Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule and the extreme ideological bill before us today.

The Cut, Cap, and Balance Act, or as it should be more appropriately called the ``cut, cap, and end Medicare act,'' is one of the most radical bills to come before this body.

But perhaps I should not be surprised. I've already seen the majority of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle vote to end Medicare, slash Medicaid, and now they want to cut Social Security benefits, too.

Instead of listening to the American people, the House Republican leadership continues to advocate for the elimination of Medicare, all while continuing to protect tax loopholes and

subsidies for Big Oil and Wall Street executives. This bill is actually more extreme than the Republican budget passed in April calling for deeper cuts and more hardships for the middle class and older Americans.

In fact, this bill does nothing to create jobs nor invest in the roads, bridges, clean energy technology, and job training that would really get our economy moving.

In short, H.R. 2560 will stifle growth, hurt middle class families, and undercut America's seniors. In my district there are over 93,000 Social Security beneficiaries and over 85,000 Medicare enrollees.

On behalf of my constituents and for future generations, I stand in strong opposition to this bill and the rule. I know that there are those on the other side of the aisle who want to support a reasonable plan to reduce the deficit. This is not the plan.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reject this dangerous proposal.

I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, I want to commend Chairwoman Biggert and Ranking Member Waters for their leadership and their support for my amendment to phase in higher flood insurance rates when preferred risk policies are no longer available in a community.

I represent the city of Sacramento, which is home to both the American and Sacramento rivers. After New Orleans, we are the most at- risk river city in our Nation.

Since Hurricane Katrina, more than 25,000 homeowners in my district have been remapped, and for them flood insurance is now mandatory.

Their flood insurance costs increased from the PRP rate of $350 to over $1,350 overnight.

The sticker shock to a homeowner, whether it be a senior citizen on a fixed income or a family struggling to make ends meet, is unreasonable.

My amendment would simply raise the cost of flood insurance from remapped areas from the PRP rate to the full price rate over a period of 5 years. Specifically, my amendment would start the phase-in for homeowners at their current PRP rate. Each year after that, the price of flood insurance would rise by 20 percent until it reaches its full price in year 5.

My amendment will save the average policyholder in a remapped area about $843 over 5 years while not impacting the solvency of the NFIP. I believe this to be a fair and equitable way forward, especially in these trying economic times.

Again, I thank Chairwoman Biggert and Ranking Member Waters for their leadership. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1309, the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011.

A full 5-year reauthorization of the program is critically important for our Nation. I want to thank and commend Chairwoman Biggert and Ranking Member Waters for their leadership on this issue as ushering in a 5-year reauthorization will provide welcomed relief for those who live in our country's floodplains.

I thank Chairwoman Biggert for including language from my own H.R. 902, legislation that would modernize FEMA's flood zone designations. Specifically, it would update current law to take local, State and Federal funding into account when determining flood zone designations. H.R. 1309 would extend the National Flood Insurance Program, NFIP, for 5 years and allow property owners in participating communities to purchase protection against flooding.

As we have seen across our country this year and in recent years, the NFIP is critically important to so many Americans. When a flood disaster strikes, the homeowners who have flood insurance can at least see their way through the crisis. The NFIP offers the victims of floods the ability to make their lives whole again. Of course, the best insurance against a flood is a strong flood protection system.

In my hometown of Sacramento, California, residents have taxed themselves hundreds of millions of dollars to pay for stronger flood protection. On one project in the Natomas Basin alone, State and local governments will have spent more than $300 million over the last 5 years on levee improvements. This has all been invested, I must point out, without acknowledgement by FEMA or funding from the Corps of Engineers. I am working tirelessly to change that and ensure that the Federal Government follows through with their commitment to this project.

There is no doubt that the Natomas Basin, like most of Sacramento, is at risk of flooding as it lays at the confluence of two great rivers. We know we must continue to build up our levees as well as carry flood insurance. Fortunately, the Sacramento region is working with the Army Corps of Engineers and the California Department of Water Resources to implement an aggressive levee improvement plan to achieve a 200-year level of flood protection.

While these efforts are ongoing, flood insurance has become mandatory for many homeowners, insurance that can cost more than $1,350 annually. That is nearly four times the PRP rate. The increasing cost of flood insurance, which is on top of the annual flood protection assessments that my constituents are already paying, compounds their financial burden. For these reasons, I believe that it is reasonable to phase in higher rates over a 5-year period.

I have an amendment that I will offer during debate on the underlying bill that will phase in the full cost of flood insurance policies in a more equitable way moving forward. I believe that this is a necessity that will assist homeowners in these trying economic times. I look forward to its being included in the overall reauthorization. This approach would encourage responsible homeowners across the country to continue paying into NFIP without adding risk to either the floodplain or the NFIP.

Again, I thank Chairwoman Biggert and Ranking Member Waters for their leadership on this legislation.

I want to thank my colleague from Colorado for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I have been a tireless advocate on behalf of Sacramento's flood protection priorities. Sacramento is the most at- risk metropolitan area for major flooding, as it lies at the confluence of two great rivers, the Sacramento and the American. The city is home to California's State Capitol, an international airport, the State's water and electric grids and over a half million people. If Sacramento were to flood, the economic damages would range between $28 and $40 billion. The consequences of such a flood would be felt across the Nation.

Even in this austere budget environment, it is critical that Sacramento's basic flood protection needs are met. I want to applaud the Energy and Water appropriations subcommittee for including funding for Sacramento's top flood protection projects. Each one of these projects is a critical component to improving the flood protection for the entire Sacramento region. Taken together, the completed projects will bring us closer to the level of flood protection that families and businesses throughout the region need and deserve.

Moreover, these projects are already in the midst of construction. A lapse of funding would not only postpone the safety that the completed projects will provide but would also increase project costs, something that we cannot afford. In fact, these projects have already been funded at the local and State level and are awaiting a sustained Federal match. For example, Federal funding will help finish the Folsom Dam Joint Federal Project, the JFP, where continued construction on the auxiliary spillway will provide greater efficiency in managing flood storage in the Folsom Reservoir. The hundreds of thousands of residents living below the dam will be better protected once the project is finished.

The JFP and our levee improvements will go a long way toward protecting and preventing flooding in Sacramento, but the funding in this bill does not fully support Sacramento's flood protection needs. The levels in this bill are actually below the Corps of Engineers' full capability.

This winter, we have had record-breaking snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which rests just above Sacramento.

We are fortunate that the snowpack did not melt all at once. When this occurs, our dams and levees are put to the test.

Mr. Speaker, luck is not something that the American people should have to rely upon. Hurricane Katrina and this year's flooding in the Midwest taught us that we need to take large leaps forward in shoring up our Nation's flood protection infrastructure.

Let's take the opportunity to fix our Nation's flood protection system while the sun is out and not watch another American community get swept away in high water.

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in recognition of Father Martin Moroney. He has served as a pastor in Northern California and the Sacramento area since he came to this country in 1967. As his friends and family celebrate his retirement, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking him for his dedication and leadership.

Born in County Clare in western Ireland, Father Moroney grew up in a small town on his family's farm. He loved the countryside of Ireland, but later felt very much at home in Northern California and the Sacramento area's cities and open spaces.

Father Moroney spent his 12 twelve years in the United States as an assistant pastor in several parishes, beginning with St. Mel's in Fair Oaks and St. Anthony's in Mt. Shasta. In 1970 he moved to St. Theresa's in South Lake Tahoe, and 6 years later he began to serve at Sacred Heart in Sacramento. In 1978 he transferred to All Hallows on 14th Avenue.

As Father Moroney gained experience in these welcoming parishes, he began to take on larger responsibilities. He became pastor of St. John's in Quincy; there he led his own parish as well as nearby Greenville's mission church. For 12 years, he happily served as spiritual leader for these two Plumas County communities.

In 1993, Father Moroney was asked to move to Rancho Cordova, where he has remained as pastor up until his retirement. The St. John Vianney parish in Rancho Cordova was very welcoming and quickly grew to love and respect him as their pastor. Father Moroney has dedicated his work and service to guide the church's followers for 18 years. During that time he has reached out to the Hispanic community and launched a program of Spanish-language masses. Furthermore, he recently oversaw the addition of monthly Indonesian-language masses to celebrate the Indonesian community in the area.

When Father Moroney first came to St. John Vianney's, the church had a $200,000 debt. As he retires, Father Moroney is happy to report that the debt has been completely paid off. He is also ecstatic that the church's school fund has grown so much that the interest earned is helping support the school.

Father Moroney's retirement marks the end of almost half a century's dedication to helping others. He has made important contributions to every parish that he worked in, and helped countless individuals find their way. His leadership will be sorely missed from the Sacramento area and beyond, though his conviction and dedication will be remembered for a long time by the people he encountered across the state.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to honor Father Moroney, who has been an exceptional community leader. He has devoted his life to serving and to assisting those around him. I ask all my colleagues to join me in wishing Father Moroney the best as he retires.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Marines and Inspector-Instructor Staff of the Motor Transport Maintenance Company as they gather for a welcome home ceremony in Sacramento. I ask all my colleagues to join me to recognize the dedication that each of these men and women have shown for their country.

Since 2008, this Motor Transport Maintenance Company, also known as MTM Company, has served over 51,000 days of operational support in the Iraq theater. They have done this by conducting motor transport maintenance, force sustainment, administrative, supply, and training support to thousands of Joint Forces troops in theater. The men and women of MTM Company displayed honor, courage, commitment, and teamwork, traits that we have come to expect from those that serve in our nation's military.

Over the last decade our nation's military Reservists have been mobilized to an unprecedented scale. The Marines of the MTM Company have been no exception. One hundred seventy-three members of this unit have been deployed overseas in support of U.S. operations since 2008. Forty-six have been deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Another fourteen have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan three times over the last four years.

The Marines of MTM Company drill at the Marine Corps Reserve Center Sacramento. They have left their mark across the nation and across the world. They have provided first class support to their fellow Marines regardless of the hardships they faced or challenges that they have had to overcome.

The Marines of the MTM Company, called up from their civilian lives to serve their nation, have spent a great deal of time away from their families, often at extraordinary personal sacrifice. We must thank and acknowledge the families and friends of these Marines who stood by them while they were deployed. Their sacrifices, along with the sacrifices of their loved ones, should not be lost on Congress or on each of our constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending my sincere thanks for a job well done and welcome home wishes to the men and women of the Motor Transport Maintenance Company and all Marines that have been called to serve.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the men and women of the Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 9, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 18, Detachment 0818 and other mobilized Sailors from the Navy Operational Support Center Sacramento, as they gather for a welcome home ceremony. I ask all my colleagues to join with me and recognize the dedication that each of these men and women have shown their country.

Since 2008, 215 Sailors have been deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, and across the world in support of U.S. operations. These men and women have displayed the honor, courage, commitment, and teamwork that we have come to expect from those that serve in our military.

Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 9, also known as MSRON 9, provided over 18,000 days of operational support to protect the Al Basrah Oil Terminal, which lies just offshore of the Iraqi coast. The oil terminal is one of the most important assets to the people of Iraq, accounts for over 85 percent of Iraq's gross domestic product, and is key to the country's future. For nearly a year, MSRON 9 provided vigilant security for the facility, and without their presence the people of Iraq would not have experienced much of the stability they have seen in recent years.

In Afghanistan, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 18, Detachment 0818 provided over 16,000 days of operational support building schools, airfields, electrical infrastructure, and other such facilities across the country. Facing constant danger, they have brought hope and modern infrastructure to many Afghanis. One Sailor, UT1 Ronald Christopher Marquart, was hit by rocket shrapnel while working at Kandahar Airfield and was awarded a Purple Heart.

All of the Sailors of MSRON 9, NMCB 18, and the subordinate commands at the Naval Operations Support Center Sacramento are Reservists, called up to serve their nation. They have spent a great deal of time away from their families, often at extraordinary personal sacrifice. For this reason, we must also thank and acknowledge the families and friends of these Sailors who stood by them while they were deployed. Their sacrifices, along with the sacrifices of their loved ones, should not be lost on Congress or our constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending my sincere thanks for a job well done, and welcome home to the men and women of Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 9, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 18, Detachment 0818 and all Naval Reservists that have been called to serve.

Mr. Chair, I move to strike the last word.

I rise today in opposition to the underlying bill. This legislation makes dangerous cuts to essential antihunger and nutrition programs.

In addition to their plan to privatize Medicare, House Republicans are now proposing to cut the Women, Infants and Children program, otherwise known as WIC. This is a much-needed, Federally funded health and nutrition program which provides support, resources, and education to low-income women.

This preventative public health nutrition program connects mothers with prenatal care, increases healthy birth outcomes, and educates new mothers about caring for their children and providing healthy food options for their families.

In my home State of California, there are 82 WIC agencies serving over 1.4 million women, infants, and children, but the bill before us today cuts $650 million from the program, and these cuts we cannot afford to make.

There are two WIC programs at work in my district, and I recently saw firsthand the critical demand and needs for

their services. I witnessed a long line of women trying to provide for their families and trying to receive the support they need to have a healthy pregnancy. This WIC office alone has a case load of over 32,000 individuals a month but can only serve 30,000 because of a lack of resources.

In this economic downturn, people who never before knew about WIC now find themselves relying on its services to feed their families. These include State workers who were furloughed, nurses and teachers who have lost their jobs. Unfortunately, demand for these programs is increasing, not decreasing. With Sacramento's unemployment rate at 12 percent, these resources are not only needed and appreciated but are vital.

One recipient is a mother who once thought WIC was only about giving free food or formula to low-income families, but her perspective about the program changed dramatically when she enrolled in the program herself. As she was expecting her first and only child, she entered the program to help her family make ends meet. Throughout her pregnancy, she received nutrition information and referrals. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, but because she was on WIC at the time she was seen by a dietitian every month. With WIC's support, her baby was born healthy and she had the support she needed to provide for her family.

But the cuts in this legislation do not end at WIC. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which helps supplement meals for low-income individuals, and The Emergency Food Assistance Program, otherwise known as TEFAP, which provides food banks with food they distribute, are both on the chopping block.

A month ago, I visited the Stanford Settlement Senior Center, which participates in the California Emergency Foodlink Senior Brown Bag Lunch run by volunteers, many of whom are recipients themselves. The California Emergency Foodlink distributes over 80,000 pounds of food per month to approximately 8,000 low-income seniors in need in Sacramento County. For many of these seniors this is the only nutritious food they will have for a week. TEFAP also provides funding for approximately 18 percent of food that comes into the Sacramento food bank. This food bank provides a 5-day supply of emergency groceries to those who are struggling to get by, and over 18,000 individuals receive fresh groceries from this site every month.

In addition to all of the cuts I've mentioned, the legislation also includes report language to stop the process of updating the school nutrition standards. It is essential for our students to have the nutrition they need to be productive and successful at school. In the Sacramento City Unified School District, approximately 67 percent of students are eligible for free and reduced lunches. Without an investment in proper nutrition, these students will not only fall behind in their studies, they can also face serious health issues.

Unfortunately, the legislation before us proposes some of the hardest cuts to endure. I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week our nation learned that Capt. Joseph W. Schultz died May 29, 2011 while on a mounted patrol when the vehicle he and his Special Forces team were traveling in struck an IED in the Wardak Province, Afghanistan. He was born March 20, 1975 and grew up in Sacramento, California and graduated from El Camino High School in 1993. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 1997 and received his commission as an intelligence officer from Officer Candidate School in 2003.

His first assignment was to 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, PIR, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC. He then served as the assistant battalion intelligence officer and as a rifle platoon leader in Company A, 1-504 PIR. Upon completion of his tour with the 1- 504 PIR, he then went on to serve as the counterintelligence/human intelligence operations manager for the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division; and later as the G-2 advisor, 10th Iraqi Army Division.

After completing Special Forces Selection and Assessment, he graduated from Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, NC. Upon graduation and receiving his green beret, Schultz was assigned to Co. C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) where he served as the Detachment Commander of Special Forces Operational Detachment--Alpha 3333. Schultz deployed in support of various operations across the globe, including: Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq and this deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with Company C.

His military education includes: the Military Intelligence Officer Course, Infantry Captain Career Course, Defense Strategic Debriefer Course, Airborne School, Ranger School, and the Special Forces Qualification Course.

Schultz's military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal; Purple Heart; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal with one campaign star; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Overseas Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Combat Infantryman Badge and Parachutists Badge. He also wore the Special Forces Tab and the Ranger Tab.

Prior to his military career, Schultz worked for California Governor Gray Davis and later the U.S. State Department, where he was assigned to the Middle East desk.

Capt. Schultz is survived by his mother Betsy Reed Schultz of Port Angeles, Washington. Condolences from our nation to his family, friends and fellow service members who mourn his loss.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment.

The intention of this amendment is to restore funding to the Urban Areas Security Initiative, or as we call it, UASI.

In my district of Sacramento, California, funding from the UASI program has gone to critical counter- terrorism initiatives, giving law enforcement officials and first responders the tools and training to protect our community. -

Sacramento is the capital of California, the most populous State in the Union and the seventh largest economy in the world. It is critical to continue to support the antiterrorist work being done there, and it is unacceptable to leave this region without appropriate funds for protection. With potential targets like the Folsom Dam, which is upstream of the city of Sacramento, key transportation systems, and numerous State and Federal facilities, UASI funding for the Sacramento region ensures protection from attacks

and cooperation among local, State, and Federal agencies.

Not receiving UASI funds would devastate one of the Nation's most proficient counter- terrorist and readiness task forces, located at the former McClellan Air Force Base in my district. This facility creates greater collaboration and communication among State and Federal law enforcement and first responders.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment will bolster our Nation's security by giving our communities the tools and training necessary to keep us safe. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the amendment offered by my colleague regarding UASI.

This amendment will better ensure that all cities and localities will be eligible for critical UASI funding, not just those under the arbitrary caps that are in the underlying bill.

UASI funding is critical to my district of Sacramento, California, and a number of other major American cities. It has helped create and develop one of the Nation's foremost counterterrorism and readiness task forces located at the former McClellan Air Force Base in my district. This facility has greatly enhanced the collaboration and communication amongst local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies and first responders. From there, officials are better able to prevent attacks by training, sharing information, and coordinating investigations. And in the unthinkable scenario in which an attack does occur, this facility, funded by UASI dollars, will better able the region's law enforcement and first responders to react and respond to an attack.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Courtney, Petri, Matsui Amendment, to expand and improve our Nation's existing Troops to Teachers program.

I am pleased to introduce this amendment with my colleagues, with whom I also sponsored the Post 9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act of 2011. Our amendment would make the program more accessible to veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan by reducing the military service requirement from 6 years to 4 years.

It would also expand the number of school districts eligible to participate, and create an advisory board to increase awareness about, and participation in the program.

Finally, this amendment transfers the program from the Department of Education to the Department of Defense.

Currently, the program is operated by the Department of Defense, but funded through the Department of Education. By housing the administration and funding of Troops to Teachers in the same Department, we will be able to streamline this program for the benefit of all of its participants and the students it serves.

With their proven service, diverse backgrounds, and leadership traits our Nation's veterans can serve their country again, by serving as teachers in our country's most vulnerable schools. With more veterans returning

home from overseas we need to support programs such as Troops for Teachers that successfully transition them from the military back into civilian life.

I have seen firsthand the success of this program by visiting teachers in my district who returned from service and used the program's stipend to help pay for teaching certification classes and exams. This amendment is a win-win for our veterans and our students.

I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this bipartisan amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Father George Wanser, who has served the people of Sacramento since 1994 as a priest, campus minister, and chaplain. He has been with the Newman Catholic Community in Sacramento for close to 10 years, and as he moves on this summer to the Most Holy Trinity Parish in San Jose, I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting this man for the dedication he has shown the Sacramento area.

At a young age, Father Wanser became involved in the church. He excelled at both Fordham University and the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Javeriana de Bogota in Columbia. Father Wanser taught history, religious studies, and English in Puerto Rico from 1970 through 1973. He taught music, was head wrestling coach, and worked as the Puerto Rican High School Athletic Alliance Wrestling Commissioner.

In the 1970s, Father Wanser moved back to the U.S. and was ordained. He was assigned to several community organizing projects all over California, including churches in Fresno, Santa Ana, Fullerton, and San Diego.

Father Wanser arrived in Sacramento in 1999 when he began at Jesuit High School. Since his arrival he has contributed much to the Sacramento area. He has spent the last several decades as a campus minister and chaplain, and has also worked at Christian Brothers High School, UC Davis, and Cristo Rey High School.

Father Wanser has served the Newman Catholic Community of Sacramento for the past 10 years, and has inspired countless people through his goodwill and leadership. His friends and followers have expressed their gratitude for his strength and conviction, and his presence will be sorely missed.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to recognize the contributions that Father Wanser has made to Sacramento. His sincere commitment to those around him and his enthusiasm for inspiring others has made a difference for countless people in our community. I ask all my colleagues to join me in thanking Father Wanser for his years of leadership, and wish him the best in his future endeavors.

I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the rule and the underlying legislation. H.R. 1216 would put the future primary care workforce into question.

The Affordable Care Act included critical funding for several grant programs designed to increase the size of the health care workforce and, specifically, to increase the number of general practice and primary care physicians. Primary care has long been neglected in our country and it has been well documented that our country faces a looming shortage of primary care providers.

The Affordable Care Act will help train and develop 16,000 new primary care providers. That means 16,000 more primary care doctors to help keep our children and families healthy, as studies strongly associate healthier outcomes with regular access to care.

Unfortunately, the bill before us would call all of this into question. If this bill were enacted, we would no longer have the pipeline of primary care providers to meet demand and we would continue the status quo, which for too many is either foregoing care or seeking care in the emergency room. This perpetuates the onset of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. This is increasing costs and costing lives.

I urge my colleagues to reject this rule and to vote down this bill for the future of our physical and fiscal health of our constituents and our country.

Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise in honor of Mary Hoze, who passed away on May 9, 2011 in Sacramento, California.

Mary was born on April 16, 1930 in Shubuta, Mississippi to Willie and Fannie Penilton. She was the younger of the two children. Her life was filled with devotion and love for her husband, Walter Earl Hoze, and for her family. She and her husband raised eight remarkable children.

In 1957 Mary and Walter moved to Sacramento, California where they became active and respected citizens in their North Sacramento community. She devoted her life to raising her children, caring for others and gardening. Mary loved reading and sharing God's word. She was a faithful member of Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Sacramento. She served as a Sunday school teacher, president, and bible teacher for the General Mission and Senior Women's organizations. She was also an active member of the Deaconess and Mothers' Boards. Mary was well known throughout Sacramento for her compassion, warmth and sense of humor.

Mary is survived by her children: Bonnie, Johnnie, Gwen, Allen, Danny, Connie, Cynthia and Shelia. She also leaves behind nineteen grandchildren, nineteen great grandchildren, along with countless relatives and friends.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in paying honor to Mary Hoze for being an exemplary member of the Sacramento community. Her life and legacy--as a mother and member of our community--will be an inspiration to us all. I ask that we take a moment and extend our utmost respect and condolences to her family.