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D.C. and District Talk

· Shimkus Heart Surgery
As some of you know, Congressman Shimkus underwent heart surgery last week. He is currently recuperating at home following the surgery to repair a condition called severe mitral valve regurgitation. This is a genetic condition where one of the heart’s valves does not close entirely, allowing blood from that chamber to flow back into the chamber the blood was flowing out of.

Preparation for the surgery began at 7 a.m. last Monday, causing him to not be able to return to Washington for the vote on the Terri Schiavo situation early that morning. The actual surgery took place on Tuesday, March 22.

The condition was found during a routine checkup, and the Congressman’s doctors in Washington and St. Louis recommended addressing the condition before it progressed to something more serious.

At this point, he is expected to make a full recovery; however, it could be two months before he is completely back up to speed. Travel by airplane to and from Washington will be allowed during his recovery period; however, he will be maintaining a much lighter schedule outside of votes.

Those interested in contacting the Congressman are asked to contact one of his offices rather than his residence. On behalf of he and his family, we appreciate your concern and ask for your prayers and best wishes during this time.

Cards may be sent to:

Congressman John Shimkus

508 West Main Street

Collinsville, IL 62234.

The family requests that other items (flowers, plants, gifts) NOT be sent.

E-mail greetings may be sent to getwelljohn@mail.house.gov.

Note from Congressman Shimkus:

Friends,

I thought I'd take a minute and update you on current events. After open heart surgery on March 22nd, I am doing well. I had a congenital condition called Severe Mitral Valve Regurgitation. One valve in my heart was not closing completely and blood was flowing in the opposite direction it should. This made my heart work harder which caused it to start enlarging. The condition was discovered during a routine physical and I am grateful that it was caught so early.

After several visits with doctors and other medical professionals watching my recovery, all are pleased with my progress. I still have to go slowly for the next month. But, I plan on returning to work this week. The Energy and Commerce Committee will begin extensive work on the National Energy bill. I have long believed that this is a critical bill for Illinois, so it is important that I be involved in that process.

On a disappointing note, I will miss pitching in my first Congressional baseball game this year. It is an annual event that is so much fun and for a good cause. I will, however, be a baseline and pitching coach.

I want to sincerely thank all those that have sent well wishes to my family and me during this time. I urge all of you to be diligent about routine check-ups and preventative medicine.

Sincerely,

John

· Congressman Shimkus’ Statement on the Death of Terri Schiavo

"My prayers are with Terri and her family. I firmly respect life and wish that her death would not have been such a public ordeal.

This situation clearly brings to light the need for all of us to talk with our loved ones and make sure our own wishes are known."

Constituent Corner

· New Scholarship Opportunity for High School Students

High school juniors and seniors have another reason to get involved in their communities. They can apply for Presidential Freedom Scholarships worth $1,000. The Presidential Freedom Scholarships Program will make 7,800 scholarships available nationwide this year.

The Corporation for National and Community Service awards $500 to each recipient, which must be matched by a community-based organization. Students who complete at least 100 hours of community service are eligible to apply. The deadline is July 1. An application and more information can be found at www.cns.gov/scholarships.

· Free Teaching Seminars for Illinois Educators

This summer, Illinois’ best K-12 teachers, librarians, and counselors will be rewarded for their hard work with a program designed and sponsored by the Illinois Humanities Council (IHC). The "True Learning, True Teaching" program is designed to reward the state’s finest educators with opportunities for further learning and intellectual renewal. Each seminar contains a humanities focus, is interdisciplinary in scope, and is led by a prominent humanist scholar from a local college or university. Twenty to twenty-five educators will be selected to attend each of the all-expenses paid seminars that offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs). The IHC will provide tuition, lodging, meals and program materials for seminar participants. The deadline for this year’s applicants is May 1, 2005.

Any Illinois K-12 teacher, librarian or counselor who has been employed for at least one year and is currently employed in an Illinois school is welcome to apply. The IHC especially encourages applications from educators who have recently joined the profession.

This summer’s three seminars provide natural and idyllic settings in which to learn. Participants can choose from one of the following seminars:

June 26-July 1: Creating the Illinois Landscape: How Designers Have Shaped Our Environment; Barbara Geiger, Illinois Institute of Technology; Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton

July 24-29: America in Vietnam, Vietnam in America; Stephen Schwark, University of Illinois Springfield, and John Squibb, Lincoln Land Community College; Starved Rock State Park, Utica

July 24-29: Time, Trees, Prehistory and the Planet; Stephen E. Nash, Department of Anthropology, The Field Museum; Starved Rock State Park, Utica

Educators interested in one of the seminars may download an application by visiting the IHC website at http://www.prairie.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/dir_library.doc_results_prog/object_id/2d22d1dd-9677-4d08-9496-eaa35e4ef100/DcoumentsForTrueLearningTrueTeachingSeminars.cfm.

An application can also be requested by calling the IHC at 312.422.5580 or writing to: Illinois Humanities Council, 203 N Wabash, Suite 2020, Chicago, IL 60601.

· Art Contest Open to Students

Congressman Shimkus would like to invite high school artists to submit an entry for the 24th Annual Congressional Arts Competition, An Artistic Discovery.

One winning entry from my District will be chosen to hang on display in Washington,

DC. Original paintings, drawings, prints, photography, computer generated art, two dimensional collages, and mixed media artwork are all eligible. We have made entering even easier, as artwork does not need to be framed to be entered. So, take a chance and enter!

Complete application materials, including a release form that must be signed by the student, teacher, and a parent or guardian, are available by calling Shimkus’ office at 618-344-3065. High schools throughout the 19th District have also been mailed information on the contest.

The deadline for submitting artwork to any of Shimkus’ offices is Friday, May 13.

The submissions must be no larger than 32 inches high by 32 inches wide.

Local runners-up artwork is displayed in Shimkus’ offices.

· Two 19th District Students Nominated to Page Program

Congressman John Shimkus has nominated two high school students for consideration for the United States House Page program. The Congressman submitted his nominees to the Speaker’s office, who will make the final decisions.

Shimkus nominated Mr. Alex Lueker of Litchfield and Ms. Stephanie Short of Harrisburg for participation in the summer page program.

Alex is currently ranked first in his sophomore class at Litchfield High School. He participates in Scholar Bowl, Student Council, band, soccer, baseball, track, Spanish Club, and Zion Lutheran Youth Group.

Stephanie is a junior at Harrisburg High School. She participates in band, Beta Club, Pep Club, Forensics Club, Speech Team, Journalism Club, choir, Key Club, Photography Club, Mu Alpha Theta, and is editor of the school newspaper.

Mr. Shimkus is proud to serve as chairman of the House page board, which overseas the Page School.

· New “Traveling Help Desk” Dates

On Tuesday, April 5th, Deb Detmers of the Collinsville district office will be available to help the residents of Galatia and McLeansboro. In Galatia, she will be in the Community/Board Room of the Village Hall on 210 West Main Street from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. In McLeansboro, she will be in the back conference room of the Hamilton County Courthouse on 100 S. Jackson from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Appointments are not necessary, so feel free to drop by at any time. For more information, please visit the web page at www.house.gov/shimkus/helpdesk.htm. Please stop in to see us!

For more information on Galatia, please visit http://www.city-data.com/city/Galatia-Illinois.html

For more information on McLeansboro, please visit http://www.mcleansboro.com

Anticipated Action on the House Floor Next Week

· Congress will reconvene on Tuesday April 5th. For information on upcoming legislation, keep an eye on the Office of the Clerk’s web site: http://clerk.house.gov/legisAct/index.html. This site provides up-to-date information on House legislative schedules.

Did You Know?

· Regular Check-ups and Preventative Medicine are Key to Heart Health

The Congressman was very lucky to have found his heart condition early and avoided what would have been a much more complicated surgery if had he not been in the habit of getting regular checkups. He wants to encourage everyone to be sure and make a visit to their doctor and get any concerns checked out

For more information on severe mitral valve regurgitation, visit the American Heart

Association at www.americanheart.org or the National Institutes of Health’s

MedicinePlus online encyclopedia at www.medlineplus.gov.

Thank you for the interest in the weekly newsletter! Remember to tell your friends about it as well--they can sign up on the web page at http://www.house.gov/shimkus.

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