Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about healthcare and to ask that my colleagues join me in support of protecting individuals in America who have preexisting conditions.

We can, and we must do a better job in reducing costs and improving access to healthcare in America. Since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010, no provision has had a more significant impact on the health of Americans than protecting those with preexisting conditions.

In my district in 2010 in San Joaquin Valley in California, almost 25 percent of my constituents had no healthcare insurance whatsoever, and 17 percent were uninsured. Today, 9 years later, 10 percent of my constituents do not have healthcare insurance, and the ability to provide insurance for those who were underinsured has much improved.

Before the ACA, insurers could deny health coverage to many health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or cancer.

How many of our families have preexisting conditions in those areas?

I submit most of us do. These denials often force families into decisions between paying for a loved one's treatment or keeping the lights on in their house. No family should be faced with such a choice.

Protections for preexisting conditions remain one of the popular parts of the ACA. These protections should not be weakened due to partisan politics. Working together in a bipartisan fashion is the only way we are going to get something enacted that will work for all Americans.

We can do better for the American people, and we should. That is what the folks in my 16th Congressional District in the San Joaquin Valley want me to do. They want me to help improve their healthcare.

Wildfire Awareness

Mr. Speaker, I would like to discuss the importance of wildfire awareness. No State knows more about how important the subject is than California.

There is no longer a fire season in California. It suffers from fires, sadly, year-round resulting from many factors, including climate change.

Just last year California saw the deadliest wildfire in its history. The town of Paradise was decimated with more than 14,000 homes destroyed, and 85 people lost their lives. God bless them and their families.

There have been other fires in Santa Barbara, Mendocino, and the Yosemite Rim fire right in my own district's backyard.

We need to do more. For the first time in its 110-year history, the Forest Service says they will now dedicate more than half their budget to wildfire suppression efforts, which we have directed as a result of the farm bill last year.

To begin with, this requires better managing and caring for our forests.

This week, we will vote on an emergency supplemental to help communities affected by wildfires. I ask my colleagues to vote with me and pass this important legislation.

Let's do the right thing and help our fellow Americans rebuild their lives and their communities. At the same time, let's be more responsible stewards of our forests.

We know how to do it. Let's get started with our States, local governments, and the private sector.

Future generations deserve better management of forests throughout our country. I think we can do it if we work together.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Concerned Men Cook on their 25th Anniversary. Since its founding by former Merced County Assistant Superintendent Denard Davis, Concerned Men Cook has provided an opportunity for members of the community to break bread while raising money for scholarship funds for local schools in Merced.

As an educator deeply involved in multiple community organizations, Mr. Davis started Concerned Men Cook after participating in the Men's Cook competition in Los Angeles. Using his connections from the multiple organizations he was involved with, Mr. Davis brought together educators, businesses, and community organizations to host a competition to fundraise money for scholarships for Merced County students.

Mr. Davis was also a founding member of the Black Businessmen and Black Educators of Merced County and president of an African-American investment group that provided affordable housing to the residents of South Merced. Though he passed away in 2015, the Concerned Men Cook competition is one of many ways his legacy continues to positively impact Merced County.

Since its founding 25 years ago, Concerned Men Cook has expanded to consist of five avenues in the competition, all of which are aligned with local men from throughout the community. It is now held on every fourth Sunday of April at the Merced Civic Center and continues to be a successful fundraiser for local scholarship funds.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Concerned Men Cook. It is both fitting and appropriate that we honor them as they celebrate their 25th year. I wish them the best as they continue to bring together members of the community to raise money for our students.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to congratulate Madera High School's robotics team for being crowned the world champions.

They are the home of the Coyotes, and this hardworking group of 15 students from my district, otherwise known as MadTown Robotics, beat out more than 400 teams not only throughout the country, but throughout the world, in a competition in Houston, Texas, in the last week. They worked long hours on this project, with each student member putting in more than 200 hours, including weekends.

The community celebrated their success last weekend with a parade through Madera and a rally at the school gym, which I participated in. I am exceptionally proud of these students, their teachers, and the faculty for their accomplishments.

Madera is a wonderful, growing area, which shows that the San Joaquin Valley is not only a world leader in agriculture, but also in innovation, for future generations across our country.

Congratulations, Madera High School.

Go, Coyotes.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to talk about America's healthcare system and the importance of protecting the Affordable Care Act.

Residents in my home State of California benefited greatly from the ACA. When it became law in 2010, California was one of the first States to implement it. At that time, 22 percent of my residents had no healthcare insurance whatsoever and 17 percent were uninsured.

The ACA greatly decreased that number by less than 10 percent, a big difference, while also providing coverage for those with preexisting conditions, which we all feel strongly about.

Now the President wants to strike down those protections and eliminate the last benefits. That is wrong. These repeated attempts to repeal the ACA are irresponsible, especially when there is no real proposal to replace it by the President of the United States or my Republican colleagues.

If he succeeds, one in seven people in California will lose their healthcare. That is a fact.

Yes, there are improvements that can be made to the Affordable Care Act, and we should address those deficiencies, and that is what I am committed to doing. The Congress and the administration should work together to fix the law and to make it better.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the Sikh community in celebrating Vaisakhi.

On April 14, Sikhs around the world, including thousands and thousands in California's San Joaquin Valley, will celebrate the Vaisakhi festival. This week, we welcome members of the Congressional Sikh Caucus to the Hill to participate in those celebrations.

The festival marks the new year and the beginning of the spring season for the global Sikh community.

The date of the Vaisakhi festival has tremendous significance in Sikhism. The festival commemorates the year 1699, when Sikhism emerged as a collective faith in what is now modern-day India.

It also celebrates both the birthday of the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, and the foundation of the Khalsa Panth, the Sikh brotherhood.

Sikhs across the globe celebrate this day with enthusiasm and joy. I know they do in the rich San Joaquin Valley that is home to so many who are farmers, businesspeople, and community leaders. I have the honor to represent them and to celebrate with them.

This festival models what all cultures strive for: strong communities coming together to celebrate progress, renew its dedication to helping one another, and peace.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in celebrating this special tradition in the Sikh community.

Women Trailblazers

Mr. Speaker, every March, we come together to honor trailblazing women who have come before us, who have made a difference throughout the history of our country and throughout the world, and those who continue to pave the way for the next generation, those who have broken the glass ceiling, and those who are role models.

The unsung heroines of these courageous pioneering women continue to always make a difference.

The role model for me, and one who I must say made the incredible difference, was our mother, Lena Cordoza Costa, a daughter of immigrants, born before the Depression, raised during it, having to quit school as a freshman in high school to help raise her seven siblings because her father had been injured in an agricultural accident.

She went on with our father to be--as Tom Brokaw noted--perhaps America's greatest generation, striving with the values of hard work, of teaching us to treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves, and values of common sense.

As a young boy, learning that, Jim, you know, the truth is the truth, and that you should always never forget those who are less fortunate.

After our father passed away, my mother in her mid-70s quietly decided to go back to school and to get her GED. She didn't need to. She was a successful business person; she was an artist, a voracious reader, and a competitive bridge player.

And when she got her GED, she told my sister and me. We said, Mom, why didn't you tell us?

She says, Well, I wasn't sure I would do well.

Our mother did--everything that she did, she did well, and continued to serve as a role model.

Later on, the high school in which she had to quit as a freshman, at a 100th anniversary of that high school, asked her to come--with myself--and they presented her her high school diploma.

She was so proud of that high school diploma. And today, it sits on my desk. And I show students that you can be whatever you want to be if you have the proper role model and encouragement.

It is women who are guiding our Nation towards a more equal future-- like our mother--who make a difference.

Today, I am proud to be a Member of the most diverse Congress in the United States' history, with over 102 women in this body, women serving the people's House.

We honor their sacrifice, their brilliance, and the strength of their service for our Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague, Mr. Cox, to honor the life of Sardul Singh Sihota, who passed away on March 5, 2019 at the age of 77. Throughout his life, Sardul was known for his contribution to the agriculture industry, his involvement with the Central Valley Sikh American community, and his role in establishing the first Sikh Temple in Selma, California.

Sardul was born on May 15, 1941 in Bara Pind, District Jalandhar, India to Assa Singh and Amar Kaur Singh. Sardul immigrated to Yuba City, California in 1961 to start a new chapter in his life and create a prosperous foundation for his family. Having been raised on a farm in India, Sardul moved to Selma, California, where he began to grow raisin grapes and continue his family's tradition of farming. Two years later, Sardul bought his first piece of property in Selma, which his family continues to live on today.

As one of the first Sikh Indians to live in Selma in the mid-1960s, Sardul had a desire to help other families immigrate to the Central Valley for a better life. He assisted many families by sharing his knowledge about the immigration process and acclimating to the life in the U.S. As a result, Selma became the new home to thousands of Sikh American families.

As the Sikh community continued to grow and flourish, Sardul noticed the lack of temples close by where families could worship, celebrate, and mourn. He worked with his friends to build Selma's first Sikh Temple in 1987.

Sardul is survived by his parents, his wife Jitendra, two daughters, Gurdeep Hebert and Harroop, and three sons, Paul, Simon, and Navjot, along with a host of extended family and friends.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that we ask our colleagues to join us in honoring the life of Sardul Singh Sihota and the great legacy that he leaves behind. Sardul will be remembered by his community for his generosity, hard work, and commitment to his friends and family. With all the relationships that he has forged along his journey, his memory will be forever remembered.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the local non-profit organization Reading and Beyond of Fresno, California as it celebrates its 20th anniversary. Since its creation in 1999, Reading and Beyond has been a leader in the community, providing educational, health and wellness opportunities to underserved families of Fresno County. The impact Reading and Beyond has had over the past two decades continues to be felt by countless families in the Central Valley.

In the fall of 1998, members of the First Covenant Church called together leaders of the community to explore prospective solutions to help neighborhood students struggling with reading. Reading and Beyond was founded with the belief that a child's path toward a brighter future was paved with books. Initially, Reading and Beyond provided tutoring and parenting programs for 30 families in need. Eventually, it expanded to include cradle-to-career services for both children and their parents, health services and tailored programs to help families increase their social mobility and strive for success and self- reliance.

Since its founding, Reading and Beyond has earned many honors both locally and nationally. In 2003, Fresno Unified School District praised Reading and Beyond as a ``model for other organizations''. In the same year, it was chosen as one of only four organizations to receive national funding from the U.S. Department of Education to develop its Early Childhood Education program into a replicable model. In 2008, Kerri Briggs, the U.S. Department of Education Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, recognized Reading and Beyond as a ``remarkable example of the impact that faith-based organizations have in a community''. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded $12 million dollars in pilot funding to Reading and Beyond's Fresno Bridge Academy program; one of only ten national projects to receive this grant.

What started out as a community-led effort to help neighborhood children in Fresno develop their reading abilities, has evolved into an organization that serves the needs of children and families across seven counties in California. Reading and Beyond has committed to empowering families to achieve productive lives through its holistic, research, and results-based programs with the end goal of helping children succeed.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Reading and Beyond as it celebrates twenty outstanding years. Our community is forever grateful for the contributions Reading and Beyond has made in the Central Valley. I ask that you join me in wishing Reading and Beyond long-lasting success.

Mr. Speaker, as a third-generation farmer from California's San Joaquin Valley, I wish everyone a happy National Agriculture Day, something that we do throughout our country.

I am proud, obviously, to represent the heart of California's San Joaquin Valley. But our agricultural productiveness throughout the country, beginning with the very origins of the history of the United States, has truly been one of the tremendous assets that we have had.

We are home to the most productive agricultural land in the world, not only throughout the country, but in California. Our farmers, our dairymen and -women, our ranchers, and our livestock folks feed the country. I have often said that our food security, that dinner that we have on our dinner table every night, is a part of America's national food security.

As a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, I am proud that we delivered a comprehensive farm bill last year. Now it is part of our job to ensure that we implement that farm bill as a safety net for agriculture throughout the country. But it is also a safety net for those who are working poor, those who are, unfortunately, recipients of food assistance programs and the school lunch and the school breakfast programs. So the farm bill does a great deal to help all Americans.

This year, the Agriculture Committee will work to ensure that those promises we made in the farm bill will be implemented in the way we intended. The subcommittee that I chair, the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture, will be at the vanguard of that effort.

Today, on National Agriculture Day, let us thank those who grow America's food and fiber and put it on America's dinner table every night. I am talking about the farmers, the dairymen and -women, and the farmworkers, who, through their hard work and the fruits of their labor, make this all come together.

Visas for Citizens of Portugal

Mr. Speaker, soon, the Portuguese Caucus will be reintroducing legislation that is important for not only the United States, but for our ally Portugal. We will be introducing bipartisan legislation that will allow citizens of Portugal to be eligible for what is called the E-1 treaty trader visa and the E-2 treaty investors visa.

Portugal is one of the United States' oldest allies and a close economic partner. The United States became Portugal's largest trading partner outside the European Union in 2015. Bilateral trade reached $4.2 billion in 2015, a 30 percent increase from 5 years ago.

However, because Portugal did not have a bilateral investor treaty with the United States before joining the European Union, they are one of only five European Union countries whose citizens are not eligible for the E-1 and E-2 visas.

This is long overdue. It is good for the United States; it is good for Portugal; and it is good for increased economic activity between both countries. It is bipartisan. Hopefully, this year, we will be successful in implementing these E-1 and E-2 treaty investor visas.

70th Anniversary of North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

We helped create NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, not only to protect our European allies, but to protect our interests. For 70 years, it has done just that, a remarkable success.

Next month, in April, we have invited the Secretary General of NATO to come address a bipartisan joint session of Congress to take assessment of and to commend our NATO partners, along with the United States, for a job well done.

How do you say a job well done? Well, after World War II, over the last 70 years, this is the longest peacetime period in Europe in 1,000 years. Think about that. The last 70 years has been the longest peacetime period in Europe in more than 1,000 years.

NATO has been one of the cornerstones that has created that peace dividend, being an absolute and critical barrier against the aggression of the Soviet Union and other totalitarian states, being there for the fall of the Iron Curtain. NATO's relevance today is just as important as it was then.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the thirty-first anniversary of the pogroms against people of Armenian descent in Sumgait, Azerbaijan.

In late February of 1988 the Armenian people of Nagomo Karabakh, more commonly known by its people and descendants as Artsakh, rose up in peaceful protest to demand their right to self-determination. This courageous call for equality and human dignity was met with murderous riots beginning on February 27, 1988, which lasted for three days. Scores of Armenians were killed, hundreds were wounded, and thousands were forced to leave their homes and livelihoods behind.

Undeterred by this oppression, the Armenian community and its dedication to democratic self-determination sparked a movement that finally helped bring an end to the dictatorship of the Soviet Union. The courage demonstrated by the people of Artsakh in demanding their rights even after all their adversity is admirable and should never be forgotten. The people of Artsakh continue to exhibit this strength and courage in the twenty-first century as they stride towards creating a better tomorrow.

On behalf of the thousands of Armenian Americans living in my congressional district, I ask my colleagues to stand with the people of Artsakh in remembering the lives lost during this tragic conflict. May their memory serve as a reminder for each and every one of us to continue advocating for human rights and democratic freedoms around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the passage of S. 47, the Natural Resources Management Act. This bipartisan

legislation demonstrates what can be accomplished when we collaborate and negotiate. As a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, it is my responsibility to help protect and manage our natural resources.

In my home state of California, national parks hold a special place in our hearts. This bill expands several national parks in California, notably Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and Mojave National Park. In addition, it expands wilderness designation, recreation and conservation areas, national monument designations, national trail system, and our national wild and scenic river system.

While I applaud extensions of our public lands for all Americans to enjoy, Congress must do its job to ensure appropriate infrastructure maintenance. California's 16th District is the gateway to the crown jewel of the Sierra Nevada, Yosemite National Park. Yosemite alone has more than $555 million dollars in deferred maintenance. Last Congress, I cosponsored the National Park Legacy Act because I believe Congress can and should do more to ensure the legacy of our National Parks.

A critical part of this bill permanently authorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a key program that helped protect nearly 2.5 million acres and provided $4 billion in state grants for conservation and recreation projects. As I have consistently advocated for over the years, it is imperative we turn our attention to fixing our broken water infrastructure. I applaud my colleagues in the Senate and the House for including legislation addressing the Contra Costa Canal Transfer. This project is a common-sense solution that allows the water district to complete necessary safety improvements to the canal while reducing government regulation. For California's 16th District, similar action is needed towards fixing the Friant-Kern Canal, the largest part of the Central Valley Project on the eastside of the Central Valley.

Through smart policy and prudent leadership, I am confident that we can work together and ensure generations of future Americans can access, manage, and protect their natural resources.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting the passage S. 47, the Natural Resources Management Act and I urge them to vote

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished service of European Union Ambassador to the United States, David O'Sullivan, who will retire his post at the end of the month after nearly five years of tireless advocacy for transatlantic unity. It has been my privilege to work alongside Ambassador O'Sullivan as we strive to secure our mutual interests in national security, trade, and foreign affairs.

Ambassador O'Sullivan was appointed in November 2014, shottly after receiving the EU Transatlantic Business Award from the American Chamber of Commerce for his contributions to improving our economic ties with Europe. As Ambassador, he has devoted himself to strengthening the EU- U.S. trade relationship and worked to ensure that other large economic powers play by the rules. In 2018, he promoted a trilateral approach between the EU, the U.S., and Japan to tackle the issue of Chinese overcapacity in steel manufacturing.

In his four decades of public service for the European Union, Ambassador O'Sullivan has worked diligently for international cooperation. Prior to serving as Ambassador, he helped establish one of the world's largest diplomatic organizations, the European External Action Service, and served as its Chief Operating Officer from 2011 to 2014. He held senior positions with the European Commission, including Head of Commission President Prodi's Cabinet from 1999 to 2000 and Secretary General of the European Commission from 2000 to 2005. In his capacity as Director General for Trade and Chief Negotiator for the Doha Development Round from 2005 to 2010, he secured numerous free trade agreements, including the conclusion ofthe EU's agreement with South Korea.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, the Ambassador's interest in global politics and international affairs was first inspired by his father, Lieutenant General Gerry O'Sullivan, who served as Chief of Staff of the Irish Defense Forces. While his father served as liaison to the United Nations in the Congo in 1961, David attended elementary school in my state of California and later worked two summers as a YMCA camp counselor in Chicago.

The bonds of friendship with our transatlantic allies are now more important than ever and must continue to be founded upon our shared values of democracy, respect for human dignity, and the rule of law. Madam Speaker, I respectfully ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ambassador O'Sullivan's enduring contributions to transatlantic unity and EU-U.S. trade relations. I thank him for his service and wish him a happy retirement.

Mr. Speaker, last month we commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is important that we always take note because, sadly, genocide and anti-Semitism continues to exist in the 21st century. As the philosopher George Santayana once explained: Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.

Yes. An important episode in the history of the Holocaust is the story of Aristides de Sousa Mendes, a Portuguese diplomat, who was the consular general in Bordeaux, France, in the late 1930s, 1940, and 1941. As a Portuguese diplomat in Bordeaux, France, at the outset of the Second World War, Sousa Mendes is credited with saving the lives of tens of thousands of European Jews fleeing the Holocaust.

As a proud Portuguese American and the co-chair of the Congressional Portuguese Caucus, I am glad that later this year we will be hosting a screening of the film, ``Disobedience: The Sousa Mendes Story,'' in partnership with the Sousa Mendes Foundation.

We must learn from our history so that the atrocities of the past are never repeated in the future. We remember, and we pledge to never, ever forget.

Speaking of atrocities, sadly, they do continue to exist around the world. This week, we will have an opportunity, as Congress, to go on record to discuss the challenges of the civil war going on in Yemen and America's participation in that effort.

It is high time Congress reassert itself in terms of our checks and balances. We have abdicated our role far too often in terms of declaring what America's actions and interventions will be like around the world. This week, we will have an opportunity to go on record on the atrocities that are taking place in Yemen and, hopefully, be a positive force for change.

In addition to our efforts this week, a looming deadline on February 15 is before us, and that is whether we will reach an agreement on proposed border security and continue to fund this government to the end of our fiscal year. It is wrong, and it is irresponsible to ever shut down government.

In the 14 years that I have been a Member of Congress, I have never voted to shut down government. It is not just the hundreds and thousands of Federal employees who are at risk, who have home payments, car payments, and other obligations, but all the other contractors and people who do business with the Federal Government or who are indirectly impacted.

We have held hearings throughout my district. I hope that before the end of this week, we will reach a bipartisan agreement on border security. I hope that we will continue to ensure that

government is not shut down and that we go about the business of working on this year's budget, hopefully, reaching an agreement to reduce the cost of prescription drugs; to reduce the cost of healthcare; to protect people's insurance for preexisting conditions; and maybe, just maybe, reach an agreement on a bipartisan infrastructure package. That is the business at hand, and that is what we ought to be focused on.

Congratulating University of California, Merced

Finally, on an upbeat note, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the University of California at Merced in my district being named one of the country's universities of the year by Education Dive, which honors education's top innovators.

One of the newest research universities in the entire country, it is a testament to UC Merced's forward-thinking approach, which has been integral in increasing opportunity to improve the quality of education for California's San Joaquin Valley and the entire system of the University of California.

UC Merced prides itself in having the largest share of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students among all the University of California's campuses. It is the first minority-majority campus in California, with over 8,000 students.

It has been a pleasure to watch the university grow over the last 13 years and an honor to meet its educators, students, and alumni who make up a tight, close-knit community.

Go Bobcats.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend and colleague, Stephen R. Bauman, as he retires from his position as Director of the VA Central California Health Care System in Fresno, California. Throughout his distinguished career with the United States Navy and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Stephen has dedicated his life to public service and the care of our nation's veterans. Stephen has left an indelible mark on the Central Valley through his commitment to the veteran community.

Stephen honorably served our country for 36 years in the United States Navy. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War. As a reservist, he was activated in support of Operation Desert Storm and completed a tour in Iraq and Kuwait in 2004 as a Command Master Chief in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He attended Grantham University in Lenexa, Kansas and obtained a bachelor's degree in Business Administration in 2011.

Stephen began his career with the Department of Veteran Affairs in 1977 as a staff nurse at the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System. He has served at eight VA facilities throughout his career, including the Northern California Health Care System, Sierra Pacific Network and Los Angeles. He was appointed Director of the VA Central California Health Care System in November 2015. His proven experience and sound leadership qualities made him the perfect fit to guide the Fresno VA.

As director, Stephen was responsible for the delivery of health care for approximately 96,000 veterans throughout Central California, with an annual operating budget of $212 million. He oversees both the main campus in Fresno and the outpatient clinics in Tulare, Merced, and Oakhurst, California. My staff and I have had the pleasure of working closely with Director Bauman throughout his tenure. Stephen has gone above and beyond to help veterans in need of assistance in the Central Valley. I commend him for his exemplary work on behalf of the veterans who have sacrificed so much for our great nation.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognition of Director Stephen R. Bauman, in honor of his remarkable career and contributions to the Department of Veteran Affairs. I wish Stephen the very best as he enters a new phase in his life. I ask that you join me in wishing Stephen and his family continued happiness and prosperity.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California (BBBS) on the occasion of their 50th anniversary. Since its creation, BBBS has assisted in establishing meaningful, professional, and long-lasting relationships between adult volunteers and young adults.

Big Brothers of America was created in 1904, by Ernest Kent Coulter. Ernest worked as a children's court clerk in New York City and watched countless young boys shuffle in and out of the courtroom. He believed that if caring adults could guide and help the children, they could stay away from trouble and grow up to become productive members of their community. At the same time, members of the organization Ladies of Charity, were maintaining friendships with young girls who had gone through the New York children's court. This organization would become the Catholic Big Sisters. This growing movement of mentorship brought caring role models into the lives of children across the nation.

In 1946, the United States Congress recognized Big Brothers of America as a social welfare organization. The simultaneous growth of the two organizations led to the merging of Big Brothers of America and Big Sisters of America into Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in 1977.

Locally, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California has served over 20,000 children and their families. In 1997, satellite offices were opened in Hanford and Madera, to cover an expanded service area of Kings and Madera counties. Expanding yet again, in late 2007 BBBS merged with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tulare County and became the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California to reflect their new region. Today, BBBS Central California

serve four counties in the Central Valley and serves over 1,000 children each year through various mentorship programs.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California's 50th anniversary. I commend the service of all past and present members of this organization, who have worked collectively to motivate, promote, support, and educate children and young adults in Central California.