Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to proudly honor Father Augustine Szekula. Father Szekula is being honored on the joyous occasion of 60 productive years of distinguished service and leadership in Armenian, religious, cultural and literary endeavors.

Father Szekula is a man for all seasons--devoted parish priest, distinguished educator, prolific author and editor. He is highly respected by the Armenian communities throughout the world, especially in the United States, Lebanon and Austria, where his dedicated service and visionary leadership has impacted a score of students and priests.

Father Augustine Szekula was born on September 19, 1921 in a city called Gyergyoszentmiklos, Transylvania, which currently is Gheogheni in Romanian. His ancestors emigrated in 1913 from the city of Ani, part of the historic Armenia. In 1931, Father Szekula attended the Mekhitarist Seminary of Vienna and was granted membership into the congregation in 1938. In 1946, he received his masters degree from the State University of Vienna. From 1946 through 1993, among his other duties, he served as director of the Mekhitarist ``Madenataran,'' the museum, and the Chancery and editor of ``Hantes'' Armenological Review. Father Szekula went on to become Vice-Superintendent of the Mekhitarist Seminary in Vienna, Austria, principal of the Mekhitarist school in Hasmie, Lebanon and parish priest of the Armenian church in Budapest, Hungary.

Today, he is the Principal of the Mekhitarist Fathers' School and continues to serve the Armenian community with his leadership and wisdom. Please join me in extending congratulations to Father Szekula on his 60 years of exemplary community service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the bilingual daily newspaper, Asbarez, as it celebrates its 95th anniversary of establishment in California. Asbarez, which means `arena' in English, was founded in August of 1908 in Fresno, California. At that time those who had come from Armenia looked to Armenia and Armenians for guidance, and the seven founding fathers, noticing the community's desire to preserve its heritage and identity, created Asbarez, with the hope of bringing the community and the homeland together.

Asbarez was born through the sacrifice of all those involved. In the words of Edward Megerdichian, who worked at Asbarez from 1956-1963, ``[Asbarez] was ninety percent voluntary, and everyone had a sense of ownership, a sense of community--that this is our paper and our lives are described in this

paper.'' It was with such dedication that the newspaper persevered to keep all the Armenians in California informed and connected.

Recognizing that there was an important role for Asbarez to play in the growing Armenian community in Southern California, Asbarez Publishing Company moved its operation to Los Angeles in the 1970's. In the last three decades, Asbarez has become a bilingual daily newspaper, becoming the voice of the Armenian-American community from libraries to newsrooms.

Today, what was once a small paper has grown to thousands of subscriptions, and is read in numerous countries reaching a larger, more diverse audience than ever before. It has maintained and reaffirmed its commitment to providing reliable news and information to the community for 95 years.

It is my distinct honor to recognize Asbarez's invaluable service to the constituents of the 29th Congressional District over the years. Asbarez has truly succeeded in becoming a trusted information and community source. I ask that all the members join me in congratulating Asbarez's 95 years of establishment and service to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solemn remembrance of Elbie J. Hickambottom, Sr., who passed away on the evening of December 31, 2003.

Elbie Hickambottom began his life in Okmulgee, OK, in 1924. In 1925 his family

moved to Pasadena, CA, where he grew up and attended Pasadena public schools. As a young adult he attended Pasadena City College and though his education was interrupted by his service in the military, he continued his academic pursuits at USC and completed his BA degree from the University of Omaha.

Mr. Hickambottom served in the U.S. Army during World War II and at 19 years old was one of the youngest first sergeants in Europe. He was recalled by the Army during the Korean war and commissioned as a second lieutenant. After 20 years of distinguished service, he retired in 1967 with the rank of major. During his career, he was awarded many decorations including twice receiving the Medal for Outstanding Service and three times the Army Commendation Medal. Elbie was a past commander of the Pasadena chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars and a recipient of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Patriot of the Year Award.

After Elbie's military retirement, he joined the Pasadena Redevelopment Agency in 1967 where he served as director of Relocation and Property Management, managing programs that assisted displaced families and small businesses. He subsequently worked as senior vice president of Municipal Services, Inc. a private redevelopment consulting firm from which he retired in 1985.

In 1979 Mr. Hickambottom was elected to the Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education, where he served until he retired from the board in 1994. A champion for excellence in education and a strong voice for improving academic achievement for all students, particularly for disadvantaged and minority students, Elbie was often the conscience of the school board. He was an active member of the California Coalition of Black School Board Members, where his tenure included holding office on the Executive Board.

A dedicated community volunteer, Elbie participated in many organizations, including the NAACP, the Pasadena Educational Foundation, Young and Healthy, the Pasadena Commission on Children and Youth, Project Day, ROTC, and various other civic groups.

Elbie is survived by his wife of 52 years, Dolores, his children, Ann Marie, Elbie Jr., Leslie and John, sisters Verdia Arnold and Wilmer Lane, niece Robin Foster, sister-in-law Agnes Brumfield, two brothers- in-law, Joseph Arceneaux and Oscar Dupre II, and many other nieces, nephews, cousins, and beloved friends.

I would like to convey my deepest sympathies to Elbie's family and friends, as well as extend my heartfelt thanks for his many contributions to the community. Elbie J. Hickambottom, Sr., will be missed by all who knew him.

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Black History Month, I rise to pay tribute to the extraordinary African-American men and women, past and present, who have shaped the rich history of our Nation.

The month of February has been designated as Black History Month to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of African-Americans throughout history. This year's national theme, ``Brown v. Board of Education: 50th Anniversary,'' commemorates the historic Supreme Court decision declaring that segregation had no place in the laws of a free republic.

Over 50 years ago, in the Midwest town of Topeka, KS, a little girl named Linda Brown rode a bus 5 miles to school each day even though a public school was located only four blocks from her house. The school was not full and the little girl met all of the requirements to attend--except for the color of her skin. It is hard to imagine that merely 50 years ago, public schools across our country were deeply segregated.

A team of brave lawyers from the NAACP would later appear before the Supreme Court to demand the justice contained within our founding principles--to demand equality for young Linda Brown and for all who had been denied the basic right of equality for far too long.

On May 17, 1954, the United States Supreme Court spoke unanimously and with great clarity when it declared that ``separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.'' This decision continues to have an impact on our country today. Just last year, the Supreme Court upheld the core principles of Brown v. Board when it ruled that maintaining diversity in higher education is a compelling governmental interest. I was pleased to join other Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief with the Court expressing our belief that democratic values are enhanced by the interaction between students of diverse backgrounds and indicating our full support for the efforts of universities to create a more vibrant and enriching learning environment.

The decision in Brown v. Board would also forever change the landscape of the struggle for racial justice and equality in the United States and demonstrate the ability of individuals to effect true change. The congressional district that I represent can certainly recognize the ability of individuals to break through color barriers. Growing up in Pasadena in the early to mid-1900s, a young man named Jackie Robinson was an all-around athlete that would later change the sports world. Robinson won letters in football, baseball, basketball, and track at Pasadena's Muir Technical High School and Pasadena Junior College. Soon after, he would become the first athlete at UCLA to play on four varsity teams.

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson would take the field to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers--a pioneer as the first African-American to play major league baseball. Robinson not only opened the door to pro sports for other African-American athletes, but his remarkable accomplishment would help chip away at prejudices in the minds of Americans and jumpstart the process of dismantling existing barriers throughout our society.

In this month of February, let us not only celebrate the accomplishments of those brave Americans who fought for racial justice, but let us work to keep their vision alive by continuing to break down barriers that exist and working to ensure equality of opportunity for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, just 3 years ago the state of our economy was strong. We had just seen 20 million new jobs created. We had seen the fastest growth in 30 years, the lowest unemployment in 30 years, the lowest poverty rates in 20 years, and the first back-to-back surpluses in 42 years, up to a surplus of $236 billion.

Alan Greenspan and others wondered aloud about the danger of an America that was debt free. What we would do, what we would give to have an America that is debt free now. But instead, our economy is in a different place. Instead, we have lost 2.2 million jobs in the last 3 years; and despite a rise in the stock market and productivity gains, there are no new jobs. People are searching for work longer and finding less.

This result was not unforeseeable. For years, members of the Blue Dog Coalition warned we were spending money we did not have, that the administration had no economic plan, that tax cuts alone were not a substitute for an economic plan for our country's future. Last year, this Congress voted to pass an increase in the national debt. At the same time we took up the increase in the national debt, we took up a further round of tax cuts.

I remember standing here on this House floor and pointing out the awful irony that in the same week we voted to raise the national debt we voted to cut taxes further. And it was plain we were borrowing the money to cut taxes further. A tax cut that is not paid for is not a tax cut at all. It is merely a deferral of the obligation to our children, to the next generation.

So we have reached an unfortunate milestone in our Nation's history where we have the largest deficits we have ever had, $521 billion for this year alone, and no plan, no plan in sight to put our fiscal house in order.

In fact, the administration's budget makes a bad problem worse, by failing to include the costs of the war in Iraq, by failing to include the costs that we will incur 5 years from now when this deficit will mushroom, by calling for a trillion dollars in new tax cuts without paying for them.

If your family or mine budgeted this way, we would all go bankrupt. Our families know what it is like to balance the checkbook at the end of the month, the end of the year; and it is time the Federal Government did the same. It is not too late to avoid leaving our children a crushing debt. It is not too late to create new jobs and put Americans back to work. It is not too late to end our dependence on foreign financing of our Nation's debt. But it is time to put our fiscal house back in order, by paying our bills as we go. The administration wants another tax cut? Fine. Let us pay for it. The administration wants to spend more? That is fine. But let us pay for it.

If we have not the courage to ask the American people to sacrifice at a time of war, let us not add the indignity of asking our children to bear the burden alone.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special recognition to Dr. Tim K. Siu who is the recipient of the Distinguished Citizen Award from the San Gabriel Valley Boy Scouts.

A Rotarian since 1969, Dr. Siu has served Rotary International as District Governor and is presently a senior active member. Among his many accomplishments as a Rotarian, Dr. Siu has 33 years of perfect attendance and was a Paul Harris Fellow.

Dr. Siu has served as a member on the Board of Directors of the Tokai Bank of California, a member of the Board at California State University Los Angeles, on the Board of Directors for the West San Gabriel Valley YMCA, Professor Emeritus of University of Southern California Medical School, and Director of Disaster Committee of the American Red Cross. He is currently on the Board of Directors for San Gabriel Valley Medical Center, Board of Councilors for the University of Southern California Pharmacy School and on the Board of California State University Pomona.

In his community, Dr. Siu has served on the City of Alhambra Planning Commission and the Alhambra Civil Service Commission. He has been an officer and director of Alhambra Day Nursery, Wysong Retirement Home, Burke's Manor Senior Citizen Home, and Los Angeles County Medical Association. Dr. Siu is currently serving as a member of the Board of the San Gabriel Valley Medical Center where he is active in building an outpatient surgical center in San Gabriel.

Dr. Siu practiced anesthesiology. He taught anesthesiology at the University of Southern California Medical School until his retirement as Professor Emeritus. He was also the medical examiner for the National Youth Sports Program at USC, the San Gabriel Valley Pop Warner Program, and was the team doctor for the Alhambra High School Football Team.

Dr. Siu is involved in the Chinese community with the Chinese Historical Society, the Chinese-American Citizens Alliance, and the Chinatown Public Service Association. Currently, he is active in building a Chinese American Museum in the original Chinatown of Los Angeles.

Dr. Siu served in the United States Navy stationed at Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Illinois.

Dr. Siu is a native of Hawaii and is married to Dr. Annie Chi Siu. Tim and Annie have four daughters; a general dentist, an athletic administrator, an orthodontist and a registered nurse.

I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in congratulating Dr. Tim K. Siu on a truly exemplary professional and public service career.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, for thousands of years people have looked to the heavens and wondered what was up there, what were the dots of light scattered on the hemisphere of the night sky, what is our place in all of this.

The Moon, the planets, and the stars became part of ancient religions. Heroes were immortalized as constellations. Planets, whose irregular movements and brightness set them apart from the stars, were named after gods. Celestial events foretold the death of kings; they augured victory in war.

But for our ancestors, the changing sky also had a practical effect. For millennia, the movements of the Moon and stars guided the rhythms of human life; they told people when to plant and when to harvest. Wars were planned based on the phases of the Moon.

Even as they wondered, planted, harvested, and fought in keeping with the seasons, people dreamed of visiting these other worlds, of expanding humanity's realm, of satisfying the human yearning to explore. The telescope, which Galileo first turned to the heavens in 1609, changed our view of the cosmos. The myriad points of light began to resolve themselves into planets with moons, galaxies, nebulae, and clusters of stars. The universe, which had seemed static, was revealed as a

place of infinite distance and incredible dynamism. Our view of space and of ourselves was changed forever.

It would be another 450 years before human beings could begin to take our first forays from the protective cocoon of the Earth. Throughout that time, telescopes grew larger and more powerful; astronomers learned more about our solar system, our galaxy, and the tens of millions of other galaxies throughout the universe. Still, even as the Moon and our nearby planetary neighbors tantalized us, they seemed hopelessly out of reach.

With the development of large rockets after World War II, humans were finally able to escape the Earth's gravity and venture into space. During the past half century, from the grapefruit-sized Explorer I, which was America's first satellite, to the International Space Station now being built 200 miles above us, we have begun to learn to operate in the harsh environs of space.

Throughout its existence, America's space program has operated on dual tracks. On the one hand, we have stressed human space flight, which is costly, often dangerous. With the exception of Apollo lunar landing missions, humans have not ventured beyond the relative safety of low-Earth orbit. The other track we have followed is the robotic exploration of our solar system, using spacecraft that are impervious to the harsh conditions of space and unaffected by the enormous distances necessary to explore our planetary neighbors.

Our unmanned space probes, from the Ranger and Surveyor craft that paved the way for Apollo, to the Voyager spacecraft that explored the outer planets and are still continuing to send back data even as they leave the solar system, have increased our comprehension beyond anything even contemplated half a century ago.

On Mars, we have witnessed dust storms on Olympus Mons, the largest mountain in our solar system. We have peered through Venus' clouds at its broiling surface. We have discovered new moons and ring systems around the outer planets. And as we speak, a small spacecraft bearing dust from a comet is zooming back towards the Earth and will parachute into Utah on January 15, 2006.

This summer, the Cassini spacecraft will enter the orbit of Saturn and will dispatch a small probe called Huygens to explore the atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon, Titan.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, managed by the California Institute of Technology, has designed, built, and controlled all of these programs. JPL has been the pioneer of our exploration of the solar system from the beginning of our space program. Earlier I mentioned JPL's Explorer I, America's first satellite. At the time it was launched, the United States has fallen behind the Soviet Union in the space race, and several other attempts at getting an American Sputnik into orbit had ended in fiery explosions on the launch pad. Not only did Explorer I salvage our pride, but the tiny satellite discovered the Van Allen radiation belts that circle the Earth.

Every American space probe that has visited another planet was managed by JPL. Through the wonders of technology, we have zoomed by Jupiter with Voyager, witnessed a Martian sunset with Viking, and rolled across the surface of Mars with Sojourner.

Whom do we have to thank for unlocking the wonders of our solar system, for providing brilliant three- dimensional images of the Martian surface, and for making us desire even great discoveries? For this, we must thank the women and men of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Each day, under the leadership of Dr. Charles Elachi, the employees of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory work tirelessly to develop and manage America's robotic exploration of space.

Mr. Speaker, they have done it again. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has brought America back to Mars. I am proud to join with my distinguished colleague and neighbor, the chairman of the Committee on Rules, the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), in introducing this resolution honoring the men and women of NASA, and especially the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, whose years of effort paid off so spectacularly when the Mars exploration rover Spirit landed on January 3.

Mr. Speaker, led by principal investigator, Steve Squyres, Jet Propulsion Laboratory employees like Peter Theisinger, Richard Cook, Rob Manning, Jennifer Trosper, Mark Adler, Jim Erickson, Matt Wallace, Joy Crisp, Joel Krajewski, Jason Willis, Jim Donaldson, and Jan Chodas have worked around the clock since Spirit's arrival on Mars.

Spirit, the first of JPL's rovers to land on Mars, and Spirit's twin, Opportunity, which is scheduled to touchdown on January 24, will conduct a 3-month scientific study to evaluate whether conditions at one time have been suitable for life on Mars. Equipped with cameras, spectrometers, and a grinder, these robotic explorers are poised to unlock the mysteries of Mars. The breadth of their discoveries is yet unknown, but our confidence in their abilities and the ability of the scientists at JPL, who now live not according to the cycles of their fellow Earthlings but in keeping with the Martian day, is sky high.

Mr. Speaker, Spirit's landing is another milestone in our exploration of the solar system. Let us take a moment to reflect on this occasion and honor those who made it possible. For tomorrow. Our thirst is renewed and our exploration continues.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society as it celebrates its 75th anniversary worldwide and 35th anniversary of its establishment in California. Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society was founded by a group of community leaders on May 28, 1928, in Cairo, Egypt, with the objective of providing a sound education to the new generation and preserving the ethnic identity and cultural heritage of the Armenian people, forced to live outside their homeland after the 1915 genocide and the fall, in 1920, of the First Republic of Armenia.

Subsequently, Hamazkayin Chapters sprouted throughout the Middle East, Europe, the United States, Canada, South America and Armenia to instill, perpetuate and preserve the centuries old Armenian culture. Hamazkayin established several schools and centers of learning. In 1930, Jemaran, an elementary and high school was founded in Beirut, Lebanon and it continues to be an important educational center in the Middle East. Similar schools were established in 1976 in Marseille, France and in 1986 in Sydney, Australia. In addition, Hamazkayin has an advanced learning institute for Armenian language and literature, as well as a printing press and publishing house in Beirut, Lebanon.

The Western USA Executive Board of Hamazkayin supervises the operations of eight chapters and seven special committees operating in Southern California, Fresno and San Francisco. This non-profit organization, run solely by dedicated and tireless volunteers, sponsors a plethora of activities including lectures, seminars, after-school workshops, commemorative events, exhibitions, concerts, recitals, traditional dance ensembles, dramatic arts troupes and choirs. The Western USA Executive Board's seven special committees, namely Music, Art, Contemporary and Heritage Committees, Ani Dance Company, Saroyan Theater Company and Armenian Folk Instrument Orchestra, have one common goal: the conservation of the Armenian intellectual legacy and the promotion of cultural values. The activities of these Special Committees include preservation of classical, folk and popular music, performances of traditional and ethnic dances in authentic costumes, promotion of theatrical arts, presentation of social conventions and traditions throughout the centuries, as well as encouragement and support to talented young artists.

It is my distinct honor to recognize Hamazkayin's innumerable accomplishments over the years. I ask all members of the United States House of Representatives to join me in congratulating Hamazkayin's 35 years of contributions to the ethnic diversity of the United States by nurturing the Armenian traditions and national heritage and sharing these cultural values with other communities, especially in California.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor longtime Glendale community leader and activist Larry Zarian on the occasion of his receiving the Verdugo Hills Council, Boy Scouts of America 2003 Glendale Distinguished Citizen of the Year award. Larry has been actively involved with the Boy Scouts for many years, having served on the executive board of the Verdugo Hills Council, Boy Scouts of America for seventeen years.

Larry has been a vibrant part of the fabric of Glendale since he began residing there in 1953. Most notably, Larry served for sixteen years on the Glendale City Council and as mayor of Glendale for four terms. He is responsible for many accomplishments during his tenure on the Glendale City Council. He organized groups to raise funds for the Veteran's Memorial monument; worked to maintain Glendale hillsides; and was a supporter for code enforcement, enabling the city to identify landlords who maintained substandard conditions.

His activism and leadership was apparent when he was appointed to serve on a city commission at the age of 20. Subsequently, Larry was appointed by various local, state and national leaders to serve on other commissions. He served as chairman on the state Water & Power Commission & Planning Commission. Governor George Deukemejian and later Governor Pete Wilson appointed Larry to serve on the regional Water Quality Control Board. President Reagan appointed him to the National Highway Safety Commission.

As a member of the Glendale Junior Chamber of Commerce, Larry mentored young entrepreneurs about civic responsibility, community involvement and leadership. His dedication and service to the community placed him on numerous boards such as the Glendale Adventist Medical governing board where he helped raise funds for the MRI Center. As a board member of the Foundation for Glendale's Association for the Retarded, Larry was instrumental in securing the organization's first home in Glendale. Currently Larry is a member of the board of directors for Glendale Symphony. As an active and proud member of the Kiwanis, Larry annually helps with the Special Olympics and Jazz Day where he dons an apron to serve sandwiches.

Larry has been recognized for his selfless contribution to his community as recipient of Verdugo Hills Council Good Turn Award; Citizen of the Year from the Glendale Chamber of Commerce; and Philanthropist of the Year from Glendale Adventist Medical Center. For many years, Larry has aptly been voted as one of the top 103 most influential people in the City of Glendale.

It is my pleasure to recognize Larry Zarian. I ask that all members of the United States House of Representatives join me in congratulating Larry for all his years of selfless service and dedication to the Boys Scouts of America and to the Glendale community at large.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my constituent, United States Army Specialist Rel Allen Ravago IV of the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, who was killed in action on November 23, 2003 in Mosul, Iraq when hostile forces attacked his Army vehicle.

After graduating from Hoover High School in Glendale, Specialist Ravago soon joined the United States Army and was deployed to Iraq in May 2003. He was due to return home next March at the end of his four- year tenure in the Army. From all accounts, he was a dedicated and enthusiastic soldier who served our country with courage and distinction.

A talented artist and honorable soldier, Specialist Ravago's family, friends and fellow servicemen have spoken with admiration and veneration of his commitment to duty, his dedication to his unit and his love of country and family.

Students at Hoover High recently erected a patriotic memorial of red, white and blue carnations mixed with American flags, containing a short, but poignant message attached: ``You'll be missed.''

Friends, family and loved ones remember Ravago as a popular student who played in Hoover High's drum corps and studied martial arts. His former teachers describe him as ``radiating joy and a love of life'' with a ``smile that you could see from miles away.''

I recently had the opportunity to meet with Specialist Ravago's parents and grandfather following his death. They told me how proud they were of their son and grandson, how proud he was to serve his country and how much they would always miss him. Our nation owes his family a debt we can never repay and Specialist Ravago will never be far from our thoughts. His sacrifice and those of other soldiers who have fallen on the field of battle have kept our nation free.

On behalf of the United States Congress, I wish to once again, bestow our most heartfelt appreciation for Army Specialist Rel Allen Ravago's service and sacrifice for the United States of America. To his family and loved ones: your son, your brother, your grandson, your nephew, your cousin and your friend, served our country with honor and nobility and he will be missed.

I rise today to honor Woods-Valentine Mortuary in Pasadena, California. Woods-Valentine Mortuary, one of the oldest African-American, family-owned and operated businesses in the twenty- ninth Congressional District, is celebrating its 75th anniversary on December 14, 2003.

The James Woods Funeral Parlor, located at 87 S. Vernon Avenue in Pasadena, was founded in 1928 by James and Annie Mae Woods. In 1950, after the death of Mr. Woods, his nephew Fred W. Valentine continued to run the business for Mrs. Woods. In 1954, Fred and his wife, Arzella, purchased the business and it became the Woods-Valentine Mortuary. The Valentines relocated the business to its current location at 1455 N. Fair Oaks Avenue in 1963 and built a new structure, which received a Pasadena Beautiful Foundation award for architectural design and color coordination.

Woods-Valentine Mortuary has a well-deserved reputation as a professional, compassionate and dignified business. The mortuary staff members serve the community not only by offering counseling and funeral services, but also by their immense community and civic involvement.

Fred and Arzella Valentine have served on the boards of many professional and civic organizations, such as the Los Angeles County Funeral Directors Association, the National Funeral Directors Association, the California Board of Funeral Directors, the Pasadena Altadena Links, and the Soroptomist Club. The Valentines are also members of many civic organizations including the San Gabriel Valley Black Business Association, the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, the Pasadena Urban League, and are lifetime members and past board members of the Pasadena NAACP. In addition, the Valentines have sponsored Northwest Pasadena Little League teams for forty years, volunteered for many years in Pasadena's public schools and libraries, and contribute annually to many scholarship funds. They are also active in their church, Friendship Baptist Church.

Woods-Valentine Mortuary is truly a family-owned business. Fred and Arzella's daughters, Janyce Valentine and Gail Valentine Taylor, are part owners. Arzella's sister, Vannie Brown, Fred's brothers, Clifton Valentine (who died in 1999) and James Adkins, along with Laven Lanier, James Barker, Ernest Gomez, Lenston Marrow, James Ross, Leo Vaughn, Julius Henderson and Juan Wooden, are other members of the ``Woods- Valentine Mortuary family'' who have greatly contributed to the success of the business.

I ask all Members to join me today in honoring Woods-Valentine Mortuary for its 75 years of dedicated service to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the South Pasadena Kiwanis Club upon its 80th anniversary.

Kiwanis is a worldwide service organization of women and men who share the challenge of community and world improvement. Since its founding in 1915, Kiwanis has grown to include approximately 9,000 clubs in more than 80 nations.

The South Pasadena Kiwanis Club, founded in 1923, consists of business and professional people who work or live in the South Pasadena area that have an interest in volunteer service. A family-oriented organization, South Pasadena Kiwanis members are committed to serving the youth, families and senior citizens of South Pasadena.

Some of the club's charitable contributions include the South Pasadena Educational Foundation, Farm City Youth, Special Olympics, the Summer Reading Program, ``Terrific Kids,'' the Young Men's Christian Association, ``Concerts in the Park,'' and Little League. The South Pasadena Kiwanis Club is the main sponsor for South Pasadena High School's Key Club and ``Grad Night'' Breakfast, in addition to providing student scholarships at the high school, middle school and elementary schools. In addition, some of the club's annual events include a Fourth of July Pancake Breakfast, a Spaghetti Dinner in conjunction with the South Pasadena Fire Department, and participation in the construction of the city of South Pasadena's Rose Parade Float.

The time, energy and care that the South Pasadena Kiwanis Club has given to the community are extraordinary, and the residents of South Pasadena have benefited greatly. At this time, I ask all Members to join with me in commending the South Pasadena Kiwanis Club for 80 years of dedicated service to the South Pasadena community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding citizen of California's 29th Congressional District, Margaret Ann Abdalla. Ms. Abdalla has served on the South Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education for 16 years and has been a positive force in the greater South Pasadena area for much longer.

A Southern California native and University of Southern California graduate, Margaret Ann moved to South Pasadena in 1969. She began her community service by volunteering with the South Pasadena Parent Teacher Association, Little League, and South Pasadena Educational Foundation. Ms. Abdalla also raised three children, Lisa, Tony and Alex, all who attended South Pasadena's public schools.

In 1987, Margaret Ann was elected to the South Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education. Ms. Abdalla has worked with several board members and four superintendents during her tenure, serving as Board President three times. Under her leadership, some of the Board's accomplishments include the passage of two school bond measures in 1995 and 2002, the formation and bonding of today's administrative team, and the transition of the junior high to a middle school program 12 years ago. In 1996, Margaret Ann was the recipient of the South Pasadena Parent Teacher Association's Honorary Service Award for meritorious service.

As a member of the South Pasadena School Board, Margaret Ann participated in organizations such as the California School Boards Association, the Downtown Revitalization Task Force and the Los Angeles Annenberg Metropolitan Project. In addition, Ms. Abdalla was a founding member of the Five-Star Coalition, a coalition of the Burbank, Glendale, La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena and South Pasadena School Districts, established for the purpose of collaborating with local legislators on issues of mutual interest to the school districts.

The time, energy and love Margaret Ann has given to the community are extraordinary, and the residents of South Pasadena have benefited greatly. At this time, I ask all Members to join with me in commending Margaret Ann Abdalla for her many years of dedicated service to the South Pasadena community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Woods-Valentine Mortuary in Pasadena, California. Woods-Valentine Mortuary, one of the oldest African-American, family-owned and operated businesses in the twenty-ninth Congressional District, is celebrating its seventy-fifth anniversary on December 14, 2003.

The James Woods Funeral Parlor, located at 87 S. Vernon Avenue in Pasadena, was founded in 1928 by James and Annie Mae Woods. In 1950, after the death of Mr. Woods, his nephew Fred W. Valentine continued to run the business for Mrs. Woods. In 1954, Fred and his wife, Arzella, purchased the business and it became the Woods-Valentine Mortuary. The Valentines relocated the business to its current location at 1455 N. Fair Oaks Avenue in 1963 and built a new structure, which received a Pasadena Beautiful Foundation award for architectural design and color coordination.

Woods-Valentine Mortuary has a well-deserved reputation as a professional, compassionate and dignified business. The mortuary staff members serve the community not only by offering counseling and funeral services, but also by their immense community and civic involvement.

Fred and Arzella Valentine have served on the boards of many professional and civic organizations, such as the Los Angeles County Funeral Directors Association, the National Funeral Directors Association, the California Board of Funeral Directors, the Pasadena Altadena Links, and the Soroptomist Club. The Valentines are also members of many civic organizations including the San Gabriel Valley Black Business Association, the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, the Pasadena Urban League, and are lifetime members and past board members of the Pasadena NAACP. In addition, the Valentines have sponsored Northwest Pasadena Little League teams for forty years, volunteered for many years in Pasadena's public schools and libraries, and contribute annually to many scholarship funds. They are also active in their church, Friendship Baptist Church.

Woods-Valentine Mortuary is truly a family-owned business. Fred and Arzella's daughters, Janyce Valentine and Gail Valentine Taylor, are part owners. Arzella's sister, Vannie Brown, Fred's brothers, Clifton Valentine (who died in 1999) and James Adkins, along with Laven Lanier, James Barker, Ernest Gomez, Lenston Marrow, James Ross, Leo Vaughn, Julius Henderson and Juan Wooden, are other members of the ``Woods- Valentine Mortuary family'' who have greatly contributed to the success of the business.

I ask all Members to join me today in honoring Woods-Valentine Mortuary for its seventy-five years of dedicated service to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the General Gridley Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on their 90th anniversary celebration.

Mrs. Mary Howard Gridley Braly founded the chapter on December 19, 1913. Mrs. Braly served as an organizing regent, and was later named Regent-For-Life by Chapter members. Mrs. Braly and her daughter first became members of the National Society of D.A.R. in 1983 in Highland Park, Illinois. Then recording Secretary General Miss Eugenia Washington, one of the D.A.R. founders, signed their applications.

The chapter is named for General Richard Gridley, ancestor of Mary's first husband James Conger Gridley. General Gridley was born in Boston in 1711. In 1745 he was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Artillery in

the expedition against the French fortress of Louisbourg of Cape Breton Island. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War in April 1775, he was commissioned chief engineer and Colonel of Artillery and was wounded in the battle of Bunker Hill. He married Hannah Deming and had nine children. He served with General George Washington throughout the Revolutionary War. In 1798 General Gridley died in Staughton, Massachusetts at the age of 87.

Today the chapter is extremely involved in the community. It is active in veterans' services, ROTC programs, and scholarship programs with our local high schools. The chapter also presented the City of Glendale with the Department of Defense's 50th Anniversary of the Korean War flag. This flag currently flies over the Glendale War Memorial at City Hall.

I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in congratulating the General Gridley Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on 90 exemplary years of service to the City of Glendale and surrounding communities.