Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Honorable Robert C. Broomfield, Senior United States District Judge and a 1961 graduate of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. It was my pleasure to work with Judge Broomfield when I was a County Supervisor, and I always found him to be reasonable, understanding, and well respected by all, whether they be private citizens, elected officials, or his judicial peers. Therefore I was pleased to learn that he was being honored by his alma mater on April 22nd with its Distinguished Citizen Award, and I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank him for many years of service to the nation and the State of Arizona.

Judge Broomfield has served with distinction in the courts for more than 34 years, first as a judge and presiding judge on the Maricopa

County Superior Court and, since 1985, as a judge in the federal system. In 2002, the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist appointed him to the Foreign Intelligence Security Act Court where he was one of 11 judges rotating assignments. In each of these endeavors, he has earned respect as a keen jurist, a superb administrator, and as a person who exemplifies the best traditions of integrity and professionalism.

As a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, and its Chief Judge from 1994 to 1999, he has served on numerous circuit court committees and in national positions by appointment of the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He has served on, or chaired, at least 15 committees designed to improve court operations and the administration of justice. In addition, he was a member of the Arizona Town Hall for over a decade, a Director of the community leadership association Phoenix Together, a trusted advisor for youth groups, and a pleasure to work with through the appropriations process as we labored to secure funding for the Sandra Day O'Connor Courthouse.

His colleagues characterize Judge Broomfield in laudatory terms, noting his self-effacing manner, quiet integrity, and single-minded commitment to the continued vitality of democratic governance through an independent, fair, and impartial judicial system.

Mr. Speaker, I join my friends at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and its Law College Association in commending a man whose life's work so well defines American citizenship, leadership, and service.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to honor an old friend and fellow educator, Mr. Raul Vargas, on the occasion of his retirement. For over three decades, Raul has guided young men and women in realizing their academic goals through his pioneering efforts in higher education accessibility for Latino students in southern California and across the country.

Born in Lordsburg, New Mexico, Raul moved with his family to Miami, Arizona after his father's death. It was in this small mining town that I first met Raul, and can recall many fond memories growing up with Raul and his siblings, Felipa, Alfredo, Alfonso, Elvia, and Elisa. At Miami High I learned of Raul's ability as a basketball player and a student.

During the summer of 1964, I was again reacquainted with Raul at Arizona State University. We decided to become roommates and moved in with Leo Gutierrez and Bob Venegas to Contempo West, a.k.a., sin city. It was during this time that I assisted Raul with his study habits and he assisted me with my social life. During this time he met a young lady from Wickenburg, Arizona who would later become his wife. We remained roommates until December 1965 when I left to marry Verma.

In 1972, Raul accepted a position at the University of Southern California (USC) as Executive Director of the Office for Mexican American Programs, marking the beginning of over thirty years as a leading administrator as part of the USC family. It was there that Raul and eight other USC alumni founded the USC Mexican American Alumni Association (MAAA) in 1974. The MAAA was established to be a vehicle of support for higher Latino enrollment at USC, providing tuition assistance to undergraduate, graduate, medical, dental, and law school students. The overwhelming success of the program under Raul's leadership, is evident not only in its more than 5800 scholarships awarded totaling $11.1 million, but also in its program being replicated in institutes of higher learning across the country, including ASU.

When ASU joined the PAC-10, the ASU Hispanic Alumni began a rivalry with USC's MAAA. We commissioned a ``menudo pot'' that would go to the winning alumni association after the ASU/USC football game. As the ASU Hispanics learned of the USC MAAA program, they invited Raul to meet with Dr. Russell Nelson, the ASU President, to assist in organizing a Hispanic scholarship program similar to USC MAAA. With Dr. Nelson's agreement, the Los Diablos, an ASU Hispanic scholarship program, was born. To date, the ASU Los Diablos Scholarship continues to assist Latino students at ASU. After seeing the USC Hispanic Convocation organized by USC MAAA during a visit to USC, the ASU Hispanic students also organized a similar Hispanic Convocation honoring ASU Hispanic graduates.

Mr. Speaker, it is with immense admiration and privilege that I ask my colleagues to join Raul's many friends and family in recognizing my dear friend in his lifetime of unwavering service to our nation's Latino students. We hope that Raul will enjoy this well-deserved retirement, to play golf and travel with his wife Marcia. He will also be able to spend more time with his son Cesar, daughter Tracey, and granddaughter Alexis. Raul, thank you and congratulations my friend!

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to pay tribute to the Town of Guadalupe, Arizona, a community in my district which I proudly represent, on the occasion of the 31st Anniversary of its incorporation. Named after the patron saint of Mexico, the Virgin of Guadalupe, this culturally-rich community is home to about 5,500 residents.

Guadalupe was founded by Yaqui Indians around the turn of the century when they fled their traditional homeland along the Yaqui River in Sonora, Mexico to avoid persecution and enslavement by the Mexican government under Porfirio Diaz. When the Yaqui people fled as refugees, many were able to find a home in the Salt River Valley's agricultural economy. One of the villages was in south Tempe, just north of the present Guadalupe site. A missionary Franciscan Friar, Lucius Zittier, petitioned President Woodrow Wilson for 40 acres of land so the Yaqui could permanently settle. The site, undesirable as uncultivable, is located in the center of the present community, known as ``La Cuarenta,'' or ``The 40,'' as some still call it today.

Guadalupe also became home to many Hispanic families over the years, and it has become a stopping point for Mexican immigrant workers. As the community has grown, it has demonstrated its resilience in the face of difficult economic times, poverty, and racism.

Many young men of Mexican and Yaqui descent answered the call for military service and defended our country. Dozens of Guadalupe veterans' names are on the rolls of those who served, and many paid the ultimate sacrifice.

In the early 1960s, Guadalupe Organization, Inc., was formed and it began to identify and address the community's needs. Many services taken for granted in other communities were not provided in Guadalupe and residents began to get organized. A new voting precinct in Guadalupe was formed, and U.S. Sen. Carl Hayden was instrumental in securing home mail delivery for residents. As the Guadalupe Organization advocated for community betterment and educated residents about civil awareness, many small victories were achieved for the community. The organization prevented a freeway from being built through the center of Guadalupe, opened a dental clinic with volunteer dentists, fought discrimination against Guadalupe students, and most notably, led the charge for incorporation.

Neighboring cities had mostly rebuffed Guadalupe and its residents until property values soared. To stop annexation attempts and preserve their community's rich culture, the Guadalupe Organization began incorporation efforts and the Citizens Committee to Incorporate Guadalupe was formed. It was led by Mr. Andres ``Andy'' Jimenez, who served as president of the group. Election results of Feb. 4, 1975, which showed an 83 percent voter turnout, approved the plan of incorporation, and the Town of Guadalupe was born.

Since then, the Town of Guadalupe has been a leader in demonstrating concern for its residents and passing progressive policies. The Town Council was the first in Arizona to ban smoking in public places. It declared a paid Cesar Chavez Holiday for Guadalupe town employees. The town has also donated land for construction of educational and recreational entities.

Maricopa County Community Colleges also have established a branch of South Mountain Community College in Guadalupe with its rental fee subsidized for many years by the Guadalupe Organization. Guadalupe had one college graduate in 1960 and one in 1967. Now graduates at all levels, from high school to Ph.D., call Guadalupe their home.

As you can see, Guadalupe is a community rich with the traditions of three cultures, deeply devoted to the welfare of its residents, and the prosperity of its community. As the former director of the Guadalupe Organization, I feel a special bond to this community and take great pride in its progress. This bond is felt by many, as children follow in their parents' footsteps, opting to make a home in Guadalupe as they begin to make a life of their own. Ironically, the current Mayor of Guadalupe is Ms. Bernadette Jimenez, daughter of Andy Jimenez, who led the Citizens Committee to Incorporate Guadalupe.

In honor of the success of this community and its residents, I ask my colleagues to

please stand and join me today in paying tribute to the Town of Guadalupe, Arizona, on the occasion of the 31st Anniversary of its Incorporation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to draw attention to the accomplishments of a personal friend and longtime community leader, Dorothy H. Finley of Tucson, Arizona. On September 24, 2005, Dorothy will receive the Arizona Theatre Company's (ATC) ``Georgy Award'' at its Gala 2005 for her outstanding contributions to theater in the Tucson community.

As a longtime donor to ATC, Dorothy has served on ATC's Board of Trustees for many years and has sponsored partnerships between the theatre and Tucson schools. Her public service commitments include a wide range of organizations including non-profit groups and community associations including the Greater Tucson Economic Council, Arizona Aerospace Foundation, and the University of Arizona Alumni Association. Additionally, she serves on a number of governor-appointed positions including the Arizona State Liquor Board and the Governor's Council on Workforce Policy.

A native Arizonan, Dorothy has been a part of the Miller Brewing Company since 1948 when she and her late husband, Harold Finley, began the distributorship in Cochise county. Today, under her leadership, the company serves retailers throughout Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz counties.

A strong proponent of quality education, Dorothy has also been active in the academic arena. She has served as both a teacher and principal in the Tucson Unified School District for over 30 years. In addition, she was elected as Chairman of the TUSD Elementary School Principals, has served as President of the Arizona Elementary School Administrators, served on the Pima Community College Foundation Board of Directors, and founded the Women's Studies Advisory Council at the University of Arizona. In December 1994, she was nominated by the University of Arizona College of Education to receive the Alumni Association Sidney S. Woods Service Award for her outstanding service to the College and to the University.

In 1989, Dorothy received the Woman of the Year Award, and in 1994 she was named one of Tucson's Most Influential People. Dorothy was also honored at the Pentagon with the 2003 Honorary Zachary and Elizabeth National Distinguished Civilian Humanitarian Award.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, I am honored to recognize Ms. Finley for receiving this prestigious award, and to express my gratitude for her service and leadership. Her deep commitment to the advancement of community culture and education has had a tremendous impact in the Tucson community. It is with great pleasure that I congratulate my friend Dorothy H. Finley today for this award, which duly recognizes her important work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in loving tribute and memory of Nico Trujillo, who passed away at the age of 94 on September 1, 2005.

The second oldest of nine brothers and sisters, Nico was born and raised in St. Johns, Arizona. Her commitment to public service was evident even as a young woman, when she advocated for equal rights for women and minorities in her community. She ran for a seat in the Arizona House of Representatives in 1954, but withdrew her candidacy due to pregnancy complications. In 1956, Nico was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and again in 1960 during John F. Kennedy's nomination by the Democratic Party. Nico remained politically active throughout her life, campaigning for Governor Paul Fannin, Eddie Basha, Governor Hull, and Governor Napolitano.

On December 24, 1933, Nico married the love of her life, Lugarno Trujillo, and they were blessed with six children: Wallace, Gladys, Dennis, Richard, Jerri, and Gail. The loving couple also helped raise children of their extended family who tragically lost their parents at an early age. Nico was the beloved grandmother of sixteen grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren. As a proud mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, she instilled in her family the values of education, faith in God, and responsibility to one's family and community.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Nico's strong sense of service to her community, love of family, and deep faith that defined her life. Her passing marks a great loss for her family and friends, and also for her community. Nico lived her life with compassion, energy, and an unwavering commitment to the public good. She will be greatly missed by her family and many friends, and her legacy will forever live on in the memories and hearts of those who knew and loved her well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Bonny Beach, Executive and Clinical Director of NDNS4Wellness at the American Indian Prevention Coalition, Inc., in Phoenix, Arizona.

Ms. Beach was recently named one of ten recipients of the Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program Award, considered the nation's highest honor for community health leadership. She will receive $120,000 for her work in preventing substance abuse in Native American youth.

Substance abuse and its associated health problems have had a devastating impact on the Native American population. Phoenix has the second largest Native American population in the U.S., with more than twenty-one tribes represented in the city and surrounding areas. Some 75,000 Native Americans reside in Maricopa County, where Ms. Beach's organization is located.

Ms. Beach is a Native American who has seen firsthand the pain and destruction that substance abuse has exacted on her community. Tired of attending funerals resulting from an epidemic of alcoholism and substance abuse among Native Americans, she became determined to have a positive impact on her community. In 1997, she helped to establish the American Indian Prevention Coalition, an intertribal nonprofit organization that works with Native American youth and their families to improve the quality of life for indigenous people.

In 2000, she developed the NDNS4Wellness Behavioral Health Agency. NDNS4Wellness employs more than fifty Native Americans, providing culturally respectful prevention, educational, and counseling services through school-based programs. It also offers substance abuse treatment to some three hundred young people through its residential and outpatient services.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, I am honored to recognize Ms. Beach for receiving this prestigious, national award, and to express my gratitude for her determination and leadership. Her deep commitment to preventing substance abuse among Native American youth and families has undoubtedly inspired many others in Phoenix and elsewhere to take action. It is with great pleasure that I congratulate Ms. Beach today for this award, which duly recognizes her important work for the community.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 210, I was detained in my office. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to draw attention to the 50th wedding anniversary of Fred and Rosemarie Gortler of Fredericksburg, Virginia. I first became acquainted with the Gortlers during Fred's two decades of serving here as a Democratic floor assistant in the House of Representatives and it is an honor to celebrate this loving couple's marital milestone.

Fifty-one years ago, Fred Gortler and Rosemarie Battista met on a blind date in their hometown of Staten Island, New York, while Fred was home on leave from the Navy. At the time, Rosemarie was a nursing student at St. Mary's Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. They were engaged only four months later and were married on May 14, 1955.

The couple remained in Staten Island for over 20 years before moving to their current home in Fredericksburg in 1977. Both Fred and Rosemarie have committed their careers to serving the public and their communities. Fred worked for 21 years in the New York City police force, in positions ranging from administrative to mounted police officer in Central Park. Shortly after relocating to Fredericksburg, he began his service in the U.S. House of Representatives where he stayed for over 20 years.

Rosemarie was a practicing nurse at Saint Vincent's Hospital in Staten Island where she was also a member of the faculty, teaching psychiatric nursing. She returned to school to obtain her Masters in Counseling and currently works as a private counselor, specializing in individual, family, and substance abuse counseling. She has also co- authored several children's books including Little Acts of Grace, Just Like Mary, and A Very Scary Time, written numerous newspaper and magazine articles, and contributed regularly to a mental health column in a local newspaper, titled Minding the Mind.

The couple has been blessed with five children and 18 grandchildren, the newest addition to the family coming all the way from China. The Gortler family extends out from Virginia to Connecticut, Illinois, and Florida.

The couple's 50 years of dedication to each other reflects that of their own parents, as both Fred and Rosemarie's parents also enjoyed 50 years of marriage. In late April, the couple will be joined by many friends and family at the Chapel and the Officers' Club in Fort Belvoir, Virginia to toast their half-century of marriage. Their children and grandchildren will be proudly hosting the couple's anniversary celebration, where Fred and Rosemarie will renew their wedding vows. The celebration is being held early due to grandparent obligations--six grandchildren in three different states will be graduating in May.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring and celebrating 50 years of marriage between Fred and Rosemarie Gortler, a union built on devotion and love for family. I have had the privilege of knowing this loving couple for many years, and have witnessed the strong sense of family values, self-sacrifice, and commitment to public service that defined their lives together. It is with great joy that I extend my congratulations to Fred and Rosemarie Gortler and their beloved family, and I wish them many more years of wedded happiness.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to proudly draw your attention to the Falcons Robotics Team of Carl Hayden High School in my district. This talented group of students has succeeded in winning numerous robotics competitions, even beating the MIT team last year in a contest sponsored by NASA and the Office of Naval Research.

Teachers Allan Cameron, Fredi Lajvardi and Sam Alexander, with the help of other Carl Hayden faculty, wanted to create a club where students could engage in science, engineering, and math related activities that were educational as well as fun. Through the club, the students also had opportunities to meet professionals from science- oriented fields. The robotics team is small, made up of four students: Cristian Arcega, Lorenzo Santillan,

Oscar Vazquez and Luis Aranda. The Falcons Robotics Team provides these students from low income neighborhoods a positive option for after school activities. One of the team members was failing most of his classes before joining the robotics club and credits the club from keeping him off of West Phoenix streets and avoiding trouble.

The Falcons Robotics Team's first mission was to put together a robot to compete in the Marine Advanced Technology Remotely Operated Vehicle Competition, the underwater robotics contest sponsored by NASA and the Office of Naval Research. They needed a remote-controlled robot that could explore a sunken mock-up of a submarine. Thus, Stinky was born. Constructed of plastic tubing, propellers, lights, cameras, a laser, depth detectors, pumps, and other equipment, Stinky was capable of recording sonar pings and retrieving objects 50 feet under water. Stinky got its unflattering moniker from the foul-smelling glue that kept it together. The team went into the competition feeling intimidated, but they won the grand prize, beating out MIT and other college teams with slicker robots and corporate sponsors.

Since their competition victory last year, the team has gone on to compete in the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition, where it won the highest award, the Chairman's Award, at the Arizona Regionals in March. Dean Kamen, inventor and founder of FIRST, a multinational non-profit organization that aspires to make science, math, engineering, and technology cool for kids, presented the award. As Mr. Kamen explained, the FIRST Robotics Competition is about much more than the mechanics of building a robot or winning a competitive event. The FIRST mission is to change the way America's young people regard science and technology and to inspire an appreciation for the real-life rewards and career opportunities in these fields.

In his remarks, Mr. Kamen echoed the sentiments of many in Arizona who are following the progress of this team of innovators. The impact from the team's victory is priceless. Participation in the Falcons Robotics Team, and its competition successes, has changed the students' appreciation of engineering and science, and their attitude towards education. These students are now hoping to pursue higher education and are inspiring other students to strive for similar goals. The team's accomplishments are countering stereotypes of innercity students from Hispanic neighborhoods, and demonstrating that innercity ``tough kids'' can be just as talented and capable as the best from MIT. The Falcons team has become the subject of articles in Wired Magazine and the Washington Post, primetime stories on shows such as NPR's Here and Now and ABC's Nightline, and Warner Brothers is even planning a movie.

As the team now prepares to compete in the FIRST Championship ITom April 21 to 23 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, I wish to honor the Falcons Robotics Team and the students, teachers, and community of Carl Hayden High School. The successes of Cristian, Lorenzo, Oscar and Luis demonstrate the accomplishments students can achieve, given a little inspiration from devoted teachers. I ask my colleagues to join me today in congratulating the Falcons Robotics Team, and wishing the students and teachers at Carl Hayden High School much continued success in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of two dear friends, Lou and Georgia Poulos of Phoenix, Arizona. On Jan. 30, 2005, the couple was joined by 150 friends and family members to toast their half-century milestone of matrimony.

Lou Poulos first met Georgia Hotis in the late 1940's during a church outing for teenagers at the Gold Spot bowling alley in Phoenix. During the following years, their relationship blossomed and their courtship began when the couple was in their twenties. Although it was initially Georgia's beauty and Lou's sense of humor that sparked the mutual attraction, the couple's shared values as first generation Greek- Americans and members of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, paved the way for their lasting connection.

Seven years later, the sweethearts were married in the Greek Orthodox Church on January 30, 1955. The couple held their wedding reception at the Westward Ho Hotel, an historic hotel in Phoenix located across the street from the bowling alley where they first met. In 1960, the newlyweds built a home in Phoenix where they reared their three children, Deanne, Jim, and Alex, and where they still reside today, nearly forty-five years later. The Poulos family has now proudly expanded to include Jim's wife, Tracy, Alex's wife, Shelli, and Alex and Shelli's five-year-old triplets, Sela, Ari and Alex.

As Lou continued to build his liquor store chain, Georgia managed the household, juggling her children's dance classes, piano lessons, Little League baseball, and Pop Warner football. As their son Jim fondly recalled, Lou and Georgia made many sacrifices to ensure the best education and opportunities for their children.

Despite their busy family lives, Lou and Georgia have remained active in the community throughout their years together. For 47 years, Lou served as the secretary/treasurer for the Arizona License and Beverage Association, and since his retirement, he continues to serve as an officer for the state licensed beverage lobbying organization. Georgia worked as a director for two nonprofit organizations. Over the years, the couple has also served on their parish council, the Men's Club, and Women's Guild at Brophy College Preparatory school, as well as participating in and donating to many charitable fundraisers.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring and celebrating 50 years of marriage between Lou and Georgia Poulos, a union built on a devotion to each other and unconditional love for family. I have had the privilege of knowing this loving couple for decades, and have witnessed the strong sense of family values, self- sacrifice, and commitment to community that defined their lives together. As a longtime friend, it is with great joy that I extend my congratulations to Lou and Georgia Poulos and their beloved family, and I wish them many more years of wedded happiness.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of Valle del Sol, Inc., a nonprofit, community-based organization in Phoenix, Arizona which has helped thousands of individuals each year through its extensive behavioral health and social services.

Valle del Sol was created in 1970, at a time when behavioral health services in Phoenix were nearly non-existent for Latino families. The organization was originally established to address opiate addiction in the community, and although it has expanded its services over the years, Valle del Sol has always maintained its commitment to providing bilingual and culturally relevant services for the Latino community.

As one of the largest Hispanic behavioral health and social service organizations in Maricopa County, Valle del Sol's culturally diverse, bilingual staff provides a wide range of programs and services for the entire family. These programs are designed to address the increasing social and community needs related to family and behavioral health problems, and include counseling, substance abuse treatment, adult education, advocacy, services for seniors, and an adolescent therapeutic group home. Valle del Sol's commitment to excellence in customer service, financial viability, planned growth, and community development in Arizona has positively contributed not only to Latino families, but to the entire Arizona community. I am particularly proud of Valle del Sol's achievements in becoming an $11 million agency with nearly 200 employees.

Valle del Sol has been instrumental in providing a base of leadership for the Latino community. Many Latino leaders in Arizona, including myself, have served on Valle del Sol's Board of Directors, or have attended Valle del Sol's Hispanic Leadership Institute (HLI). HLI has provided leadership training for over 18 years and is offered to community members who are dedicated to addressing Latino issues. Under HLI training, participants gain a comprehensive understanding of issues affecting the Latino community, as well as practical leadership skills. The goal of HLI is to arm leaders with the valuable tools to effectively advocate for issues important to the Latino community.

I would like especially to acknowledge Valle del Sol's current leadership, headed by President and CEO Luz Sarmina-Gutierrez. Ms. Sarmina-Gutierrez's efforts to maintain Valle del Sol's high quality of service was duly recognized, and Valle del Sol was awarded accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for four of its programs that specialize in substance abuse and mental health. This accreditation is the highest achievement an organization can receive from CARF and is the second time a three- year accreditation was awarded to Valle del Sol. The CARF accreditation demonstrates to the public that Valle del Sol's services meet stringent standards in following with its polices, procedures and practices, including health and safety standards.

Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honoring and congratulating Valle del Sol, its leadership, and its employees upon the celebration of its 35th Anniversary. It is with great pride that I celebrate Valle del Sol's outstanding contributions to the Arizona community and its unwavering commitment to public service, and I wish them many more years of success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of a dear friend, Orren Beaty, Jr., devoted husband, father, grandfather, public servant, and United States Veteran. Mr. Beaty passed away in Las Cruces, New Mexico on January 19, 2005 at the age of 85.

A native of Clayton, New Mexico, Mr. Beaty graduated from New Mexico State University in 1940, specializing in history and government. Soon after, he served our nation in World War II as a radar navigator instructor for the B-29 bomber, and later served in the Air Force during the Korean War.

After his service, Mr. Beaty began his political and journalism career as the Managing Editor of the Sun News in Las Cruces and as a reporter, political writer, and columnist for the Arizona Republic. In 1955, he moved to Washington, D.C. to work as an administrative assistant for then-Representative Stewart Udall (D-Arizona). Six years later, when Mr. Udall was appointed Secretary of the Interior, Mr. Beaty served as his principal aide. His steadfast work ethic, unfaltering integrity, and dedication to public service were duly recognized, and Mr. Beaty was awarded the Interior Department's Distinguished Service Award.

In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Mr. Beaty as the Federal Co-chairman of the Four Corners Regional Commission within the Department of Commerce, where he collaborated with the governors of the four Southwestern states to promote economic development. In 1969, Mr. Beaty continued to serve in a succession of journalism, political, and lobbying positions including working on the Democratic presidential campaigns of Senator Edmund S. Muskie of Maine and Senator George S. McGovern of South Dakota. Mr. Beaty also served as the Associate Editor for Congressional Quarterly and as the Director of Congressional Liaison for Amtrak.

In the mid-1970's, Mr. Beaty became the President and Executive Director of the National Association of Railroad Passengers in Washington, and from 1976 until his retirement in 1988, he served as the Assistant General Manager of Western Fuels Association Inc., a coal supplier to rural cooperatives and municipal utilities. Throughout his career, Mr. Beaty garnered the respect and admiration of those fortunate to have worked with him.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the strong sense of service to others that defined Mr. Beaty's life. His passing marks a great loss for his family and friends, and also for his community. I extend my deepest condolences to his beloved wife of 60 years, Mary Turner Beaty; to his three children, Dr. Orren Beaty III, Laura Beaty, and Susana Michael; and to his five grandchildren, extended family, and dear friends. Mr. Beaty lived his life with compassion, energy, and an unwavering commitment to the public good. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends, and his legacy will forever live on in the memories and hearts of those who knew and loved him well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Tony Torres for his thirty years of service in the City of Phoenix Fire Department.

Mr. Torres was born in Phoenix and attended Phoenix College, where his is currently a member of the adjunct faculty. He served our nation in Vietnam, and is a member of American Legion Post 41.

Mr. Torres joined the City of Phoenix Fire Department in 1975 and retired this year as a Captain in the Fire Operations Division. From 1999 until his retirement, he held the position of Public Information Officer and earned various departmental awards. He is also a recipient of the Department of Public Safety Citizens Life Saving Award.

Mr. Torres' service to the community extends beyond his career as a fire fighter. He has worked with numerous neighborhood activist organizations, as well as with the Mayor and City Council members, in order to improve the safety of all valley neighborhoods. He is also a past vice president of the Valley Hispanic Bomberos and was an active member of the United Phoenix Fire Fighters Union.

Mr. Torres currently lives in North Phoenix with his wife of 25 years, Susan. On behalf of the Phoenix community, I thank him for his many years of service and wish him a happy and healthy retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this critical legislation, which is co-sponsored by the entire Arizona delegation.

Since before the founding of Arizona as a State, we have, like most other Western States, struggled to meet the water demands of our inhabitants. It has not been easy. In 1968, in hopes of resolving these problems, the Central Arizona Project was authorized by the Federal Government and charged with distributing water from the Colorado River to communities and tribes in the central and southern parts of Arizona. However, for decades there have been disputes on the appropriate distribution of these waters, resulting in litigation.

I believe this legislation will resolve most of these disputes. The entire Arizona delegation, both my Democratic and Republican colleagues as well as our two senators and our governor, all believe this is the best possible solution to this water issue. The people, municipalities, Native American tribes and nations and agricultural and environmental organizations within the State also agree.

This legislation represents a significant step forward in Arizona's continuing effort to resolve Native American water rights claims for the benefit of all of the people of Arizona. This bill will resolve the claims of the Gila River Indian community and the remaining claims of the Tohono o'Odham Nation, while laying the groundwork for resolving the other outstanding water right claims of Arizona's Native American communities and nations.

The bill approves and ratifies the Gila River Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act, amends the Southern Arizona Water Rights Settlement Act of 1982, and affirms the right of the San Carlos Apache Tribe to make future claims for water rights. The Senate has approved this bill unanimously and has passed the House Committee on Resources, which I would like to thank the ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), for bringing this bill to the floor.

It is critical to our State that we approve it here today and move it forward to the President for enactment. I urge my colleagues to follow the lead of all eight Arizona representatives and support its passage.

Mr. Chairman, the bill we are considering funds an important national security program. The Maritime Security Program ensues that a fleet of privately owned, commercially viable and militarily useful vessels are available to meet national defense and other security requirements.

A critical new element of the MSP program as reauthorized in the Department of Defense FY04 Authorization Act is the construction and operation of militarily useful U.S.-flag product tankers, which are essential for the carriage of jet fuel and other refined petroleum products. To facilitate the construction of U.S.-flag tankers in American shipyards for the MSP program, the FY04 Defense Authorization Act created the National Defense Tank Vessel Construction Assistance Program.

Implementation of this program has been underway for seven months, with seven proposals submitted to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to construct tankers for the MSP program. Final proposals for the program are due very shortly--on October 22, 2004--with awards scheduled to occur in January 2005. However, a provision in the Transportation Appropriations Bill--sec. 187--would bring this vital program to a halt by prohibiting any funds from being expended by MARAD to administer or ward any of the contracts under the new program.

On August 24, 2004, the U.S. Transportation Command, the Defense Department's logistics arm, identified ``New Tank Vessels . . . constructed in the United States after November 25, 2003, and capable of carrying militarily useful petroleum products,'' as critical to the new MSP fleet. I am concerned about the potential impact this section 187 prohibition would have on our Nation's military sealift at a time when the support of our overseas troops is critical.

I intend to work with the Committee and Subcommittee in conference to ensure that this key component of our military sealift is not jeopardized, and I encourage my colleagues who share this concern to do the same.