Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in tribute to my longtime friend Jewel Pedi, a person of enormous intelligence and drive, who is retiring at the tender age of 83 to spend well-earned time with her family.

More than 30 years ago, Jewel founded FOOD Share with a small group of like-minded members of the Ventura County, CA, community. The structure she built should ensure its survival for many years to come.

Jewel's dedication comes from a compassion rooted in her faith. That faith led her to work 3 years with state lawmakers on farm bills; to build coalitions with some 200 other non-profit agencies; and to step up to help those in need during the Northridge earthquake, southern California's numerous wildfires, the La Conchita landslide, and hurricanes across the Nation.

Along the way she has been honored with the American Red Cross 4th Annual Clara Barton Award; the city of Ventura Humanitarian of the Year Award; the P.W. Gillibrand Company, Inc., Humanitarian of the Year Award, among others.

Jewel is moving to Bullhead City, AZ, to be closer to her children. While retiring from her current calling, her faith is leading her to another. A pastor, Jewel will perform weddings; and, she said, she will see if another calling awaits her.

Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues will join my wife, Janice, and me in thanking Jewel for making Ventura County a stronger and more compassionate community and in wishing her Godspeed in her retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of my longtime friend, the Rev. Dr. Frank Witman, who is being honored this week with the prestigious Simi Valley, California, Chamber of Commerce Strathearn Lifetime Achievement Award.

None are more deserving of this recognition than Dr. Witman.

Dr. Witman planted himself in Simi Valley when he arrived in the summer of 1969 to assume the post of senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of Simi Valley. The third-generation United Methodist Church minister immediately anchored his roots, which grew and spread with every year.

Dr. Witman served on the board of directors of the Simi Valley Rotary Club, which he joined in mid-1969, and was the recipient of the Paul Harris Award, one of the highest honors Rotary bestows upon an individual.

In 1972, he led the Simi Valley Ministerial Association to join with the Businessmen Against the Card Club Ordinance to defeat organized gambling in Simi Valley.

Six years later, Dr. Witman founded the chaplain program for the Simi Valley Police Department and, for more than 30 years, he has served as the department's senior chaplain. Dr. Witman has provided comfort, counseling, prayers, and support during most of the city's traumatic and tragic events, including the untimely death of Officer Michael Clark. His support of the city and its police officers earned him the department's Volunteer of the Year Award in 1997, the department's Lifetime Service Award in 2007, and recognition from the Simi Valley City Council in 2008.

Dr. Witman also was a charter member of the Steering Committee for Leadership Simi Valley; a charter member of the Simi Valley Hospital Board Strategic Planning Committee; Simi Valley Hospital's 1995 Volunteer Chaplain of the Year; and an 8-year president of the Samaritan Center for the homeless.

In 1990, I had the honor of nominating Dr. Witman to offer a prayer to open a session of the House of Representatives as guest Chaplain, which he did on May 2, 1990.

Dr. Witman retired as Senior Pastor of the Simi Valley Unified Methodist Church in 1997, but he never ended his ministry, fellowship, service, and friendship to the people of the city.

Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues will join my wife, Janice, and me in thanking the Rev. Dr. Frank Witman for his nearly four decades of selfless service to the community, and will join the Simi Valley community in congratulating him for earning the Strathearn Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in memory of Walter William Hoffman, who died on Veterans Day after 86 years of a fulfilling life.

Walter and his late wife, Sheila, were longtime personal friends to my wife, Janice, and me.

Walter Hoffman was a native of Ventura County, California. His parents raised him on Rancho Casitas, where they bred thoroughbreds, including Crystal Pennant. He attended St. Catherine's Academy, Thatcher School, Villanova, and USC.

During World War II, Walter served as communications, navigation and executive officer aboard the USS Buchanan and was Officer of the Deck on the day the Buchanan delivered General Douglas McArthur to the USS Missouri for Japan's surrender.

Sheila and Walter married after the war and settled in Ventura County where he began his career in farming, animal husbandry, and petroleum operations. In 1947, he built and operated the Ventura Airpark. In 1956, Walter and his late partners Oather Vance and William Worthington formed that land management firm, Hoffman, Vance and Worthington.

A Renaissance man, Walter skippered and navigated boats in the Transpac Race, the Mazatlan Race and the Bermuda Race. He held a commercial pilot's license, was a licensed amateur radio operator and played the violin and the accordion. As a young man, he traveled around the world with his grandmother.

Walter also served on multiple boards, including the Bank of A. Levy, Santa Anita Consolidated, American Automobile Association, Livingston Memorial Foundation, St. John's Seminary, and Fales Committee at the U.S. Naval Academy.

He was a past chairman of the board of the Automobile Club of Southern California and was a past president of the Ventura Pacific Company, Crestview Water Company, and the Oceanographic Associates at USC. He was a past Commodore of the Transpacific Yacht Club and a founder of the Museum of Ventura County.

Pope John XXIII knighted him with the Order of St. Gregory, Knight Commander.

Walter Hoffman is survived by his two daughters, Katherine Russell and Carol Hambleton; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues will join Janice and me in offering our condolences to Walter's family and all who knew him and called him a friend.

Godspeed, Walter.

Madam Speaker, I rise in memory of Annetta ``Anne'' Evenson Oliver, whose dedication to the health care profession, her family, her community, and her country will be long remembered.

Anne died last week. By her side were her husband of 42 years, Jerry; her daughter, Chrissy; and her son, Jason.

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1962, Anne accepted a commission in the United States Navy Nurses Corps. She received an honorable discharge three years later with the rank of lieutenant, then served U.S. military veterans for the next 30 years at the VA Hospital in San Fernando and the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Sepulveda, in Los Angeles, California.

After her retirement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Anne became a nursing educator and, for the past 11 years, was a nursing supervisor at Simi Valley Hospital in Simi Valley, California.

An active mom as well, Anne was a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader and a team mom and nurse. She served her community as an original member of Neighborhood Council #3 in Simi Valley and a former board member of the Simi Valley Free Clinic.

Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues join my wife, Janice, and me in offering our condolences to Jerry, Chrissy, and Jason and all who knew and loved Anne. Godspeed, Anne.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Lorene Foster, who will turn 100 years young on October 20.

Lorene has been a resident of Simi Valley, California, since 1947. A real Simi Valley pioneer, she and her late husband, Chester, owned and operated the Simi Susana Airport in the east end of Simi Valley, where I kept my airplane when I was a private pilot. Lorene and Chester became my good friends.

Lorene has always been active and organized. She was involved in the Simi Valley Women's Club, PTA and served as class parent, 4-H, Campfire Girls, Bluebirds, Bridge Club, Boots and Slippers Square Dancing, Community Drama Group, Garden Club, and was a Simi Valley Hospital volunteer. Many of the groups she involved herself with she led or served as president.

Somehow, she also found time to travel around the world--twice.

Lorene still lives on her own and cares for her own finances. She still enjoys floral arranging, board games, cards, and painting. Lorene also enjoys her 3 daughters, 14 grandchildren, and 15 great- grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues join my wife, Janice, and me in congratulating Lorene for 100 years of good and active living and in wishing her many more.

Madam Speaker, I rise in tribute to Pat and Jerry B. Epstein, who will be honored next month by the Saint John's Health Center Foundation with the prestigious Spirit of Saint John's Award.

My wife, Janice, and I have known Pat and Jerry for 25 years. Jerry is a hardworking, industrious, and charitable entrepreneur. Jerry and Pat's philanthropic endeavors have helped legions, myself included.

Pat and Jerry are being honored by Saint John's for their ``vision, determination, and generosity of spirit'' which has ``advanced the mission of the Health Center.''

Jerry has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 1975 and served as chairman in 2006 and 2007. His vast involvement has included leadership of the Development Oversight Committee, Building Committee, Leadership Giving, Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon Committee and Chautauqua Inaugural Committee, Board of Counselors, The Endowment Legacy Project and the Campaign for Saint John's. He also served as member of the Executive, Finance, and Board Affairs committees.

Pat is one of the founding members of the Irene Dunne Guild, founded in 1987 to advance Saint John's mission. With more than 100 dedicated members, the Guild is a major support group of Saint John's Health Center. Guild members are goodwill ambassadors to the community and are committed to promoting the charitable objectives of Saint John's Health Center Foundation. Pat is also a committee member of the Women's Health Initiative and serves on several fundraising event committees. Pat has hosted countless dinners and special events in their home to introduce friends and neighbors to Saint John's.

Yet, this only touches on their involvement in the community.

A World War II veteran as both an enlisted man and commissioned officer, Jerry has been involved in the development, construction and management of real estate since 1952, and is probably best known as one of the founders of Marina Del Rey, CA. His many involvements include chairman of the Energy Commission for the Cities and County of Los Angeles from 1981-1984; service on the Los Angeles State Building Authority since 1983, for which he is currently president; service on the city of Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners from 1985-1990, including 2 years as president; service from 1991-1997 on the California Transportation Commission, including 2 years as chair; member of the Board of Directors of The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles; and member of the Board of Governors of the Southern California Division of NCCJ.

The list goes on, and even this impressive list does not do them justice, but the time grows short.

Madam Speaker, let me close by asking my colleagues to join Janice and me in thanking Jerry and Pat, his wife and partner of 60 years, for their many years of passionate service to our community and to join with Saint John's in honoring them for their ``vision, determination, and generosity of spirit.''

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Simi Valley Police Department Sergeant Archer Raymond Morgan, Jr., who will retire October 12 after 33 years of dedicated and exceptional service to the department and the city it serves.

Simi Valley, California, has been my home for more than 40 years. When I was first elected to the City Council, Simi Valley's public safety was entrusted to the Simi Valley Community Safety Agency. Officers rode in white cars and wore light blue uniform shirts. It was an intentionally low-key and, some might say, casual approach to law enforcement.

Not long after my election to the council, I became the city's first elected mayor. Soon thereafter, we transformed the Simi Valley Community Safety Agency into the Simi Valley Police Department. White patrol cars became traditional black and whites. Community safety officers became trained and professional police officers and dressed the part.

Arch Morgan was an integral part of that transformation into a professional police force. I have done several ride-alongs with Arch over the years--in both white cars and black and whites. He is a professional's professional and one of the most liked and respected members of the department.

Arch worked patrol for the first 5 years with the department. He also served as the department's Court Officer, field training officer, and on the department's Driving Under the Influence Team (DUIT). In 1980, he was promoted to sergeant. As a sergeant, Arch worked in Patrol, Patrol Support, Youth Services, Inspection & Planning, and the Special Enforcement Detail. For the past 11\1/2\ years, he has supervised the Field Training Office Program.

Prior to his law enforcement career, Arch was a Medical Corpsman for the U.S. Army National Guard. He earned his associate of arts with a Police Science major from Moorpark College.

Sergeant Archer Raymond Morgan, Jr., epitomizes the professionalism of the Police Department he has served for more than 3 decades and on which he has left a visible possible mark.

Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in thanking Arch Morgan for his dedication to the Simi Valley Police Department and the people it serves, and in wishing him well in a long and fruitful retirement.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2638--Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009:

Requesting Member: Representative Elton Gallegly, CA-24.

Bill: The Senate Amendment to H.R. 2638--Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009.

Account: Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation, Navy, Line 94, Electronic Warfare Development.

Legal name and address of receiving entity: NAWCWD Point Mugu at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, CA 93042.

Description of Request: This $1,600,000 would be for the development and construction of the Enhanced Electronic Warfare laboratory at NAWCWD Point Mugu. This laboratory upgrade at Point Mugu would directly support EA-18G, EA-6B, MH-60, and the E-2C platform development. In order to be effective in modern battle scenarios that contain multiple threats, the EW weapon system requires the exact location and type of all the threats in a 360 degree, or 4 quadrant, field of view. The lack of a four quadrant simulation capability does not allow for complete lab testing of modern EW weapons systems. Four quadrant lab testing results in cost savings and more accurate test results due to the repeatability of test data without having to repeat test flights.

Requesting Member: Representative Elton Gallegly, CA-24.

Bill: The Senate Amendment to H.R. 2638--Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009.

Account: Other Procurement, Navy, Line #91, Aviation Support Equipment, Weapons Range.

Legal name and address of receiving entity: Argon ST, located at 2810 Bunsen Avenue, Ventura, CA 93003.

Description of request: This $1.28 million increase to this account will be used to fabricate Advanced Ground Target Threat Simulators (AGTTS) that simulate current threats and to develop AGTTS that simulate new emerging threats that U.S. personnel and their weapon systems may have to face. The AGTTS program will provide the majority of the land-based simulators that U.S. forces will be able to use for weapons T&E and operator training. I am told that the funding will be used to design, analyze, develop, field and sustain the AGTTS.

Requesting Member: Representative Elton Gallegly, CA-24.

Bill: The Senate Amendment to H.R. 2638--Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009.

Account: Other Procurement, Army, Line 118, Communications and Electronics Equipment, Items under $5 million.

Legal name and address of receiving entity: ITT/EDO, 2193 Anchor Court, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320.

Description of request: This $1,600,000 would upgrade and replace GPS survey tools for Army topographic engineers. The current instruments face a growing parts obsolescence problem and are subject to GPS jamming. This would create as many as fifty jobs in Ventura County. I am told that approximately half of the funding would be used to update and integrate real-time kinematic algorithms and modify SAASM software; approximately 25% of the remaining funding would be used to test data collection software and a handheld controller; and the remaining funding would be used to complete and test the prototype system.

Requesting Member: Representative Elton Gallegly, CA-24.

Bill: The Senate Amendment to H.R. 2638--Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009.

Account: RDT&E, Navy, Line 70, PE# 0603795N, Land Attack Technology.

Legal name and address of receiving entity: MBDA, 5701 Lindero Canyon Road, Suite 4 100, Westlake Village, CA 91362.

Description of request: This increase in this account would allow the Navy to continue development of innovative missile solutions for an Affordable Weapons System (AWS), capable of operating from ships and with a potential Navy/USMC airborne launch capability. Phase I, under completion, will define detailed weapon system missions, system and subsystem requirements and capabilities, and system architecture to allow the Navy to begin Phase II and serve as a basis for subsequent development. The requested funding will transition AWS from Phase I to Phase II, selecting the best materiel approaches for subsystem development, testing and program risk reduction and create aerospace engineering jobs in Southern California. Specifically, $5.8 million of this increase will provide a technical design baseline; will identify expected service life, environmental limits, reliability, maintainability, and system operational tempo; will prescribe a test program for system certification; and a plan for weapon system integration on surface vessels and aircraft to meet Service requirements. Further breakout of funds as follows: $2.8M to MBDA, $1.7M to Subcontractors, $1.3M for Navy Management.

Requesting Member: Representative Elton Gallegly, CA-24.

Bill: The Senate Amendment to H.R. 2638--Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009.

Account: RDT&E, Defense-Wide, Line 95, PE# 604608D8Z, Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD).

Legal name and address of receiving entity: Malibu Research, 3760-A Calle Tecate, Camarillo, CA 93012.

Description of request: This $1,600,000 would create jobs in Ventura County that will help to further develop for deployment the Silent Guardian--Active Denial System, which provides an alternative to deadly force by generating a very focused and controllable millimeter wave energy that the skin absorbs, producing a heat sensation that rapidly becomes intolerable. The sensation stops immediately when subject steps out of the beam or it is turned off. This will be used for soldiers, who, Under Escalation Of Force (EOF) protocol, are supposed to perform actions to get the drivers of potentially threatening vehicles to stop. In today's operational environment, soldiers conducting security and peace enforcement operations along convoy routes and at checkpoints face the extreme circumstance of making instantaneous life and death decisions balancing the EOF and ROE. With this funding, I am told that approximately $500,000 will be used to develop high power waveguide lens and procure long lead items including transmitter; approximately $800,000 will be used to fabricate large diameter W band system prototype; and approximately $300,000 will be used to perform functional testing of W band prototype.

Madam Speaker, on Friday, September 12, 2008, a Metrolink commuter train collided with a freight train near Chatsworth, California. Most of the passengers were residents of my congressional district, on their way home from the Los Angeles area. Twenty-five people have been killed and many more critically injured. It was the deadliest train accident in this country in fifteen years.

It is also the second deadly crash on this commuter line in three years. This one however, was much worse. As gas prices have skyrocketed, Southern California commuters have increasingly turned to rail service. Among the dead and injured are law enforcement personnel, educators, civil servants, students, and others, who were doing their best to save time and money while avoiding some of the worst congestion in the country. As reports continue to come in regarding the cause of this tragedy, my neighbors in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Camarillo, Ventura, Santa Paula, and other communities in Ventura County now mourn for their loved ones.

I would like to express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragedy and offer comfort to those who are injured. I assure them we will do everything we can to determine the cause and to ensure that something like this never happens again.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Simi Valley Police Department Lieutenant William Sterling Johnson, who retired in July after 27 years of dedicated and exceptional service to the department and the city it serves.

Simi Valley, California, has been my home for more than 40 years. I served as City Councilman before being the city first elected Mayor. From my days as a city official to today, I have periodically accompanied officers on their rounds to keep myself familiarized with the challenges they face. It is a professional department, and Sterling Johnson epitomizes that professionalism.

As an officer, Sterling Johnson served as a field training officer and a member of the SWAT team, in addition to working three dogs as a K-9 handler. In addition, Sterling is a licensed paramedic and created the department's SWAT paramedic program.

Sterling and his first canine partner, Atlas, twice won the World Police & Fire Games, Police Service Dog Competition, in 1989 and 1991. In recognition of his professionalism and dedication, in 1994 his fellow officers selected him Officer of the Year.

As a sergeant, Sterling served as a patrol supervisor and SWAT team leader. Upon his promotion to lieutenant in 2003, Sterling worked as a patrol watch commander and was assigned to the Auxiliary Services Unit.

In addition to his law enforcement duties, Sterling has worked part time for American Medical Response, the city's 911 responder; taught advanced cardiac support and pediatric advanced life support at the UCLA Medical Center; and has been the CPR/First Aid instructor for the city and police department for more than 12 years. Sterling also served on the State of California Commission for Emergency Services from 1997- 2006.

In short, Lieutenant William Sterling Johnson has left a positive mark on the police department he served for nearly three decades.

Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in thanking Sterling Johnson for his dedication and professionalism with the Simi Valley Police Department and in wishing him well in a long and fruitful retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Simi Valley Police Department Lieutenant Gordon Weeks, who retires today after 31\1/2\ years of dedicated and exceptional service to the department and the city it serves.

Simi Valley, California, has been my home for more than 40 years. When I was first elected to the City Council, Simi Valley's public safety was entrusted to the Simi Valley Community Safety Agency. Officers rode in white cars and wore light blue uniform shirts. It was an intentionally low-key and, some might say, casual approach to law enforcement.

Not long after my election to the council, I became the city's first elected mayor. A young officer approached me with his concerns about the image and functions of the Community Safety Agency and his ideas for professionalizing it. Our discussions, some of which occurred as I rode the streets of the city with officer Weeks in his patrol car, led to action. Soon the Simi Valley Community Safety Agency became the Simi Valley Police Department. White patrol cars were transformed into traditional black and whites. Community safety officers became trained and professional police officers and dressed the part.

Gordon Weeks was a pivotal force in bringing about those changes. He acted on his sense of professionalism and thereby helped to modernize Simi Valley's police force.

Gordon's influence over the maturity of the department did not end there. He remained at the forefront of building a professional police department. He was a founding member of the department's SWAT team and, after he was promoted to lieutenant in 1997, Gordon served 4 years as the SWAT commander.

Gordon also trained new recruits as a field training officer and later oversaw that program and the firearms training program for 3\1/2\ years.

As a Driving Under the Influence Team member for less than 2 years, Gordon arrested approximately 400 drunken drivers. For 2\1/2\ years he solved property and violent crimes as a detective. He was a patrol sergeant for 8 years. He worked as a background investigator. He served as a patrol watch commander and patrol administrative lieutenant.

Always, Gordon Weeks served as a professional. And the Police Department Lieutenant Weeks leaves behind today has his mark on it, for the better. Our collaboration and my respect for his dedication and professionalism has led to a long and lasting friendship.

Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in thanking Lieutenant Gordon Weeks for more than three decades of dedication and professionalism to the Simi Valley Police Department and in wishing him well in a long and fruitful retirement. Godspeed, Gordy.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Alex Mistri, a former U.S. House of Representatives staffer who left the legislative branch to serve with honor and distinction as President Bush's Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs.

I have known many White House legislative liaisons in my 22 years as a U.S. Representative. Of all those who have served the four presidents I have worked with, Alex Mistri stands out as the most professional, dedicated and skilled.

Alex recently left the White House to work for the State Department at our embassy in Baghdad. He is joined there by his wife, Amy McKennis Mistri. I have no doubt Alex will be an asset to both our government and the Iraqi people.

Alex began his service as Special Assistant for Legislative Affairs to the President in February 2005. As one of the President's principal liaisons to the House, Alex's primary responsibility was to develop, coordinate and execute White House strategy on legislative issues. Alex specialized in issues related to national security, homeland security, international affairs and tax policy. As a senior member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Foreign Affairs, I developed a very strong and productive working relationship with Alex.

Part of Alex's effectiveness, no doubt, arose from his familiarity with congressional procedures. Prior to his service in the White House, Alex served as chief of staff for Congressman Bill Shuster. In that role, Alex was the congressman's chief political and legislative advisor with daily responsibility for the management of the office.

From the mid-'90s until taking his position as Congressman Shuster's chief of staff, Alex worked as legislative director to Congressman Robin Hayes, legislative assistant to Senator Lauch Faircloth, and press aide to Senator Alfonse D'Amato.

Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in thanking Alex for many years of laudable service to the House, Senate and administration, and in wishing him great success in Iraq.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Aviation Electronics Technician First Class (AT1) Kathleen A. Reilly USN, upon her selection as Navy Reserve Sailor of the Year for 2007.

In these halls, Kathleen Reilly is better known as a professional staff member for the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Kathleen has been the professional staffer on several committee CODELS on which I have participated. I have come to greatly respect and rely on her expertise, and have come to consider her a friend. Those of us who know her are not surprised Kathleen was chosen for this honor.

The Navy Reserve Sailor of the Year candidate is typified by sustained superior performance, proven leadership, a proven dedication to self improvement, outstanding professionalism and superior personal appearance. That sums up Kathleen pretty well.

Petty Officer Reilly is a native of Lexington, Massachusetts, and enlisted in the Navy on active duty in November 1988. She attended advanced electronics schools and reported to her first duty station as part of the Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two (VQ-2) at Rota, Spain. She was one of the first three women selected for airborne combat operations in support of Desert Shield/Storm. Her squadron's mission was to conduct airborne electronic reconnaissance to obtain information on areas and targets of naval and national interest. This tour gave Petty Officer Reilly her first experience with the ways our intelligence community supports our National Command Structure and she developed a reputation as someone who always gave the extra effort.

Following her tour in Spain, Petty Officer Reilly deployed onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and later the USS Nimitz. She was the first female Navy Tactical Operations Instructor in her squadron. Kathleen was also selected as the first female Special Intelligence and Radar Operator in a Patrol Squadron supporting the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Special Operations Command.

These highly classified missions provided intelligence instrumental to maintaining our National Security. Kathleen has continued to prove her leadership skills during her current tour as one of the senior enlisted responsible for the safe load out and operations of cargo aircraft.

On the Intelligence Committee, Kathleen is responsible for overseeing budgets, programs, legislation and preparing funding for members assigned to the Intelligence Committee. Kathleen has been the monitor of the Military Intelligence Program and other intelligence community programs. Her military experience allows her to understand the dual nature of the nation's intelligence apparatus supporting military operations and policy decisions. Her oversight has been instrumental in providing the information necessary to establish, terminate and in some cases preserve military intelligence community programs vital to a balanced portfolio of intelligence capability.

Kathleen has earned numerous military awards, including two Air Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievements, Enlisted Air Warfare Wings and, as a result of her selection as the Navy Reserve Sailor of the Year, is being meritoriously advanced to Chief Petty Officer. Mr. Speaker, we in the Congress are fortunate to have someone with Kathleen's abilities and professionalism as part of our professional staff. I know my colleagues join me in congratulating Chief Petty Officer Kathleen A. Reilly on her achievements and in thanking her for extraordinary service to her country.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1266, a resolution I introduced that congratulates Albania and Croatia for the decision by NATO to invite these two countries to become full members of the alliance.

On April 3rd of this year, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at its summit meeting in Bucharest invited Albania and Croatia to begin accession talks to join the organization. This decision was in recognition of wide-ranging political, economic and military reforms undertaken by these two aspiring members.

Both Albania and Croatia have made significant progress in establishing civilian control in their armed forces and ensuring those forces are closely integrated with the militaries of NATO members. Both have made substantial progress in holding free and fair elections, establishing democratic institutions and building their free market economies.

Regarding Albania, I want to single out the assistance of their military in three areas of operation: Albania's participation in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Bosnia; its contribution of 140 men to the NATO operations in Afghanistan; and the participation of Albanian Special Forces as part of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.

With respect to Croatia, it has been and continues to be a significant contributor to peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Kosovo. In Afghanistan, Croatia has been a supporter of the NATO-led mission and in the past year has sharply increased their military forces in that country. In addition, Croatia has strongly backed international efforts in the areas of nonproliferation and the fight against illegal trafficking of weapons, drugs and persons.

I have traveled to Croatia on numerous occasions and can attest to the fact that the Croatians and Americans enjoy a close friendship based on common interests and common values. Today we enjoy the closest bilateral relationship with Croatia since the country achieved its independence in 1992.

Madam Speaker, Albania and Croatia are two strong allies that have shown that they are ready, willing and able to become full members of NATO. I urge the passage of H. Res. 1266, and also urge the Senate to move quickly to ratify amendments to the NATO treaty that would allow these two nations to join our most important international alliance.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6633, the E-Verify Amendment Act. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that can be used to verify the employment eligibility of newly hired employees. It does so by checking the worker's Social Security number and citizenship status against the Social Security database. For non- citizens, it also checks work authorization status against a separate Department of Homeland Security database.

E-Verify, formerly known as Basic Pilot, was one of the recommendations to come out of the 1995 Task Force on Immigration Reform, which I chaired.

While I support this legislation, I also firmly believe E-Verify participation should be mandatory for all employers throughout the country. We know that most illegal immigrants come to this country looking for work. If they are unable to find and hold jobs, most will go home on their own. Even more important, when they learn that finding jobs in the United States is more difficult, other illegal workers will be less likely to come to this country in the first place.

E-Verify is currently used by more than 75,000 employers. Almost everyone authorized to work in the United States is immediately verified by the system. Only about one-half of 1 percent of employees queried who are actually eligible to work in the United States receive a ``tentative non-confirmation.'' But this system gives them the opportunity to correct their information and ensure their tax and Social Security records are accurate.

Mr. Speaker, E-Verify works. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.