September 21, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1639 

service members alike. This is a tragic problem that needs to be urgently addressed but 

the reality is that there are not any easy answers and this challenge does not offer any 

quick fixes. 

I applaud Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki for 

marshaling the resources of the U.S. military 

and the Veterans Administration to attack this 

tragic epidemic. As we draw down after nearly 

a decade of war, Secretary Panetta and Secretary Shinseki have committed their departments to not only improve how wars are conducted, but how we address the after-effects 

of post-traumatic stress disorder and other disabling injuries. 

In addition to veterans, we also see that a 

large portion of suicides are coming from within the LGBT community. LGBT youth are four 

times more likely to attempt suicide and when 

they are rejected by their families, eight times 

more likely. With statistics like these, it 

couldn’t be clearer that there is a great need 

for assistance and support for LGBT youth, as 

many are often harassed, bullied and subjected to physical violence by their peers. 

These stories of harassment are becoming 

far too familiar. Take Tyler Clementi, a college 

freshman attending Rutgers University and an 

accomplished violinist. At the young age of 18, 

Tyler’s privacy was invaded by his dorm roommate. Deciding that the ridicule was too much 

to bear, Tyler tragically cut his own life short. 

For many, solace has been found with the 

Trevor Project, a non-profit organization in Los 

Angeles dedicated to providing life-saving resources to young people in the LGBT community. I recently had the honor of meeting with 

Abbe Land, the Executive Director and CEO 

of the Trevor Project and witnessed first-hand 

how the organization handled phone calls from 

distressed youth from around the country on 

their around-the-clock suicide prevention lifeline. With over 30,000 calls each year to the 

Trevor project, their commitment to saving 

lives is unparalleled. 

The problem of suicide has no prejudice or 

political affiliation. Suicide touches each one of 

us and forever changes our lives. I am proud 

to honor the Trevor Project and the National 

Suicide Prevention Lifeline during Suicide Prevention Month as they work tirelessly to prevent the loss of our loved ones who are most 

in need of support. 

f 

HONORING THE CENTENNIAL OF 

THE BOROUGH OF ROSETO 

HON. CHARLES W. DENT OF PENNSYLVANIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

honor the centennial of the incorporation of 

the Borough of Roseto, Pennsylvania, and to 

recognize the many contributions its residents 

have made to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States. 

Roseto, nestled in the rolling hills of Northampton County, was founded by Italian immigrants, who came to America in the late 19th 

Century to work in Pennsylvania’s busy slate 

quarries. In 1887, Nicola Rosato, Lorenzo 

Falcone, Giovanni Policelli, and Angelo 

Tedesco purchased tracts of land and built a 

thriving community, originally known simply as 

‘‘Little Italy.’’ In just ten years, the little town 

had grown large enough to earn its own post 

office. 

Residents named their fledging community 

Roseto, after the Italian village of Roseto 

Valfortore, which many of the borough’s 

founders had called home before immigrating 

to the United States. Today, Roseto maintains 

a strong sister city relationship with its Italian 

namesake. On 2 January 1912, Roseto was 

formally incorporated at the Roseto Borough 

Hall and became America’s first 100% Italian 

borough. 

By the early 20th Century, civic organizations, such as the Sons of Italy, the Order of 

Red Men, and the Roseto Macaroni Club 

flourished, as citizens sought to maintain their 

Italian identity while promoting their patriotism 

as Americans. Around the time of World War 

II, the gradual recession of the local slate industry led to fewer jobs for the quarrymen who 

called the borough home. However, around 

this time, sewing factories were simultaneously growing in large numbers in the area 

and began providing work for both young men 

and women. 

In 1913, the Columbus Public School was 

built to provide education for the borough’s 

children in grades 1 through 8, after which, 

students would continue their studies as a different kind of Slater at nearby Bangor High 

School. Columbus School served Roseto’s 

children until 1978, when the school district 

moved classes to a newer facility. Briefly 

abandoned, the historic building was reopened 

just two years later and continues to house 

Faith Christian School. 

Today, Roseto is a much more diverse borough than it was at the time of its founding, 

but the traditional Italian values of family and 

community remain strong in all residents. 

Family businesses and busy old churches still 

line the streets of Roseto, just as they did over 

one hundred years ago. The health effects of 

this lifestyle have not gone unnoticed and 

were documented in a medical study called 

‘‘The Roseto Effect,’’ an experiment which 

sought to determine why mortality rates in the 

borough were so much lower than other communities. The research concluded that the 

simple community lifestyle embraced by 

Roseto’s inhabitants is the key to their remarkable longevity. The sense of togetherness and 

family that exists throughout the town does 

more than just make life more enjoyable, it actually promotes better health! 

This year, Roseto celebrated its centennial, 

or ‘‘cent’anni’’ in Italian, with a weekend full of 

live music, delicious food, entertainment and 

even a parade. The borough also welcomed a 

visiting delegation from Italy’s Roseto 

Valfortore, including the sister city’s mayor. 

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise 

to honor the 100th anniversary of Roseto’s incorporation. I would ask all my colleagues to 

join me in wishing its residents a very festive 

cent’anni! 

f 

REMEMBERING SGT. STROH 

HON. ERIK PAULSEN OF MINNESOTA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

honor the memory of Edina Police Sergeant 

Steven Stroh. Sgt. Stroh was a 25 year veteran of the Edina Police Department and recently lost his long and courageous battle with 

cancer. 

Sgt. Stroh was a beloved member of the 

community, beginning his career as a community service officer after graduating from St. 

Thomas College. Stroh quickly worked his way 

to police officer and to sergeant, earning a 

place as a respected and trusted leader. 

While a serious leader in the community, 

Sgt. Stroh also had a humorous side. Fellow 

officer Kevin Rofidel remarked, ‘‘If [anyone] 

pulled a prank around here, he’d be in on it.’’ 

Sgt. Stroh believed in learning as much as 

he could to help educate his fellow officers 

and even earned his masters of police administration while he was in the force. Fellow officers will certainly miss his years of experience 

and expertise. 

Sgt. Stroh is survived by a loving family and 

a grateful community, which he dedicated his 

life to serving. 

f 

101ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) 

HON. ROBERT A. BRADY OF PENNSYLVANIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, 

October 10th heralds one century and one 

year of the Republic of China (ROC). 

History—and, particularly Chinese history— 

is filled with many tales of heartbreak, despotism, suffering and despair. But more than a 

century ago, one man, Dr. Sun Yat-sen had a 

different vision for a new China. Having spent 

his formative adolescent years in the U.S. 

state of Hawaii, Dr. Sun returned to China inspired by the uniquely American ideals of U.S. 

Presidents Alexander Hamilton and Abraham 

Lincoln. When given the chance, Dr. Sun 

would tell anybody who would listen that the 

crux of President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, ‘‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’’, had shaped his own political philosophy, the Three Principles of the 

People. 

While implementation of Sun’s three principles was often flawed and undermined while 

the ROC was on mainland China, they eventually took shape—long after his death following 

the ROC’s move to Taiwan in 1949. In 1987, 

Taiwan lifted its Martial Law Emergency Decree. In 1991, free elections were held for the 

island’s Legislative Yuan. And in 1996, amidst 

the attempted intimidation of mainland Chinese missiles being lobbed into the Taiwan 

Strait, Taiwan staged its first free presidential 

election. Taiwan has since had three more 

four presidential elections—most recently, this 

past January with power changing hands once 

in each direction. 

Voter participation in Taiwan is among the 

highest in the world, and its people value and 

embrace its democracy. With so many government ministers having lived and studied in the 

United States, the ROC–U.S. connection and 

shared democratic ideals forged under Dr. 

Sun are alive and well in Taiwan. 

I urge all my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Republic of China on its 101 

years of principled existence, and on its living 

example of true democracy. 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS