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[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 127 (Wednesday, September 19, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1553]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                  HONORING CONGRESSMAN JERRY COSTELLO

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. RUSS CARNAHAN

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 12, 2012

  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of my 
colleague and Illinois neighbor Congressman Jerry F. Costello for his 
tireless efforts in representing part of the St. Louis metro area in 
Southern Illinois.
  His 24 years in the House of Representatives have been distinguished 
by his exceptional ability to achieve and selfless resolve to advance 
our nation and our bi-state region.
  Jerry's civic work began well before his tenure in Congress. This was 
apparent even in college, where his eagerness to serve the community he 
called home led him to divide time between his studies and a job as a 
full time law enforcement officer. He chose to follow this path after 
college, and his ingenuity and knowledge of the regional court system 
made him prominent throughout Illinois. His devotion, practicality, and 
unwavering focus on his community would see his election as chief 
executive of one of Illinois' largest counties and eventual rise to 
Congress.
  His career has been marked by leadership and consistent achievement, 
particularly in the field of transportation, where his record is as 
extensive as it is impressive. In 2005, he took the lead role to secure 
$150 million for a new Mississippi River bridge as part of one of the 
biggest earmarks in U.S. history because of its classification as a 
project of national significance. He brought MetroLink to Southern 
Illinois, a new transportation network that has improved infrastructure 
and simultaneously boosted and connected the regional economy. I have 
been proud to serve alongside Congressman Costello on the 
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Science Committee 
and I know all his colleagues on both sides of the aisle will deeply 
miss his leadership and knowledge. Furthermore, his constituents will 
miss his devotion to improving their lives, creating jobs, and 
bettering the region's infrastructure.
  Jerry's accomplishments exemplify his commitment to issues ranging 
from safety to poverty, from the economy to defense. His efforts have 
benefitted not just his district, but the nation as a whole. Beginning 
in 1995, for example, Jerry undertook a decade-long endeavor to save 
Illinois' Scott Air Force Base from closure. Continuous efforts to 
improve base facilities and funding to keep it off the closure list 
eventually prevailed. The Air Force base is now one of the largest 
employers in the St. Louis region and ranks among the nation's most 
important with the operation of the Air Mobility Command.
  As the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Aviation 
Subcommittee, he has led the effort to modernize our aviation system 
and helped pass a bill this year that secured the place of our aviation 
system as the best and safest in the world for years to come. Several 
years later, he helped write the Airline Safety and Pilot Training 
Improvement Act of 2009. The bill requires pilots to now log more hours 
and undergo more rigorous training before being able to pilot 
commercial airplanes.
  This coming January, my good friend Jerry will be retiring.
  His decades of service have provided Illinois, the St. Louis bi-state 
region, and Congress a guiding voice that will be sorely missed. He 
retires with a legacy that the next generation of American leaders 
should hope to emulate.
  I have been proud to serve alongside Jerry in Congress, serving the 
same region, and serving on two committees together. I have seen 
firsthand the incredible work he has done, and the stamp he has left on 
this place and the impression he has made on all of us who have had the 
good fortune to work alongside him. While Jerry will no longer be in 
Congress, I have no doubt that he will continue to serve his community 
and his country.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Jerry Costello on a 
successful career and wishing him and his family all the best as he 
retires. Thank you, Jerry.

                          ____________________
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