Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the long life and lasting legacy of

Mary Curtis Davey, a distinguished Californian and the conscience of our community, who died October 2, 2010. Throughout her life, Mary was a consummate community activist and advocate whose tremendous accomplishments remind us of the difference one person can make.

A native of Columbus, Ohio, Mary attended Smith College and graduated with degrees in English and government. She met and married Jack Davey, a Korean War veteran, and moved to Baltimore, where she first became involved in fighting housing discrimination. After moving to Los Altos Hills in 1961, Mary brought her compassion and intensity of purpose to the Peninsula, making her mark almost immediately. She became Mayor of Los Altos Hills in 1966, where her fair housing advocacy caused her to be recalled from the City Council. Unfazed, Mary continued to fight vigorously for equity and opportunity through countless community channels.

Among her many invaluable roles, Mary served as the Director of Midpeninsula Citizens for Fair Housing, CEO of Santa Clara County Advocates for Women, Interim Executive Director of the Palo Alto Red Cross, Board Member of Hidden Villa, and Co-Founder of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, which was one of her proudest accomplishments. But even the stunning 56,000 acres couldn't contain Mary's boundless enthusiasm and dedication . . . she was truly a local force of nature, a civic superwoman of remarkable poise and power.

When Mary was honored with the Josephine and Frank Duveneck Humanitarian Award in 2001, I was privileged to pay tribute to her in Congress. I said then that ``Mary Curtis Davey was ``an exceptional voice and advocate for improving the quality of life in our community'' and an extraordinary woman who ``dedicated her life to making the San Mateo Peninsula a more humane, beautiful and healthy place.'' She continued her commitment to community right up until the day she died.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our deepest condolences to Mary Davey's husband, Jack; her children, Kit, John, and Curtis; and her grandchildren, John, Devon, Christopher, and Callan. The Reverend Carl Frederick Buechner writes that vocation is ``where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.'' Few people better embody this intersection than Mary. For 80 years she applied her own inimitable talents to the concerns of her community, raising our spirits and feeding our souls. Her extraordinary environmental and humanitarian contributions have enriched the Bay Area in countless ways, and will live on in the open spaces, fair housing, and social services she championed. I consider myself blessed to have been her friend and her Representative and I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring the life of this singularly exceptional woman who strengthened her community and her country with unparalleled contributions.

Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2847) to regulate the volume of audio on commercials.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of a bill designed to eliminate the ear-splitting levels of television advertisements and return control of television sound modulation to the American consumer. A vote for this bipartisan bill with 90 cosponsors will send it on to the President for his signature, and when he signs it, it will bring relief to millions of television viewers across the country.

I first introduced the CALM Act more than 3 years ago in the previous Congress. The premise of the bill then, as now, was simple, to make the volume of commercials and regular programming uniform so consumers can control sound levels.

The problem with ear-splitting TV advertisements has existed for more than 50 years--not 5, 50. Television advertisers first realized that consumers often left the room during commercials, so they used loud commercials to grab their attention as they moved to other parts of their home. This has been one of the top complaints to the Federal Communications Commission for decades.

The bill directs the FCC to adopt the engineering standards recommended by the body that sets the technical standards for digital television as mandatory rules within 1 year. These standards were developed when I introduced the legislation in the last Congress.

So now we don't have to wait another 50 years for a solution. With the passage of this legislation, we will end the practice of consumers being subjected to advertisements that are ridiculously loud, and we can protect people from needlessly loud noise spikes that can actually harm their hearing. This technical fix is long overdue, and under the CALM Act, as amended by the Senate, consumers will be in the driver's seat.

I look forward to the enactment of this bill, but most importantly, so do millions of consumers across the country. So I urge my colleagues to vote for the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to thank all of the staff, both at the committee and certainly at my office, that have worked hard on

this bill over the last 3 years. And I would like to thank Mr. Terry for the remarks that he made about the legislation.

This really is a very simple bill. It started out as a one-page bill, it's now maybe two and a few lines. It was never drafted with the intent that it would solve some of the great, great challenges that are facing our country. It is a small bill, but it is consumer friendly. And it does recognize the complaints that the American people have registered with the FCC over the last 50 years; in fact, it's been the top complaint.

I want to thank the broadcasters for working with us, for those that came up with the technology, the technology standard that will be the national standard for broadcasters, satellite and cable.

Again, I would like to thank all that were involved in this and urge my colleagues to vote for this bill. I think that we will have more peace in homes across the country, as Mr. Terry described it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life's work of the Honorable Warren Slocum, San Mateo County's Chief Elections Officer and County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor, who is retiring after more than two decades of extraordinary service to the County.

There's an old expression that ``the people who vote count, as well as the people who count the votes.'' Warren Slocum counted the votes. He counted them for 23 years, always keenly aware of the importance of both the voters and the counters to the functioning of our government. Warren Slocum has been, quite simply, the man behind the machinery of our great democracy.

Long before becoming that man, Warren Slocum was a soldier and a student. He enlisted in the Army and served in Vietnam, returning to attend San Diego State University on the G.I. Bill, and graduating with Honors in History in 1972. He later pursued graduate studies at San Diego State and Stanford University and worked in the private sector before embarking on his storied public service career.

Rising from Elections Supervisor to Assistant County Clerk and Recorder, Warren Slocum was elected County Clerk-Recorder in 1986, and Chief Elections Officer and County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor in 1993. Warren Slocum's office gave him the longest official title in the County and some of the greatest responsibilities. He managed up to 2,500 staff and an annual budget of $24 million, overseeing the conduct of all elections and voter registration, the valuation of property, and the recording of official documents, including birth, death, and marriage certificates.

Warren Slocum pledged and delivered the highest quality service, guaranteeing integrity and access in the voting process, promoting civic literacy and participation, and providing accurate assessments and first-rate record keeping. Under his leadership, overall office expenditures were reduced by 20%, making millions of dollars available for other programs. Warren Slocum's colleagues have recognized his tireless efforts by selecting him to head countless professional associations. The San Mateo County Economic Development Association has hailed his work as ``an example of responsiveness, efficiency and action by an elected official and government office which should be the model for all public agencies.''

Throughout his service, Warren Slocum never stopped seeking better solutions. A self-proclaimed ``public sector entrepreneur,'' Warren Slocum brought the spirit of Silicon Valley to his many endeavors, making the San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's office the most committed to innovation in the nation. In 1992, and with no supplemental appropriations, he converted the old lever voting machines to a cutting-edge optical scan system, and followed up in subsequent years with an extraordinary display of innovation and modernization. He co-founded the Smart Voter Project, which provides sample ballots and voter information online, and he was the first in California to implement electronic recording. He created the ``Wedding Cam'' system, allowing friends and relatives to view civil ceremonies on the Web. His blog was the very first on the subject of election reform and verified voting, and his expertise on these matters led him to become a leading voice on high-tech voting in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, and NPR.

Warren Slocum's well-deserved retirement will give him more time with his wife Maria Diaz and their two sons, and for his many hobbies, which include hiking, kayaking, golfing, reading, and playing the piano. Knowing Warren Slocum, however, he won't stop moving. He once swam the ``Escape from Alcatraz'' race, finishing 286 out of nearly 1,000 swimmers. No doubt, even in retirement, there are more impressive efforts in his future.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the extraordinary work of Warren Slocum and wish him a retirement filled to the brim with good health and many new adventures. Warren says he was raised to believe that one person can make a difference, and he has been working all his life to do just that. The creativity and accountability he has brought to the County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's office, and the deep integrity and abiding respect for our system of government, have made Warren Slocum a model County official, and a man we could count on to count right. I count myself blessed to know this dedicated public servant who has done so much to make our democracy flourish, and has strengthened our community and our country in countless ways.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. George M. Scalise, a longtime constituent, friend, and industry advocate, who retired as President of the Semiconductor Industry Association this year. His exemplary leadership in the high-tech sector has improved our technical capabilities and enriched our country.

George Scalise's father worked on the railroads, but George dedicated his life to the conduits of the future, ultimately moving from the steel mills of Pennsylvania to the semiconductors of Silicon Valley. Growing up in Warren, Pennsylvania, George Scalise was a go-getter from an early age, working a paper route, cleaning pots and pans in a bakery, and performing other odd jobs. He followed his older brother to Purdue University, graduating in 1956 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and then joined the Army as an engineer for the next two years. After leaving the military, George Scalise met and married his wife of nearly fifty years, fellow engineer Dot McDonald, and moved into the growing field of semiconductors, where he began to make his mark.

From his early days at CBS Electronics and Motorola, George Scalise has left a lasting imprint on the semiconductor industry. Among his many positions and responsibilities, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Apple Computer, Inc., and as Senior Vice President of Planning and Development and Chief Administrator Officer of National Semiconductor Corporation. His abilities have earned him the respect and trust of his colleagues, who selected him to be President of the Semiconductor Industry Association, the nation's leading microelectronics trade association, which brings together more than 60 companies accounting for over 90% of American semiconductor producers. Serving from 1997 to 2010, George Scalise brought his deep understanding of the complexities of international trade and workforce issues to bear on a wide array of industry matters, including educating and recruiting a skilled workforce, promoting environmental and safety standards, protecting intellectual property, and ensuring American competitiveness abroad.

As civic-minded as he is silicon-minded, George Scalise has brought his business acumen to his public service endeavors. He served on the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco from 2000 to 2005, including two years as Chairman, and spent eight years on President George W. Bush's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating George Scalise's extraordinary leadership and service. In his business career, in his personal relationships, in his service to his community, George Scalise conducts himself as impressively as the microchips he loves, I'm proud to consider him a friend and honor the outstanding contributions he has made through his innovation and inspirational industry leadership.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life's work of the Honorable Warren Slocum, San Mateo County's Chief Elections Officer and County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor, who is retiring after more than two decades of extraordinary service to the County.

There's an old expression that ``the people who vote count, as well as the people who count the votes.'' Warren Slocum counted the votes. He counted them for 23 years, always keenly aware of the importance of both the voters and the counters to the functioning of our government. Warren Slocum has been, quite simply, the man behind the machinery of our great democracy.

Long before becoming that man, Warren Slocum was a soldier and a student. He enlisted in the Army and served in Vietnam, returning to attend San Diego State University on the G.I. Bill, and graduating with Honors in History in 1972. He later pursued graduate studies at San Diego State and Stanford University and worked in the private sector before embarking on his storied public service career.

Rising from Elections Supervisor to Assistant County Clerk and Recorder, Warren Slocum was elected County Clerk-Recorder in 1986, and Chief Elections Officer and County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor in 1993. Warren Slocum's office gave him the longest official title in the County and some of the greatest responsibilities. He managed up to 2,500 staff and an annual budget of $24 million, overseeing the conduct of all elections and voter registration, the valuation of property, and the recording of official documents, including birth, death, and marriage certificates.

Warren Slocum pledged and delivered the highest quality service, guaranteeing integrity and access in the voting process, promoting civic literacy and participation, and providing accurate assessments and first-rate record keeping. Under his leadership, overall office expenditures were reduced by 20%, making millions of dollars available for other programs. Warren Slocum's colleagues have recognized his tireless efforts by selecting him to head countless professional associations. The San Mateo County Economic Development Association has hailed his work as ``an example of responsiveness, efficiency and action by an elected official and government office which should be the model for all public agencies.''

Throughout his service, Warren Slocum never stopped seeking better solutions. A self-proclaimed ``public sector entrepreneur,'' Warren Slocum brought the spirit of Silicon Valley to his many endeavors, making the San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's office the most committed to innovation in the Nation. In 1992, and with no supplemental appropriations, he converted the old lever voting machines to a cutting-edge optical scan system, and followed up in subsequent years with an extraordinary display of innovation and modernization. He co-founded the Smart Voter Project, which provides sample ballots and voter information online, and he was the first in California to implement electronic recording. He created the ``Wedding Cam'' system, allowing friends and relatives to view civil ceremonies on the Web. His blog was the very first on the subject of election reform and verified voting, and his expertise on these matters led him to become a leading voice on high-tech voting in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, and NPR.

Warren Slocum's well-deserved retirement will give him more time with his wife Maria Diaz and their two sons, and for his many hobbies, which include hiking, kayaking, golfing, reading, and playing the piano. Knowing Warren Slocum, however, he won't stop moving. He once swam the ``Escape from Alcatraz'' race, finishing 286 out of nearly 1,000 swimmers. No doubt, even in retirement, there are more impressive efforts in his future.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the extraordinary work of Warren Slocum and wish him a retirement filled to the brim with good health and many new adventures. Warren says he was raised to believe that one person can make a difference, and he has been working all his life to do just that. The creativity and accountability he has brought to the County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's office, and the deep integrity and abiding respect for our system of government, have made Warren Slocum a model County official, and a man we could count on to count right. I count myself blessed to know this dedicated public servant who has done so much to make our democracy flourish, and has strengthened our community and our country in countless ways.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a dear friend and extraordinary public servant, Victor Calvo, who passed away on September 26, 2010, in Mountain View, California, where he was beloved and respected.

One of the staunchest environmentalists I've ever known, Victor Calvo tirelessly championed environmental issues in local and statewide offices, where his compassion and conviction made him easy to believe and hard to resist. For thirty years he determinedly devoted himself to new ideas that would better the lives of his constituents and leave this earth a better place.

Victor Calvo was born on a ranch in Mountain View, and quickly set about becoming one of the city's most accomplished and dedicated residents. He was the valedictorian of his Mountain View High School class, and joined the Army Air Force in 1942. Over two-dozen bombing missions later--including top secret ones never recorded--Victor Calvo returned to the Bay Area and earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Stanford University. In 1948, he married his wife Nellie, a wonderfully warm woman who would be by his side for the next 62 years.

In 1957, Victor Calvo began his three-decade political career. It started, fittingly enough, on Mountain View's Environmental Planning Commission, one of the first of its kind in the region. Victor Calvo continued to advocate environmental causes on the Mountain View City Council. He was elected Mayor of the City three consecutive times before being termed out in 1968. Impressed by his razor-sharp intellect and integrity, appreciative community members elected him to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, and then to the State Assembly in 1974.

Victor Calvo continued his environmental activism in Sacramento, using the chairmanship of the Committee on Resources, Land Use and Energy to author key legislation and protect California's forests, wetlands, and open spaces. In recognition of his efforts he was named California's ``Elected Environmental Legislator of the Year in 1979,'' and named to the California Public Utilities Commission by Governor Jerry Brown the following year. Victor Calvo spent a final stint in politics on the California Coastal Commission before retiring in 1989. Of course, even retirement couldn't keep him from helping the City of Mountain View deal with problematic geese on the golf course, where he loved to spend his days.

Among Victor Calvo's many accomplishments stands the creation of Shoreline Park in Mountain View, where thousands of community members gather to stroll, picnic, and watch fireworks on the Fourth of July. Victor Calvo constantly amazed everyone with his impressive grasp of issues, his appreciation for people, and the earnestness and enthusiasm that shone through in everything he did. He was a kind and affectionate husband, father, and grandfather, and a true public servant, quoting Aristotle to teach his children that ``you can judge a nation by the way it treats its most vulnerable citizens,'' and then proceeding to demonstrate this maxim by the power of his own actions.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our sincere condolences to Victor Calvo's wife, Nellie; his children Suzanna, Victor, Peter, Theodore and Mary; his 12 grandchildren, his brother, and his two sisters. Throughout his life, Victor Calvo was a man of Mountain View, and a crusader for all Californians. He will be missed, even as his life's legacy lives on for future generations of Californians. I consider it a high privilege to have known Victor Calvo and to have been a beneficiary of his friendship, his service, his vision and his integrity.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for your distinguished leadership of the House Intelligence Committee.

Madam Speaker, after 5 long years, we will soon have an intelligence authorization bill enacted into law. I would have thought that the ranking member of the committee would at least acknowledge that, because it is an accomplishment. It is an accomplishment that is worth highlighting, and it is an accomplishment that should be a source of pride to all Members of Congress, because the Congress is weighing in with its priorities.

Now, passage of this act, in my view, is going to reassert Congress' role in the oversight of our Nation's intelligence agencies. We have a very special duty to oversee intelligence activities because our Nation's security is always at stake.

As the chair of the Subcommittee on Intelligence Community Management, I've had a particular interest in congressional oversight and the tools that we need to improve it. This bill contains many provisions that will improve the congressional oversight of intelligence activities.

First, the bill requires the DNI to establish procedures to allow GAO access to intelligence community information. This provision will clarify the guidelines under which GAO may audit the intelligence community while recognizing that GAO, on behalf of the intelligence committees, has the authority to do so. The new DNI Clapper noted the value of GAO studies during his confirmation hearing, and this provision will give him the opportunity to live up to his words.

Second, the bill modifies statutory authorization for the so-called ``Gang of Eight'' procedure, and raises the threshold for this limited notification. This is a big change. It requires that the President inform all members of the intelligence committees that a Gang of Eight briefing has occurred and provide a general description of that briefing.

All committee members will receive a full briefing 6 months after the Gang of Eight briefing unless the President continues to certify that ``extraordinary circumstances'' still exist that require a limited briefing.

These were hard fought-for changes and reforms, and they were not easy to come to. I think that, regardless of whether it is a Republican administration or a Democratic administration, these reforms are tough to get. Yet they have been secured, and I think they are very important, not only for the operation and the oversight of the committees, but for the betterment of the American people and our national security.

Finally, the bill creates a statutory and independent Inspector General for the intelligence community, and I think that this is another great plus.

This bill strengthens the prerogatives of Congress, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of an extraordinary physician and a distinguished constituent of California's 14th Congressional District, Dr. David Druker. After 35 years as a healer and leader in the medical community, Dr. Druker passed away

on July 23, 2010, following a three-year struggle with lung cancer.

Dr. Druker was trained as a clinical dermatologist, but his interest in people was anything but skin-deep. First as a practitioner and professor, then later as an executive, he always sought to engage those around him, to collaborate with and learn from his colleagues and friends. In this way, he nurtured ties between the medical profession and the broader Peninsula community, becoming a pillar of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and the catalyst for an expanding and increasingly effective community health network.

With all of Dr. Druker's gifts as a doctor and director, it's hard to imagine him in any other profession. But he did not initially intend to enter medicine. Raised in Marshalltown, Iowa, Dr. Druker received his Bachelors Degree in Economics from Harvard University and was accepted by the University of Michigan Law School before changing his mind and entering the University of Iowa Medical School, under the condition that he make up his pre-med requirements first. Dr. Druker's precipitous career change brought him an avalanche of science coursework and ultimately brought Palo Alto residents an exceptional doctor. With his penchant for quiet understatement, Dr. Druker recalled his first year of medical school as ``a fun year.''

He married his wife Karen in 1966 and served two years in the U.S. Army before finishing his residency at the University of Oregon in 1975. After a year of private practice in Portland, Dr. Druker moved to Palo Alto to join what was then the Palo Alto Medical Clinic. While seeing 30 dermatology patients a day and teaching at the Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Druker rose to hold a number of leadership positions in the clinic and in regional and national organizations. He became Executive Director and then Chief Operating Officer of what had become, under his leadership, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF), before being named President and Chief Executive Officer of PAMF in 1999.

Guided by Dr. Druker's vision of high-quality outpatient care and his ``multi-specialty group practice'' healthcare model, PAMF vastly expanded its range and its roster. The Foundation grew from 120 to nearly 1,000 physicians and now serves locations throughout the Bay Area, including Sunnyvale, Fremont, Los Altos, San Carlos, and Burlingame. Dr. Druker played a leading role in cementing the alliance between PAMF and Sutter Health in 1993, further integrating and enhancing community health services. The Palo Alto Medical Foundation remembered Dr. Druker as man who had ``a particular passion for children and education, and fostered long standing partnerships with schools.'' Along with his commitment to the health of youth, Dr. Druker promoted the idea of a ``Center for Innovation'' at PAMF to generate new and better approaches to clinical care.

Dr. Druker made countless contributions to the wider medical community as well. He chaired the American Medical Group Association and the California Medical Group Association, and served on the Board of the Unified Medical Group Association. He was a Trustee of the California Medical Association, a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and belonged to the Santa Clara County Medical Society, the California Medical Association, and the American Medical Association, among other affiliations. In addition to these responsibilities, Dr. Druker found time to author papers and textbooks on dermatology and medical administration, all the while devoting himself to his wife, his children, and his grandchildren.

Dr. Druker's impressive accomplishments have immeasurably enriched our community, but perhaps his most lasting legacy lies in the devoted care of his patients. One patient remembered him as ``a great guy and a fantastic doctor,'' a physician whose gentleness left the patient ``with this lasting fondness after all these years.'' Another simply and powerfully noted that back in the early 1980's, ``he saved my boyfriend's life.''

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our deepest condolences to Dr. Druker's wife, Karen; his children, Daniel and Ellie; his five grandchildren; and his two sisters, Hannah and Leah. Dr. Druker's intellect and passion led him to become the human foundation of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and the Peninsula's physician and friend. Whether diagnosing a patient or directing new and exciting health advances, Dr. David Druker's warm heart and healing hands will be missed by all who were touched by his dedication and humanity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my legislation, H.R. 1210, the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act. I have fought long and hard for this bill alongside the Arthritis Foundation, the American College of Rheumatology, and the thousands of advocates across the country who understand how important this is. The legislation enjoys the bipartisan support of 181 Members of the House, and passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously.

One out of every five adults suffers from arthritis, making it the most common cause of disability in the United States. More than 300,000 children suffer from juvenile arthritis. Early diagnosis for this disease is critical to ensure children get access to the right doctor and the care they need.

My bill will authorize the ``National Arthritis Action Plan,'' giving legislative direction and leadership to a program which has proven successful since 1998. The Plan distributes important grants to states and nonprofits to carry out arthritis outreach and education activities. The bill expands the Secretary of Health and Human Services' authority to increase juvenile arthritis research at NIH, and authorizes important institutional training grants to increase the number of pediatric rheumatologists in the U.S.

I'm proud of the work I've done to raise awareness about the devastating effects of arthritis but I'm far prouder of the tireless work of the arthritis advocates who have walked these halls, called their Representatives, and shared their stories. Their grassroots efforts are at the heart of this bill and I'm so pleased we could work on this together.

Passage of the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act is also a tribute to my friend, Senator Edward Kennedy, as we introduced this legislation together in the 110th Congress. His commitment to public health, improving care for children, and ending suffering are the principles which guided everything he did and I know he's looking down on us today and smiling.

Madam Speaker, I was not present during rollcall vote Nos. 521-525, on September 15, 2010, and rollcall vote Nos. 526-531 on September 16, 2010.

I would like the Record to reflect how I would have voted:

On rollcall vote No. 521, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 522, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 523, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 524, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 525, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 526, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 527, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 528, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 529, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 530, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 531, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an extraordinary educator and community leader, Dr. Jean K. Holbrook, who is retiring after four decades of outstanding service in San Mateo County, California. Under her leadership, county schools have made impressive and promising strides forward, teaching students to love learning and preparing them to enter a globalized workforce.

Born and raised in Minnesota, Dr. Holbrook received her Bachelor's Degree in English from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, before moving to California for further studies. Already committed to educational leadership, she earned a Master's Degree in Secondary Education and Educational Administration from San Francisco State University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of San Francisco.

A longtime resident of San Mateo, Dr. Holbrook began working as a researcher for the San Mateo Education Research Center and rose to become its Director. Since then, she served as Deputy Superintendent and Associate Superintendent of Instructional Services, before being appointed San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools in January 2006, and subsequently elected to a four-year term in 2007.

As Superintendent, Dr. Holbrook oversaw a $1.5 billion budget, instructional and curricular assistance, and special education for 23 school districts and nearly 90,000 students. Announcing her decision to serve a second term, Dr. Holbrook stated her desire ``to make the county office more effective in providing countywide leadership.'' Dr. Holbrooke succeeded. During her tenure, schools and scores improved substantially, and her committed efforts were widely praised. Dr. Holbrook took pride in San Mateo County's gains, while soberly noting that ``the challenge remains to meet the needs of all students and to close the achievement gap where it exists.'' For Dr. Holbrook, the glass was neither half full nor half empty. She believed, as did William Butler Yeats, that ``education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.''

She worked hard to `light that fire,' serving on a wide array of civic and educational organizations in addition to her career with the San Mateo County Office of Education. Dr. Holbrook is a member of the First 5 Commission and the California County Superintendents Educational Association Pre-K Task Force, chairs the Peninsula Partnership Leadership Council, and co-chairs the Child Care Partnership Council. Involving herself in all aspects of her community, she is also active in the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. Jean Holbrook's forty years of extraordinary leadership. Throughout her career, Dr. Holbrook's greatest gift was that she never forgot to treat each and every one of her 90,000 students as individuals with extraordinary potential. When she retired, Dr. Holbrook thanked the County for the ``profound honor of serving as Superintendent, but it is San Mateo County and the surrounding communities that are honored by her contributions. As a San Mateo County resident and public servant, I am extremely proud to call Dr. Holbrook my friend and even prouder of the profoundly positive impact of her life's work on our community, on our children, and on our country.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the remarkable life of Saren H. Simitian, a resident of California's 14th Congressional District, who died on June 24, 2010. His 88 years were characterized by an intense passion for teaching, for traveling, and for engaging with those around him.

Born to Armenian immigrants in Jersey City, New Jersey, Saren Simitian quickly proved himself a promising intellectual and citizen of the world. He served in the Army during World War II, and attended New York University on the GI Bill. Saren went on to earn a Master's Degree in history from Colorado University and began studying for his Ph.D at the University of Wisconsin before taking a different path and moving to California, where he later received a Master's Degree in Library Science from San Jose State University.

Settling in the Bay Area, Saren Simitian embarked on a long and loving educational career. He taught social studies at Palo Alto High School for over two decades where he was known as a tough but well- liked teacher, deeply committed to all of his students. In his spare time, Saren taught English to Stanford students at the Bechtel International Center, and tutored with Project Read in Menlo Park. An educator to the last, Saren taught English in Beijing for six months a year well into his eighties.

In one of his most important lessons, Saren Simitian taught his son Joseph that ``you can't get a hit with the bat on your shoulder.'' Taking his father's advice, Joe Simitian went on to a distinguished career in public service, serving on the Palo Alto School Board, the Palo Alto City Council, and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors before being elected to the California State Assembly and State Senate. Taking his own advice, Saren dedicated himself to a lifetime of eclectic pursuits, shouldering a backpack instead of a bat and traveling the world.

Well-read and worldly, Saren Simitian traversed more terrain after his retirement than most people half his age. His wanderlust took him to visit friends, relatives, and his grandparents' graves, always acquiring new friends and new stories. He walked across Portugal twice, first from top to bottom, and then east to west a decade later. Seeking adventure on multiple continents, Saren fell into a ditch in Eastern Europe, was mugged in Asia, and nearly drowned in Australia. Despite these mishaps, his family noted, he ``never slowed down, never lost his passion for people and places.'' Saren's adventurous lifestyle no doubt owed in part to his healthy habits of eating homemade yogurt and exercising whenever possible, kept his mind as fit as his body.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our deepest sympathies to Saren Simitian's family. He is survived by his son, the Honorable S. Joseph Simitian, and his daughter-in-law, Mary Hughes. A man whose far-flung journeys never took him far from his core values, Saren Simitian taught in order to travel and traveled in order to teach, enriching everyone he met with his unique outlook on life and his singular sense of the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Assistance, Quality and Affordability, AQUA, Act. I'm pleased that this important drinking water legislation includes my legislation the ``Get the Lead Out'' Act.

Get the Lead Out will help protect against the lead exposure acquired through our plumbing systems and faucets. The bill updates the lead content standard in the Safe Drinking Water Act, SDWA, from 8 percent to .25 percent and represents a progressive and major effort that will eliminate the threat to all of us from lead in our faucets and fixtures.

Today, lead remains one of the most persistent threats to our public health and the EPA has concluded that between 15 and 20 percent of the lead in children's blood comes from their drinking water systems. From the last decade of medical research, it is increasingly clear that there is no safe level of lead in the human bloodstream and this is particularly true for children.

California recognized this threat and in 2006 enacted the toughest lead content standard for drinking water faucets, fittings, and plumbing systems anywhere in the world. The states of Vermont and Maryland have followed California's lead and are now implementing identical laws.

Get the Lead Out mirrors California's legislation and will provide for a consistent and effective national standard. By updating the SDWA we will ensure that no one will be exposed to a serious health threat which can easily be avoided.

Get the Lead Out has garnered the support of state health officials, numerous children's health organizations, prominent national environmental organizations, local governments, scientific associations, and national drinking water associations. Of particular note, the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute, the association that represents all major faucet companies and other manufacturers of drinking water plumbing fittings, also supports the legislation.

I thank Chairmen Waxman and Markey for their leadership on promoting safe drinking water and I urge my colleagues to vote for AQUA and the Get the Lead Out provision included in this critical bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of a distinguished Californian and proud American, Ambassador Lawrence W. ``Bill'' Lane Jr., a longtime resident of the 14th congressional district, who died on Saturday, July 31, 2010. Publisher, philanthropist, and public servant, he embodied the West's can-do spirit and sense of opportunity, devoting nine remarkable decades to his family, to the outdoors, to his community, and to his country.

The former publisher of Sunset magazine, Bill fittingly left us in the evening, as the sun began to set over his beloved American West. Since moving from Iowa to California in 1928, Bill laid down deep roots in the region. He graduated from Stanford in 1942 with a degree in communications, and enlisted in the Navy shortly thereafter. Taking over the family business in 1961, Bill and his brother Mel turned Sunset into an iconic Western publication, producing thousands of practical articles and books on gardening, cooking, travel, and home improvements.

Under Bill's guidance, Sunset became a leading voice for conservation and preservation. In 1969, the magazine published an expose on the impact of the pesticide DDT, and refused to run advertisements for garden products containing it. In an editorial, Bill wrote that ``Sunset has been carrying more such advertising than any other general consumer publication, but we cannot reasonably continue to carry advertising pages extolling these products when our editorial pages recommend against their use.'' This principled decision cost Sunset millions in revenue and antagonized major corporations, but Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson read the article into the Congressional Record, sparking a national debate that led to the elimination of the use of