Floor Statements

I thank the gentleman from Maryland for yielding, because we ought to be about doing the people's business. Walking away as we are for the next 46 days to focus on elections when we ought to be focusing on the people's business is a very sad commentary, a very sad commentary to the people of our land.

I appreciate all the good work that my colleague Congressman Hoyer and my other colleagues do in trying to address the critical challenges that we face in our Nation today. As was stated, our House Republican colleagues have left town to focus on the election. In the meantime we have unfinished business. We have unfinished business on comprehensive jobs, big and balanced budget solutions to the deficit, tax cuts for the middle class, the farm bill--which I want to speak to--and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, as a cochair of the Victims' Rights Caucus, is especially disheartening.

Let me say that the folks who farm and put the food on America's dinner table are wondering why, just why, we can't get a farm bill. It is one of the most bipartisan things we ever do here in Congress.

In 2008 we had a bipartisan farm bill when we had the majority. President Bush vetoed it, we overrode his veto twice. Today we have a farm bill that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate by a vote of 64-35. It made cuts because we have to make cuts, and we have to be fiscally responsible, $23.5 billion less than the farm bill of 2008.

In the House, as a Member of the House Agriculture Committee, we voted a comprehensive bill out, 35-11. We made cuts because we have to make cuts. In a number of the areas we made similar cuts to the Senate's, $20 billion in farm programs. We made additional cuts in nutritional programs, which are part of what would normally be worked out if regular order was allowed to take place.

The gentleman is correct. We had over 70 farm organizations from the American Farm Bureau, the National Farmers Union to the, as we say, the ``barnyard coalition'' that represents all of the poultry and pork and

dairy and beef cattle industries, because they understand that a farm bill is a safety net. Without it, we don't have a farm policy, we don't have a food policy for not just American farmers, ranchers, and dairymen but for the consumers who, each night, enjoy the highest- quality food produced with the safest quality anywhere in the world.

Let me just close by saying two things. The dairy industry is hurting. We have had a drought in the Midwest that has devastated a whole host of the farm country. And yet, what is one of the ways that farmers, ranchers, and dairymen are able to produce next year's crops? Well, they get loans. They get loans from banks and production credit associations.

What are those loans made of? They are based upon the value of their farm and how much they were leveraged, but they are also based upon a farm bill, a farm bill that provides the ability to ensure that there is a safety net and that there is crop insurance. Without any farm bill, we don't have any crop insurance. Without a farm bill, we don't have that safety net.

With the overwhelming bipartisan support that we have in the Senate, the bipartisan bill that was voted out of the House Agriculture Committee, it seems to me that we ought to let the process work. I would urge my colleagues to come back. Come back and let's do the people's business on all of these issues. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. The Victims' Rights Caucus every day is focusing on protecting women and their families throughout this country, and that is also a bipartisan piece of legislation that we always act on. Again we're not doing the people's business.

The gentleman from Maryland, my colleague, is so correct in bringing this to the attention of the House. Ladies and gentlemen, we ought to be about doing the people's business.

Mr. Speaker, from September 15 to October 15, we honor the heritage and many contributions of the Latino community nationwide.

The story of Hispanic Americans is truly an American story. In America, if you work hard, play by the rules and dream big, there is no limit to what you can achieve. From the hard work of immigrants and their children, to the arts and education, to nearly 1 million Latino veterans who have proudly served in uniform, Hispanics have played a vital role in shaping our Nation.

While we have made great contributions, there is still more work to be done to address issues that affect the communities, such as health care disparities and improving high school graduation rates.

We all do not share the same roots, but we all share the same goals, in giving the next generation of Americans the opportunities to achieve the American Dream. That American Dream is part and parcel of what we celebrate and honor during the Hispanic Heritage Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. John Tos of Kings County, California, as he is recognized by the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce as the 2012 Agriculturalist of the Year. A third generation farmer, John has been farming since 1961. John has consistently maintained a deep commitment to his family, faith, and community--which serves as a clear testament to his superior moral character. He is well deserving of this honor.

A passionate and proud son of the agriculturally rich San Joaquin Valley, John has earned the respect and admiration of his friends and neighbors. Tos Farms was started in 1912, north of Hanford in an area called Queen Wilhelmina Colony by Joe Tos, John's grandfather. John's father and his Uncle Larry were the second generation to take over the family farming operation. Since then, John and his son Jeff, along with Bill's son, Mark, have become partners in the farming operation--making Tos Farms, Inc. a four generation, one-hundred year old farming operation. Clearly, the Tos Family is a living example of the American Dream--an illustration of success that shows overcoming adversity and achieving success is possible through hard work and perseverance.

Today, Tos Farms employs an average of 250 to 300 people, many of whom have been with the company for as long as 30 to 40 years.

John is not only being honored by the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce for his exemplary work ethic, he is also being recognized for his meaningful contributions to our community. He and his wife of 50 years, Victoria Tos, have been members of the Christian Reformed Church, where John has served on the Church Council and as Deacon. In addition, John has dedicated his time to the Hanford Christian and Central Valley Christian School Boards. He was also a member of the California Tree Fruit Agreement (CTFA) for 30 years. Currently, John serves on the Marana and Sierra Village Retirement Homes Board of Directors. John also acts as Director of the California Grape and Tree Fruit League, the Kingsburg Federal Land Bank Association, and the Burris Park Foundation. John's steadfast devotion to his community is evident from his loyalty and extensive contributions to our Valley.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. John Tos for his numerous contributions to California agriculture, the San Joaquin Valley, and our Nation. His selfless nature and strong work ethic, truly exemplifies the best of what our Nation has to offer.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to reluctantly oppose this measure-- not because drought relief is not desperately needed in many parts of this country, but because we have a far better vehicle to do this in the form of the farm bill that Chairman Lucas and Ranking Member Peterson have worked so tirelessly to produce, a good, good 5-year farm policy on behalf of American agriculture.

We need to do the job that we were sent here to do. The drought relief package that we are voting on today, I believe, is sadly more about giving the Republican leadership relief when they go back to their districts in August than helping our Nation's farmers, ranchers, and dairymen.

There is no denying that action is needed to offer relief, and we must do that; and hopefully we'll come to an agreement in September. But the best action, I believe, is passing the bipartisan farm bill.

If we were serious about helping agriculture make it through this drought, we would have brought up the bipartisan farm bill, which came out of the United States Senate, passed the House Agriculture Committee by a vote of 35-11, and followed regular order.

The fact is that instead of working on a conference committee, as we should be doing at this time because we certainly have had enough time to do that, we are voting on a patchwork measure that, in my opinion, is more about politics than policy and, more likely than not, will go nowhere in the United States Senate.

The dairymen, poultry producers, and cattle feeders in my district have seen their feed prices skyrocket 30 to 35 percent in the last 6 to 8 weeks. And, yes, we ought to provide relief through the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Bankruptcies are increasing at an alarming rate among the dairy industry in California. When these businesses are already struggling to stay afloat, they look to Congress for leadership. They look to Congress for real action to produce a 5-year farm bill. Drought relief alone is not enough. Lord knows we dealt with a drought in California that was devastating in 2009 and 2010.

Passing a farm bill would give farmers, ranchers, and dairymen the certainty that they need for the next 5 years in a part of the economy that has been doing, generally speaking, fairly well over the last several years. This includes long-term authority for disaster assistance along with all the other support from a farm bill that helps them do their work in the conservation programs, in the EQUIP programs, market-access programs, and in research that is vital to American agriculture.

This bill, sadly, would pit disaster relief against the conservation programs that farmers in my district rely on.

We need real solutions; and that solution, in my opinion, is passing a farm bill--not half-hearted actions to protect our political interests.

My colleagues, we have the time. Let's go to a conference committee and produce a bipartisan farm bill. It's traditionally the most bipartisan thing we do in this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

I am opposed to this legislation in its current form.

This is the final amendment to the bill. It will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. I repeat--it will not kill the bill nor will it send it back to committee. If adopted, however, the bill will immediately be amended and proceed under final passage.

In the Republicans' rush to legislate, they have missed some important pieces that the motion to recommit would address.

First, the bill, H.R. 6233, the Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012, allows disaster payments to go to corporations incorporated under State law, but there is nothing in the bill to prevent these corporations from being wholly-owned subsidiaries of foreign corporations.

Under current law, for much of the farm safety net, foreign corporations--defined under current law as to where more than 10 percent of the beneficial ownership is held by a non-U.S. citizen-- cannot receive farm payments. This bill fails to do that.

The farm bill we passed in committee addressed the current law. It passed by a bipartisan vote of 35-11. It includes the same provisions that are in this disaster package. It also ensures that payments do not go to foreign corporations.

This motion to recommit fixes that.

Additionally, under current law, there is a provision to prevent duplicative payments from being made to producers under disaster programs, in other words, double-dipping. This provision was included to prevent producers from collecting payments from multiple programs for the same disaster. We want to treat those people fairly under this disaster, but we don't want people receiving double-dipping payments.

Again, in the Republicans' rush to legislate, the provision that ensures against duplicative payments and double-dipping somehow missed the boat.

This motion to recommit fixes that oversight as well.

Finally and more importantly, the motion to recommit also gives every Member here an opportunity to take a position on what ironically, I think, could be called the elephant in the room, and that is whether or not the House is going to consider a 5-year farm bill to provide certainty and security to rural America and its agriculture economy.

The motion to recommit expresses the sense of the House that a 5-year farm safety net is far better for certainty and security for farmers and farm families than this bill or even a short-term extension is. After all, the farm bill is traditionally one of the most bipartisan things we do around here.

In a statement regarding the underlying bill, a broad-based coalition of farm organizations said that they would:

support finding a path forward to reaching an agreement on a

new 5-year farm bill before current program authorities

expire on September 30.

They go on to say:

We are disappointed that the House Republican leadership

has decided to not move forward with the House Agriculture

Committee's bill before adjourning for the August recess. The

bill would provide the disaster relief for our farm and ranch

families needed at this time.

Those organizations among them are the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Corn Growers Association, the National Farmers Union, the National Milk Producers Federation, the United Fresh Produce Association, and Western Growers, to mention but a few.

Members, we have a chance to take a stand. Are you for regular order, or for political messaging? Are you for doing our work, or kicking the can down the road? Should we take up a comprehensive farm bill before September 30, or add this to the growing list of unfinished business to be considered in a lame duck session? I hope not.

All in all, the motion to recommit makes important fixes in the underlying bill, making it consistent with current law regarding the treatment of foreign corporations and protections against duplicative payments, otherwise known as double-dipping. It puts the House on record that we need to consider a 5-year farm bill before the current one expires on September 30. I urge my colleagues to support the motion to recommit.

Traditionally, the farm bill is one of the most bipartisan pieces of legislation that we act on. The bipartisan support was in the Senate and the bipartisan support was in the House Agriculture Committee by a vote of 35-11. We have a crisis, and we ought to properly respond.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the service of Mr. Frank Franco or as we affectionately call him, ``Franco''. Frank Franco's many years of dedicated service to the community and our nation's veterans exemplifies his reverence for our country and truly demonstrates the best of what America has to offer.

Frank Franco was born in El Centro, California. He joined the United States Army at age 17 and honorably served his country with two tours of service in Vietnam.

A tireless advocate for helping people, Franco has been with Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission, EOC, for over 30 years. He is a hard worker and has held many leadership positions in the community. Franco is a past director of the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District, is on the Mayor's Advisory Committee and is a past recipient of the Key to the City of Fresno.

Each year, Franco travels to our nation's capital with the Fresno Council of Governments One Voice-DC trip. Franco has over 50 proclamations and awards he has received throughout the years. In addition to his civic leadership, Franco is also a proud member of Veterans of Foreign War, VFW, Post 8900 in Fresno. He serves on my Veteran Leaders Advisory Group and participates in numerous local veterans' events, such as the Veterans Stand Down. Franco is always helping, always working.

I applaud Frank Franco for his many years of tireless work on behalf of the community, on behalf of veterans and their families and the Central Valley. We know Franco will enjoy more time with his wife, Maria, his children, Jack Arthur, Madelene, and Tina, and his grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, it should be noted that in addition to his countless gifts to the community,

Franco is my good friend and he is a true champion of the people. He has always been available to discuss issues and work together to make our Central Valley a better place to live and work. I extend to him my very best wishes and ask my colleagues to join with me in recognizing the commitment, dedication, and success of Frank C. Franco.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Grand Marshals for Delano's 38th Annual Philippine Weekend. This event takes place in my district each year to honor and celebrate the Filipino culture. This year's honorees are Juanita Quiocho Villaruz, Suzanne Villaruz, and Arleen Villaruz-Gonzales, and they were selected for their dedication to service in their community. They are terrific examples of strong women that exhibit leadership, selflessness, and perseverance.

Juanita immigrated to the United States in 1958 from Rancho, Santa, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. She married Louie V. Villaruz, and had three children--Suzanne, Arleen, and Lounito. While supporting their young family, Juanita and Louie were active in the United Farm Workers of America's efforts to change conditions and wages for farm laborers. In 1970, Juanita found herself having to support three children on her own due to Louie's sudden death. She received training and worked as a psychiatric technician at Porterville State Hospital. Juanita retired from the State of California in 1995.

As a member of many different organizations, Juanita has stayed extremely active in the Filipino community. She was a charter member of the Filipino-American (Fil-Am) Cultural and Educational Association and served as president in 1976-77. She is also a member of the Filipino Catholic Association, Legionarios del Trabajo, the Filipino Community of Delano, and the Sons of Santa, of which she is a past president.

Juanita has always had a sense of service and participation in her community which she has undoubtedly passed down to her children.

Suzanne Villaruz was born in Delano and graduated from Delano High School in 1977.

She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from California State University, Bakersfield. As a registered and credentialed nurse, she has been working at McFarland Unified School District for over 20 years. In 2011, she was honored as Certified Employee of the Year.

In 1995, Suzanne initiated the Delano's Junior Miss program. Today, that program is called the Distinguished Young Women of Delano. Outside of Junior Miss, Suzanne finds joy in volunteering. She has served as an alternate on the Cecil Avenue Junior High School Site Council and chaired the School Site Council at Delano High School.Suzanne gladly served several years on the Board of Directors for Joshua Tree Council for Girl Scouts and Junior League of Bakersfield. Since 2001, she has been a member of the Kiwanis Club of Delano and has twice served as president.

Suzanne lives a very busy life working and dedicating her time to service, but family is also extremely important. Her most cherished roles are that of mother to Nicole Ailina Villaruz and partner to Arnold Morrison.

Arleen Villaruz-Gonzales, born just eleven months after her sister, is a 1978 graduate of Delano High School. She graduated from California State University, Bakersfield with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies. She married Anthony Gonzales in 1981, and they have two beautiful children, Aaron and Aubree.

Arleen has taught in the Delano Union School District at Fremont, Del Vista, and Princeton Schools. At Princeton, she was the first to ever receive the Teacher of the Year award, and in 1994 was named to the Hall of Fame as an Outstanding Teacher from Paramount Farms.

Just like her mother and sister, Arleen is very active in her community. She was a parent liaison for Delano High School's Theater Percussion Ensemble, United Spirit Association camp counselor, AYSO Commissioner, and a troop leader for Girl Scouts. Following in her mother's footsteps, Arleen is a past president of the Fil-Am Cultural and Educational Association.

Suzanne and Arleen have served many organizations in tandem, but Philippine Weekend has always been at their hearts. In 1976, Suzanne was crowned the first Miss Philippine Weekend queen, and then had the distinct pleasure of crowning Arleen the following year.

Two decades after being crowned, Suzanne was part of a reorganization of Philippine Weekend, when they returned to encouraging the youth of Delano to participate and take leadership positions in the organization. This proudly continues today. Suzanne and Arleen are very proud and supportive of the young people they have worked with who have become successful in their professional and volunteer lives. Philippine Weekend is now a successful nonprofit organization.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 2012 Philippine Weekend Grand Marshals--Juanita Quiocho Villaruz, Suzanne Villaruz, and Arleen Villaruz-Gonzales--for their outstanding contributions to the community of Delano and the San Joaquin Valley.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Mr. Frank M. Toste Sr., a respected dairyman and community leader, who passed away on Thursday, July 12, 2012. His dedication to family and farming made him a true source of pride for California's San Joaquin Valley and our nation.

A proud product of California's agriculturally rich San Joaquin Valley, Frank was born in Riverdale, California on January 26, 1921 to Mary Carreiro and Joseph Toste, who were Portuguese immigrants from the Azore Islands. He attended Valley schools and developed a love and appreciation for the San Joaquin Valley. Mary and Joseph instilled a sense of responsibility and dependability in Frank early in his life. As a young boy Frank worked on his family's small dairy in Kerman, California, where he learned the value of hard work. Years later, those same values would encourage Frank to serve his nation in the United States Army during World War II. He served in Northern Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. During his service he achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Upon returning home, Frank met and married the love of his life, Iva Jean Heitz. Together, they started their own business, the Hillview Dairy Farm near Easton, California. His passion and enthusiasm for farming, combined with his skills and work ethic, made him a very successful farmer and dairyman. Frank loved what he did and passed on the gift of farming to younger generations in his family.

Frank's contributions to his community went beyond his exceptional farming abilities. He was active in many organizations including the Knights of Columbus, the Cabrillo Civic Club, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Farm Bureau, and the Dairy Herd Improvement Association. His participation and admirable service to his community made him a valuable leader and respected voice on important Valley issues. He will be sorely missed.

Frank is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Iva; his sons, Frank Toste Jr., Ron Toste, and Scott Toste; his grandsons, Frank Toste III, Jason Toste, Jacob Toste; his granddaughters, Marlene Borges, Anneka Anderson, and Roni Aust; five great-grandsons; two great- granddaughters; his brother Willie Toste; and many nieces and nephews.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to the life of Mr. Frank M. Toste Sr. His character truly exemplified the best of what America has to offer. His many contributions to agriculture and unwavering commitment to his loved ones will ensure that his legacy lives on for years to come.

Madam Speaker, despite our economic challenges, agriculture is one of the bright spots in our economy. Last week, the House Agriculture Committee, in an overwhelming bipartisan fashion, sent a simple message: We need a farm bill now.

We have challenges in American agriculture to be sure, such as dairy price fluctuations, the current drought affecting crops nationwide, and creating a level playing field for farmers to compete in foreign markets. This bill isn't perfect, but there's a great deal of consensus in it. Our farmers need certainty, and only a farm bill can give them that.

There are 11 days left for the House to vote on a farm bill before the August recess. The American people are tired of Congress bickering just to keep the lights on. This legislation has bipartisan support in the committee and in the United States Senate.

Madam Speaker, if the leadership of this House is serious about providing certainty and promoting economic growth, they will bring this legislation to the floor for a vote now.

The farm bill has traditionally been a bipartisan effort. Let's keep it that way.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute ute to the life of Dr. Wendy Wayne who passed away on June 17, 2012 at the age of 64 after fighting a courageous four year battle with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Wendy was a loving wife and mother, a committed activist and respected community leader who touched the lives of many.

A proud product of Culver City, California, Wendy was born on February 4, 1948. She attended Hamilton High School in Los Angeles and graduated from the University of Los Angeles (UCLA) before joining the Peace Corps and serving in Kenya. She married the love of her life, Gene Tackett, after traveling around the world and then working on Gene's first political campaign for Kern County Supervisor. Wendy quickly became an icon and a source of inspiration within the local community. Wendy and Gene started their family in Bakersfield in 1978 and have worked continuously to improve the quality of life of all families in Kern County, the place they called home.

Through her leadership and hard work, Wendy became a role model for her friends and neighbors. Dr. Wendy Wayne exemplified the true meaning of being an advocate. After working at Clinica Sierra Vista and obtaining a nursing degree at California State University (CSUB), she worked as a nurse at Kern Medical Center (KMC). She continued her volunteer activities promoting child safety seats and expanded childcare opportunities for working mothers. Both of her sons were born in the KMC Birthing Center organized by Wendy. In 1986, Wendy started her career with the Kern County Superintendent of School's office as an advocate for expanded preschool education. Working with community leaders she helped create the Community Connection for Childcare and became its first director. She later became the executive director of Kern County's First Five organization, an agency promoting child education during their first five years of age. For more than 36 years, she was a committed and reliable member of the community.

Over the years, Wendy continued to fulfill her wanderlust for travel and doing good works with a three month health project in Kenya, Bakersfield Sister City trips, Rotary polio ratification trips to India and Nigeria, working with her niece Ann Reiner in the Sudan and Uganda. Her family vacations included a revisit to her Kenyan village where she had once taught biology. Remarkably, Wendy endured countless hours of travel to receive advanced cancer treatment in Southern California while simultaneously serving as a consultant to San Joaquin Hospital to develop a much needed state of the art cancer center in Bakersfield. Her work demonstrated her dedication to fostering and preserving the health and safety of children throughout the world, and her compassion and concern for our community served as a testament to her extraordinary character.

Wendy lived an exemplary life and will undoubtedly be missed by many. The true loves of her life were husband, Gene; sons, Larkin and Benji; daughters-in-law Katie and Amy; and grandchildren Maya, Lola and Ben.

A principled and engaged citizen, Wendy Wayne participated in every aspect of community life. She led a generous and energetic life filled with love and adventure. Her long-lasting participation in our community and commitment to the well-being of future generations will ensure that her legacy lives on for years to come. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Dr. Wendy Wayne, a beloved wife, mother, leader and true champion for all people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my sincerest congratulations to the Fresno County Farm Bureau which is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year. Since its establishment in 1917, the organization has continued to evolve. It began as general farm organization as an arm of the Agriculture Extension Service, and is now at the forefront of farming in California. As it nears the end of its first century, it continues to lead the agriculture industry and the community in addressing issues that result in long-term economic viability for agriculture and promoting the economic vitality of the region as we move forward in the 21st Century.

The Farm Bureau started shortly after the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 established the Agriculture Extension Service. The Act stipulated that before a county could obtain farm advisor services, it had to form a general farm organization through which the Extension Service could disseminate information and promote better farming methods. In the fall of 1917, George Fever, J.A. Poytress, Sam Heisinger, H.W. Wrightson and Charles Parlier were among a group of farmers that met with Leroy Smith, the first Extension Service farm advisor assigned to Fresno County, to lay the groundwork for a Fresno County Farm Bureau organization.

Fresno County Farm Bureau, like many other County Farm Bureau organizations, was originally set up in joint offices within the University of California Agriculture Extension Service. The Farm Bureau membership rose and fell in the pre-World War II days, dropping to 350 during the Depression. The largest growth in membership occurred around the Farm Bureau's 50th anniversary, between 1945 and 1967 when it rose from 1,000 to 4,500 members. Today, the Fresno County Farm Bureau represents more than 4,000 members. In the early 1960s, Fresno County took first place in total production value of agriculture commodities. Fresno County remains the number one agricultural county in the country, bringing in $5.94 billion in 2010.

The Farm Bureau has played an integral role in many projects throughout its history, including: presenting President Franklin D. Roosevelt a program to strengthen agriculture during the Great Depression years in 1931; partnering with the Madera, Tulare and Kings County Farm Bureaus to organize the California Farm Bureau Marketing Association in 1918; starting a pilot program to sell tree-ripened fruit to southern California consumers in 1966; and playing a major role in the development and implementation of the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986.

Today, the Farm Bureau is a grassroots, nationwide network of Farm Bureaus organized on county, state and national levels. The county Farm Bureau is the center of the organization and is one of 53 county Farm Bureaus currently representing a combined membership of over 4,000 family members in Fresno County. Collectively, Farm Bureau is California's largest farm organization with memberships from 76,500 farm families in 56 counties.

The Farm Bureau continues to lead the agriculture industry and the community in addressing issues that result in long-term viability for agriculture and promoting the economic vitality of the region. Farm Bureau spends countless hours researching agriculturally-related legislation; testifying in front of local, state and federal government; and conducting meetings with elected officials. In addition, it fields hundreds of calls, providing education and outreach to the community, which has continued to be a centerpiece of the Farm Bureau. Through Coffee Talk meetings, which provide the opportunity for farmers to share information in an informal setting and discuss current, local issues with special guest speakers, the Bureau has continued to make community outreach a top priority. It is also involved in promoting the Blossom Trail, the Fruit Trail and the Big Fresno Fair, and annually recognizes deserving reporters and editors for conveying accurate and objective reporting about agricultural issues and the industry.

On top of these important efforts, the Farm Bureau offers valuable agriculture education and leadership development assistance in the community. The annual Farm and Nutrition Day is put on for more than 1,500 third-graders, providing facts about food and fiber production in Fresno County. In addition, representatives from the Farm Bureau are on-hand during the annual Fair Education Program to conduct mini- presentations about agriculture for students. The Fresno County Farm Bureau also works with local universities and conducts classroom presentations. In addition to this, the Future Advocates for Agriculture Concerned about Tomorrow (FAACT) Leadership Development Program provides community leaders with a comprehensive eight-month class, highlighting specific issue areas in agriculture. FAACT offers a balanced, factual presentation of several issue areas specific to agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Fresno County Farm Bureau as it celebrates its 95th anniversary and prepares to continue to provide outstanding leadership for the agriculture industry throughout the Central Valley, the State of California, and our nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Dr. Wendy Wayne, who passed away on June 17, 2012, at the age of 64 after fighting a courageous 4-year battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Wendy was a loving wife and mother, a committed activist and respected community leader who touched the lives of many. Wendy led a courageous and energetic life filled with love and adventure. She joined the Peace Corps at an early age and served in Kenya. As a seasoned traveler, Wendy swam the Earth's five oceans.

Her work as an educator, a nurse, and a community leader demonstrated her dedication to fostering and preserving and improving the health and safety of children throughout the world. And her compassion and concern for the community also served as a testament to her extraordinary character.

Wendy Wayne's unwavering loyalty to Kern County and her commitment to the well-being of future generations will ensure that her legacy will live on. She stands as a role model for her family, her friends, and all that knew and worked with her.

And we will all miss her. I will miss my dear friend Wendy Wayne.

Madam Speaker, every year, California dairies produce over 17 billion pounds of milk products that provide families with affordable, nutrient-rich products that we consume. California is the Nation's top milk-producing State, and much of the production takes place in the San Joaquin Valley, which I represent a part of. Many of these dairies in my district have been passed down from generation to generation, including the one that I grew up on in Kearney Park, near Fresno, California.

Over the last few years, dairy producers have seen milk prices continue to drop and feed prices increase and even skyrocket. In the coming weeks, the Ag Committee is slated to begin consideration of the 2012 farm bill. It is my hope that we can find a way to bring more certainty in prices and prevent extreme market volatility to help our producers across the country stay afloat.

As National Dairy Month comes to a close, I would like to commend our dairymen and -women for the work they do every day on the farm, 365 days a year, that allows families nationwide to enjoy the nutritious, cost-effective food that they are putting on our tables.

Since 1982, the Congressional Art Competition has recognized the special power that the arts have had in our Nation's classrooms.

Today, I have the pleasure of recognizing my district's Art Competition winner, Sarah Fanucchi, who credits the arts for helping her overcome her learning challenges.

From an early age, Sarah struggled with reading and math, but she excelled with a sketchbook and a pencil in hand. Once her teachers at Bakersfield's South High tapped into that talent, Sarah's life changed. She became excited about school, and her grades improved. Sarah's mother, Carrie, said, ``Art was and, I suspect, always will be her refuge. It was her place to begin to shine, her place in school to belong.'' Carrie and Sarah are more than mother and daughter; they are best friends.

As I welcome her and her family to Washington this week, I applaud Sarah's artistic feat. More importantly, her perseverance through her challenges is what I find most impressive about this young lady. The art and life she has created is something any parent or teacher can and should be proud of as she continues to add value to our Nation's fabric.

I rise today to speak in opposition to the rule for H.R. 2578, the Conservation and Economic Growth Act.

First, I want to thank the gentlewoman from New York for allowing me some time to speak on what I think are some of the good things in this package. Unfortunately, I don't think this is the appropriate way we ought to be debating some elements of the challenging issues of immigration reform in the House of Representatives.

First, these bills should be taken on their individual merits, not as a package. If we consider them together, we should then have an open rule that would allow us to then debate the merits of each individual bill.

Some of the bills contained in H.R. 2578 are helpful to my constituents, and I've supported them in the past. As an example, the measure offered by Mr. Denham allows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to consider spillway improvements on the project by the Merced Irrigation District. This would allow an expansion of the capacity of that reservoir. Some 1,800 feet of the Merced River would be impacted; but as a result of it, we would gain perhaps as much as 78,000 acre feet of additional water supply that is much needed in the San Joaquin Valley. That is a good portion of this package.

There are also other areas that I support, language within the bill, to provide certainty to the grazing community that I am an original cosponsor for: grazing land, public lands that provide opportunities for America's beef industry that is very essential and very important.

However, this bill also contains controversial provisions that would be damaging to my constituents. H.R. 1505 gives the Customs and Border Protection authority to waive numerous laws pertaining to Federal land management.

I thank the gentlewoman.

H.R. 1505, as I was indicating, would waive numerous laws that pertain to very important elements of not only the coastal zone, but mining, public health, safety, and public review within 100 miles of the U.S. border. I oppose this measure because it is too sweeping in its efforts.

This bill also portends to provide border security problems on land management laws. We have challenges with our border; there is no question about it. I've supported additional funding for the Border Patrol agency. We must protect our borders, but to do so in a land management bill simply makes no sense. We should be taking up comprehensive immigration reform separately from land management bills. That is, I think, the method that we ought to apply.