Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Angelina Levy of Temple City, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by our Nation's women. Accordingly it is my privilege to highlight Ms. Levy as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Angelina Levy began her career in fashion when she graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 1954. After 20 years of experience in the New York fashion industry, she moved her family to California but was unable to find programs that catered to her son's special developmental needs. In response to the void, Angie established the School of Fashion and Design for the Developmentally Disabled in 1984 and embarked on a remarkable legacy of community service and leadership.

Angie's School of Fashion and Design for the Developmentally Disabled works to provide students with tools to become self-sufficient and to boost self-esteem. It proves that

the skills necessary for sewing and crafts can also be used to improve the learning and the concentration skills of those who are developmentally disabled. In addition to sewing, dressmaking, and tailoring, the groundbreaking facility provides daily instruction via their ``Healthy Living Skills'' program, where students learn about food shopping, cooking, and computing, using the resources of the local community. At any given time there are over 40 students who range from young adults to seniors, and each emerges with enhanced social skills needed to integrate in today's complicated world.

In addition to her work with the School of Fashion and Design for the Developmentally Disabled, Angie is a past president of the United Commercial Travelers of America, the East Los Angeles Regional Center, and Civitan International. She has volunteered with the Special Olympics and the San Gabriel Civic Theater Group, as well as served on the Presidential Task Force on the Employment of Adults with Disabilities, PTFEAD, and its related U.S. Congressional Advisory Board. Angie is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars Distinguished Service Award and the 2004 Soroptimist International Woman of the Year. It is little wonder that Angie's peers are proud to call her a ``marvel.''

Angie's selfless service to the Temple City community is an invaluable addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. With gratitude and admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. Angelina Levy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Valarie Gomez of San Gabriel, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by our nation's women. Accordingly it is my privilege to highlight Ms. Gomez as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.

Valarie Gomez was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley and attended both Marymount College in Rancho Palos Verdes and Loyola Marymount University. There she tackled the formidable combination of double majors in English and Business Administration, as well as double minors in Philosophy and Religious Studies. She and her husband Carlos have three children, including two daughters and one son.

Valarie and Carlos first immersed themselves in the local community by opening Bob's Old Fashioned Freeze in 1983. Children and adults alike would flock to the establishment for the ice cream, the sandwiches, and the friendly owners who helped neighborhood children learn the value of hard work and of a supportive mentor. It was at that time that Valarie learned the importance of showing youth their true potential. Her sweet-toothed patrons have since become responsible community leaders and still keep in touch.

After owning and operating the family business for several years, Valarie turned her attention to community outreach. She rose to Executive Director of Children's Ministries at San Gabriel Union Church and Christian School, founded its After-School Day Care program, served as the Executive Director of the San Gabriel Chamber of Commerce, and led the Gabrielino High School Career Partners program. Valarie is also the 2-time past President and current member of the San Gabriel Rotary, is a volunteer for various Kiwanis and Asian Youth Center events, and is a member of the San Gabriel Coordinating Council and the Parks & Recreation Commission.

The 25-year San Gabriel resident recently became the CEO of the West San Gabriel Valley YMCA after only 17 months with the organization. She showed an enterprising attitude from the start and approached challenges with optimism and energy, leading to a doubling in profit compared to the previous year, newly rebuilt community relations, and the largest Service Club department in the nation. It is no wonder, then, that Valarie's generosity, approachability, and efficiency are so highly respected in the San Gabriel community.

Armed with a passion to ``make memories that last a lifetime,'' Valarie is dedicated to empowering others to succeed. Her selfless service to the San Gabriel community is an invaluable addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. With gratitude and admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. Valarie Gomez.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Frances A. Moore of Alhambra, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by our Nation's women. Accordingly it is my privilege to highlight Ms. Moore as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.

A review of Frances' personal and professional activities reveals a life-long commitment to community involvement. Raised in Monterey Park, Frances is a native of the San Gabriel Valley. She is a product of our public schools and local colleges, earning degrees from East Los Angeles College, California State University at Los Angeles, and the University of Redlands. Frances has devoted her forty-five year professional career to the City Clerk's Office of the great City of Alhambra and has served as its beloved City Clerk since 1986.

As Alhambra's City Clerk, Frances is well-respected among her peers for her remarkable efficiency, her unparalleled depth of knowledge, and her professional dedication. By streamlining the city's legislative and record management procedures, she saved valuable time and public funding. Frances is also a member of several professional organizations such as the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, the City Clerks' Association of California, the City Clerks' Association of Southern California, and the Los Angeles Paralegal Federation.

In addition to her responsibilities as the City Clerk, Frances established the self-sustaining Public Arts Gallery in the lobby of Alhambra City Hall. The gallery promotes local artists' work by providing a forum for creative recognition, distribution, and sales. A commission on each artwork sold helps cover the gallery's operating expenses without reliance on public funds. For her efforts, Frances earned the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence from the League of California Cities.

Frances' star shines brightly among local, regional, and national philanthropic realms as well. A member of Rotary International since 1992, she has served as its Assistant Governor and as the President of the Alhambra Rotary Club. She is also a former member and past President of Soroptimist International of Alhambra, San Marino, and San Gabriel. Frances is a dedicated supporter of the West San Gabriel Valley YMCA and chaired the YMCA Capital Fund Campaign. She is a lifetime member of both the Alhambra Historical Society and the Alhambra Day Nursery Auxiliary.

With no professional or charitable stone left unturned, Frances' selfless dedication to the Alhambra community is an invaluable addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. With gratitude and admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. Frances A. Moore.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Doris Lau of Monterey Park, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by our Nation's women. Accordingly, it is my privilege to highlight Ms. Lau as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.

Doris Lau's remarkable journey began when her parents left China and settled in Chile. Born in Iquique, the capital of the country's northernmost region, Doris worked in the fields alongside her family as a small child. Through hard work, dedication, and sacrifice the family built a neighborhood bakery and grocery store business; however, they eventually fled to the United States due to political unrest. In Los Angeles they began once again to rebuild their lives. Doris's supplemental income from working in garment district factories helped to purchase their first home in Monterey Park.

Doris progressed from sewing four buttons per penny to attending Los Angeles City College. She then went on to major in Business Administration and Law at Cal State Los Angeles and advanced from clerical to paralegal positions at various law firms.

Inspired by her personal history, Doris has become an integral member of the Monterey Park volunteer community since moving there in 1985. She supports intercultural exchange in her role as a Trustee of the city's Bruggemeyer Library, the Secretary for the city's Commission for Art & Culture, and as the chair of the local Artisan Fairs. Her other leadership positions include serving as a Board Member, Southern Regional Representative, and Membership Chair of the California Association of Library Trustees & Commissioners (CALTAC) and as the VP, Legislative Coordinator, and Membership Chair of the National Treasury Employee Union (NTEU) for her local, Chapter 103.

Doris's fluency in both Chinese and Spanish embodies the cultural diversity of Southern California and of our Nation's proud history. Her outreach is similarly inclusive: she is a Board Member of the Committee for Special Emphasis Programs, which includes national heritage awareness months, and she volunteers for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).

In the past, Doris has led several organizations in which she remains an active member, including serving as President and Lieutenant Governor of Los Angeles Monterey Park Optimist, President of the Monterey Park Homeowners and Renters Association, Treasurer and Secretary of the Eastside Democratic Club, and President and Treasurer of Santa in York Hill, an annual community holiday event for low-income families.

Ever since she arrived on U.S. soil, Doris has devoted her time and energy beyond her own needs; she works for the benefit of the surrounding community as a whole. Her selfless service is an invaluable addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. With gratitude and admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. Doris Lau.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Catherine M. Pelley of Glendale, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by our nation's women. Accordingly it is my privilege to highlight Mrs. Pelley as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.

As a past nurse and Captain in the U.S. Army, Cathy is a veteran who served her country during the Vietnam War as a psychiatric nurse working with the brave men and women returning home from combat. She is currently the President and CEO of Glendale Memorial Hospital and the Chair of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce Board. Cathy also serves on the Board of Directors for Glendale's Armenian Bone Marrow Bank, Salvation Army, and regional Brothers of Saint John of God Healthcare and Retirement Centers.

Under her leadership, Glendale Memorial Hospital's infrastructure has expanded to include additional imaging equipment, several new community clinics, and modern communications systems. These easily-accessible, digital patient records will prevent medication errors and reduce transcription times, as well as maintain up-to-date information for future reference.

With vision that reaches beyond hospital walls, Cathy believes wholeheartedly in the future of the Glendale community. Her efforts to overcome South Glendale's economic challenges were partnered with remarkable honesty, dignity, understanding, and determination. By highlighting common ground between conflicting groups, she gave victims a more effective voice in their healthcare and rallied community support behind the revitalization of a blighted area. Ever since, business has returned with new retail, dining, theatre, and housing options. Cathy has also improved the area by expanding the ``Brand Boulevard of Cars'' and by implementing solutions to severe traffic congestion.

Though she faced an aging medical facility, dwindling local business, and a community in conflict, Cathy never backed down from the obstacles before her. She chose instead to provide leadership where it was needed, to invest in the health--both corporeal and economic--of the City of Glendale. In return, the area has transformed itself over four short years to become a beacon of civic progress. It exists as an example of how one person's optimistic vision can infuse a diverse community with the hope and the means to achieve excellence as one.

With steadfast dedication, Cathy's selfless service to the Glendale community is an invaluable addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. With gratitude and admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Mrs. Catherine M. Pelley.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Jaylene L. Moseley of Pasadena, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by our Nation's women. Accordingly it is my privilege to highlight Ms. Moseley as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.

Jaylene has focused her professional and philanthropic energies in northwest Pasadena and Altadena for over 30 years. She founded and leads the J.L. Moseley Company, a firm that develops and manages sustainable commercial real estate projects in northwest Pasadena and Altadena. She also serves as president of Flintridge Operating Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides direct services to build the strength, effectiveness, and long-term viability of community-based organizations in northwest Pasadena and Altadena.

Her company's commitment is to develop community while developing real estate. This is accomplished by developing sustainable commercial projects that are sensitive to the neighborhoods in which they are situated; involving neighbors--including youth--in every phase of development; leasing commercial space to tenants who agree to participate in community revitalization by hiring or by providing services to local residents; meticulously maintaining the properties; ensuring that each of the 14 buildings the company manages contributes to neighborhood efforts annually; and participating in community dialogue and actions to strengthen neighborhoods. Reflecting the company's commitment to sustainability, J.L. Moseley Company developed the first Gold LEED-Certified building in Pasadena in 2006, and Jaylene donated her services and managed the development of Mothers' Club's Gold LEED-Certified building in 2007.

Jaylene is deeply committed to the education of the community's youth. She worked with community leaders to launch the after-school program ``Mustangs on the Move,'' which tutors high school students, works with youth on special projects, and hires students to work for her company. With the goal of inspiring students to expand their future horizons, she contributed $250,000 in profit from one of the company's developments to ``Mustangs on the Move'' to provide opportunities for PUSD students to participate in summer programs on college campuses. In addition, Jaylene personally contributes hundreds of hours each year to local nonprofit organizations, neighborhood groups, and community-based businesses.

J.L. Moseley Company has received 14 awards for its real estate developments, and Jaylene has received 23 awards from community groups for her professional and personal contributions to the community. She lives every day by her personal mantra, that ``in all [her] endeavors, [she] is committed to economic and social justice.''

Jaylene's selfless service to the Pasadena community is an invaluable addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. With gratitude and admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. Jaylene L. Moseley.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Elaine Paonessa of Burbank, California. Every March we celebrate Women's History Month in recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by our Nation's women. Accordingly, it is my privilege to highlight Ms. Paonessa as a woman whose extraordinary efforts are vital to my district.

Born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and raised in San Diego, Elaine briefly attended San Diego State College before leaving to tour nationally with an all-girl orchestra as a trumpet player and a professional singer. Her musical background would return one day in her outreach efforts.

Before she emerged as one of the Burbank community's brightest stars, Elaine relocated to Burbank with her husband, Bill, in 1952. There they raised their daughter, Gay, and their son, Guy, and were together until Bill's passing in 2006. It was during her 15 years as a homemaker that Elaine first amassed an impressive roster of volunteer commitments.

As she worked with the Boy Scouts, led the Emblem Club of Burbank as president, chaired the city's Women's Council, founded the local Performing Arts Federation, and supported St. Joseph's Medical Center, Elaine established the blueprint of a truly devoted citizen. When she returned to work in 1967, Elaine blazed professional trails as the first female sales representative for the Automobile Club of Southern California. Never one to shy from community involvement, she served on the Burbank Chamber of Commerce board of directors and the Salvation Army advisory board.

Today Elaine has not slowed a bit. She continues to lead and volunteer with several community organizations, including the Burbank Farmer's Market and the Burbank Civitan Club, to name just a few. Elaine revisits her roots as a traveling performer as the Musical Director of the Van Bloem Singers, a group that visits and performs at senior residences and healthcare facilities. For her incredible breadth of service, Elaine has been recognized by Los Angeles County Commission on Aging and has been honored with the President's Volunteer Service Award.

With no charitable stone left unturned, Elaine's selfless and awe- inspiring dedication to the Burbank community is an invaluable addition to the legacy of Women's History Month. With gratitude and admiration, I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring an extraordinary woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Ms. Elaine Paonessa.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Gamble House upon the occasion of its one-hundredth anniversary.

The Gamble House was designed by American Arts and Crafts architects Charles and Henry Greene. The Greene brothers have left an indelible impression on the design heritage of California houses, and their influence is most evident in their best-preserved work, the Gamble House in Pasadena, California.

The Greene brothers' distinctive style was deeply influenced by Japanese architecture and the English Arts and Crafts Movement, and is visible in the distinguished treatment of wood, stone, shingle, and brick. They designed all aspects of the house with assistance from notable European-trained craftsmen, John and Peter Hall, who elevated their exquisite designs to high levels of artistic excellence both throughout the house and in all the joinery, furniture, and decorative arts.

Construction on the Gamble House began in 1908. In January of 1909, the owners, David and Mary Gamble, moved in. The house was inhabited by the Gamble family for over fifty years, and remained their property until 1966, when the Gamble heirs, led by James N. Gamble, deeded the house to the City of Pasadena in a joint agreement with the University of Southern California's School of Architecture.

Boasting nearly 30,000 visitors annually, the Gamble House continues to play a leading role in educating the public about a unique part of Pasadena's heritage, as well as the history of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The Docent Council of the Gamble House, formed in 1967, encompasses a group of volunteers who aid with the cultural and educational components of the Gamble House. The Friends of the Gamble House, founded in 1972, is composed of individuals and organizations whose purpose is to financially support the house and its programs. Some of the programs include the Scholars in Residence Fellowships, the Junior Docent Program, and participation in the Museums of the Arroyo Day celebration.

In 1974 the Gamble House was named a California State Historic Landmark, and four years later the United States Department of the Interior designated the Gamble House a National Historic Landmark. The house has been preserved with the help of the James N. Gamble Preservation Fund.

I ask all members to join me in recognizing the Gamble House upon its one-hundredth anniversary, and to congratulate the staff and volunteers who keep the facility open for the public's education and enjoyment.

Madam Speaker, I rise to speak about the introduction of the Child Protection Improvements Act of 2008. I introduced this bill today with my colleague Congressman Mike Rodgers of Michigan to allow youth-serving organizations to perform Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint-based background checks on prospective volunteers. We are joined by Senator Joseph Biden, Senator Arlen Specter, and Senator Orrin Hatch, who are introducing identical legislation in the Senate.

A positive, stable influence can make an incredible difference in a child's life, and we are lucky to have millions of Americans eager to serve their community. In 1986, as a young lawyer, I volunteered as a Big Brother and was paired with a wonderful seven year-old named ``David.'' That relationship has been one of the most rewarding and enduring in my life. It also taught me first hand the trust that we place in the adult in a mentoring situation. Groups like Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the Girl Scouts, and thousands of agencies, large and small, are doing amazing work for children across America. This bill is about giving them the tools they need to protect children and to accomplish their mission.

The Child protection Improvements Act will allow organizations that pair volunteers with children, whether as mentors, Little League coaches, or Scout Masters, to perform quick and accurate background checks through the FBI's fingerprint-based system. It will be simple for organizations to request a check, it will cost non-profits a maximum of 525, and they will receive a result in less than a week.

This legislation arose from the lessons we learned from a 2003 pilot program established in the PROTECT Act. The pilot gave certain mentoring and youth agencies the ability to submit fingerprints directly to the FBI to receive a determination if the volunteers criminal record made them unfit for the role. In 2003, and earlier, state law enforcement agencies have been able to access the FBI system, but as of today only one-third of states have the infrastructure in place for a mentoring agency to get an FBI background check in an affordable and timely manner.

The PROTECT ACT pilot demonstrated the need for background checks to protect children from predators. Six percent of checks conducted came back with serious criminal records, in many cases records that would not have turned up through a search of a state database or through a name-based, commercial search. There are cases around the nation in which applicants were sex offenders, repeat felons, and child abusers. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reviewed tiles in which an applicant had a criminal record in four states, including a conviction for murder, which they didn't reveal when they applied to be a volunteer.

The pilot also taught us that youth serving organizations want to watch out for children and they want access to affordable, accurate, and prompt background checks. And that was exactly what the pilot provided, returning a fitness determination in an average of three to five days for less than $20.

The Child Protection Improvements Act also protects the privacy rights of volunteers. No criminal records will he transmitted to anyone other than NCMEC without the consent of the volunteer, so their right to privacy will be protected. If they believe their record contains errors, or if they disagree with the determination of NCMEC, they can challenge the completeness of the record or request its full release.

There is a clear and compelling need for this legislation. By passing the Child Protection Improvements Act, Congress will take an important step forward in protecting children and supporting the service of thousands of community-based youth serving organizations around the country.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, the fight against terror is, at one level, a military struggle, but it is also, at its roots, a battle over hearts and minds.

On Sunday, we suffered a major setback in that battle when the President of the United States vetoed legislation that would unequivocally state to the world that we do not condone torture in any form, in any place, under any circumstance. Instead, by appearing to abandon the rule of law by appearing to step away from the Geneva Conventions, by failing to renounce the use of

torture in the clearest of terms, we are only undermining our standing in the world and endangering the lives of our very own men and women.

When the Attorney General of the United States recently testified before the Judiciary Committee, he could not tell us if and when waterboarding constituted torture. He even suggested that a determination whether something constitutes torture depends on who is being subjected to the technique and the desirability of the information that is being sought. His testimony was murky. It was ambiguous. It failed to establish any bright line for our personnel or for the rest of the world. He could only say that if it were done to him, well, then that would be torture.

Instead, the bright line standard, if there was one to be found in his testimony, and the one that he asked us to hold up to the rest of the world, was whether or not a harsh interrogation technique is part of a program authorized by an attorney in the obscure Office of Legal Counsel. I am deeply concerned about what this says to our own personnel and about what it says to the rest of the world.

This is, indeed, no intangible loss, for the effects of this failure of moral leadership may tragically be visited on those brave men and women serving in our Armed Forces.

Who among us can fail to recall the opening ways of the Iraq war when American troops had been captured and were paraded in front of the cameras? We were disgusted with their treatment, and rightfully so. If we hesitate, equivocate, or otherwise fail to ban the use of waterboarding, how can we have any confidence that when American troops are captured they will not be subjected to this form of torture? How can we make the case that other nations or other enemies must not torture because we don't torture? How can we win the battle for hearts and minds if we surrender our most powerful weapon, the power of our good example?

Mr. Speaker, I urge the override of the President's veto.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 105, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pastor Emeritus A.D. Thomas, who is celebrating more than 50 years in the ministry.

Pastor Thomas began serving in the ministry in the late 1950s at Saint Matthew Baptist Church in Merced, California. In 1966, he was called to be pastor of Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church in Pasadena, where he ministered for 28 years, until his retirement in 1994.

Under Pastor Thomas' leadership at Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church, many milestones were achieved. A few of the landmark achievements include the purchase of the church's surrounding property, construction of a new sanctuary and the A.D. Thomas Educational Center and the incorporation of Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church.

Many youth-oriented programs were created under Pastor Thomas' guidance, including a scholarship ministry, BEST after-school program, children's church, vacation bible school, youth choir, and Baptist Youth Fellowship. Other programs created during his tenure were the Nurses Guild, food outreach--clothing ministry, the Board of Christian Education, the transportation department, and new membership ministry. Pastor Thomas has also given generously of his time and experience to many community and church-affiliated organizations, such as the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.

Pastor Thomas and his wife, Dr. Sandra Thomas, long-time Altadena residents, have three children, Michael, Vincent, and Rosalyn, and six grandchildren.

I ask all Members of Congress to join me in congratulating Pastor Emeritus A.D. Thomas for his lifetime commitment to religious services and the betterment of the community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Thomas Patrick Beck upon receiving the prestigious Donald Wright Award for distinguished service to the community from the Pasadena Bar Association.

Mr. Beck is a founding partner of Thon, Beck & Vanni, formerly known as Thon & Beck, a highly rated and respected law firm in Pasadena, California, that is celebrating thirty years of existence. Thon, Beck & Vanni specializes in representing seriously injured tort victims.

A member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Tom is enthusiastically involved in all aspects of his profession. He is a past president of the Pasadena Bar Association, a former board of trustee member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and was on the Los Angeles Superior Court Bench and Committee. He is a former president of the Irish American Bar Association and is a founding member of the Cowboy Lawyers Association.

Mr. Beck's professional accomplishments include being a three-time nominee for Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association's (now known as Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles) Trial Lawyer of the Year, and his recent election as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Tom is an active participant in many community organizations. Some of his past volunteer affiliations include the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, Loyola Marymount University Alumni Association board of directors, and coaching for Little League, YMCA Basketball and the American Youth Soccer Organization. In 2006, he received the Lasallian Volunteer of the Year Award from LaSalle High School in Pasadena.

Currently, Tom is the chairman of the Methodist Hospital of Southern California Foundation Board, chairman of the Executive Committee of the St. Thomas More Society of Los Angeles, a mentor/benefactor of San Miguel Catholic School, and a member of Helps International.

I ask all Members of Congress to join me in congratulating Thomas Patrick Beck upon receiving the Pasadena Bar Association's 2008 Donald Wright Award and wish him continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Cynthia J. Kurtz, who recently retired from her post as City Manager of Pasadena, California. Ms. Kurtz served the City for over 20 years, spending the last 10 years as the chief administrative officer of Pasadena's diverse community of 144,000 residents and has left a legacy that will be enjoyed by generations to come.

In her capacity as city manager, Cynthia was responsible for over 2,300 employees with an operating budget of over $550 million. With a keen vision for the ``big picture'' and a wealth of experience to draw upon, she was the driving force behind some of the most important projects in the city's history.

Cynthia came to Pasadena after 10 years of employment with the city of Portland, Oregon, where she held a variety of positions in the Office of Transportation and the Bureau of Economic Development. That experience served Pasadena well when she was hired as the City's Capital Program Administrator in 1987. In 1991, she became director of public works for the City of Pasadena where she shepherded high profile projects such as the delicate $24 million reconstruction of the historic Colorado Street Bridge.

During my years in the California State Senate, I worked with Cynthia on the planning for a light rail line from Los Angeles to Pasadena, and her contributions to that project were vital to its success. Completed on time and under budget, the Gold Line light rail project has been an invaluable asset to the San Gabriel Valley, and especially to Pasadena.

The Pasadena City Council was well aware of Cynthia's hard work on their behalf, and when the position of city manager became open in 1998, she was the first woman to be appointed to that post. As city manager, she first concentrated on solidifying budget procedures while also attending to the quality of life issues that make Pasadena a special place to live and work.

Ms. Kurtz's most recent landmark achievement was last year's completion of a $118 million renovation of historic Pasadena City Hall. When the structure was determined to be seismically vulnerable, she worked with her staff to create a plan that would safeguard Pasadena employees while also preserving this most recognizable jewel of the ``Crown City.'' The project was completed ahead of schedule and continues to stand as a testament to Pasadena's rich architectural heritage.

Cynthia Kurtz has been an invaluable asset to the city of Pasadena, and I ask all Members to join me in thanking Cynthia J. Kurtz for over 2 decades of dedicated service.