Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer a tribute to Mr. John Di Stasio. On April 11, 2014, Mr. Di Stasio will retire from a long and distinguished career with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, where he has served for 32 years, the last six as General Manager and Chief Executive Officer. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this individual who has contributed so much to the Sacramento community.

SMUD--which is the nation's sixth-largest public electric utility, providing affordable and reliable power to 610,000 customers in my district and California's capital region--has been a leader in the public power community and in energy efficiency and clean resource development nationwide.

Mr. Di Stasio's commitment to the Sacramento community and to the environment, coupled with his business sense, people skills, and personal integrity, have added to SMUD's remarkable reputation during a transformative time in the energy industry. Hundreds of thousands of Californians' lives have greatly benefited from his leadership and vision.

Under Mr. Di Stasio's leadership, SMUD has consistently earned the top customer satisfaction scores of any California utility, and is regularly ranked among the top three utilities in the nation, in terms of residential and business customer satisfaction. Mr. Di Stasio also recently received Electric Power & Light magazine's CEO of the Year honors for large utilities.

Mr. Di Stasio, a native Californian, played a key role as SMUD became the first large utility in the state to have 20 percent of its power come from renewable resources such as wind, solar and biogas. And it is on track to increase its renewable portfolio to 33 percent by 2020, making it one of the greenest utilities in the country.

In 2009, SMUD received a smart grid infrastructure grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, the largest amount awarded to any public utility in the nation. SMUD used the smart grid grant money to augment its $308 million SmartSacramento initiative that included a ground- breaking time-of-use pricing pilot program, and construction of a state-of-the-art control room in SMUD's new East Campus--Operations Center. The East Campus--Operations Center received LEED Platinum status from the U.S. Green Building Council.

In addition to his service in Sacramento, Mr. Di Stasio is active in national and international energy issues, serving as a delegate with the United States Energy Association, where he assisted in electrification operations in Bangladesh, Brazil, Botswana, India and Jordan. Mr. Di Stasio has also helped effectively communicate and advance important legislative policy issues by providing expert testimony to Congress in 2009 on protecting the electric grid from cyber attacks, as well as advocating on behalf of consumer-owned utilities on Capitol Hill and at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

My personal and professional respect and admiration for Mr. Di Stasio runs deep, and as his friend, colleague and a fellow Sacramento citizen, I wish him happiness and good health.

I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking and recognizing John for his many years of service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in tribute to Dr. Richard ``Dick'' Ikeda, a dear friend and tireless community leader who recently passed away. Dr. Ikeda founded and served as the executive director of Health For All, Inc. and was an admired advocate for patient centered health care. As his family and friends gather to honor and remember his wonderful life, I ask all my colleagues to join me in saluting one of Sacramento's most well-respected figures.

Dr. Ikeda was a prominent leader in the health care community, and his death leaves a tremendous void in our community. Dr. Ikeda's work led to the foundation of Health For All, a community health center providing culturally sensitive health care services with a federally qualified health center designation. Under Dr. Ikeda's leadership, Health For All opened a number of community health center locations and has provided health and preventative services for thousands of low income residents in the Sacramento region. Additionally, in 1983, Health For All added an adult day health center that to this day provides medical and social services for low-income seniors at risk of losing their independence at home.

Dr. Ikeda's passion and commitment resonated in his work and will not be forgotten by the Sacramento community. His positive impact is seen in the many individuals he mentored throughout the years. Dr. Ikeda served as a mentor to many in the Sacramento community, served on the boards of medical groups and was active in the Asian American community. He was a past president of local chapters of the American Heart Association and the Japanese American Citizens League. Dr. Ikeda was a wonderful public servant, but he was an even better father and grandfather. He leaves behind his son, Steven, daughter, Arielle and two grandchildren Anthony and Anna.

Mr. Speaker, as Dr. Ikeda's family and friends gather to celebrate his wonderful legacy and many contributions, I am honored to pay tribute to him. I and the countless others who were privileged enough to call him our friend will deeply miss him. I ask all my colleagues to pause and join me in paying respect to an extraordinary man, Richard Ikeda.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Oscar Villegas to recognize his numerous contributions and years of service to the people of West Sacramento. Oscar has served on the West Sacramento City Council for 14 years and was recently appointed by California Governor Jerry Brown to serve on the Yolo County Board of Supervisors.

Oscar is a homegrown public servant from the Bryte neighborhood and has proudly served his community in different capacities. He was first elected to the City Council in 2000 and then reelected in 2004 and 2008, during which time he served as Mayor Pro Tern on five occasions. Prior to his election, Oscar served on the West Sacramento Planning Commission from 1997-2000. Oscar has served on many boards and commissions, including the Sacramento-Yolo Port District Commission, the Sacramento County Regional Sanitation District Board, the Yolo County Transportation District, and the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Board. He is also Chairman of the City's Up for West Sacramento Executive Board, an early learning program.

Oscar has been a strong advocate for a number of programs that have transformed the City of West Sacramento. He played an important role in advocating for the development of Raley Field, the riverfront Bridge District, the new Arthur F. Turner Community Library, the revitalized West Capitol Avenue, the City's park system and the bicycle master plan. His

passion and commitment are evident in his ability to listen and relate to his constituents. His deep understanding of local issues and his strong relationships with the community will serve him well on the Yolo County Board of Supervisors.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Oscar Villegas for his many years of service to the City of West Sacramento, and wish him the best in his new appointment to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the work of Dr. Amparo Villablanca, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of California, Davis, and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr.

Villablanca, who has devoted her career in medicine to identifying and building awareness of the cardiovascular disease risk factors for women.

In 1994, Dr. Villablanca established the nation's first program dedicated to researching, preventing and treating heart disease in women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death of women in the United States, causing one in three deaths each year, more than all forms of cancer combined. Dr. Villablanca has conducted laboratory research that has advanced scientific knowledge of the unique biological causes and indicators of heart disease in women.

Dr. Villablanca has actively engaged with grassroots organizations in conducting community-based research to identify and mitigate heart disease risk factors among populations most at risk, including African American and Hispanic women. Her tireless advocacy for women's heart health earned her a place on the Woman's Day magazine Heart Health Advisory Board and the magazine's inaugural Red Dress Award.

Furthermore, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program at the University of California, Davis, which recognizes the importance of research and patient-care programs to identify the risk factors and preventions for heart disease among women. As part of the program, Dr. Villablanca has hosted the annual Women's Heart Care Education and Awareness Forum since 2006 to encourage community champions for women's health and expand appreciation for lifestyles and health behaviors that benefit cardiovascular health. In 2010, Dr. Villablanca forged an innovative partnership with the UC Davis Department of Design to create and display a collection of student-designed red dresses and ensure heart- health messages reach a younger generation of women. The Forum embraces the link between health and art that the UC Davis Red Dress Collection represents and its role in engaging young women in understanding the importance of paying attention to their heart health.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in recognizing the ongoing work of Dr. Amparo Villablanca and the UC Davis Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program in providing a woman-centered, culturally sensitive and respectful approach to patient care.

I wish to thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3964.

California is currently experiencing a record drought. Up until just last Thursday, it had been 54 days without rain in my district of Sacramento. That is almost 2 months. To put this in context, Sacramento is experiencing a 130-year record for low rainfall, a record that dates back to 1884.

With 2013 being the driest year on record since the Gold Rush, and 2014 being the third year of a drought cycle, we are being pushed to make do with less water than ever before.

A statewide drought emergency has been declared, and my district of Sacramento is doing its part by instituting a mandatory reduction in water use. My constituents are required by law now to reduce their water use 20 to 30 percent. Fines for multiple offenders will reach $1,000.

Moreover, in the Sacramento region, the Folsom Reservoir is at dangerously low levels and is currently only at 17 percent of capacity.

Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet to solving California's water issues. The issue of water in California has been debated for so many decades because it is such a critical issue for the State. As a daughter of a Central Valley farmer who grew up on a farm, I deeply understand the value of and the controversy over water.

In northern California, we have done our best to balance our watershed to provide water for our farms, cities, and habitat.

To say this bill will help the drought is grossly misleading and, frankly, irresponsible.

Mr. Speaker, even if we pumped as much water south as possible, it still wouldn't be enough. The problem is a lack of rain. There is simply no more water to pump from the Delta.

Mr. Speaker, instead of working together, this bill only further divides our State. My district, the city of Sacramento, the Sacramento region, and northern California as a whole, strongly oppose this bill. Some of the concerns include the loss of the State's right to manage its own water, the decimation of environmental protections for our Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the ability to manage Folsom Reservoir for the benefit of the Sacramento metropolitan area and, most importantly, the overall instability that this bill would create in California.

We cannot afford to give up California's right to control its own water future. The stakes are much too high. I urge my colleagues to strongly oppose this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

I rise to offer an amendment to H.R. 3964 that would preserve senior water right holders in northern California. This bill grossly oversimplifies the issue of California water, and it tries to solve the problem by causing more harm to California's water system than good.

As I mentioned during our debates about California water, we should not

jeopardize the health of one part of the State for another. In northern California, we have balanced our watershed between the urban areas, agriculture, the environment. We have been good stewards and care deeply about how our watershed is preserved and grows.

This legislation would take the problems of one part of the State and export them to the other. We cannot have a lasting solution to our water problems until we work on a comprehensive solution that includes all of the stakeholders. Specifically, this bill attempts to dissolve the responsibility for 800,000 acre-feet of water for the delta environment. That doesn't solve California's water problems. It only exacerbates them.

We all know that the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta needs to be restored, not driven into further decline. The delta is a hub of California's water system. California needs it to be healthy. My amendment to H.R. 3964 seeks to amend the language regarding the elimination of water for the delta environment. The amendment also preserves senior water rights in northern California.

The underlying legislation only creates discord at a time when we need alliances. We can and must do better for California as a whole. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, my friend on the other side is trying to distract the public on what their bill actually does.

H.R. 3964 would not provide any relief from the real drought, but it would instead permanently reallocate water for one interest.

Mr. Chairman, the 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act designated 800,000 acre-feet of water for environmental purposes. This water is important. It is used to balance our water needs between urban, agricultural, and environment.

This so-called ``b2'' water was dedicated to help stem the rapid decline of the delta ecosystem. H.R. 3964 repeals the ``b2'' water allocation in the CVPIA unless 800,000 acre-feet of additional capacity is found by 2018. Who is going to make up the 800,000 acre-feet by 2018?

As written, the bill would relieve the south delta CVP users of any responsibility for the environmental water. Instead, it would attempt to shift the responsibilities to northern California, putting into jeopardy senior water rights holders in northern California.

Mr. Chairman, my district, the city of Sacramento, and Sacramento County wrote letters stating what we all know. This is a backdoor attempt to undermine longstanding California water rights and let one interest jump to the head of the line.

In short, this bill is another blatant water grab from northern California.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment will protect senior water rights holders in northern California and assure we are all in this together in California. We should not pit one against another.

Again, this bill will not help alleviate the drought. Even if we pumped as much water south as possible, Central Valley farmers still wouldn't have enough. That is because a lack of pumping is not the problem. The problem is a lack of rain and snow. There is no more water to pump.

Northern California is in severe drought. This bill does not solve California's drought. It only further divides our State.

Mr. Chairman, again, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, how much time is remaining?

Mr. Chairman, I will just say this. I grew up in the Central Valley. My father was a farmer. So I understand clearly the challenges the farming community has.

I am not an individual who dismisses the farming community. I lived on a farm. My father was a small farmer. My grandfather was a farmer. My uncle was a farmer. So I understand these challenges.

I also understand we are together in California, and we must work together, and we should be using this time to find real solutions to California's water issues, including the drought. Unfortunately, we seem to be playing partisan games.

My amendment would simply protect water rights in northern California. I

urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Muriel Johnson, an unparalleled leader and a prominent member of our community, as she celebrates her 80th birthday. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this great civic-minded woman whose vision and commitment to both public service and the arts has contributed so much to the Sacramento region.

A Sacramento resident since 1962, Muriel has dedicated her life to public service and civic involvement. She served several terms on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, was elected President of the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) and served on the CSAC Board of Directors for twelve years. She also served as Chair of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and was the Governor's appointee to the Capitol Area Committee for eleven years. Additionally Muriel served on the Sacramento Public Library Authority, Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, Cable Commission, Sacramento Regional Sanitation District, Sacramento Regional Transit, and the Sacramento Air Quality Management District. An ardent advocate for women leaders, Muriel served as President for the California Elected Women's Association for Education and Research, now known as California Women Lead, working to increase appointments of women to state boards and commissions.

As a steadfast leader in our community, Muriel has championed local causes and organizations, raising funds for charities and holding various leadership positions, including President of the Crocker Art Museum and of the Sacramento Junior League. Muriel was appointed Director of the California Arts Council by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2005 and during her six year tenure, she promoted awareness of and public participation in the arts, while strengthening outreach and education efforts. A consistent supporter of investing in local arts, Muriel championed Sacramento County's Art in Public Places which expands the presence of art in public spaces. In 2004 she was named the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce's ``Sacramentan of the Year'' honoring her decades of dedication to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in recognizing the great life of my friend and mentor, Muriel Johnson, as she celebrates her 80th birthday with her husband Ernest, her children, grandchildren, friends and family in Sacramento. Her work has made a lasting impact on our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Larry Horton, Senior Associate Vice President and Director of Government and Community Relations at Stanford University, as he celebrates his retirement from a long and distinguished career. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this individual who has contributed so much to Stanford University.

Mr. Horton joined Stanford University in 1970, and has served in a number of positions including Assistant and Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Director of Government Relations, and Associate Vice President for Public Affairs. In addition, from 1976 to 1977, he participated in the President's Executive Exchange Program in Washington, where he served as an assistant to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. His achievements at Stanford include the 2000 Community Plan/General Use Permit, the Mayfield Development Agreement and the conclusion of the Trails Agreement with Santa Clara County.

A true Cardinal, Mr. Horton earned both his B.A. in political science, and his M.A. in history, from Stanford. Following graduation, he served our country in the U.S. Army, with two years in Western Europe during the Vietnam War era. Through his years at Stanford, he has seen history unfold on the campus, and helped to shape Stanford's policies in areas vital to the University's success, including housing for women and minorities, federal patent legislation, federal research- funding policy, federal immigration and national security issues, and significantly, land use issues.

At Stanford's 2013 commencement, Mr. Horton was honored with the Kenneth M. Cuthbertson Award For Exceptional Service to Stanford University. This award was truly deserved, and Mr. Horton will leave Stanford University for the better from his 54 years of service to the school. Following his retirement, Larry will certainly maintain a busy schedule pursuing his passions of opera and theater, golf, travel, and enjoying a good book.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the numerous contributions made by Mr. Larry Horton during his tenure at Stanford University. As Mr. Horton, family, friends, and colleagues celebrate his retirement, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking and recognizing him for his many years of service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Safe Climate Caucus to highlight the 100th legislative day that my colleagues and I have come to the House floor and called for action on climate change.

Since we started this effort, California has been rocked by devastating wildfires, the Midwest has been damaged by tornadoes, an early-season blizzard has wiped out livestock in the Dakotas, and deadly floods have destroyed parts of Colorado.

Extreme weather events caused by climate change continue to affect families and businesses across this country. These are not random occurrences, but constant reminders that climate change is real. We will continue to make our voices heard on the House floor until everyone comes to the table, effective action is taken, and future generations are protected.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of SEEC, the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, I rise today to recognize the 1-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy. Today, we remember those who lost their lives during this catastrophe and salute those who continue the rebuilding efforts.

One year ago, Sandy ravaged the east coast, producing devastating floods and widespread power outages, disrupting cellular phone networks and transit systems. As a whole, the region suffered over $65 billion in economic losses. Families lost their homes, their precious mementos, and reminders of their daily lives. Communities lost their businesses. Tragically, some individuals lost their lives.

While the east coast was the primary victim of Sandy, extreme weather knows no boundaries and other communities around the country are not immune from suffering the same fate. Floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts are becoming all too common, all too intense, and all too costly. These events will continue to wreak economic havoc and uproot families, unless we take meaningful action to address climate change.

In California, climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme heat and prolonged drought, placing millions of Californians at greater risk of public health threats such as heat-related sickness, forest fires, and water scarcity.

At home, my constituents live under the constant threat of flooding, which is why I work relentlessly to strengthen our levees and upgrade our infrastructure. If extreme weather caused a levee to be breached in Sacramento, the damage would be similar to that experienced in New Orleans.

Mr. Speaker, events like Sandy can happen anywhere. They don't just threaten the coasts, but all communities in all States. Events like Sandy can happen at any time--and are happening with alarming frequency. This was not an isolated event that happens every decade.

We cannot continue to sit back and wait for the next disaster to happen before we take action. The time to act is not a year from now, not a month from now, not even a day from now. The time to act is today.

We must implement preventative measures to make our communities more resilient and be proactive in addressing climate change, the root cause of extreme weather events. Only then will we be able to safeguard the country from the destructive effects of extreme weather and ensure that the legacy of Sandy is one of action and not despair and procrastination.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise in honor of Henry Teichert, who recently passed away in Sacramento at the age of 96. As his family, friends, and the entire Sacramento community gather to celebrate his life and legacy, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Teichert.

Henry Teichert was born on September 6, 1917 in Sacramento to Augusta and Adolph Teichert Jr. He was married to Wendy Downey for 56 years until her passing in 2003. Together they had five children, Frederick, Jonathan, Isaiah, Rose and Wendy-Marie, 17 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. Mr. Teichert graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1939, where he earned a degree in English and proudly served our country as an intelligence officer in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. After the war he earned his law degree from Boalt Hall Law School and returned to his hometown of Sacramento where with several other attorneys, formed one of the first group law practices in the region, which later became McDonough Holland & Allen.

Mr. Teichert's law career ended when he took over the family construction business, A. Teichert and Son, when his father passed away in 1953. A. Teichert and Son, now Teichert, Inc., has been serving the Sacramento region for over one hundred and twenty-five years and holds the oldest active contractor's license in the state, No. 8. Mr. Teichert served as the corporation's president and chairman of the board for thirty-five years. He had the business acumen to turn Teichert from a company to a corporation which includes Teichert Construction, Teichert Materials, StoneBridge Properties, and the Teichert Foundation. Together, these companies are leaders in the fields of construction, aggregate production, and real estate development, while also being one of the most charitable organizations in Sacramento.

Beyond being a stellar businessman and committed father, Mr. Teichert was a civic minded individual. He belonged to many social organizations, including the Sacramento Rotary Club for over fifty years, the Sutter Club and he was an active member of Sacramento's Trinity Cathedral. He was a founding board member of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation. In 1968, Mr. Teichert helped establish the Sacramento Chapter of the National Urban League with the goal of improving job and education opportunities for Sacramento's African American community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in paying honor to Henry Teichert for being an exemplary member of the Sacramento Community. I ask that we all take a moment and give our utmost respect and condolences to his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. His life and commitment to Sacramento are an inspiration to us all.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bipartisan WRRDA bill. I want to commend Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall, along with Chairman Gibbs and Ranking Member Bishop. I would also like to thank Senator Boxer for leading the Senate in passing its WRRDA bill earlier this year.

Mr. Speaker, my district of Sacramento is the most at-risk metropolitan area for major flooding, as it lies at the confluence of two great rivers: the American and the Sacramento. We have a lot at risk. We waited too long for this bill, and we need Congress to act.

Since the last WRRDA in 2007, a number of key flood protection investments have been carefully studied by the Army Corps of Engineers. One such project that has been thoroughly studied by the Corps of Engineers and holds a Chief's Report is the Natomas Levee Improvement Project. Levee deficiencies were found in the area in 2008, and it was remapped by FEMA in 2008. The Corps of Engineers put the level of protection at 1 in 33 years, a third of the national standard. Since then, costly flood insurance has become mandatory.

The area to be protected by the project is home to over 100,000 people, two interstate highways, and an international airport. It is heavily urbanized, and home to dozens of schools and hundreds of small businesses. If a levee broke, the damage would be similar to that experienced in New Orleans.

To fully underscore the importance of this project, my constituents have voluntarily voted twice to pay their local share. Despite the significant local investment, work remains uncompleted. The project needs congressional authorization.

Mr. Speaker, we must pass this bill. We must establish a conference committee with the Senate, and we must work to ensure WRRDA becomes law this year. It is too important for our Nation, and I look forward to working in a bipartisan way to ensure that.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Paratransit, Inc. as they celebrate their 35th anniversary. As staff, passengers, and supporters of this vital transportation lifeline gather to celebrate, I ask all my colleagues to join me in recognizing them for their invaluable service to the Sacramento region.

For the past thirty-five years, Paratransit has served countless individuals with disabilities and the elderly by offering door-to-door transportation services, allowing them the mobility to lead quality lives. Since its inception in 1978, Paratransit, a private nonprofit corporation, has been innovative in providing a public transportation system with fully accessible options, as well as working with other local non-profit agencies, assisting them in delivering much needed client-focused transportation. In 1981, Paratransit became the first designated Consolidated Transportation Services Agencies in the State of California. In 1992 with the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, The Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) and Paratransit partnered to implement the law in the most effective and efficient method to provide service to those with disabilities. That same year, the Community Transportation Association of America named Paratransit, Inc. as Transit System of the Year.

Paratransit's diverse services include a mobility training program that provides assistance to people to learn how to ride RT's buses and light rail cars, giving them independence to work, visit senior centers, go shopping or to doctor appointments, and visit friends and relatives. In 2012, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments honored Paratransit as the Regional Organization of the Year. Their successful Wheels to Work employment program, partners with Women's Empowerment, The Sacramento County Department of Human Services, The Sacramento Housing Alliance, Sacramento Steps Forward, and The California Department of Rehabilitation to help people get employment by providing low-income individuals with job counseling, interview preparation and other services. Also in 2012, Paratransit received the Innovative Transportation Program from the Women's Transportation Seminar for their forward thinking efforts.

Paratransit's maintenance division services its fleet of 150 vehicles, as well as the fleets of 20 other agencies, to ensure safe and reliable public transportation options. It also repairs accessibility equipment, such as lifts and

ramps, and adapts vehicles for disabled drivers. As the 2002 United States EPA Energy Star Small Business award winner, Paratransit is committed to clean energy and a sustainable environment. Its Sacramento facility contains a storm water retention system. They have an expansive recycling program for all waste coolant, motor oil, transmission fluid, batteries, metals and tires. Committed to improving air quality, Paratransit joined with Hybrid Technologies in 2007 to produce the world's first full lithium-powered PT Cruisers.

Mr. Speaker, I hereby recognize and commend Paratransit for their outstanding commitment and service to our community. I ask all my colleagues to join me in wishing this fine organization continued success and support as they work to provide seamless transportation options and other important services for everyone in the Sacramento Region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of twenty years of service to our communities from the AmeriCorps program. I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating with AmeriCorps members past and present the many lives changed and neighborhoods improved through the immensely important work of the AmeriCorps volunteers.

Twenty years ago, on September 21, President Clinton signed into law the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. This legislation created the Corporation for National and Community Service, and under it the three CNCS administered programs: Senior Corps, Learn and Serve America, and AmeriCorps. I was fortunate enough to be at the White House for the inception of AmeriCorps, and am thankful for this opportunity to celebrate its achievements over the last twenty years.

Since 1993, more than 800,000 AmeriCorps members have contributed more than 1 billion hours in service across the country. In my hometown of Sacramento, we currently have 144 full time AmeriCorps volunteers who serve Sacramento in a multitude of ways. AmeriCorps volunteers serve in our schools and in the aftermath of disasters. I would like to thank all of our local AmeriCorps volunteers for their continued commitment to improving our community--one neighborhood at a time.

In recent years, we as a country have faced natural disasters from Hurricane Sandy to the tornadoes in Oklahoma. Through these moments, the American people have responded with a spirit of service and ingenuity. We must keep investing in service and volunteer programs, to help to prepare us to handle unforeseen crises. Furthermore, community service is a proven pathway to employment. As communities recover from the recent recession, the skills learned and networks created through service have helped many Americans return to full time employment. AmeriCorps has consistently leveraged a small amount of

federal dollars to provide lasting impact on areas of the country that need it most.

Mr. Speaker, again I thank the members and alumni of the AmeriCorps Program for their tremendous service to our country. This twenty years marks a successful milestone for the program, and I look forward to seeing the accomplishments of the AmeriCorps Program over the next twenty years.

Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise in honor of Eppaminondas ``Eppie'' Johnson, who passed away recently in Sacramento at the age of 85. I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring Eppie, as his family, friends, and the entire Sacramento community gathers to celebrate his life and legacy.

Eppaminondas Johnson was born on May 7, 1928, in Astoria, New York. After graduating from the University of Nevada, Reno, he moved to Sacramento to work for his father's restaurant and hotel business. In Sacramento, Eppie became a business and community legend. He was to become a symbol for everything great about Sacramento.

Eppie founded a chain of 24-hour coffee shops and he became famous in the 1960s and 1970s for running a popular TV advertisement featuring himself balancing a plate of food while water skiing. He was well-known for his lively marketing campaigns, such as ``Professor Eppie'' that gave free sundaes to students who earned straight As. He eventually came to own sixteen restaurants in Sacramento, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Fresno, and the Lake Tahoe area, as well as hotels and other properties.

An athletic man, Eppie was also the founder of a beloved Sacramento tradition known as ``Eppie's Great Race.'' Started in 1974 as a promotion and charity fundraiser, this three-event contest included running, cycling, and kayaking all in the beautiful American River Parkway. Popularly called the ``world's oldest triathlon,'' the contest has grown into a major summer celebration that annually attracts more than 2,000 participants. Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the Great Race and I know Eppie will be cheering everyone on. His race has raised over $1 million for the Sacramento County Therapeutic Recreation Services which offers activities to individuals with developmental disabilities. I had the pleasure of visiting Therapeutic Recreation Services with Eppie, and his passion to assist those with disabilities was clear.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in paying honor to Eppaminondas ``Eppie'' Johnson for being an exemplary member of the Sacramento community. I ask that we all take a moment and give our utmost respect and condolences to his children, George Johnson and Lisa Mangles, and his grandchildren. His life and commitment to our community are an inspiration to us all. The Sacramento area has lost a true legend.