Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, the word of the day is squander, defined broadly as the majority party having the votes to pass solutions that fit what America needs and wants, but instead moves forward with an approach to appease an angry faction of their party, and in doing so advances nothing but its own political shortsightedness while making a mockery out of public policy. Squander.

In the House, we have had political theater of a piecemeal approach, where parks and cures for life-threatening diseases are used as rhetorical props. But this approach has done nothing to address the real danger to our national security and how this shutdown hinders our ability to keep Americans safe from terrorists.

The government shutdown has furloughed 70 percent of the intelligence community, 70 percent of the civilians in the intelligence community. The Director of National Intelligence called the government shutdown a, quote, ``dreamland,'' unquote, for enemies that want to steal our Nation's secrets, and said it ``seriously damages our ability to protect the security and safety of this Nation and its citizens.'' And with each passing day, he thinks the damage becomes more insidious.

Well, here we are talking about parks, talking about our venerable veterans. We haven't said a word, really, about our intelligence community. We have basically, and I say this to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, you have put out the welcome mat for every terrorist around this world to know that right now we are vulnerable.

Maybe it was a clever concept behind closed doors several weeks ago. Delay the individual mandate of the Affordable Health Care Act for 1 year in trade for the House GOP approval of a government funding bill. Ignore the fact that the Affordable Care Act is law, and that attempts to repeal it over 50 times have failed. Ignore the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled it is constitutional. Ignore the fact that 72 percent of the American people do not want to have the government shut down over the Affordable Care Act.

Ignore John McCain, who said ObamaCare will not be repealed, and it is irrational to think so. Ignore the fact that on the same day that my friends on the other side of the aisle were patting themselves on the back for shutting down the government, the health care marketplaces around this country were overloaded. More than 10 million people were on that Web site and calling that telephone number because they want health insurance.

My friends, to ignore is to be ignorant in this case. But take note: the real pain has started with the shuttering of many government services, the furloughing of 800,000 workers, and the real threat that people who depend on partial government assistance will get nothing.

My colleagues, we are squandering this moment to lead. Those on the other side of the aisle that are the majority are squandering their majority and replacing their principled views of government with fruitless extremist objectives.

Mr. Speaker, the last time I looked, Senator Cruz was not a Member of the House of Representatives. But somehow it appears that he is running the show over here.

The shutdown is keeping people from seeing their families. In San Francisco, Dave Donohue planned to take his wife and his 11-day-old child to meet the grandmother in Mexico. Baby Milo doesn't have a passport. And the passport office is closed. So they are going to have to forego that trip.

Danny Aiello, a retired beat cop from Philadelphia, brought to Washington, D.C., by his daughter and son-in-law because he had just lost his wife to cancer, was here to see the Washington monuments, except now he is seeing them all from the outside. Never going to go in to see the Air and Space Museum.

What do we tell Victoria Thomas, 26, who has a 4-year-old daughter, who cannot find child care now because there have been nine Head Start programs that have been closed? ``I can't afford child care with my limited resources,'' she said, as a single mom who is studying for a master's degree in business, and she worries that her daughter will fall behind. ``She is learning so much,'' she says. ``The program is preparing her for kindergarten next year.''

Mr. Speaker, the word is squander, and it's time for us to reopen the government.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Mr. Bachus and Ms. Jackson Lee be removed as cosponsors of H.R. 2914.

Mr. Speaker, in my district, California 14, we have about 4,000 families who are on food stamps. But some of my colleagues have thousands and thousands more; yet they somehow feel like crusaders and heroes when they vote to cut food stamps.

Some of these same Members travel to foreign countries under the guise of official business. They dine at lavish restaurants, eating steak, vodka, and even caviar. They receive money to do this. That's right. They don't pay out of pocket for these meals. Let me give you a few examples.

One Member was given $127.41 a day for food on his trip to Argentina. He probably had a fair amount of steak. Another Member was given $3,588 for food and lodging during a 6-day trip to Russia. He probably drank a fair amount of vodka and probably even had some caviar. That particular Member has 21,000 food stamp recipients in his district. One of those people who is on food stamps could live a year on what this Congressman spent on food and lodging for 6 days.

Another 20 Members made a trip to Dublin, Ireland. They got $166 a day for food. These Members didn't pay a dime. They received $50, $100, almost $200 for a single meal only for themselves. Yet for them, the idea of helping fellow Americans spend less than $5 a day makes their skin crawl. The faces of families of veterans, of farmers, of the disabled, of the working poor are not visible to them, not even when they are their own constituents.

Last week, a man named Ron Shaich wrote in an article on his LinkedIn page about food stamps. Ron is the founder, chairman and CEO of Panera Bread. In his article, Ron admitted that, despite wanting to fight poverty and hunger in America, he really didn't know what it was like to be truly hungry. So this week, Ron is taking the SNAP Challenge. The millionaire food mogul is living on $4.50 a day.

I've taken the SNAP Challenge in the past, and I can tell you it is a horrible experience. You think about food constantly. You are always hungry. But those on food stamps live on $4.50 every day, not for one week, for long into their future. That is soul crushing.

Historically, food stamps have been part of the farm bill. It's that same bill that 26 corporate farmers--who remain nameless--get $1 million each in subsidies meant for real farmers. The taxpayers are giving $7 billion per year to large agribusiness; yet Republicans feel SNAP programs cost us too much money. They want to cut it.

Mr. Speaker, I can stand here and say that my point is about saving food stamps from cuts--that's true. But my larger point is about us as a country, as a society, as neighbors. I'm a Member of the least productive Congress in the history of this country; I'm ashamed of that. To be honest, if the Federal Government shut down for a couple of weeks, as we keep hearing, would Americans even notice? When a government of the people or for the people becomes a government in spite of the people, then who are we really serving? If we refuse to take care of those who are the most vulnerable at a tiny fraction of the cost of, say, our defense budget, don't we cease to be true public servants?

Ron Shaich is putting himself in the worn-out shoes of 48 million fellow Americans. I'm ready to do the same again. I wonder how many of my Republican colleagues would want to cut food stamps if they had taken the SNAP Challenge. After all, that means no more steak, no more caviar or vodka. Based on these Members' eating habits, I wonder if they could survive.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the remarkable Sharon Williams, the long-time director of Menlo Park-based JobTrain. Sharon is retiring after forty years of instilling optimism in each JobTrain client and building life skills amongst an entire community. I have watched with amazement over these many years as Sharon has guided the JobTrain organization.

Sharon earned her BA in English from the University of the Pacific in 1965 and her teaching credential from San Francisco State University in 1968. She joined JobTrain in 1973 as a GED teacher. She became Director of Development in 1978 and a short time later took over as Executive Director. Conducting job training classes and connecting people with jobs was very difficult in the late 1970s. Sharon guided JobTrain and its clients through difficult financial times and built a stunningly successful career and job education center.

With Sharon's outstanding leadership, JobTrain has offered cutting- edge and traditional job training, everything from solar panel installation classes to computer repair to culinary arts to laboratory technician training for biotechnology facilities. Knowing that life skills are a large component of the training done by JobTrain, Sharon and her staff insist that clients learn how to show up on time to work, become team members in the modern work environment, and learn how to balance work and the demands of a family.

Mr. Speaker and Members, Sharon Williams has infused JobTrain with the same ``can do'' attitude that she insists from her clients. I've visited JobTrain on several occasions, most recently in the last few months.

It's a very busy place. JobTrain helps 8,000 persons per year, and 600 of them receive full-time vocational training. At least 85 percent of those who enroll complete their training. 75 percent of those persons are placed in jobs, and 12 months after placement, 84 percent are still working. JobTrain's success is spelled out in these numbers. Sharon's contributions to the Peninsula are not limited to

JobTrain. She currently serves on numerous boards, including the Center for Excellence in Nonprofits, and East Palo Alto Digital Village. She has also previously served on the boards of the East Palo Alto Senior Center, the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula, Leadership Mid- Peninsula, and the San Mateo County Workforce Investment Board.

After forty years at the helm of JobTrain, it is time for Sharon Williams to bid her beloved nonprofit goodbye and to head off in new directions. The only thing missing from JobTrain's smorgasbord of classes at the moment is a class on how to make eyeglasses. That's not surprising. Sharon sees quite clearly the need for human dignity through productive work. Why would she believe that anyone else in the community needs glasses when her own sight is both perfect and prescient? Let us give Sharon the highest compliment that any employer can offer an employee. Let us say, ``Job well done.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Clark E. Guinan, better known as Gus, who is retiring after a remarkable legal and public service career that spanned over three decades. Gus was the City Attorney of the City of Burlingame for the last four years. His devotion to justice and the Bay Area are reflected in his work and passion for life.

Gus, a native San Franciscan and third generation Californian, was raised in Los Altos. He enrolled in the seminary in Menlo Park at the young age of 13 and studied there through high school and college until he was 24 years old. He received his B.A. in Philosophy from St. Patrick's College.

After eleven years in the seminary, Gus realized that he had a different calling. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather who was his hero and a prominent attorney in the California Attorney General's office. Gus started law school and earned his J.D. from the University of Santa Clara.

Upon earning his degree, Gus became a deputy public defender in San Joaquin County from 1974-1984. Then he accepted the position of Senior Assistant City Attorney in Palo Alto where he served for five years.

In 1989, he faced a difficult decision. He and his wife Signe Harnett had adopted infant twin girls. They still lived in Stockton and the daily commute to Palo Alto would prevent Gus from seeing his two babies grow up. He left public service and became a litigation attorney with the law offices of Rishwain, Kakim and Ellis in Stockton from 1989- 1991. Gus' love for San Francisco drew the family back to the Bay Area and in 1991 they moved to Berkeley and he joined the law office of Barry Balamuth in Orinda.

In 1993, Gus returned to public service and accepted the position of Assistant City Attorney for the City of San Rafael where he stayed until 2008 when he was appointed to his most recent position of City Attorney of Burlingame.

Gus is a member of the Public Law Section of the California State Bar Association, the Bay Area City Attorneys Association, the Mann Public Agency Attorneys and an alternate board member of the California Joint Powers Risk Management Authority. In the past, he served as a delegate at the State Bar Convention in Sacramento, as a section editor of the Municipal Law Handbook of the League of California Cities and as a member of the board of governors of the San Joaquin County Bar Association. Gus has also lectured at the Delta Community College in Stockton and in the ``Bridging the Gap'' program. Last but not least, he has been a proud member of the San Rafael Elks Club since 2006.

In his well deserved retirement, Gus is looking forward to spending more time with his wife of 25 years, their now 24-year-old twin daughters Kate and Lindsey and their stepson Chris. He will finally have more time to lose himself in his passion for California history, hiking, travel, photography, reading and swimming.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representative to rise with me to honor Clark E. Guinan, a man with a brilliant legal mind and a big heart who has protected the rights and safety of the residents of Burlingame and other Bay Area communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Stephen S. Pearce, the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Senior Rabbi, who is retiring after serving Congregation Emanu-El for 20 years. Rabbi Pearce's inexhaustible empathy and commitment to others has touched and inspired thousands of people across this country. It is for good reason that Newsweek has recognized him as one of the 50 most influential rabbis in the U.S. on three successive occasions.

One of the issues Dr. Pearce is determined to solve is hunger in the Bay Area. He recently received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at the University of San Francisco for challenging the Emanu-El congregation and the community to address this pressing topic by reflecting on how faith is translated into action. Dr. Pearce took on hunger soon after he joined Emanu-El in July 1993. In September 1994, he initiated the High Holy Day food drive benefitting the San Francisco Food Bank. In April 1995, the Pe'ah Garden started raising vegetables for the Food Bank, Hamilton Family Center, Dream House and Raphael House. In February 2013, the Emanu-El Food Pantry on Geary Boulevard opened. In April 2004, he began a partnership with Dr. William Cobb elementary school to improve literacy and later expanded it to a food pantry. As you can see, once Dr. Pearce takes on an issue, his commitment is lasting.

He also joined and won a drawn-out fight in 1997 to preserve one of the last remaining old-growth redwood groves in California. He organized an interfaith task force to help save the Headwaters Forest in Humboldt from chain saws. The effort won him the nick name ``Redwood Rabbi.''

Under Rabbi Pearce's long and distinguished leadership, congregation Emanu-El established a preschool and an adult education center, held fundraising concerts for victims of Hurricane Katrina, and for the work of American Jewish World Service in Darfur, helped young adults transition out of foster care, participated in the Pride Parade, launched a pulpit exchange with the Muslim community, and was involved in countless other projects.

Stephen Pearce was born in Manhattan in 1946 and grew up in Brooklyn. He graduated with a BA in Psychology from City College of New York in 1967 and was ordained at the New York School of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1972. He earned his PhD in Counselor Psychology at St. John's University in 1978 and was awarded an honorary DD by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1997.

Before Rabbi Pearce joined Congregation Emanu-El, he served at Temple Sinai of Stamford, Connecticut for 16 years and Temple Isaiah of Forest Hills, New York for five years. He was a faculty member at the Rabbinic School of the Hebrew Union College for 20 years and has also taught at the University of Connecticut, St. John's University and the University of San Francisco.

He is a board member of Palo Alto University and an advisory board member of the Taube Foundation for Jewish Life and Culture. He formerly served on the board of the Graduate Theological Union and is a past president of the Northern California Board of Rabbis.

Rabbi Pearce is a renowned lecturer and has written a tremendous number of articles and poems for publications such as the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Jewish Spectator. He is the author of Too Short and Sweetness of Honey, two children's books, a psychology textbook, and the coauthor of Building Wisdom's House. He is the former editor of the Journal of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, wrote a column for the Jewish News Weekly of Northern California and produced a weekly radio show for KUSF.

His tireless engagement inside and outside his congregational duties has earned him universal admiration, utmost respect and many awards, including the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association's Silver Spur Award for interfaith community dialogue and engagement; the national Jefferson Award for inspiring worshippers to fight hunger; the San Francisco Food Bank Community Partner Award for inspiring member of Congregation Emanu-El to donate over 90,000 pounds of food in the last two decades; and the San Francisco Interfaith Council's recognition for encouraging green sustainability at the temple.

Rabbi Pearce has been married to his wife Dr. Laurie Pearce for 36 years and they have two children, Sarah and Michael Pearce.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor an exceptional human being, someone I admire greatly. His influence will forever be felt in San Francisco, the Bay Area and across the country. Rabbi Pearce has shaped his congregation and created a haven for collaborative worship, life-long education, social welfare and cultural offerings. He is retiring, but Rabbi Pearce is the type of leader who never truly retires. We wish him well in his next adventure in life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Fire Chief Don Dornell, who is retiring after nearly four decades of service to the people of Burlingame and San Mateo County. His dedication to public service is a credit to his community and to his character as a leader.

Don Dornell is a Peninsula native, born in San Francisco in 1951 and raised in Millbrae as the second of five children, and one of a pair of twins. He attended Capuchino High School in San Bruno, then earned his associate degree in Political Science at the College of San Mateo in 1971.

It was then that Chief Dornell's career in public service began. He served in the Army National Guard for six years, until 1977. During that time, Chief Dornell trained as a plumber, and he began working for the San Carlos Parks Department. But from his first day, he knew that the Parks Department was not for him--his real goal was serving as a firefighter.

After a brief stint in Piedmont, Chief Dornell was hired as a firefighter for the City of Burlingame in March 1977, a community he has served diligently ever since. He has risen swiftly through the ranks, earning a promotion to Fire Captain in 1985, and serving as the B-Shift Training Officer from 1985 to 1997 and codirector of the San Mateo County Fire Recruit Academy from 1996 to 1997. In January 1997, he became Assistant Chief, and he took over responsibility for training and overseeing line personnel.

More recently, Chief Dornell has worked tirelessly to ensure successful transitions as local agencies consolidate fire protection to strengthen the cohesiveness of service and promote administrative efficiency. When the

City of Burlingame and the Town of Hillsborough merged fire services in 2004, becoming the Central County Fire Department, he became the first Deputy Fire Chief of the new agency. This is a role he has embraced, as he became the agency's second Fire Chief in December 2006. Last year he took over responsibility for fire departments in Millbrae and San Bruno as well.

Chief Dornell's service to the community has taken other forms as well. He is a longstanding Fire Technology Instructor at College of San Mateo, administrator of the San Mateo County Fire Recruit Academy from 1997 to 2006, and a Member of the San Mateo County Fire Chiefs Association, where he serves as liaison to a number of adjunct groups. Chief Dornell is also the first inaugural chairman of the Burlingame Adopt-a-Unit program, which since 2004 has supported hundreds of US soldiers through their deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

In his retirement, Chief Dornell will be relocating to Calaveras County to enjoy hiking and outdoors activities in the Central Sierra, to continue work on the home he has been rebuilding, and to spend some time travelling around the country with his wife Debra. He will also continue his work as a volunteer for the Calaveras County Sheriffs Search and Rescue Team.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in congratulating Fire Chief Don Dornell on a remarkable career. His contributions to our community are an example of the best in public service, and his leadership and dedication will be missed. We wish him the best in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 30th anniversary of the City of East Palo

Alto. I am proud to represent the 28,000 residents of this city in the 14th Congressional District of California. The small community, which has a land area of only 2.5 square miles, was incorporated on July 1, 1983 and became the 20th city of San Mateo County. Voters elected the first city council of Barbara Mouton--the first mayor--Gertrude Wilks, Frank Omowale Satterwhite, Ruben Abrica--the current mayor--and James Blakely, Jr.

I remember the days when the creation of the city was quite uncertain. I was on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors at the time and supported incorporation. We had events in East Palo Alto to educate the public in advance of the vote. We had rallies and voter registration drives. The election's outcome is testament to the work of hundreds who went into their neighborhoods to explain why creating a city would help the residents of East Palo Alto to improve their lives.

East Palo Alto has made great progress in the three decades since its residents choose to create their own path to a better future. The town has many wonderful institutions such as its improving schools, social service agencies, churches, and an outstanding public medical clinic, the Ravenswood Family Health Center. Residents are very engaged in street improvement, school safety and beautification projects. The wisdom of residents, local officials, and law enforcement helped the city overcome a spike in crime in the 1980s and 90s.

What has not changed in the past 30 years is the fact that people are attracted to the area because of its centralized location, its proximity to San Francisco Bay, its desirable weather and its family- centered churches and schools.

For centuries, the original inhabitants were Ohlone Native Americans who lived along the coast from San Francisco to Monterey Bay. In 1849, when the town was founded as Ravenswood, Isaiah Woods tried to make it a major shipping town. In 1868 he sold his operation to Lester Cooley who built a brick factory. After the brick factory, the city became a farming community, largely based upon growing flowers. A large Japanese population dominated the flower growing market until the shameful World War II decision that forced 120,000 Japanese-Americans into internment camps.

After the war, many African-Americans moved to East Palo Alto and made it the largest African American community on the peninsula. In fact, during the civil rights movement in 1968, the city was almost renamed Nairobi. Today, the city has a multi-ethnic population that is over 60% Hispanic, about 15% African American, 7% Asian, 7% Caucasian and 11% Pacific Islander.

Since the late 1990s, East Palo Alto has experienced significant economic development. A quarter of the city's buildings have been replaced with new housing and retail space. This development is what the founders of the city hoped for--a chance to create jobs for residents within the community. In 2008, another step was taken as residents and local businesses established the East Palo Alto Community Farmers Market. The market is allied with the health center, providing wholesome food for residents at affordable prices. In 2009, the first full service supermarket opened in the Ravenswood 101 shopping center. Once again, the residents of East Palo Alto demonstrated that theirs is a community that knows how to get things done.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor the 30th anniversary of East Palo Alto as the city is celebrating this occasion with a parade, community festival and fireworks. This diverse Bay Area community welcomes all residents and neighbors with warmth and optimism--today and every day.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Gregory Lukaszewicz for his service as president of the San Mateo County Medical Association, which represents and educates physicians and promotes quality medical care for the people of San Mateo County. Throughout his career, Dr. Lukaszewicz has been a staunch advocate for preventative care and patients' access to care.

Gregory Lukaszewicz grew up near Buffalo, New York. He earned his BA at Dartmouth College and his medical degree at Harvard Medical School. After completing his General Surgery Residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, he was awarded a Fellowship in Vascular Surgery at UCSF.

Dr. Lukaszewicz then joined Kaiser Permanente in South San Francisco where he is a vascular and general surgeon. He is also the smoking cessation champion at the hospital. Three years ago he became a part- time specialist in venous and lymphatic disorders, a change he calls transformative. He says his experience has shown him just how complex these diseases are and how much the medical knowledge lags behind patients' needs. Determined to close this gap, he launched a pilot program to detect Peripheral Arterial Disease in its earliest stages.

It was Dr. Lukaszewicz's strong interest in public policy that got him involved in the San Mateo County and California Medical Associations. He works closely with county and state health care leaders to find remedies to public health issues that affect patients beyond his individual clinical practice. For example, he is committed to the Association's active role in eradicating Hepatitis B in the Asian and Pacific Islander communities by providing regular screenings and vaccinations.

Dr. Lukaszewicz is married to Nicole Moayeri, a neurosurgeon at Kaiser's Redwood City facility. They have two children, Leila, 12, and Gabriel, 10. As a devoted family man, he works part-time so that he can remain involved in his children's scholastic and athletic activities. To stay physically and mentally healthy, he enjoys hiking, cycling, sailing, kayaking, gardening, cooking and reading.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor an exceptional physician and human being. Dr. Lukaszewicz's work continues to benefit thousands of people in San Mateo County and beyond and sets an admirable example of innovative, patient-centered care.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Helen Hausman who has dedicated her life to education and served on the San Mateo County Community College District Board of Trustees for 23 years and before that on the Sequoia Union High School Board for 13 years. Helen represents the best that San Mateo County has to offer in education leadership.

Helen is the current board president and was a past president for four terms. During her many years at the community college district, she has always made it her priority to provide students with high- quality classroom instruction and an environment that nurtures learning. Helen was instrumental in getting bond measures passed to update the aging facilities and to create three state-of-the-art campuses. She firmly believes that education and opportunities should be accessible to everyone.

Helen has also served during some of the most tumultuous times in the history of California's higher educational systems, making difficult choices on funding due to state funding cuts. Helen and her colleagues successfully navigated these challenges, retaining the core purpose of the district to prepare students for four-year colleges and universities. San Mateo County has a stellar community college district because of Helen Hausman's dedication to educational quality and inclusiveness.

Helen, a native of New York, earned her BA in Education from George Washington University where she was the only woman in her class. After graduation, she taught at a grammar school in Maryland.

While in Washington DC in 1945, Helen met Arthur Hausman who was in the Navy and who would soon become her husband. The two of them moved to California in 1960 because Arthur received what he calls ``an offer he couldn't refuse.''

Helen became heavily involved with PTAs and held several leadership positions. Because of her outstanding reputation she was invited to fill a vacancy on the Sequoia Union High School Board and held that position for 13 years.

She also has served on committees of the Association of Community College Trustees, Community College League of California and the San Mateo County School Boards Association. She is currently a member of American Association of University Women. Helen is listed in Who's Who of American Women, was inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame, and was elected to Pi Lambda Theta, a national honor society for educators.

Helen is a longtime member of the San Mateo County American Red Cross Council and serves as chair on the Bay Area Red Cross International Committee to help trace and reunite families separated as a result of armed conflict or disasters. Her passion for this work started with the tracing project which reunited family members of Holocaust survivors.

In her retirement, Helen is looking forward to spending more time with her husband Arthur, son and daughter-in-law Ken and Hilary, daughter Catherine and grandchildren Sam and Sarah.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor Helen Hausman, a woman I have known and admired for decades, for her common sense and no nonsense leadership. She has shaped education in the Bay Area for a generation and helped thousands of students build a foundation for successful careers. Her retirement is well deserved, and her impact upon our lives will be enduring.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a remarkable leader in San Mateo County, Kitty Lopez, as she leaves Samaritan House, the linchpin of nonprofit social services in central and southern San Mateo County.

For 12 years Kitty Lopez has guided Samaritan House placing it on solid footing and expanding its efforts to help those who are struggling. Under her leadership over 12,000 residents receive assistance with food, medical services, clothing, and counseling annually. Kitty shepherded the expansion of a dental clinic, and she has been equally adept at expanding the number of appointments available through the medical clinic at Samaritan House. This expansion took pressure off of the emergency room of our county hospital and delivered quality examinations to thousands.

Kitty's spirit never seems to wane. She can always be found smiling and trying to figure out a way to stretch a penny, even when it's someone else's penny. For example, Kitty forged a partnership between Samaritan House and the United Way of the Bay Area to provide tax preparation services to low income residents of our county through volunteer tax preparers. She helped residents stretch their pennies when she allowed Samaritan House to organize an online listing of apartments and shared homes. Through the leadership team at Samaritan House, these online listings are gradually becoming the go-to place for residents who struggle to find a place for themselves and their families. Of course, each day the food pantry of Samaritan House helps residents feed themselves and their children. Many who use the food pantry are elderly, and during the recession many newcomers made their way to the door's of Kitty's facility, having heard that food and dignity were offered for free within its walls.

One of the most significant undertakings of Samaritan House is the operation of our county's homeless shelter located in South San Francisco. A 90 beds facility is available nightly for persons who wish to make progress towards self-sufficiency. Kitty's dedication to sheltering the homeless is made concrete in the way in which her team runs the shelter. This homeless shelter has rules and it is safe and orderly.

All services of Samaritan House are provided free of charge to clients. Kitty insists upon accountability, and her staff tracks the outcomes of efforts to help residents find jobs, housing and to become self-sufficient. The $9 million annual budget she has responsibility over performs the work of an $18 million budget in any other organization, and her team of 41 full-time staff and 31 part-time, seasonal employees make every client feel welcomed. Kitty has consistently shown vision and accountability in operating this magnificent program.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor Kitty Lopez, the Executive Director of Samaritan House who leaves the helm after 12 years of energetic and creative leadership. We wish Kitty continued inspiring success as she moves on to lead First 5 San Mateo County. Her imprint on the community will only grow larger. Her legacy is therefore enduring, and this is perhaps her greatest contribution of all to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Larry Buckmaster who is retiring as the President and CEO of the Redwood City-San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce after 30 years of outstanding service to our community.

Larry is the type of person who creates a community through performing multiple acts of stewardship each and every day--he has done so for decades. Let me give you just a few examples.

When Larry Buckmaster took over the Redwood City-San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce it had a deficit and membership lagged. He almost immediately turned it around and led the board to boost both membership and participation by members in various chamber events.

Second, America needs leaders. It's tough to find them. Leadership means putting your neck on the line and exposing yourself to criticism. Larry Buckmaster knew that Redwood City and the San Francisco Peninsula needed a new generation of leadership. He founded the Leadership Redwood City/San Carlos/Belmont program so that business and government professionals would learn from each other and hear from current leaders about issues that are shaping the community. Most importantly, Larry Buckmaster wanted students to be inspired to step up and become community leaders in their own right. The proof of Larry's wisdom and his success is around us each day. Over 800 students have heard from state legislators, members of Congress, city council members, as well as the staff of local and state governments. Many members of city councils, commissions, the Board of Supervisors and the State Legislature were first inspired to public service by the leadership class created by Larry Buckmaster.

Leadership by example is Larry Buckmaster's creed. Kainos is a non- profit dedicated to helping those with developmental disabilities, and Larry's leadership is exemplified by the $750,000 raised over the years through a golfing tournament held annually to benefit Kainos. Larry, an avid golfer with a hole in one to his credit, brought his love of people and his skill as a golfer together to create this community benefit event.

The Progress Seminar is an annual event at which community leaders spend a weekend together thinking and talking about the major issues impacting our region. Larry Buckmaster has grown this seminar into a sold-out event for many years, and ideas that sprout from the seminar often become solutions via city council and other activities, both public and private.

Mr. Speaker and members, Larry Buckmaster has his quirks. He loves reading his emails and rarely responds. His filing system is a mess yet he can find everything. He is an avid reader who consumes one book per week, often military histories. Unfortunately, Larry roots for the Chicago Bears. We in the San Francisco Bay Area adore Larry so much that we will forgive his choice of football teams. It's only explicable when you realize that Larry was raised in Illinois and thus never really understood our wonderful 49ers until it was too late in life to surgically correct his unfortunate allegiance to a different team. Thankfully, Larry has shown great judgment in other matters, eschewing party politics, petty politics and self-aggrandizement. In fact, Larry Buckmaster always points to the accomplishments of his staff rather than to his own, demonstrating that he really is a great leader even if he is a poor judge of quality football teams.

Larry Buckmaster is a natural athlete and has coached over 500 children in softball and soccer. He is proud when one of the former players says that Larry saw something great in them as a child and that this turned around the life of the child. Larry and Joan, his wife of 48 years, have three children and six grandchildren. It is said that his grandchildren turn him to mush, not too surprising given his love of children.

Mr. Speaker and Members, I know that we often recognize Americans who have left their mark upon their communities and it is appropriate to do so. It is also appropriate to recognize that some persons provide decades of exemplary service to this nation not merely because they are paid to do their job but because they are in love with their work and receive payment many times over by watching the fruits of their efforts flower for future generations. Larry Buckmaster loves his job and has now chosen to retire. I find it hard to believe that we are going to let him leave. Let us honor a wonderful American, a great father and husband, and a civic treasure. Larry Buckmaster will be remembered for the lives that he improved, the leaders he inspired and the smiles that he brought to our faces. Let's wish him well on the golf course. He deserves a second hole in one.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the late Olive G. Mayer, a dear friend and a pioneer in the environmental community of California. She was one of the passionate driving forces in protecting open spaces in San Mateo County.

Sadly, Ollie missed the completion of one of her biggest achievements. She passed away five days before the opening ceremony of the Devil's Slide Tunnel on the San Mateo coast, a project she and her fellow tunnelistas had been advocating for decades. The engineering marvel that most people said couldn't be done is now reality thanks in huge part to Ollie's passion and persistence.

An engineer by training and Sierra Club member, she got her hands on the original construction plans for the massive seven mile long, six- lane wide highway bypass that Caltrans had proposed to build across Montara Mountain--plans Caltrans never released to the public. Ollie shared them with other environmentalists who formed a grassroots movement determined to stop the bypass and urban sprawl along the scenic coastal hills.

The idea for a tunnel was born in the early 70s when a USGS geologist responded to a Montara resident inquiring about solutions for Devil's Slide. He outlined several options, including boring a tunnel. Ollie presented the idea to Caltrans engineers in 1973, but they dismissed it. The tunnel idea continued its lengthy legal and rocky path. In 1995, Devil's Slide lived up to its name and slid down five feet. The road stayed closed for five months making life miserable for coastal residents and forcing local businesses to close.

The tunnelistas jumped into high gear, collected 34,000 signatures and put the issue on the county ballot. San Mateo County was blanketed in yellow and black ``Think Tunnel'' bumper stickers. In 1996, Measure T passed with 74% of the vote. Seventeen years and countless hurdles later, the tunnel is finally reality. David beat Goliath. Ollie's good friend and tunnelista Zoe Kersteen-Tucker put it perfectly at the opening ceremony: ``It took an uprising of the people to think tunnel, vote tunnel, build tunnel and today, at last, to open tunnel.''

Devil's Slide was but one of many battles Ollie took on. She was a lifelong activist, visionary and intellectual. Born Olive Graham Hendricks in New Jersey in 1918, she was the only woman in her class at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania to earn her BS in engineer. She later received her Master's degree from the University of Michigan. Ollie was an ardent fighter for equal treatment of women and freedom of speech. During the McCarthy era, she provided support for victims of blacklisting and was under surveillance and investigated by the FBI. She was among the early peace activists opposing the war in Vietnam. She fought for racial and civil equality in the 50s and 60s. In short, she was fearless and determined to make the world a better place for everyone to enjoy.

Ollie loved the outdoors and science. She met her late husband, Dr. Henry Mayer, while hiking in Colorado. They married in 1941 and after World War II moved to Woodside, California. Ollie opened a machine shop in San Carlos and founded a business that made and distributed model science projects, such as dams and power plants, for middle and high school students.

Ollie was a tireless supporter of the Peninsula Open Space Trust and played a significant role in keeping areas on the Peninsula undeveloped and accessible to the public. She was the president of the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club and was honored with the John Muir Award for her lifetime work for conservation. She was also named a ``Legend'' by the Club, and she was appointed to the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame, among a long list of other awards.

Ollie is survived by her daughter Judith O'Brien; son Robert Mayer; and four grandchildren: Connor and Lauren O'Brien and Reid and Drew Mayer.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor one of the most extraordinary and giving environmentalists and human beings--a woman who found her true north.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Fire Chief Philip D. White on the occasion of his retirement after more than 30 years of excellent service at the South San Francisco Fire Department, ten of them as chief. Chief White has saved many lives--human and animal--and brought safety and peace of mind to all residents.

He came to the South San Francisco Fire Department as a paramedic and firefighter in 1983. In 1992 he was promoted to Fire Captain and in 1999 he advanced to Provisional Battalion Chief and Battalion Chief. In 2002 he was promoted to Deputy Chief and then finally to Fire Chief in 2003.

During his distinguished career, Chief White has served with contagious enthusiasm and earned a long list of awards and acknowledgements. For example, he was named 1992 Firefighter of the Year by the South San Francisco Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He received a commendation from FEMA for urban search and rescue deployments during Hurricane Iniki, the Northridge earthquake, the World Trade Center and Hurricane Katrina. He received a service award from the Peninsula Council of Lions Clubs in 2001 and was named the 2003 City of South San Francisco Employee of the Year. Also in 2003, he received a special commendation from the United States Marine Corps for the ``Yellow Ribbon'' resolution passed in support of military families. In 2011 he was honored with the California Commendation Medal for meritorious service and support of soldiers and airmen of the California Army and Air National Guard.

This long list of honors demonstrates Chief White's tireless energy and commitment to others. He has made South San Francisco a better place to live by introducing ordinances and programs that will serve residents for decades to come. Chief White was instrumental in developing technical rescue, maritime and emergency response programs. He helped make new buildings safer by requiring sprinkler systems. His colleagues can also thank

him for a state-of-the-art live fire training tower complex, multipurpose classrooms and an emergency operating center.

Chief White also obtained regional training center status for trench rescue, confined space rescue, rescue systems 1 & 2, authored the San Francisco Bay Area Maritime Fire, Rescue and EMS Automatic Aid Agreement, and he promoted the department's participation in Urban Shield.

Chief White applied his ``can do'' attitude to his volunteer and community service as well. He served on several county committees reviewing pre-hospital care issues at the advanced life support level. Chief White also coordinated CPR training for citizens and he promoted outreach programs such as Day In The Park, Fire Prevention Week, Junior Fire Academy, Christmas Toy Drives, Jazz by the Bay and USO Bay Area.

His hard work and optimism have earned him the utmost respect and gratitude at the South San Francisco Fire Department. His fellow fire fighters credit him with the prevention of layoffs and fire station closures, top-notch training facilities and outstanding moral. I was told they even promised Chief White that his fire station will be number 1 in Urban Shield next year.

In his well-deserved retirement, Chief White is looking forward to spending more time with his wife of 32 years, Donna, their four children, three grandchildren and his beloved Labrador retriever Bella. He will also enjoy more trips to our national parks.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor Chief Philip D. White for his generous contributions and deep commitment to South San Francisco residents. He will be missed but never forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Rita Gleason, the Principal of Notre Dame High School in Belmont California, upon her retirement after 22 years of service to the school and to our community. During her tenure, Ms. Gleason has been an inspiration to 3,500 girls who have been educated at Notre Dame.

I am a graduate of a Catholic girl's high school and I deeply believe that these institutions build character, leadership abilities and self- esteem. Ms. Gleason shares those values and works tirelessly to ensure that every young woman who goes to Notre Dame achieves her fullest potential. Students are encouraged to become deeply involved in community service and Ms. Gleason models that commitment through her work with immigrants and the economically challenged. The young women of Notre Dame benefit from a rigorous curriculum sustained in part by the generosity of its alumni. These graduates give because Ms. Gleason is a continuing force in their own lives many years after they leave the campus.

Rita Gleason is known as a person who listens closely to students. The young women of Notre Dame know that they have a confidante in Ms. Gleason, and a supporter who will work with them if they want to work through their difficult problems. At a recent conference that I helped to convene on the subject of gun violence within communities, experts noted how important it is for students to have an adult in whom they can confide. At Notre Dame High School, the go-to adult is Rita Gleason. Every parent can have confidence that she will offer wisdom, compassion, and a steady set of values that will empower students through their difficult moments.

Great leaders have great staff and Ms. Gleason is no exception. Teachers want to teach at Notre Dame because they know that they will be supported by a professionally-trained educator. Ms. Gleason has a credential in K-12 and adult education, a community college credential, and a credential in History, English and the Humanities. She graduated with a BA from the College of Notre Dame and with two Master's degrees--one in Educational Administration and the other in Counseling. Her resume reads like a famous musician's--every box indicating genius was checked during Ms. Gleason's passionate pursuit of knowledge.

Befitting the Principal of a private high school, Ms. Gleason has long been involved in the credentialing organization for private schools, governing councils for the schools of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and has served in administrative and guidance positions at several Catholic schools in five states and the District of Columbia. In our community from 1992 to the present, she has received no less than seven honors or awards for community service, including the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service, an award given only to those who go well above and beyond ordinary public service.

Mr. Speaker, Notre Dame High School will soon be without the sight of Ms. Gleason's Navy Blue VW Bug in the parking lot, but what she stood for--Christian values, social justice, women's leadership--will live on in all the young women who were educated at NDHS during her tenure. There are some who warm a seat and call themselves a leader, but there are others who lead by never being in their seat. Rita Gleason is the leader who never sits and the listener who never hesitates to open her heart. Notre Dame High School will long remember Rita Gleason, Principal for 22 years and a leader for all time.