Volume 163, No. 68 covering the 1st Session of the 115th Congress (2017 - 2018) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“EARTH FRIENDLY PRODUCTS” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E518 on April 20, 2017.
More than half of the Agency's employees are engineers, scientists and protection specialists. The Climate Reality Project, a global climate activist organization, accused Agency leadership in the last five years of undermining its main mission.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
EARTH FRIENDLY PRODUCTS
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HON. RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize a family-owned and operated company celebrating its 50th anniversary on April 21, 2017.
When it comes to trends that will keep America competitive in the global economy for generations to come, we think of innovation, entrepreneurship, environmentally friendly businesses, and manufacturing. I was sent to Congress by my constituents to look for innovative ways to bring these trends together, and today I am reminded that a shining example resides right here in my district in Addison, Illinois.
The founding of Earth Friendly Products (ECOS) is a story that rivals any other. The founder, Van Vlahakis, immigrated from Greece to the United States with $22 in his pocket in 1953 to escape poverty after World War II. First living in homeless shelters and speaking little English, he went on to study chemistry at Roosevelt University while working the night shift at a cleaning products company. During his work, he was exposed to harsh chemicals that gave him headaches and caused co-workers to suffer from rashes and other irritations. Remembering that his mother in Greece used natural substances such as water, vinegar and olive oil for cleaning, Vlahakis decided to start his own business to make better cleaning products. In 1967, he created in his home's garage what would become Earth Friendly Products. ECOS now sells more than 200 environmentally friendly cleaning products in more than 60 countries and has been recognized with safety awards by the Environmental Protection Agency.
We all know we need to make more things in America again. ECOS is a great example of using clean technology to do that while still creating jobs for Illinois working families. Transforming Illinois into a center for science, technology, and innovation is the kind of opportunity that many of us envision for our state. This 50th anniversary for ECOS is an opportunity to remind the country that we can continue to use clean products that protect the environment while creating good-paying jobs at the same time. For ECOS, that means a $17 per hour companywide minimum wage started by the company in 2014.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have Earth Friendly Products in my district, and I look forward to the company continuing to create jobs for my constituents for the next 50 years. I celebrate the 50th anniversary of ECOS and the impact the company has had throughout the country.
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