---

On Sunday, May 21st, I was given the opportunity to speak at the annual Glen Carbon Memorial Day service. The service was sponsored by VFW Post 2222, American Legion Post 435, Boy Scout Troop 34, and the Oaklawn Cemetery Association, where the event was held and where deceased veterans from seven wars are buried. I greatly appreciated the opportunity to honor our service men and women, now and in the past, giving of themselves for friends and for those they don't know, who are being oppressed.

D.C. and District Talk

" Coal to Liquid Fuels
On Tuesday, May 23, 2006, I introduced legislation (H.R. 5453) that would extend the alternative fuel tax credits to liquid fuel produced from coal.
As fuel prices remain at record highs it is a must for our country to look at long-term solutions that will result in our energy independence. By capitalizing on the nearly 250 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves in the United States, and by utilizing an existing technology called the Fischer-Tropsch process, coal can be converted to ultra-clean liquid fuels for the transportation sector, reducing our reliance on offshore oil, easing pressure on high-cost imported natural gas, and promoting national security and sustained economic growth .
The legislation I introduced would extend the 50 cents per gallon alternative fuel credit that already exists under the Highway Reauthorization Act (2005). My legislation would extend this alternative fuel tax credit for liquid fuels derived from coal to December 31, 2020, from its current expiration date of September 30, 2009. This extension is particularly important for the success of the coal to liquid fuel process, as construction on any coal to liquid (CTL) refinery would take five to seven years. Even if construction began today, the completion date for a CTL refinery would be beyond the current expiration for the alternative fuel credit, and it is important that potential investors are encouraged to participate, knowing that they will be able to take full advantage of these credits.
I am honored to be joined by my colleagues from both parties in support of this important legislation. My colleagues and I recognize the benefits that the coal to liquid process will bring by addressing rising energy costs and encouraging innovation, resourcefulness, and creativity to reduce our dependency on foreign energy sources.

" Respect for America's Fallen Heroes
This week the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5037, the Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act. This legislation comes in response to isolated incidences of protests taking place en route to, or during funeral services for fallen members of our nation's armed forces.
The Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act prohibits individuals from demonstrating within a certain distance of a funeral or memorial service for a fallen soldier and establishes a criminal penalty for violation of this law. Out of respect for the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country, I feel that this is an important bill that will provide for peaceful and uninterrupted funeral and memorial services for families who have suffered the loss of a loved one in a military conflict.
I am proud to have been an original cosponsor of this legislation, which appropriately received overwhelming support in both the House and Senate and now goes to the President's desk.
For more information, please visit thomas.loc.gov and search by bill number.

Constituent Corner

" Scott AFB Projects
Recently, the House of Representatives voted to pass the Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2007. Included as part of this legislation is just under $35 million for facilities projects at Scott Air Force Base.
The projects include:
o $10.2 million for a new Squadron Operations Facility, which will provide the 932nd Air Force Reserve Wing and the 375th Airlift Wing with one central facility to perform operations for an Active Associate unit to fly Operational Support Airlift operations.
o $4.35 million for a Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) parts storage facility, which would be used for storage, distribution, and administration for two different contractors with different parts inventories, as well as distribution processes in support of the C9C and C40 airframes at Scott.
o $20 million for a new dormitory to accommodate unaccompanied enlisted personnel, addressing inadequate on-base housing and meeting Air Force standards and protection requirements.
Scott AFB employs over 13,000 people, including approximately 5,800 active duty military employees. It is estimated to bring an additional 6,800 jobs to surrounding communities, while injecting $2.1 billion annually into the economy of the bi-state region.

" Phone Tax
Treasury Secretary John Snow has called for an end to the so-called "luxury" tax on long distance telephone calls. Enacted in 1898 to fund the Spanish-American war, this excise tax is no longer confined to the wealthy. Likewise, this tax is counter-productive, in light of our global economy. In addition to ending the long-distance excise tax, the Treasury Department is allowing taxpayers to receive a refund for the last three years of taxes paid. Taxpayers can choose either a flat-rate refund, or a refund on the actual amount paid of taxes paid, by claiming the refund on their 2006 tax returns filed in 2007.

While the Treasury Department has come to the decision to discontinue the tax, Congress must pass legislation to repeal the tax. H.R. 1898, the Telephone Excise Tax Repeal Act of 2005, has been introduced in the House and was referred to the appropriate committee for consideration. I have consistently cosponsored this legislation that would end this outdated tax and I am pleased to see that Secretary Snow has called for taxpayer refunds.

If you would like more information on this issue you may visit the Treasury Department's website, at www.treasury.gov.

" College Loan Consolidation
With interest rates rising on federally guaranteed loans, students and parents could find themselves facing rate hikes as of July 1st. Students and parents should consider consolidating their existing loans into one by June 30th. A signed application is due to your lender by June 30th. Documents and further information should and can be obtained by your lender as well as via this site:
www.staffordloan.com/repayment/consolidation.php.

" Stolen Veteran Affairs Data
A data analyst at the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) violated VA policies and took home electronic data without authorization. The employee's home was burglarized and the data was stolen in May 2006. The data stolen includes names, social security numbers, and birthdates for up to 26.5 million veterans and some spouse information and disability ratings. The data did not include financial information or electronic health records.
The FBI and the VA Inspector General's office have launched full-scale investigations, and the President's Identity Theft Task Force has already taken action to protect affected veterans against identity theft. VA is urging veterans to carefully monitor their band and credit card statements and report any suspicious activity to the Federal Trade Commission.
For more information, visit www.firstgov.gov or contact the manned call center set up by VA at 1-800-FED INFO (333-4636) from 8 am to 9 pm, Monday through Saturday.

" New "Traveling Help Desk" Dates
On Thursday, June 8, 2006, Jed Nelson of my Springfield district office will be available to help the residents of Equality and Galatia. In Equality, he will be in the Equality Municipal Building at 138 N. Calhoun Street from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. In Galatia, he will be at the Galatia Community Center at 210 W. Main from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
For more information, please visit my web page at www.house.gov/shimkus/helpdesk.shtml. I hope you stop in to see us!

Legislative Week in Review

" The following bills were passed by the House of Representatives this week:
o H.R. 5429 - American-Made Energy & Good Jobs Act (Rep. Pombo - House Resources)
o H.R. 5427 - Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2007 (Rep. Hobson - House Appropriations)
o H.R. 5384 - Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2007 (Rep. Bonilla - House Appropriations)
o H.R. 4681 - Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act (Rep. Ros-Lehtinen - House International Relations)
o H.R. 5037 - Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act (Rep. Rogers - House Veteran's Affairs)
o S. 1235 - Veterans Benefits Improvement Act (Sen. Craig - Senate and House Appropriations)

" Note: Congress was still in session and votes were in progress on the following bill at the time this newsletter was written and distributed.

o H.R. 5441 - Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 (Rep. Rogers - House Appropriations)

" To keep up to date on legislation as it moves through the legislative process please visit http://thomas.loc.gov and type in the bill number.

Anticipated Action on the House Floor Next Week

" Congress will be in recess next week in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. Congress will reconvene on Monday, June 5, 2006.

" Keep an eye on the Office of the Clerk's web site for upcoming legislation: http://clerk.house.gov/legisAct/index.html. This site provides up-to-date information on House legislative schedules.

Did You Know?

" The History of Memorial Day
On Monday, May 29, 2006, our nation will observe the Memorial Day holiday, in remembrance of those who have given their lives in service to our country throughout history. The original concept of a "memorial day" was introduced by General John A. Logan on May 5, 1868. On May 30, 1868, in accordance with General Logan's General Order No. 11, Decoration Day, as Memorial Day was originally known, services were held at Arlington National Cemetery to decorate the graves and headstones of thousands of soldiers who had passed away during the Civil War.
Today, Memorial Day is observed in communities across the country, while a national ceremony is still held at Arlington National Cemetery. At this ceremony, it is customary for the president to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, while a small American flag is placed on each grave.
The annual National Memorial Day Concert will be held on Sunday, May 28th, 2006, on the west lawn of the Capitol grounds in Washington D.C. This concert will be aired live on PBS, beginning at 7pm CST (8pm EST). Please visit www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert for more information and to check local listings.

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

Sincerely,

Congressman John Shimkus

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This electronic newsletter is a weekly publication sent to all interested constituents. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please send a message to shimkus.il19@mail.house.gov and put UNSUBSCRIBE in the Subject Line, and we will remove you from the mailing list.
Please do not reply to this e-mail for any other reason; instead, visit http://www.house.gov/shimkus/emailme.shtml to contact me.