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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E220 HON E220 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks February 27, 2019 Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Even as the Civil War raged on, Judge Drum- that concern Marfan syndrome patients, but I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedi- mond balanced his sense of duty and patriot- the effects the condition has on internal sys- cation and character in all of her future ac- ism, actively supporting the Union and Presi- tems. Most notably, in Marfan patients the complishments. dent Lincoln while still defending the Chicago large artery, known as the aorta, which carries f Times’ right to freedom of speech and criti- blood away from the heart is weakened and cism. prone to enlargement and rupture, which can IN RECOGNITION OF CHRISTIAN Today the court exists as the Northern Dis- be fatal. It is for this reason that increased KNOP trict of Illinois and is led by Chief Judge Rube´n awareness of Marfan syndrome can save Castillo. It has grown considerably during its lives. HON. MIKE ROGERS 200 years and now contains 22 judicial posts, While there is currently no cure for Marfan OF ALABAMA ensuring further public and juris prudential ac- syndrome, efforts are underway to enhance IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES cess to its resources and rulings. I am grateful our understanding of the condition and im- prove patient care. I applaud the National In- Wednesday, February 27, 2019 to the District Court and its people, for laws are useless without justice. stitutes of Health, particularly the National Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Speaker, Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the Na- I ask for the House’s attention to recognize me in honoring the United States District Court tional Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Christian Knop. for the Northern District of Illinois on the 200th and Skin Diseases for their research efforts in A senior at Alexandria High School in Alex- anniversary of the courts establishment. this regard. I encourage NIH to expand re- andria, Alabama, won his 235th consecutive Through its celebration, we pay tribute not search efforts in this area. wrestling match this month to win the 195- only to our institutions and the rule of law, but Early diagnosis and proper treatment are pound weight class in Class 1A–5A. to our long-standing history of justice. the keys to managing Marfan syndrome and living a full life. I encourage my colleagues to Christian is the first wrestler to go f undefeated and win four straight champion- join me in supporting a Marfan education and ships in the history of the Alabama High ANALENA SHAW awareness program at the Centers for Dis- School Athletic Association (AHSAA). ease Control and Prevention. We can facilitate Christian is ranked third in the nation for HON. ED PERLMUTTER proper treatment by raising awareness leading to early diagnosis. I urge my colleagues to join wrestling and has not lost a match since he OF COLORADO me in recognizing February as Marfan Aware- was in the 8th grade. Knop plans to attend IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and wrestle at N.C. State. ness Month. Madam Speaker, please join me in con- Wednesday, February 27, 2019 f gratulating Christian Knop on such an awe- Mr. PERLMUTTER. Madam Speaker, I rise MACEDONIAN MINORITY IN some achievement and wish him the best of today to recognize and applaud Analena Shaw GREECE luck in North Carolina. for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service f Ambassadors for Youth award. Analena Shaw is a student at Arvada West HON. PAUL MITCHELL OF MICHIGAN CELEBRATING THE 200TH ANNI- High School and received this award because IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VERSARY OF THE UNITED her determination and hard work have allowed STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR her to overcome adversities. Wednesday, February 27, 2019 THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF IL- The dedication demonstrated by Analena Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, as a co- LINOIS Shaw is exemplary of the type of achievement chair of the Congressional Macedonian Cau- that can be attained with hard work and perse- cus and representative of one of the largest HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI verance. It is essential students at all levels populations of Macedonian-Americans in the OF ILLINOIS strive to make the most of their education and country, I would like to include in the RECORD IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES develop a work ethic which will guide them for the following article from the BBC entitled ‘‘Greece’s invisible minority—the Macedonian Wednesday, February 27, 2019 the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Slavs’’. I’m dedicated to maintaining and Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise today Analena Shaw for winning the Arvada Wheat strengthening a positive and mutually bene- in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. ficial relationship between the United States United States District Court for the Northern I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedi- and Macedonia, and urge my colleagues to District of Illinois. It is an honor to recognize cation and character in all of her future ac- join me in building and enhancing the cultural, a court with such a rich and impactful history complishments. economic, strategic, and governmental ties be- at the heart of the American judiciary system. f tween our two nations. The U.S. District Court for the Northern Dis- [From the BBC News Stories, Feb. 24, 2019] trict of Illinois traces its roots back to Illinois’ RECOGNIZING MARFAN ‘‘GREECE’S INVISIBLE MINORITY—THE establishment. Nathaniel Pope, serving as the AWARENESS MONTH MACEDONIAN SLAVS’’ Territory of Illinois’ Secretary from inception in By ratifying an agreement with the newly 1809, became its Delegate to Congress in HON. BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK renamed Republic of North Macedonia, Greece has implicitly recognised the exist- 1816. There, he worked tirelessly on part of OF PENNSYLVANIA ence of a Macedonian language and eth- the territory’s eventual admission to the Union IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES as the state of Illinois in 1818. As such, it was nicity. And yet it has denied the existence of Wednesday, February 27, 2019 its own Macedonian minority for decades, only a natural progression for him to be nomi- says Maria Margaronis. Will something now nated and confirmed as the first Judge of its Mr. FITZPATRICK. Madam Speaker, I rise change? new District, bringing with him strong anti-slav- today on behalf of Americans affected by Mr. Fokas, 92, stands straight as a spear in ery views. Marfan syndrome and related connective tis- his tan leather brogues and cream blazer, Eventually, the United States District Court sue conditions to recognize February as barely leaning on the ebony and ivory cane for the District of Illinois was subdivided into Marfan Awareness Month. brought from Romania by his grandfather a the Northern and Southern District Courts in Marfan syndrome is a rare genetic condi- century ago. His mind and his memory are as sharp as his outfit. 1855. The Northern District led by its first tion. About 1 in 5,000 Americans carries a mu- A retired lawyer, Mr. Fokas speaks impec- judge, Judge Thomas Drummond, continued tation in gene called fibrillin which results in an cable formal Greek with a distinctive lilt: the tradition of protecting the rights of all peo- overproduction of a protein called transforming his mother tongue is Macedonian, a Slavic ple. One such example, was through the sen- growth factor beta or TGFB. The increased language related to Bulgarian and spoken in tencing of the abolitionist John Hossack, who TGFB impacts connective tissue and since this part of the Balkans for centuries. At his had violated the Fugitive Slave Act by abetting connective tissue is found throughout the son’s modern house in a village in northern a runaway slave. Judge Drummond, conflicted body, Marfan syndrome features can manifest Greece, he takes me through the painful his- tory of Greece’s unrecognised Slavic-speak- between his duty to the rule of law and his ab- throughout the body. Patients often have dis- ing minority. olitionist conscience, recognized Hossack was proportionately long limbs, a protruding or in- Mr. Fokas takes care to emphasise from guilty of breaking the law, but chose to hand dented chest bone, curved spine, and loose the start that he is both an ethnic Macedo- down a minimal sentence for the transaction. joints. However, it is not the outward signs nian and a Greek patriot. He has good reason VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:04 Feb 28, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K27FE8.009 E27FEPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with REMARKS February 27, 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E221 to underline his loyalty: for almost a cen- edonia from 1941 to 1944, committing many Macedonian flute for us as his own small son tury, ethnic Macedonians in Greece have atrocities; many Greeks wrongly attribute looks on. He and a group of friends used to been objects of suspicion and, at times, per- these to Macedonians, whom they identify as host an international music festival in the secution, even as their presence has been de- Bulgarians.) village square, with bands from as far away nied by almost everyone. Most are reluctant When the Communists were finally de- as Brazil, Mexico and Russia. to speak to outsiders about their identity. feated, severe reprisals followed for anyone ‘‘After those bands had played we’d have a To themselves and others, they’re known associated with the resistance or the left. party and play Macedonian songs,’’ he says.
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