Jeff Denham

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Darius Assemi, a home builder, businessman, philanthropist, and Central Valley resident of more than 40 years. Darius has been a close friend and confidant for many years, including my time in the State Senate and here in the United States House of Representatives.

Darius is currently President and CEO of Granville Homes, a real estate development company established in 1977. Over the last 40 years, Granville Homes has built more than 6,000 single-family residences in the Fresno metropolitan area, and has been involved in the acquisition, financing, and development of over 100 construction projects. Through these experiences, Darius's knowledge of building codes and resilient construction has been an important influence on me as I have pursued disaster mitigation policies.

Darius is actively engaged in public policy work at the local and state level. He is passionate about legislation that affects transportation, agriculture, health care, education, and the environment. In 2009, Darius was appointed to the California Transportation Commission by Governor Schwarzenegger, and reappointed by Governor Brown in 2012. During his 6-year term, Darius was actively engaged with legislators and key stake holders in securing much-needed transportation funding for the Central Valley. In addition to public policy, Darius is driven to educate his fellow citizens about the complex issues that affect everyone in the community.

The lack of health care options available in the Central Valley and across the world is an issue that Darius and I have focused much of our time on. In 2009, he helped to establish the Alliance for Medical Outreach and Relief (AMOR), a non-profit with a mission to build healthier communities. AMOR constructed and continues to operate a 100- bed hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan that provides medical services and health education to over 80,000 people annually. High amongst Afshar Hospital's key accomplishments is their success in reducing the maternal and infant mortality rates in the Kabul metro area. In addition to their work in Afghanistan, AMOR is in the process of building a wellness clinic and community resource center to serve the impoverished Central Valley farming community of Mendota.

Darius views his various business endeavors as vehicles to further his true passion: helping to improve the lives of those in the community and around the world through strategic partnerships and philanthropic giving. The Granville Foundation's mission is to provide food, shelter, healthcare, and education to the underserved. In 2006, Darius initiated the Granville Home of Hope, a program in which a new home is raffled off, with 100 percent of the proceeds from ticket sales given to local non-profits. Over the last 12 years, the Granville Home of Hope has raised more than $5.2 million dollars, providing food, clothing, scholarships, and resources to those in need. In addition to Home of Hope, the Granville Foundation provides support to various organizations--in 2017 alone the foundation sponsored more than 70 non- profits.

I am proud to call Darius a friend and I am grateful for hi s companionship throughout my years in public service. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending Darius Assemi for his outstanding contributions to the Central Valley, our state, and nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Dr. Frank Luntz, PhD, a talented communications professional and linguist whose unique talents have moved the needle on some of our nation's most critical issues. Frank has been an excellent advisor and close personal friend of mine throughout my time in Congress. His guidance has been invaluable.

Frank grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut and graduated from Hall High School before going on to get his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania. He then earned his Doctorate in Politics from none other than Oxford University. He has since gone on to

council presidents and prime ministers, Fortune 100 CEOs and professional sports franchises, nonprofit directors and Hollywood creatives. He served as a consultant to NBC's The West Wing, one of the most popular and universally-loved television shows in recent memory.

Dr. Luntz is a celebrated author, with three books on the New York Times Best Sellers list: Words that Work: It's Not What You Say it's What People Hear, What Americans Really Want Really, and WIN. Additionally, he has written about the power of language for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Financial Times, The Times of London, and The Washington Post.

Luntz is dedicated to teaching the next generation of thought- leaders, instructing young scholars at the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University and The George Washington University.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending Dr. Frank Luntz for his outstanding contributions and dedication to communications and political scholarship, our nation and the people who serve it. We wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Pastor Glen Berteau for his many years of service to his community. A longtime church leader, he has touched thousands of lives. On September 9, 2014, Pastor Berteau led the House of Representatives in its opening prayer. In a rare honor, he was afforded the opportunity again on May 18, 2017.

In addition to being a pastor, he is also an author of multiple books. He wrote the youth manual ``Strategies for Advancing Youth Ministries'' as well as the books ``Christianity Lite'' and ``Christianity To Go.''

Pastor Berteau's parish, known as The House Network, has ministries in all communities throughout Modesto, CA. The church runs Nineveh Outreach, Cross Recovery and various worldwide mission trips. They have also opened Heart and Soul Coffee, a coffee shop in Downtown Modesto that uses coffee to advance its ministry.

Pastor Berteau has led The House Network to grow into a multi-campus organization, with churches in Modesto, San Jose, Slidell, Hilo, Downtown Modesto, and Fort Worth. The House in Modesto was featured in Outreach Magazine in 2009 for being the Second Fastest Growing Church in America and it is now on the list of the Top 50 Largest Churches in America.

Mr. Speaker, Pastor Glen Berteau has impacted the lives of everyone in his congregation and community. His commitment to serving Jesus Christ has helped him change communities for the good all over California. Please join me in recognizing his lifetime of service to God.