Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, this Monday our Nation celebrated the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Together we honored Dr. King's legacy with a national day of service.

Dr. King taught us many important lessons during his life--the greatest of all being that violence and hatred will get us nowhere, but love, service, and kindness for our fellow man can guide our Nation to overcome its most considerable struggles. While Dr. King was motivated by a period of division in our Nation's history, we know today that his lessons transcend all challenges. In this spirit, we pay tribute to the life and works of Dr. King, through participation in community service on the third Monday of January, each year.

Mr. Speaker, I submit to the record the following piece by Ambassador of Service for the Corporation for National and Community Service MLK Day, my colleague from Georgia, the Honorable John Lewis, and CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, Patrick Corvington, on the importance of national service.

Ever since former Sen. Harris Wofford and I introduced legislation in the Congress that transformed the King Holiday into a National Day of Service, one question periodically arises: Do Americans view the King Holiday primarily as a day on or a day off? Are they commemorating the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with their extra time or simply getting extra sleep? Clearly, there are kids who will joyfully spend their day in front of their Xboxes, and shoppers who will rush to a department store sale on the holiday.

But as the life of Dr. King and the movement that he led demonstrate, ordinary people with extraordinary vision working in the corners of their communities can have an impact that reverberates throughout America. These tiny ripples of human compassion can build into waves that cleanse and heal the wounds of a Nation.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is the Federal agency that engages more than 5 million Americans in service to solve community problems. In partnership with the King Center and community groups nationwide, the agency responds to a mandate provided in the legislation to organize the King holiday National Day of Service. Since the service day legislation was passed, we have seen interest grow from a handful of local events to well over 13,000 projects taking place this year in all 50 States.

Right here in Atlanta, we will be joining thousands of volunteers who will be packing food boxes for the hungry, rebuilding homes for the homeless, beautifying schools and serving in many other ways to commemorate the legacy of Dr. King. In doing so, people are following in King's footsteps, taking nonviolent action into their own hands to heal and mend the problems in our communities. That is what the National Day of Service is all about, engaging Americans in the joy of giving and inspiring them to see this holiday differently, not as a time to rest, but as an opportunity to share in the healing work of love.

Last year, in the midst of the Great Recession, 63.4 million Americans volunteered in some way in their communities. They decided that they wanted to make service a meaningful part of their everyday lives. And their efforts are making a difference. They are expanding economic opportunity, helping to fix our education system, protecting our environment, responding to the needs of our veterans and assisting in the wake of natural disasters.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the King holiday, we are issuing the ``MLK 25 Challenge.'' We are calling on all Americans to honor Dr. King by pledging to take at least 25 actions during 2011 to make a difference for others.

The recent violence in Tucson is a sobering reminder that we as a nation have not yet fulfilled King's dream for our society, the building of a ``Beloved Community,'' defined as a society based on simple justice that values the worth and dignity of every human being.

As the victims, families and our Nation struggle to recover from this tragedy, it is fitting that we look to the words of a nonviolent warrior who met aggression and hostility with the power of peace. ``Darkness cannot drive out darkness,'' King once said, ``only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.''

I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the bill before us. This bill would cost the American small business owner dearly.

In Sacramento, over 88,000 small businesses are eligible to take advantage of the tax credits provided under the current law to help offer and afford meaningful health insurance coverage.

Gordon, the owner of a communications firm in midtown Sacramento, covers 100 percent of his 13 employees' health insurance premiums. This is the firm's second highest expense next to payroll. As a result of the tax credits in the Affordable Care Act, Gordon's company is expecting to save roughly 25 percent in employee premiums. This frees up much-needed capital so Gordon's business can prosper and expand.

Another small business that will grow as a result of the tax credits is a small cafe owned by Pat and Kim in downtown Sacramento. They currently employ four full-time employees who receive full benefits and 25 part-time employees. With the savings they are planning to see from the tax credits, Pat and Kim will be able to hire another full-time employee.

This is the type of job creation that we need to help repair our economy and see small businesses thrive again. That is why repeal is so dangerous and why the Affordable Care Act is so critical to small businesses in Sacramento and throughout our country.

For these small businesses, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Stein Buer for his leadership as the Executive Director of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, SAFCA. Stein recently departed SAFCA after six successful years to return to the California Department of Water Resources, where he will serve as Assistant Chief of the Division of Flood Management. I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring Stein for is dedication to protecting the people of Sacramento from flooding.

Over the past six years I have worked with Stein to improve Sacramento's flood defenses and I have always found him to be a man of intelligence, integrity and vision. Under his leadership, SAFCA was instrumental in repairing some of Sacramento's most vulnerable levees, he worked with the California legislature to implement better flood management policies, and led by aggressively moving forward on both the Folsom Dam Joint Federal Project and the Natomas Levee Improvement Project.

Since Stein's tenure began at SAFCA in 2004 he has worked to finish ongoing levee projects and quickly start new ones. Some of Stein's most successful projects include working to certify the levees along some of Sacramento's urban creeks, and along both the American and Sacramento Rivers. These certifications were instrumental in improving public safety and removing tens of thousands of homeowners from the 100-year floodplain. Under his watch, SAFCA has also started over 40 miles of levee improvements in the Natomas Basin.

From Folsom Dam to South Sacramento, Stein's imprint can be seen throughout the Sacramento Region. Shortly after arriving at SAFCA, Stein and his colleagues from a number of government agencies had to rapidly redesign a series of modifications to the Folsom Dam in the wake of potential cost overruns. Through this refined project, a second spillway will be added to the Folsom Dam which will significantly improve the management of larger flood events. Thanks in large part to his efforts, this project is on time and on budget.

An advocate for both public safety and environmental conservation, Stein was a driving force behind the Levee Vegetation Science Conference and the California Levees Roundtable. During these discussions, he brought the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the California Department of Water Resources, and other key stakeholders together to discuss the impacts of removing trees and other vegetation from levees. Through these discussions, Stein was able to spearhead a comprehensive framework that included key stakeholders in levee improvement decisions that reduced flood risks, while maintaining both vegetation and levee integrity.

After a great deal of success and more than six years as the Executive Director, Stein has decided to return to the California Department of Water Resources as the Assistant Chief of the Division of Flood Management. In this role, Stein will assist in the design and implementation of the State's FloodSafe Program, an undertaking that will significantly benefit from his experience and comprehensive approach to flood protection.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to recognize and honor the exceptional leadership of Stein Buer. His ability to address the concerns of many and work towards common goals has been truly remarkable. I ask all my colleagues to join me in thanking Stein for his service as the Executive Director of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency. I would also like to take a moment and thank Stein's wife Noelle and their three children, who have shared Stein with the wider Sacramento community for the last six years. I wish Stein and his family continued happiness and success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the victims of the Tucson shooting, including our colleague and friend, Gabby Giffords. I have seen Gabby's commitment and dedication to her constituents firsthand. I have had the pleasure to work with her as we promoted efforts to restore our Nation's competitiveness and specifically to help create clean energy jobs.

Gabby is smart, courageous, disciplined, and effective. And as we have all seen over the last few days, her strength is unwavering.

Last Saturday, Gabby organized an event to talk to her constituents about their priorities, about their concerns and their hopes. It is heartbreaking and a tragedy that six innocent people lost their lives and an additional 13 have been critically wounded, all while trying to participate in and strengthen our democracy.

We are all now reflecting on what brought our country to this point and how to move forward. As everyone in this Chamber can attest, being a Representative is more than a job title. It is what we do, and it is who we are. We meet with our constituents. We listen to them. We advocate for their best interests.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take a moment to honor the other victims of this horrific tragedy: 9-year-old beautiful Christina Taylor Green, recently elected to the student council; Gabe Zimmerman, a dedicated staffer who was just on the cusp of his own life, recently engaged; Federal Judge John Roll, a highly respected jurist who just came by to thank Gabby for her support of the judiciary; Phyllis Schneck, who was a tireless volunteer at her local church; Dorwan Stoddard who shielded his dear wife; and Dorothy Morris who was married to her husband a long time who was also there but who survived.

My thoughts and prayers remain with Gabby and with each victim and their families.

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the rule and the bill before us. The bill would increase the national deficit by $230 billion, increase costs to individuals, families, and small business owners, and deny the American public the consumer protections they have been seeking for years.

Repeal of the health care law would also mean that young adults would not be able to stay on their parents' plan. This is something that would have devastating effects on constituents of mine such as Elizabeth. Shortly after graduating college, she was dropped from her parents' plan and soon developed a severe thyroid condition. As a result, she had to purchase her own individual insurance plan, which proved to be a severe financial hardship for her and her parents. Thankfully, she was able to re-enroll under her parents' plan as of January 1 because of this health reform bill.

Repeal would also mean that senior citizens in Sacramento would not see any relief from the Medicare part B doughnut hole. The health reform bill would close the doughnut hole, which is critical to seniors in my district. One such senior, Gary, regularly pays over $2,000 a month for his prescription drugs. Repeal would mean that Gary and the thousands of other seniors in my district would see no relief from this part D doughnut hole. This is unacceptable.

Madam Speaker, a vote against this rule and against this bill is a vote to protect the American public from unfair insurance company practices, to provide relief to young and old alike, and to stay on the path to a fiscally responsible future. I urge my colleagues to vote down this rule and vote against the underlying legislation.

Article VI: ``All debts contracted and engagements entered into before the adoption of this Constitution shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of legislation that I introduced, along with Congresswoman Richardson, which would reauthorize the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, DERA, to fund the modernization of diesel engines through retrofits.

Countless studies have shown that diesel emissions are one of the most significant health risks to Americans. More specifically, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has linked these emissions to premature death, aggravation of symptoms associated with asthma, and numerous other health impacts every year.

To address this problem, in 2005, Congress enacted the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, which established a five-year voluntary national and state-level grant and loan program to reduce diesel emissions, protect public health, and help states meet air quality standards of the Clean Air Act.

Retrofitting diesel engines provides enormous environmental benefits, yet before this program was implemented, there were few direct economic incentives for vehicle and equipment owners to do so. The financial incentives provided by DERA support voluntary rather than regulatory efforts to assist states meet current air quality standards. Reauthorization of this critical program, which cleans up more than 14,000 diesel-powered vehicles and equipment annually, would strengthen our ongoing efforts to reduce pollution, create additional demand for clean diesel technology, and employ thousands of workers who manufacture, sell or repair diesel vehicles and their components.

It is for these reasons that the DERA program, which averages more than $13 in health and economic benefits for every $1 invested according to the EPA, needs to be reauthorized.

I would be remiss if I did not recognize Senators Voinovich and Carper for authoring the DERA reauthorization program in the Senate, and to commend them for their outstanding leadership on this important issue. Their legislation served as the counterpart to the measure we introduced in the House of Representatives.

H.R. 5089, which was unanimously approved by the other chamber, has garnered the support of a broad coalition of more than 530 environmental, public health, industry and labor stakeholders.

In closing, I urge my colleagues to join me in improving America's air quality by upgrading and modernizing older diesel engines by voting in favor of H.R. 5089.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1377, which honors the accomplishments of Norman Y. Mineta. Known to us as Norm, Mr. Mineta has played an important role in our nation's history: completing many firsts; and helping the pave the path for many more to follow.

A distinguished serviceman, he joined the United States Army as a young man, and completed tours of duty as an intelligence officer in both Japan and Korea.

Norm served our great state as a Member of this body from 1975 to 1995, working tirelessly to improve the lives of California families. With his support, and that of my late husband Bob Matsui, Congress established the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. Moreover, they were instrumental in passing H.R. 442, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which served as the official apology for sending families of Japanese descent to internment camps and redressed the injustices endured by Japanese-Americans during World War II.

Norm also served as Chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee, authored the landmark Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, and founded the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, CAPAC.

His lists of `firsts' include being the first Asian American mayor of a major United States city when he became mayor of San Jose in 1971, and he was the first Asian American in a Presidential Cabinet. As many of us remember, Norm also served as a Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton, and as a Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush.

Mr. Speaker, Norm Mineta has had a long and respected career in public service. As the resolution before us states, the House of Representatives honors the accomplishments and legacy of Norman Yoshio Mineta, for his groundbreaking contributions to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and to our Nation as a whole through his leadership in strengthening civil rights and liberty for all and for his dedication and service.

I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H. Res. 1377.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sacramento City Councilwoman Lauren Hammond, as she steps down from the Sacramento City Council after 14 years of honorable service. As her colleagues, friends and family gather to commemorate her many years of service to the people of Sacramento, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Councilwoman Hammond's leadership and lasting impact on the City of Sacramento.

Councilwoman Hammond is a Sacramento native; she grew up in Land Park and attended McClatchy High School, the same high school as my late husband Robert Matsui. After high school, she continued her higher education in Sacramento, graduating from Sacramento City College and the California State University, Sacramento where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Government.

After graduation from Sacramento State, Lauren began her distinguished career in public service by working 22 years for the California State Senate. While with the Senate, she has served as a Telecommunications Contract Administrator and as the Senate's Coordinator for the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In 1997, Lauren ran for Sacramento's City Council. She won the special election in to become the first African-American woman elected to the City Council. As a City Councilwoman, she put her skills as a long-time community leader and neighborhood activist to work, focusing on working families and ensuring that the City of Sacramento is run efficiently. In her work, she concentrated on improving her district by ensuring safe walkways to schools and expanding youth services. She tackled citywide concerns such as youth empowerment, accessible health care for all, predatory lending and implementing smart growth policies. She has also helped revitalize Sacramento's Oak Park neighborhood, as well as lead the efforts to improve the Broadway, Stockton Boulevard and Franklin Boulevard corridors in order to make those areas more business friendly. She has worked tirelessly to make Sacramento a better place to live and do business.

Councilwoman Hammond's duties kept her busy, as she served on numerous boards of local government agencies. Some of these include the governing bodies of the Sacramento Area Sewer District, the Sacramento Transportation Authority, the Downtown Sacramento Revitalization Corporation, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, the Sacramento Regional Solid Waste Authority Board, the Regional Transit District and Paratransit Inc. She also served as the Chairwoman of the City's Law and Legislation Committee.

Madam Speaker, as Councilwoman Hammond's family, friends and colleagues gather

to honor her for her service to the people of Sacramento, I ask all my colleagues to join me in saluting her for helping make Sacramento a great place to live, work and play.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5987, the Seniors Protection Act of 2010.

Social Security is a pillar of our society based on the premise that if you work hard and play by the rules you will in turn receive the stability and security of a minimum level of guaranteed income as you get older. While sometimes it gets pushed aside as nothing more than an entitlement program, the reality is that Social Security provides all of the retirement income for six out of ten seniors in this country.

Mr. Speaker, for 75 years, Social Security has never been a day late or a dollar short. But this year the Social Security Administration has recommended that there be no Cost of Living Adjustment--or COLA--for the second year in a row. That means that the very seniors who are struggling to make ends meet will receive a significant amount less than they were expecting for 2011.

While the lack of COLA is not a result of Congressional or Presidential action, today we have the chance to vote to make things right. The Seniors Protection Act of 2010 would simply provide a $250 check to Social Security recipients in lieu of a Cost of Living Adjustment for 2011.

For some, a few hundred dollars may not seem like a large amount of money. But for the millions of American seniors who are making hard choices, choosing between filling their prescriptions, paying their rent, or feeding their families, a modest increase in their Social Security income could make all of the difference in the world.

Furthermore, ensuring America's seniors can make ends meet would have a broader, positive, effect on the economy as a whole. A recent study by the Economic Policy Institute shows that similar payments to Social Security recipients have proven to be an effective economic stimulus.

Mr. Speaker, we must commit ourselves to continuing to provide the foundation for Americans' retirement security. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 5987.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1230, the Acquired Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research and Treatment Act.

Every year, it is estimated that between 20,000 and 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with some form of acquired bone marrow failure disease.

This classification of diseases, which include myelodysplastic syndromes (commonly known as MDS), aplastic anemia, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (known as PNH), and others, take a debilitating and deadly toll on those diagnosed, forcing patients and families to deal with significant health, social, and economic hardships.

In some cases, MDS can even progress over time to become leukemia, which affects hundreds of thousands of Americans in its own right.

And while individuals stricken with these conditions can take some action to prolong their lives, this diagnosis offers little hope that affected patients will ever fully recover.

In light of this, I introduced the Acquired Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research and Treatment Act to enhance and intensify current and future efforts in the fight against bone marrow failure diseases.

This legislation would support increased research on these still relatively unstudied diseases, including what genetic and environmental factors may be associated with the condition and best practices for the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.

In addition, the bill would authorize coordinated outreach and informational programs targeted to minority populations affected by these diseases, including information on treatment options and clinical trials research.

These provisions are critical to the individuals affected by bone marrow failure diseases and their families, as it would bring both tangible progress to fighting these diseases, and provide hope to those who have suffered their effects.

This bill has bipartisan support, 62 cosponsors, and has incorporated suggestions from both sides of the aisle.

Mr. Speaker, I commend our Leadership and thank Chairman Waxman and Chairman Pallone and their staff for bringing H.R. 1230 to the floor, and for their commitment to protecting the health of all Americans.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 3751, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2010.

This legislation is identical to H.R. 6081, a bill that I introduced with Mr. Young of Florida to reauthorize critical bone marrow and cord blood transplant programs that save thousands of lives each year.

Each year, nearly 40,000 people under the age of 55 are diagnosed with fatal bone marrow illnesses, and about 16,000 of those individuals can only be treated via blood stem cell transplant.

These patient's lives depend on finding an acceptable adult stem cell donor match--quickly and easily.

The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2010 would reauthorize the key programs responsible for helping these individuals by recruiting bone marrow, adult stem cell, and cord blood donations; matching donors and potential recipients; and linking these patients to care.

S. 3751 includes two main parts to achieve this spectrum of donation, connection, and care.

The first is the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program, which houses the National Registry, the Office of Patient Advocacy, and the Stem Cell Therapeutic Outcomes Database.

The second is the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI), a program that provides grants to public cord blood banks to assist them in collecting a diverse population of donated cord blood units. These units are then listed on the National Registry, where patients and doctors can find them.

The reauthorization represents legislation that is truly bipartisan and bicameral, which is evident in the fact that it passed the Senate by unanimous consent on September 28, 2010.

Mr. Speaker, I commend our Leadership and thank Chairman Waxman, Chairman Pallone and their staffs for bringing the reauthorization to the floor in time to vote before these programs expire on Thursday, September 30, 2010.

This is meaningful legislation with strong bi-partisan support and a proven track record.

I urge my colleagues to support passage of this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I want to take a moment to recognize the extraordinary work of the Rules Committee's Chief Counsel, who will be retiring this November.

For more than three decades, Sophie Hayford has served this chamber with grace and humility.

Beginning her tenure as a legislative aide to Representative Joseph Moakley, Sophie then went to work for the Rules Committee.

Over the past 24 years, Sophie has guided the Rules Committee and the House as a procedural specialist. She has been a constant resource to me and my staff and has helped guide the passage of several important initiatives.

My good friend--Chairwoman (Louise) Slaughter--has been privileged to have Sophie on her staff. And I know I speak for my colleagues when I say that Sophie will be sorely missed on the Committee. But we all wish her the very best in the future.

Sophie: thank you so much for your hard work, dedication and the many late nights. It really has been a pleasure working with you.

Please enjoy your retirement, you certainly deserve it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Sacramento City Councilman Robbie Waters, who has served the people of Sacramento for more than 55 years. In recognition of his public service, the Sacramento Public Library Authority has named its new library, the Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library, in his honor. As his colleagues, friends and family gather to celebrate his career and this outstanding project, I ask all my colleagues to join me in saluting this outstanding public servant.

Robbie has a long history of serving his country and community. Not long after graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and completed his service in 1957. He then returned to his hometown of Sacramento and became an officer with the Sacramento Police Department. During his time with the Sacramento Police Department he held several key positions, including leadership roles in the detective bureau and homicide unit.

Robbie was elected to the position of Sacramento County Sheriff in 1982 and served in that position until 1987. He accomplished many goals during his term as Sheriff, including focusing more resources in the North Area, expanding the Sexual Assaults Bureau, implementing the 911 Emergency Response System, and developing the ``Thumbs Up'' fingerprinting program to help protect local children. Altogether, Robbie has served over 28 years in law enforcement.

After retiring from the Sheriff's Department, Robbie was elected to the Sacramento City Council where he has served for 16 years. As a councilman, he worked on a variety of community projects, including renovation of all 13 of his district's playgrounds, and collaboration with neighborhood associations to improve the quality of life for Sacramento families. He has received numerous awards for his work, most notably the prestigious Certificate of Merit from President Bill Clinton.

The Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library is a new 15,000-square- foot library which will be used by the public, including thousands of Sacramento area students. The project features a 100-seat community room, two group study rooms and quiet reading rooms, and will eventually hold more than 50,000 books. The library is truly a leap forward for the Pocket-Greenhaven neighborhood. When completed, it will be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council with a LEED Silver rating.

Councilman Waters has played an important role in getting this library built and has worked tirelessly as a board member for the Sacramento Public Library Authority. In addition, he helped initiate the Pocket-Greenhaven Friends of the Sacramento Public Library, an all- volunteer community organization, whose mission has been to advocate for the library as well as provide funding for books, materials, programs, and library activities.

Madam Speaker, I am truly honored to pay tribute to my friend and dedicated public servant, Councilman Robbie Waters. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in wishing Robbie, and his wife of 49 years, Judie, continued success and happiness in all of their future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Collette Johnson-Schulke, who has been a tireless advocate of quality health care in the Sacramento Region. As she retires from her position with Sutter Health, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in thanking Collette for her immeasurable service to the Sacramento community.

Before serving as Director of Government Relations for Sutter Health, Collette worked as District Director for my late husband, Congressman Robert T. Matsui, from 1991 to 1997. For seven years, she coordinated his official duties and worked diligently on his behalf for the people of Sacramento. As Director of Government Relations for Sutter Health, she has been instrumental in supporting Sutter's commitment to the Sacramento community. In recent years, Sutter has started a major expansion of their Women and Children's Center, as well as comprehensive renovations of Sutter General Hospital and the Sutter Cancer Center.

Collette has served on the Boards of Directors of numerous local non- profits that serve the people of Sacramento. This includes the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Valley Vision, the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and Sutter's Sacramento Community Benefits Board. As part of Sutter's Sacramento Community Benefits Board, she helped identify and implement local community benefit activities through partnerships with government and non-profit agencies. Collette also served on the Board of Directors of the Midtown Business Association and as the Division Vice President of State and Municipal Legislation for the National Association of Realtors.

Madam Speaker, as Collette, her husband, Francis Schulke, family, friends and colleagues gather to celebrate her retirement, I ask all my colleagues to join me in saluting this truly remarkable woman for her many years of service to the people of Sacramento.