as one 

of America’s three most important air 

bases. 

Congressman JOHN SHIMKUS has 

called JERRY COSTELLO the ‘‘patron 

saint of Scott Air Force Base’’ and he’s 

right. JERRY’S energy and skill did 

more to save Scott Air Force Base 

from being closed by the BRAC process 

than any other factor. 

Loretta and I want to thank JERRY’S

wife, Georgia, their three grown children, Jerry, John and Gina, and their 

eight grandchildren for sharing so 

much of their husband, father and 

grandfather with our State and our Nation all these years. 

JERRY has said that he might like to 

teach government next. He would be 

good at it. The success of our democracy depends on our ability to solve 

hard problems by reaching honorable 

compromises. JERRY COSTELLO could 

teach that lesson because he has lived 

it. Whatever his future holds, I wish 

my old friend the best of luck and I 

want to thank him again for all he has 

done for our State and our Nation. 

I now ask unanimous consent to 

enter Senator KIRK’S statement honoring Congressman COSTELLO’S service 

to the State of Illinois into the RECORD

following my remarks. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the 

RECORD, as follows: 

Mr. KIRK. Mr. President, I rise today to 

give thanks to the dean of Illinois’ House of 

Representatives delegation, Congressman 

JERRY COSTELLO, who has announced his retirement after more than two decades of 

service in the Congress. Congressman COSTELLO has been a fixture in the halls of the 

Capitol long before I took office in 2001, and 

we will miss his leadership and dedication to 

the people of the 12th Congressional District. 

From his senior position on the House 

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he has been a tireless advocate for 

our Nation’s road, rail, waterway and aviation infrastructure. His work to improve 

southwestern Illinois’ levee system in particular will pay lasting dividends for his district’s safety and economic development. 

Congressman COSTELLO has been such an 

effective legislator not just because of his 

knowledge of the issues, but also due to his 

ability to work across the aisle. In a time of 

increasing partisanship in Washington, Congressman COSTELLO has established himself 

as a bipartisan partner, more interested in 

delivering for his district than scoring political points. This fact is underscored by his 

close relationship with our colleague Congressman JOHN SHIMKUS. Together, they 

have advanced numerous priorities for southern Illinois, including their support for 

clean, domestic energy production. 

But his work on behalf of the men and 

women of Scott Air Force Base is what I believe will be one of his lasting legacies. Congressman COSTELLO fought to keep Scott 

open during Base Realignment and Closure 

Commission process and has been a strong 

advocate for the base’s core medical, communications, and logistics missions, along 

with the communities that surround Scott. 

I know I speak for our entire delegation 

when I wish Congressman COSTELLO a happy 

and well-earned retirement. His leadership 

will be missed. 

f 

2012 PARALYMPIC GAMES 

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, this past 

Sunday, the closing ceremonies of the 

2012 summer Paralympic games were 

held in London. More than 4,200 athletes seated in the arena were joined by 

80,000 cheering spectators to celebrate 

the culmination of 11 days of athletic 

achievement with parades, fireworks, 

and music. 

Of the 227 American athletes competing in this year’s London games, 20 

are members or veterans of the U.S. 

Armed Forces, including three Active 

Duty servicemembers. This is especially noteworthy given that it was 

disabled British World War II veterans 

using sports as rehabilitation who 

founded what has become today’s modern Paralympic games. 

Among those representing Team USA 

in the London Paralympic games were 

many athletes from Illinois, including 

a number of students and alumni of the 

University of Illinois’ acclaimed 

Adapted Varsity Athletics Program. 

Evanston native Greta Neimanas arrived at her second Paralympic games 

as a 7-time national champion, 13-time 

world championship medalist and 

ParaPan Am games gold medalist. A 

longtime patient of the Rehabilitation 

Institute of Chicago (RIC) and an inspiration to many of RIC’s younger patients, she competed in both track and 

road cycling events in London. 

Joe Berenyi left London with three 

Paralympic medals: a gold, a silver, 

and a bronze. The cyclist, who was born 

in Aurora, IL, also set a world record 

on his way to becoming the Paralympic 

champion in the men’s individual C3 

Pursuit. A father of three, Joe returned 

to Oswego this week where he was surprised by a parade of family and friends 

in his honor. 

Centennial High School graduate 

Nichole Millage of Champaign won her 

second silver medal in sitting 

volleyball as a member of the women’s 

team. Even before winning silver in 

Beijing, Nichole saw the amputation of 

her left leg as an opportunity, not a 

disability. 

Born in Chicago, Justin Zook is a 

three-time Paralympic gold medalist 

and world recordholder. Justin’s victory in the 100-meter backstroke in 

London was all the more impressive 

given his disability reclassification on 

the eve of the games, placing him 

alongside athletes with a lower level of 

physical disability than he had competed against previously. 

University of Illinois junior Tatyana 

McFadden, who goes by the nickname 

‘‘Lady Velocity,’’ won four medals in 

London: three gold and one bronze. She 

competed in the 100, 400, 800, and 1,500 

meters and the marathon and was only 

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S6334 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 13, 2012 

prevented from medaling in all five by 

a punctured tire during the marathon. 

She still came in ninth. As a leading 

voice advocating for disability rights, 

her motto is ‘‘Sports is my passion, 

paving access for others is my purpose.’’ 

Born and raised in Chicago, Eric Barber has been playing wheelchair basketball for 20 years. He captured his 

second Paralympic medal this year in 

London as a member of the bronze-winning U.S. men’s wheelchair basketball 

team. Eric was also a member of the 

wheelchair basketball team that won 

bronze in Sydney in 2000. 

Joining him on the men’s wheelchair 

basketball team was former University 

of Illinois point guard Steve Serio, who 

led the U.S. team with 20 points and recorded four rebounds and eight assists 

during the team’s bronze-medal game 

against host Great Britain. 

Team captain Will Waller was the 

third Illini on the men’s wheelchair 

basketball team at his fourth 

Paralympic games. 

Jennifer Chew represented the University of Illinois on the women’s 

wheelchair basketball team. When not 

training herself, she manages the Denver Lady Nuggets basketball team and 

assistant coaches the Junior Rolling 

Nuggets basketball team. 

Teammate and fellow Illini Sarah 

Castle was in London at her fourth 

Paralympic games but only her second 

as a basketball player. Sarah competed 

at the 2000 and 2004 Paralympic games 

as a swimmer—winning silver in Sydney—before a shoulder injury prompted 

her to pursue wheelchair basketball instead. 

Paralympian Adam Bleakney has 

competed in wheelchair racing events 

ranging from 100 meters to the marathon in the 2000, 2004, 2008, and now 2012 

summer games. Adam completed both 

his undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Illinois in 

Champaign, where he now serves as 

head coach of the wheelchair track 

team. 

Three-time Chicago Marathon winner 

Josh George claimed bronze in London 

in the men’s 800 meters. After graduating with honors from the University 

of Illinois, Josh continued to participate in the school’s program as a volunteer assistant coach. When not racing, he works at Intelliwheels, a startup that develops innovative wheelchair 

technologies at the University of Illinois’ EnterpriseWorks. 

Anjali Forber-Pratt began wheelchair 

racing when she was just 9 years old. 

She went on to win a total of four gold, 

six silver, and two bronze medals at the 

Junior National Wheelchair Games before claiming two bronze medals at the 

Paralympic games in Beijing and competing in the 100, 200, and 400 meters in 

London. Anjali embodies her personal 

motto, ‘‘Dream, Drive, Do’’ not only as 

an athlete but also as a student—she 

holds three degrees from the University of Illinois, including her doctorate. 

Illinois freshman Ray Martin dominated the track, sweeping the men’s 

100, 200, 400, 800 meters. His impressive 

four gold medals placed him at the top 

of the medal count for Illini athletes. 

Since competing in his first marathon in 2007, Aaron Pike has become 

one of the top wheelchair racers in 

America in the event. At the University of Illinois, he led the Illini to four 

straight finals of the National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, and two titles. 

Jessica Galli of Savoy has competed 

in four Paralympic games, where she 

has won one gold, one bronze, and four 

silver medals. She holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the 

University of Illinois, where she also 

competed on the wheelchair track 

team. She serves as an advocate for 

disabled athletes through her work on 

the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Advisory Council, Wheelchair 

and Ambulatory Sports USA, and USA 

Wheelchair Track and Field. 

In a momentous year for Brian 

Siemann, he not only competed in his 

first Paralympic games, but he will 

also graduate from the University of Illinois, where he is currently a senior. 

The 2012 U.S. Paralympic National 

Champion in the 100 and 200 meters, 

Brian lives his favorite quote: ‘‘Don’t 

stop believing.’’ 

Recent University of Illinois graduate Ryan Chalmers competed as a collegiate athlete in both basketball and 

track, where his multisport talent 

earned him an athletic scholarship. 

Ryan chose track over basketball before being selected as a member of 

Team USA for the 2012 Paralympics. 

After an intense summer training in 

Champaign, Amanda McGrory competed in London in five events, including the 800, 1,500, 5,000 and the marathon. The University of Illinois graduate began as a sprinter but changed 

her mind after her first marathon, one 

of the sport’s most grueling events. 

Although she hadn’t ever competed 

in a marathon until moving to Champaign to attend the University of Illinois just a few years ago, Susannah 

Scaroni represented the United States 

in the distance event in London. A 

member of the Illini track and road 

racing team, this was her first 

Paralympics. 

It is no coincidence that so many of 

Illinois’ Paralympians are current students or alumni of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since becoming the first in the Nation to open 

its doors to those with disabilities in 

1949, our State’s flagship university has 

become a world leader in disability 

sports. The University of Illinois’ 

adaptive sports program draws athletes 

from across the globe, and has sent students, alumni or coaches to every 

Paralympics since 1960. 

Just as their nondisabled counterparts, the athletic ability and tenacious commitment of each and every 

one of these athletes serves as an inspiration to their friends, their families, 

and to Americans across the country. 

Although each faces some form of 

physical limitation, these athletes accept no limits on what they can 

achieve. 

I congratulate all of Team USA’s 

athletes on their success at this year’s 

Paralympic games, and especially 

those from Illinois. It is an honor to 

represent them. 

f 

VOTE EXPLANATION 

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I regret having missed the September 12, 

2012, vote on the motion to proceed to 

S. 3457, the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 

2012. 

Had I been present, I would have 

voted in favor of the motion to proceed 

to the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012. 

I am a proud supporter of our Nation’s 

veterans, and I believe this bill will 

provide our veterans with much needed 

support in order to start new careers. 

f 

REAUTHORIZING THE EB–5 

REGIONAL CENTER PROGRAM 

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today, 

the House of Representatives passed S. 

3245, legislation to reauthorize the jobcreating EB–5 Regional Center Program for an additional 3 years. In addition to this important program, the 

legislation also prevents the expiration 

of three other immigration programs 

important to Senator CONRAD, Senator 

HATCH, and Senator GRASSLEY. 

I am very pleased the House acted 

with such strong bipartisan support, 

and I commend House Judiciary Committee chairman LAMAR SMITH for his 

quick action on the bill. Once again I 

thank the Judiciary Committee’s ranking member, Senator GRASSLEY, for his 

partnership on this legislation. 

Passage of this legislation in the 

House today will ensure that the jobcreating EB–5 Regional Center Program will continue. Today’s action will 

allow the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to continue to improve and grow the program administratively and will give me and other interested lawmakers, agency officials, 

and private citizens the time needed to 

consider and find consensus on lasting 

statutory improvements to the program so that it may continue as a permanent and vital part of our immigration system. Most importantly, it will 

allow American entrepreneurs to continue building job-creating development projects around the country. 

This program is and will remain a 

productive part of America’s immigration system. Like Canada, Australia, 

New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, 

the United States is right to provide 

the world’s citizens the opportunity to 

immigrate to its shores based upon investment. This program welcomes people from around the world who devote 

substantial investment capital to 

American businesses to invigorate 

American communities. And it does so 

at no cost to the American taxpayer. 

Moreover, those who immigrate 

through this program will purchase 

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