Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the outstanding service that Calleguas Municipal Water District has provided to a vast majority of my constituents in Ventura County, California, for the past 50 years.

Calleguas' mission ``is to provide its service area with a reliable and adequate supply of quality supplemental water through the acquisition and distribution of both regional and locally developed water in an environmentally and economically responsible manner.'' It has been doing so since voters created the district in 1953.

As the county grew, so did Calleguas. The population of the district's service area boomed from 138,000 in 1964 to an estimated 520,000 in 1996, and annual deliveries increased from 9,000 acre feet to in excess of 95,000 acre feet over the same period.

In 1960, Calleguas joined with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to import water from the State Water Project. It supplies all or some of the water to about 75 percent of Ventura County's population, including residences and businesses in the cities of Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Moorpark, Oxnard, and Port Hueneme, through 20 local agencies and private customers.

This is a challenge under the best of conditions. But with a severe drought lingering over the area for 10 years and earthquakes wreaking havoc on infrastructure, it has been a gargantuan task.

Calleguas has risen to the challenge. It is in the process of developing a storage capacity of up to 300,000 acre-feet of potable water in the Lower Aquifer System of the Las Posas Groundwater Basin. This is in addition to the 12 reservoirs and 10,000 acre-feet lake it already maintains and operates.

It is reclaiming 14,000 acre feet per year of highly treated wastewater effluent from the Conejo Creek for agricultural irrigation, one of its many programs to treat, reuse, store, and conserve water.

At the same time, Calleguas has proven to be an exceptional environmental steward. It has assumed a leadership role in the development of the Calleguas Creek Watershed Management Plan, a public- private alliance formed to develop an integrated strategy for the protection and enhancement of the watershed and its resources. Mr. Speaker, Congress is a partner in this effort, as well.

Water is the lifeblood of any community. Calleguas has done an exceptional job of protecting this precious resource and enhancing its delivery, treatment, and storage.

I know, Mr. Speaker, that my colleagues will join me in congratulating Calleguas Municipal Water District for 50 years of outstanding service, and thank Calleguas for its efforts to provide a stable water supply for the residents and businesses of Ventura County, California.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, October 20, I was unable to vote on H. Res. 356, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the man-made famine that occurred in the Ukraine in 1932-33 (rollcall 563); H. Res. 400, honoring the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's ascension to the papacy (rollcall 564); and H.R. 3288, to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to make technical corrections with respect to the definition of qualifying State (rollcall 565). Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on all three measures.

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, October 21, I was unable to vote on H. Res. 407, the Rule to provide for consideration of H.J. Res. 73 (rollcall vote 566). Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' I was also

unable to vote on an Obey motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 3289 (rollcall 567). Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Further, I was unable to vote on final passage of H.J. Res. 73, making further continuing appropriations for FY04 (rollcall 568). Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the parents, students, faculty and staff whose dedication to excellence has earned Poinsettia School in Ventura, California, recognition as a National Blue Ribbon school.

The National Blue Ribbon award honors excellence in leadership, teaching, curriculum, student achievement and parental involvement. Poinsettia School and two other schools in my district--Brookside School in Oak Park and Pinecrest School in Thousand Oaks--were recognized this year for being among the top 10 percent of schools in California in terms of student achievement.

Mr. Speaker, Poinsettia School is an elementary school and is a model for the limitless educational potential when parents are involved in their children's education. More than 75 percent of the parents volunteer at the school. A new computer lab was funded by parental donations. Parental donations also pay for what is often considered ``extras'' at schools these days: a librarian, and music, art and physical education instructors.

Poinsettia parents recognize what President George W. Bush said about the importance of a full education: ``From music and dance to painting and sculpting, the arts allow us to explore new worlds and to view life from another perspective. They also encourage individuals to sharpen their skills and abilities and to nurture their imagination and intellect.''

Of course, when teachers and administrators see parents energized about their children's education, it energizes them as well.

I am a product of the public school system, and I put my four children through Ventura County's public schools. One of my children is now a public school teacher. I am acutely aware that the most important tool we can give our children is a good education. Our students are the elected officials, businessmen, artists, scientists, parents and teachers of tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, as our nation works in concert to better our education system, it would serve us well to study the successes of our National Blue Ribbon schools. They are the best of the best and a key to our future. I know my colleagues will join me in applauding Poinsettia Principal Cynthia Dillon, her entire staff, and the parents and students of Poinsettia for raising the bar and setting a strong example for others to follow.

Mr. Speaker, rise to recognize the parents, students, faculty and staff whose dedication to excellence has earned Brookside School in Oak Park, California, recognition as a National Blue Ribbon school.

The National Blue Ribbon award honors excellence in leadership, teaching, curriculum, student achievement and parental involvement. Brookside School and two other schools in my district--Poinsettia School in Ventura and Pinecrest School in Thousand Oaks--were recognized this year for being among the top 10 percent of schools in California in terms of student achievement.

Mr. Speaker, Brookside School is an elementary school whose teachers and administrators teach according to each child's ability. Principal Esther Winkelman and her staff recognize that a child who is strong in arithmetic may need extra help with reading. They teach according to those needs by grouping students of equal strengths in various subjects. Then, every six weeks the students are regrouped to keep them challenged.

Brookside also believes that teacher training is essential to a strong educational environment. And, Principal Winkelman has developed a culture where veteran teachers help novices increase their skills.

Mr. Speaker, I am a product of the public school system, and I put my four children through Ventura County's public schools. One of my children is now a public school teacher. I am acutely aware that the most important tool we can give our children is a good education. As ancient philosopher Epictetus noted, ``Only the educated are free.'' Our students are the elected officials, businessmen, artists, scientists, parents and teachers of tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, as our nation works in concert to better our education system, it would serve us well to study the successes of our National Blue Ribbon schools. They are the best of the best and a key to our future. I know my colleagues will join me in applauding Principal Winkelman, her entire staff, and the parents and students of Brookside for raising the bar and setting a strong example for others to follow.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the parents, students, faculty and staff whose dedication to excellence has earned Pinecrest School in Thousand Oaks, California, recognition as a National Blue Ribbon school.

The National Blue Ribbon award honors excellence in leadership, teaching, curriculum, student achievement and parental involvement. Pinecrest School and two other schools in my district--Poinsettia School in Ventura and Brookside School in Oak Park--were recognized this year for being among the top 10 percent of schools in California in terms of student achievement.

Mr. Speaker, Pinecrest School is a private school that teaches preschool through middle school students. Its mission is ``to provide a rich educational experience for the whole

child'' through academic basics and personal responsibility.

Led by Principal Jean Narbonne, the teachers and staff instill in each child the belief that they can be successful. They insist that every child realize his or her greatest potential. They also require parental involvement in their child's studies.

Mr. Speaker, as a father and grandfather--one of my children is now a schoolteacher--I am acutely aware that the most important tool we can give our children is a good education. As ancient philosopher Epictetus noted, ``Only the educated are free.'' Our students are the elected officials, businessmen, artists, scientists, parents and teachers of tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, as our nation works in concert to better our education system, it would serve us well to study the successes of our National Blue Ribbon schools. They are the best of the best and a key to our future. I know my colleagues will join me in applauding Principal Narbonne, her entire staff, and the parents and students of Pinecrest for raising the bar and setting a strong example for others to follow.

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, September 10, I was unable to vote on the Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R.

1588, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY04 (rollcall vote 500). Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Additionally, I was unable to vote on Motions to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 1308, the Tax Relief, Simplification and Equity Act (rollcall vote 501) and on H.R. 1, the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act (rollcall vote 502). Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on each motion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Bert Boeckmann, a close friend, who is being honored tonight for his many years of service to the Los Angeles Police Department and a lifetime of service to the community.

Bert Boeckmann proved his business acumen at an early age. He began selling automobiles at Galpin Ford in 1953 and by age 26 was general manager of the company. As vice president in 1960, he began purchasing company stock. Four years later he became president and majority stockholder. By 1968, the buyout was complete. Galpin Motors now employs more than 835 people and includes not only Ford, but also Saturn, Jaguar, Mazda and Volvo dealerships.

Bert also owns, partners or serves as board chairman in a slew of other companies spanning the spectrum from real estate development, to ranching, to mining to communications.

As anyone who has had dealings with one of Bert's companies can tell you, he has built his success on a recipe of moral character and ethical standards that are rewarded at every level. It works. For 30 of the past 34 years, he has been the Number One profitmaker for Ford Motor Company. For the past 11 years, he has ranked Number One nationally in Ford retail car and truck sales. About 87 percent of Galpin's sales are to customers who are either repeat customers, referrals from customers, or heard about the Galpin reputation.

Bert has given equal energy to bettering his community. He set a precedent by being appointed as a Los Angeles Police Department commissioner by three consecutive mayors. In addition to his Police Department service, which spans three decades, he served as a State of California New Motor Vehicle Board director, on the Mayor's Select Blue Ribbon Committee on Budget & Finance, and is president of the Municipal Improvement Corporation of L.A. He donated a major collection of 80,000 volumes of Spanish language books to the University of Southern California, including the complete history of Central and South America, and created an annual endowment to catalog and maintain the collection.

He has served on the executive board of the Boy Scouts of America since 1965, as a director of the San Fernando Valley Business and Professional Association since 1972, and supported Chambers of Commerces, universities and high schools, and many, many more civic, educational, church and business organizations.

Not surprisingly, Bert Boeckmann has won numerous prestigious awards for his business acumen and community service. To highlight only a few: the Jack Webb Award presented by the Los Angeles Police Department Historical Society, the Albert Schweitzer Award from the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Foundation, and the Presidential Citation for Private Sector Initiatives, presented by President Reagan and Vice President Bush at a special Rose Garden Ceremony.

Mr. Speaker, Bert Boeckmann's life and success proves that ethical and moral capitalism is not only good business, but benefits everyone in the community. I know my colleagues will join me in paying tribute to Bert Boeckmann and thank him for a lifetime of service.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, July 18, 2003, I was unable to vote on the amendments to and final passage of H.R. 2754, the FY04 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act. Had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on the Andrews amendment (rollcall 391); ``no'' on the Udall amendment (rollcall 392); ``no'' on the Hefley amendment (rollcall 393); ``no'' on the motion to recommit (rollcall 394); ``yea'' on final passage of H.R. 2754, the FY04 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act (rollcall 395). Additionally, I was unable to vote on the Bell motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 1308, the All-American Tax Relief Act of 2003 (rollcall 396); I would have voted ``nay''; and would have voted ``aye'' on the Motion to Table H. Res. 324, a Resolution Raising a Question of the Privileges of the House.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to the interior appropriations bill. My amendment prohibits the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service from using funding for the purposes of allowing bear baiting on Federal lands.

I think it is important to mention that my amendment does not increase funding in this appropriations bill. Baiting is an unpopular and increasingly discredited method of bear hunting. States that have banned bear baiting have not experienced any wildlife management problems stemming from the prohibitions. Actually, bear hunting participation has increased after States adopted baiting bans.

Baiting is a practice unpopular with Americans, including hunters, largely because it runs against the norm of fairness and sportsmanship and against the widely recognized wildlife management principle that it is dangerous to make human foods available to bears. Most people believe it is unfair, unsportsmanlike to lure a bear with food and then shoot the animal while he or she is gorging on food.

The four major land management agencies have endorsed the ``Leave No Trace'' public awareness campaign which warns that people should never feed wild animals. The campaign materials say feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers. In this same publication, Federal agencies address waste disposal in the woods, saying: ``Pack out all trash and garbage, including leftover food.'' Specifically, the National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service ban baiting, and my amendment would ensure the same no-feeding standards apply to other Federal lands by precluding the use of funds to encourage the practice of baiting.

Allowing bear baiting is inconsistent with these declarations. It just makes no sense to think that providing food to bears is wrong except if feeding is associated with hunting. If it is wrong to set out food to lure bears for picture-taking or just to watch the bears, surely it is also wrong to lure bears with jelly donuts and rotting animal carcasses for the purpose of shooting them.

I ask my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran), and I ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control that time.

Mr. Chairman, in response to the comments of the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) about the bill being withdrawn on Tuesday, basically we had 1-day notice, and there were several Members that wanted to be there and could not.

In fact, the chairman had, at the beginning of the markup, acknowledged that he was withdrawing several bills that day because Members were not present to vote for the bills. That one was not on his list of bills to be withdrawn that day.

And so I ask that that be added to for the record.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Chairman, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have serious national security concerns regarding the issuance of consular cards. The FBI concluded the matricula consular is not a reliable form of identification due to the nonexistence of any means to verify the true identity of the card holder. The FBI also testified that, although there are many generations of the Mexican consular card, 90 percent of those in circulation are the older generation, which are very vulnerable to counterfeit and forgery.

The truth is that Poland, Mexico, Nicaragua, and other countries that are trying to expand their consular ID programs in the United States are doing so in an effort to allow illegal immigrants to receive services to which they are not entitled. One service is the ability to use such cards to board commercial airplanes. Mr. Chairman, this is a dramatic step backwards toward the type of security we had before 9/11.

In addition, the six countries currently expanding the consular card programs could easily be 60 in the next few years.

I strongly urge my colleagues to advocate that the United States Federal Government, through the Department of State, regulate the issuance of those cards.

Mr. Speaker, on June 12, 2003, I was unable to vote on the Motion to Instruct Conferees on the Tax Relief, Simplification, and Equity Act (H.R. 1308). Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' (rollcall 275).

Mr. Speaker, on June 11, 2003, I was unable to vote on the motion for the previous question on the rule for H.R. 2115. Had I been present, I would have voted yes (rollcall 257). I was also unable to vote on the rule for H.R. 2115. Had I been able to vote, I would have voted yes (rollcall 258). Finally, I was unable to vote on H. Con. Res. 110, recognizing the sequencing of the human genome. Had I been able to vote, I would have voted yes (rollcall 259).

Mr. Speaker, on June 9, 2003, I was unable to vote on H.R. 1610, Walt Disney Post Office Building Redesignation Act (rollcall vote 249), H. Con. Res. 162, Honoring the City of Dayton, Ohio (rollcall vote 250), and S. 763, Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse Designation Act (rollcall vote 251). Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on all three measures.

Mr. Speaker, on May 19, 2003, I was unable to vote on H. Con. Res 166, Expressing the Sense of Congress in Support of Buckle Up America Week (rollcall vote 192), H.R. 1018, James L. Watson United States Court of International Trade Building (rollcall 193), and H. Con. Res. 147,

Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Orphan Drug Act and the National Organization for Rare Disorders (rollcall vote 194). Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on all three measures.