Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to a man who has been a tireless voice for agriculture in my home district of Fresno County, California. On June 29, 2008, Jerry Prieto will be retiring as the Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner after over 35 years of dedicated service to Fresno County.

Agriculture continues to be California's number one industry with Fresno County ranking as the number one agricultural producing county in California and the nation. The fertile soils of Fresno County support over 300 different crops, valued at near $5 billion annually to the economy of California. Many things contribute to California's bountiful crops, but one significant underlying factor in Fresno County's agricultural success has been the presence of Jerry Prieto as its lead advocate.

Jerry has never been a stranger to agriculture. The son of a migrant farm worker, Jerry was raised on a small family farm near Corcoran, California. Jerry attended California State University, Fresno, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Science. In 1974, Jerry began working for the Fresno County Department of Agriculture advancing to the position of Deputy Agricultural Commissioner in 1980. In 1999, he was appointed to the position of Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures. In this position, Jerry has been responsible for promoting and regulating the Nation's number one agricultural producing county, and protecting the county's environment and the public's health, safety, and welfare.

Among Jerry's varied accomplishments is serving on then Governor Davis' State Committee on Terrorism. Jerry has also been active on many boards and for 4 years served as chairman of the Fresno County Department Heads Council. Mr. Prieto is a member of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, the Fresno County Council of Governments Farmland Conservation Steering Committee, chairman of the Fresno County Council of Governments Farmland Preservation Advisory Committee, and the Fresno County Land Conservation Committee. He is the immediate president of the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association and was the first Agricultural Commissioner to serve two terms as President.

Jerry Prieto recently was quoted as saying, ``All I ever wanted to do was to be a farmer.'' Part of what Jerry will now be able to focus on more is the acreage he owns. He plans to spend time with wife Cindy, his two children and two grandchildren. He also hopes to catch up on a little fishing. Though only days away from retirement, Jerry is still found diligently carrying out his responsibilities. His prompt and earnest action concerning the drought now facing California, mobilized Fresno County resources to quickly produce valuable data necessary for the Governor's office to declare an official drought emergency. I know that Jerry will continue to energetically advocate for Fresno County's Agriculture needs, not only up to, but well beyond his retirement date. It is only fitting that I recognize Jerry Prieto today before this Chamber and the country for unflinching service to his community, State and Nation.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6003, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008. With over 21,000 miles that has already been mentioned of track in the United States and 44 routes throughout America, this reauthorization measure is sorely needed, and Chairman Oberstar and Chairwoman Brown deserve a great deal of credit and thanks for their hard work and their efforts on this, along with my minority colleagues that are supporting this effort.

This legislation, as noted, will make improvements to existing lines throughout the country and in California. California provides over $70 million a year for intercity rail. We have the second, the third, and the sixth most frequently used corridors in the Nation. As a matter of fact, when people think about California, they think of the land of cars. But the fact of the matter is is that we have more intercity passenger ridership in California than any other State in the Union.

In my district, the Amtrak San Joaquin lines run from Bakersfield to Oakland to Sacramento. It's the sixth busiest corridor in the country and had nearly 800,000 riders in fiscal year 2006.

California, of course, obviously is not alone. This bill that Chairman Oberstar and Chairwoman Brown have been working on so hard and diligently, the RIDE 21 Act, will promote the development, construction, and the potential for high-speed rail, which is the transportation system that I think is a part of America's 21st century intermodal, interconnected system that will be the state-of-the-art system that we will depend upon.

Our friends in Europe and Japan have had great success with developing over 6,000 miles of high-speed rail in Europe and over 2,000 miles of high-speed rail in Japan, and it is expanding. This is fourth generation state-of-the-art technology that we can have off the shelf. We don't have to reinvent the wheel.

This November in California we will have a $9 billion bond measure that will help us implement the first state-of-the-art high-speed rail system, 790 miles, trains that will go 225 miles an hour connecting 80 percent of California's population. This measure will be a big shot in the arm to help this State.

This measure will give an added shot in the arm to assist California and other States throughout the country that want to implement, choose 21st-century state-of-the-art high-speed rail within their States. There are 11 corridors there. This notion that, in fact, we are giving a subsidy makes no sense. Every system of transportation in this country, roadways, airlines, freight, rail, and ports and harbors have had a public partnership, and there is a subsidy in them. And to think that we would not do anything less than that for rail in this country, for passenger rail, makes no sense.

I urge all of my colleagues to support these good measures for all of the right reasons.

Congressman Boucher and Congressman Terry, I want to thank you and your staffs for the hard work that you've done with your colleagues. The Energy and Commerce Committee has made a significant difference in bringing this legislation to the floor.

This measure, along with its companion measure, Senate bill 2146, is, I think, very important to ensuring that we provide improved opportunities for air quality, as well as throughout the country.

I also want to thank my cosponsors in the House bill, which includes the original cosponsors, Congressmen Cardoza, McNerney, Congressman Nunes, as well as Representative Butterfield, Representatives Hill, Kind, Matheson, Matsui, Bono Mack, Shimkus and again Congressman Terry.

This measure, combined with Senate 2146, will allow the Environmental Protection Agency to continue the prior practice of accepting diesel emission reduction projects as part of an environmental settlement agreement. These settlement agreements are important when you're trying to reach an accord with the private sector and still, at the same time, clean up the air.

For many years the Environmental Protection Agency has funded diesel retrofit projects through the Supplemental Environment Projects, otherwise known as SEPS with the corporations as part of overall settlement agreements. From fiscal year 2001 to fiscal year 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency entered into diesel emission reductions with these settlement environment projects valued at over $45 million. This bill will help maintain this separate private funding source as a part of a private/public partnership for these projects and, at the same time, improve air quality in basins throughout the country that have regional air issues that they are in noncompliance with.

This is particularly of importance in my own district that I share with my colleagues, Congressmen Nunes and McCarthy and Congressmen Radanovich and Cardoza, as well as McNerney. The San Joaquin Valley area is a non attainment area, and consequently, we have difficult challenges trying to become an attainment area, especially when we consider that we are one of the fastest growing regions in California.

The air basin is 250 miles long, but it's shaped in a valley where you have mountain ranges on each side. Therefore, we not only have our own stationary and mobile sources of emission that we create, but because we're in the center of the transportation hub between Northern and Southern California, actually, all the way along the west coast, we have interstate transportation on 99 and Highway 5, which is no contribution of ours, but it's part of interstate transportation that contributes to the emissions that we have to deal with. So, therefore, this is an important measure.

We have among the highest rates of childhood asthma in the State. We

have other issues that we are continuing to deal with.

Today, 90 percent of the commercial trucks are powered by diesel engines. Two-thirds of all farm and construction equipment run on diesel engines. Therefore, this measure can make a difference.

California does lead the Nation in clean diesel technology, and some of the cleanest types of diesel fuel anywhere in the world. But even retrofit projects have their role and play a significant contribution to improving air quality, not only in our district but throughout the country.

Finally, in addition, retrofitting clean diesel technologies for diesel vehicles and equipment, I think, is one of the most cost effective strategies for achieving tangible and immediate air quality benefits. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that these retrofit projects have a 13:1 benefit-to-cost ratio, meaning that the $45 million invested between 2001 and 2006 translates to over $600 million of health benefits that also benefit young people, children who have asthma cases, those who have cardiovascular issues and the like.

I want to again thank my colleagues, Congressman Terry, Congressman Boucher and your staffs and all those who are cosponsors of this important measure. This is cost effective. It's meaningful. It will improve air quality throughout the country.

At this time I want to urge all of my colleagues to support the passage of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3022) to designate the John Krebs Wilderness in the State of California, to add certain land to the Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park Wilderness, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today to introduce H.R. 3022, the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Act of 2008. This bill adds nearly 115 acres of wilderness in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California, two parks that are among the crown jewels of our Nation's national park system. Coupled with existing wilderness areas in the parks, this bill will expand the wilderness to about 97 percent on the land base that is included within the park area.

About 45,000 acres of the wilderness created by this bill will be incorporated into currently existing Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness Area. The other 70,000 acres will comprise a new wilderness area, which will be named after former Congressman John Krebs.

Congressman John Krebs served in this House from 1974 until 1978. He immigrated to this country when he was 17 years old. Like immigrants before him and immigrants since, he came here to find a better life for himself and his family. And in that effort, he contributed mightily, as all immigrants have, over the history of our Nation's years.

He served in this House with distinction and honor. He was tenacious, and one of the areas that he worked on was this area of wilderness within the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness Area.

So therefore it is appropriate that we designate this act by including this as a namesake, because within the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, we have California's and some of our country's most beautiful areas. The Redwood Canyon area contains Redwood Mountain Grove, the largest stand of giant sequoia within the parks. The Redwood Canyon also includes over 75 known caves, include the longest cave in California with over 21 miles of surveyed passage. The Hockett Plateau includes vast rolling forests of lodgepole pine surrounding spectacular subalpine meadows. The area is a favorite designation for equestrians, backpackers and anglers, people who, like all of us, like to enjoy our mountains.

This bill is obviously important not only to me but for my colleague, Congressman Nunes, and all that have been a part of this effort, for preserving our natural areas for future generations is a responsibility that we all share in common. And it gives us an opportunity to honor Congressman John Krebs, whom I first went to work for back in the 1970s when he served in Congress. He was a mentor and still today is a friend and is living well in Fresno, California, at the young, tender age of 82.

So it is fitting and appropriate that we recognize the people who deserve credit for making this bill a reality. Among those, I want to thank Chairman Rahall, subcommittee Chairman Grijalva of the Natural Resources Committee for their support, their staffs, as well as the committee's minority staff that worked so hard on this bill, and the National Park Service.

In addition, there is a companion measure over in the Senate carried by Senator Boxer. I would very much like to thank her and her staff for their hard work, including most notably, the State director, Tom Bohigian, who devoted a great deal of time and energy to make this bill a reality.

Finally, I want to thank my colleague and dear friend, Congressman Devin Nunes, and his Deputy Chief of Staff, Damon Nelson, for their work on this bill. This is a sensitive issue. The land we are talking about resides within Congressman Nunes' congressional district. The wilderness created by H.R. 3022 there is important to Congressman Nunes, as well as to all of us, and I want to thank him for his hard work on this bill and for ensuring that he protects the interests of his district and the local communities and the folks that live and work and recreate in the wilderness and surrounding areas.

Mr. Speaker, I request my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 3022, as amended.

I reserve the balance of my time.

First I would like to thank Congressman Nunes for your hard work and efforts on this. Without your support, I don't believe this measure would be a reality. The bipartisan effort I think is a commendation on how we ought to be working on all of our efforts here in the House.

Protecting the local interests was a concern of mine, as it was of yours, and I am glad that we were able to find ways to satisfy the existing uses within the wilderness and the park area, because having been one who has utilized that park and have enjoyed it over the years, I want to be able to continue to use it myself in those ways, as do all of our constituents from the valley, who believe this, as I said, is one of our crown jewels.

It was always a goal of mine that this be a bipartisan effort, and I am glad that Congressman Nunes feels comfortable with supporting the legislation and proud you were able to help make it a reality.

In closing, I just again want to thank Congressman Nunes and thank Senator Boxer. I think it is fitting and appropriate that we name this additional wilderness area on behalf of a gentleman who dedicated a large part of his time to protect and preserve our heritage for future generations to come and was one of my mentors. It is a proud day for me to be here today to in fact make this happen.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2632) to establish the Sabinoso Wilderness Area in San Miguel County, NM, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 2632 would designate land managed by the Bureau of Land Management in San Miguel County in northwestern New Mexico as wilderness. The land has been managed as wilderness study area for more than 20 years. The area involved includes a mix of Ponderosa Pine and riparian vegetation and provides habitat for an array of species including the Red-tailed Hawk, bobcat and fox. The area features opportunities for hunting, hiking and horseback riding, among other activities. The area also includes a 1,000 foot deep canyon, Largo, which connects the Canadian River outside of the area.

I would like to commend my colleague, Representative Tom Udall, for his fine work on this legislation. He has worked tirelessly to gain broad support for the measure before us today.

I would ask my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 2622, as amended.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming the balance of my time, how much time do I have remaining and the opposition?

Mr. Speaker, as Sergeant Friday once said, for those of us who remember back to our youth and the old television series, he used to say, ``Just the facts, Ma'am.''

While we are debating the importance of a 20-year study that puts about an additional set-aside of land in New Mexico for a wilderness study, it seems that we have gotten off track here. But let me for the record, as Sergeant Friday once said, just state the facts.

Between 1999 and 2007, the number of drilling permits issued beginning with the Clinton administration, during the Bush administration to present day issued an increase in development of public lands on application of permits to drill increasing 361 percent. Let me repeat that. In the last 8-plus years we have increased the applications for permits to drill in public lands, both onshore and offshore, 361 percent.

The Bureau of Land Management has now issued over 28,776 permits to drill on public land. Yet at that time, today, only 18,954 wells have been actually drilled. In other words, 10,000 wells have been stockpiled in terms of the permits that have not been drilled.

In addition to that, when we talk about making additional available land, whether it's on the Florida coast or the California coast, we know there is opposition to that among both parties, but the fact of the matter is, again--as Sergeant Friday used to say, ``Just the facts, Ma'am''--the area that's available for energy companies to develop is 47.5 million acres onshore on Federal lands that are currently being leased by oil and gas companies.

Today, only about 13 million of those acres are actually in production. Again, there are over 47.5 million acres that are currently available for use to be drilled for oil and gas. Only about 13 million acres are actually being utilized.

Clearly, there are a multitude of solutions that deal with this painful, painful energy dilemma that we find ourselves in today, not just in the United States but in other parts of the world. There are short-term solutions and there are long-term solutions.

Frankly, in my opinion, the sooner we get past this blame game-- because if my memory serves me correctly, the loyal opposition was in control for 12 years to develop this comprehensive energy policy. We have been in the majority for less than a year and a half. Yet all of the blame somehow is seemingly being placed on us. The issue on ANWR that was talked about earlier passed this House in previous Republican- controlled houses, only to never see the light of day over in the Senate.

So, we can play the blame game, but what Americans want when I go to my constituencies, my district, is us to fashion bipartisan solutions that are commonsense that involve both the short-term dilemma that we are in and long-term solutions. Frankly, when we come together, in my view, to put together that sort of a bipartisan comprehensive effort is when I think we are going to be addressing the long-term needs for our country.

Now, the bill before us obviously has nothing to do with the discussion we have just had. For 20 years, 20 years, Congressman Tom Udall and his colleagues in New Mexico have worked diligently to determine whether or not these lands could be put aside. That's what H.R. 2632 does, as amended.

I urge my colleagues to support this measure before us.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 2632, as amended, and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3682) to designate certain Federal lands in Riverside County, California, as wilderness, to designate certain river segments in Riverside County as a wild, scenic, or recreational river, to adjust the boundary of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 3682 will designate more than 180,000 acres of new and potential wilderness in Riverside County, California. H.R. 3682 also will add 31 miles of new river segments to the National Wild and Scenic River System and add nearly 8,400 acres to the Santa Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

This legislation is carried by Representative Bono Mack, the author of the bill. We want to commend her on her diligence. She has spent years crafting this legislation. Her hard work has paid off with a conservation achievement that takes careful account of fire concerns, which are oftentimes a part of the natural conditions of that area, recreational interests and all of the magnificent resources that lie within her beautiful district.

This measure, H.R. 3682, will protect dramatic mountain vistas and vast desert landscapes, coastal sage and scrub and chaparral, and ancient Joshua trees. The areas covered by the bill include the largest ironwood ecosystem in the California desert, and one of the most pristine watersheds in southwestern California.

This legislation has broad support from over 400 organizations and businesses including local, State and national wilderness groups, as well as the National Hispanic Environmental Council.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this measure, H.R. 3682, as amended.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I reserve.

Mr. Speaker, as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals on Public Lands, it is my opinion that the oil and gas companies would not be buying the leases to these lands if they did not believe that oil and gas could be produced there. Yet these same companies are producing in other areas. Two months ago I was in the Gulf of Mexico surveying a lot of good work that is being done there, American companies and others that are actively drilling for both oil and gas.

But let me repeat again the current circumstance which we are dealing with. Trends include not only the fact that 13 million acres are actually being used out of the 47 million acres that are on shore, but when you look at offshore, 10 million acres of the gas and oil land that has been leased to these companies are being used out of the 44 million acres that are currently being leased.

If we extrapolate from that, the fact is that today's production rates on Federal land and waters, we can estimate that 68 million acres of leased but currently inactive Federal land and waters could produce 4.8 million barrels of oil and 44.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas each day, if the vast amount of land that is leased on which permits to drill have been allowed but is not currently being utilized were taking place. Are there other opportunities or options out there along with all of the other variables of trying to come together with a comprehensive energy plan, certainly. But I think my parents told me a long time ago that to be prudent, you first ought to use those available resources that have been approved by both the Federal Government in terms of Federal lands, both on shore as well as offshore, and the States that we are also dealing with in the circumstance.

So we are inventorying them and keeping a close eye on it, and we want to encourage that those lands already leased are utilized to the degree they could be utilized. And clearly, obviously, we will continue to look at all of the renewable sources of energy that are in our energy toolbox because there is no one silver bullet.

I reserve the balance of my time.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I'd urge the Members to support H.R. 3682, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1158) recognizing the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution that is under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

House Resolution 1158 recognizes the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas.

On March 6, 1908, then President Theodore Roosevelt set aside, by proclamation, the Ozark National Forest which today includes more than 1 million acres in the northwestern part of the State. The Ozark National Forest is one of the true gems of our national forest system, providing extensive recreational opportunities, more than 500 species of trees, habitat for 11 threatened or endangered species, and it's very appropriate therefore today that the House recognize the forest's 100th anniversary.

This resolution is sponsored by the entire Arkansas delegation, and they are to be commended for their work on this measure. Representative John Boozman and the sponsor, Representative Mike Ross, have worked particularly hard to get this measure to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask that Members of the House support the passage of House Resolution 1158.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Georgia indicated earlier in his comments with regards to statistics gained by the Minerals and Management Service, which the last time I've checked has been under the executive branch of our Republican administration, has increased the leases to public lands, both on and offshore, 361 percent.

In addition, the gentleman from Georgia indicated that there is an increase in revenues to the Minerals and Management Service, therefore to our Nation's treasury, because, in fact, more leases are being provided, and there is more oil and gas being derived from those oil leased lands.

It is illogical and it would be unfactual to conclude that if revenues are up and more energy companies are seeking those leases, that they are seeking leases to lands that do not have oil nor gas. It is clearly illogical and unfactual.

These energy companies are smart, competitive companies. They do not lease lands that they have not surveyed and that they do not have a great degree of certainty, based on the seismology, that in fact there is oil and gas there; otherwise, these record bids that the gentleman made reference to that just came back 2 months ago would not be record bids for dry holes.

As a matter of fact, again, the Department of Interior that has been under the stewardship of our Republican leadership for the last 7\1/2\ years recently released a report, a report by Secretary Kempthorne, that indicates that only 38 percent of the oil and 16 percent of the natural gas today on public lands, whether they be onshore or offshore, are being excluded from leasing.

The fact of the matter is is that we need the energy. We need to do everything we can to stabilize our gas prices. We need to reduce our dependency from energy offshore. This administration and the previous administration started that effort in 1999, but that alone will not reduce our dependency on foreign sources of energy; therefore, we have to work together in a bipartisan effort to use all of the various energy management tools that are in our energy toolbox if we are going to address this issue in the short term and the long term.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to urge the support of the passage of House Resolution 1158.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague from California, Congressman Dennis Cardoza to pay tribute to the distinguished public service of Barbara Goodwin. After working nearly 40 years with the County of Fresno, she has decided to retire this year.

During her tenure, Barbara worked tirelessly to improve Central California's transportation system. At retirement, she held the position of Executive Director of the Fresno County Council of Governments. We have had the pleasure of working with Barbara frequently and her dedication to the community is to be commended.

Due to her vast knowledge and attention to detail, Barbara was frequently called upon by State agencies to represent the Valley on transpiration issues at forums and meetings. Over her distinguished career, Barbara has served on multiple statewide committees such as the University of California's advisory panel on transportation planning curriculum, and the task force on State transportation improvement program reform. In 2007 she was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley.

Throughout her career with Fresno County, Barbara Goodwin has proven to be a highly effective leader who was always committed to excellent in public service. As she gets ready to spend much more time enjoying other relaxing activities, my colleague and I wish her continued success and best of luck for the future.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Ernest S. Kinney of Fresno, California who recently passed away at 63 years of age. He leaves behind a loving wife, Marion, two children and several grandchildren.

Mr. Kinney was born and raised in Bishop, California. In 1962 he went to Fresno State to play football, and in 1965 he served as student body president and President of the 16th State College Student President's Association. Upon graduating from Fresno State he joined the U.S. Marine Corp in 1968 and served as a Captain until 1971.

After his military career Mr. Kinney attended the San Joaquin College of Law while working as a social worker during the day. He graduated as part of the school's second graduating class in 1975 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.

After only two and a half short years Ernest established his own private practice in 1978 and formed the Ernest S. Kinney Law Corporation. During more than three decades of practicing law he gained the respect of the entire community. He was tough and dedicated and admired by his colleagues, and he will be remembered mostly for his colorful character and his skills in the courtroom.

Ernest enjoyed the simple things in life like going to football and basketball games with friends, going to the beach with his grandchildren and lunches with his friends. He had passion and he loved people.

It goes without saying that Mr. Ernest Kinney was one of kind. His commitment to family and clients will forever live in the lives of the people he touched. His passion for justice under the law will be remembered by all who knew him. I am honored and humbled to join his family in celebrating the life of this amazing man who will never be forgotten.

I, too, want to congratulate the chairman and the ranking member for an effort that has extended now over 2\1/2\ years.

Mr. Speaker, certainly the measure before us, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, reflects a bipartisan compromise and consensus not easily gained.

I represent three of the country's most productive agricultural counties in the Nation. In my district alone, farmers grow over 300 various crops, which oftentimes are referred to as specialty crops, fruits, vegetables all sorts of diversified good food in America.

For the first time the important segment of American agriculture is being recognized, not in the form of subsidies, but in support of research, competitiveness programs, focusing on pest and disease prevention efforts. Not only does this help our growers, but it helps our consumers to ensure availability of safe, healthy fruits and vegetables for our citizens, a diet that's based upon good science.

Our farmers are working hard to implement better environmental stewardship programs, but they face continued challenges as it relates to air quality concerns and water shortages. This makes improvements in those areas as well.

Is this bill perfect? Certainly not, but it represents a hard-fought compromise.

I urge my colleagues to support the conference report.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Morehouse College Glee Club, as they visit Saints Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Fresno, California.

Established in 1945 by the late Rev. A.W. White, and currently led by Pastor Shane B. Scott, the Saints Rest Missionary Baptist Church is an esteemed member of the local religious community. Their hosting the Morehouse College Glee Club is certainly an exciting occasion worthy of special recognition.

The Morehouse College Glee Club boasts a 90-year tradition of excellence in musical achievements. Then current director, Dr. David Murrow has been a member of the music faculty at Morehouse College since 1981. In 1994, the glee club performed the National Anthem with Natalie Cole for Super Bowl XXVIII in Atlanta, Georgia. They also participated with Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan and Trisha Yearwood in the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games held in Atlanta. Furthermore, the glee club has toured cities in Russia as well as Poland. Along with international tours and local concerts, the glee club presents an annual spring tour which averages 10 to 15 cities in 2 to 3 weeks.

The history of this institution demonstrates that it is only by embracing the importance of cooperation and vision that great success can be achieved. I am honored to congratulate Morehouse College Glee Club as they visit Fresno, California.

Madam Speaker, today we have an opportunity to signify an important milestone in Israel's history. We celebrate its 60th anniversary, a truly important time in Jewish history.

My district in the San Joaquin Valley is the bread basket of the Nation, but we have a unique relationship between California State University at Fresno and Ben Gurion University of the Negev. My constituents for years have been partnering with their counterparts in Israel to research water, irrigation technologies and agricultural solutions to problems that face our world.

Fresno State has a long history in working with many leading drip and micro-irrigation equipment manufacturers in Israel, and the university has a long history of exchange of information with the Agricultural Research Organization's Volcani Center in Israel, including exchange programs that have brought research scientists to work on water and salinity issues.

Fresno State continues today to have discussions with Israeli researchers and industry on how to extend a beneficial use of the world's ever shrinking supply of water for the important purpose of feeding our world.

For this and many other reasons, we recognize and celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Nation of Israel.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mrs. Judith A. Horn, Director of the ``Hand in Hand'' Family Resource Center for her work with the Home Garden and Lakeside communities. Today, thanks to her efforts, these communities not only have many educational programs but a resonating voice in local politics that addresses their needs.

I have had the pleasure of working with Judy Horn on a variety of projects throughout her time with the Family Resource Center. As the founding director of the center, Judy laid a strong foundation for the organization, focusing on activism, youth advocacy and crime prevention. Her unique ability to work well with a wide variety of individuals has aided the center immeasurably.

The success of the Kings Partnership for Children, which Judy founded in 1991, is evidenced by the presence of a permanent health clinic, a pre-school, an after-school program, a summer program, and a computer lab for youth in the area. These are direct results of the dedication, commitment, and invaluable drive Judy has always exhibited.

It goes without saying that Judy Horn personifies a woman of great principle and integrity. She is a role model for us all, especially our Valley's upcoming generation of activist youth. It is with great pride that I congratulate Judy for all her work with the ``Hand in Hand'' Family Resource Center and the Kings Partnership for Children, and thank her for all that she does on behalf of Kings County residents.

Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague from California, Congressman Dennis Cardoza to pay tribute to the life of Anna M. Sanders of Merced, California, who recently passed away at 88 years of age. Mrs. Sanders was an exceptional lady filled with passion, love and a voracious appetite for knowledge. She leaves behind a loving family including three sons, three grandsons, two granddaughters, and one great granddaughter.

A longtime Democrat, Anna spent nearly 40 years of her life as a teacher with the Atwater Elementary School District. As a zealous educator, she took great pride in the successes of her students. Over the years she was able to encourage and motivate countless young minds.

Anna spent her life in California's Central Valley, where she got both her bachelors and masters degrees. She also tenderly raised her three sons in the area, while maintaining a household which was often described as painstakingly organized.

Anna was the type of woman who took great care in everything she did. Her zest for life included an interest in greeting cards, crossword puzzles, and current politics. It is then to no one's surprise that one of her sons is a teacher, and the other two are actively involved in local and state politics.

A woman described as kindhearted and courageous, Anna worked to advance the causes of groups who were marginalized, oppressed and underserved by volunteering her time with many worthwhile organizations. Anna will be remembered for her formidable spirit and splendid character.

It goes without saying that Mrs. Anna Sanders was a positive influence in the area. Her

commitment to family and community will forever live in the lives of the people she so graciously touched. I am honored and humbled to join her family in celebrating the life of this amazing woman who will never be forgotten.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 93rd anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide, which was the first genocide of the 20th century and sadly, the template for a cycle of genocide that continues to this very day.

It is, by any reasonable standard, established history that between 1915 and 1923 the Ottoman Empire systematically killed an estimated 1.5 million Armenians and drove hundreds of thousands of others into exile from their ancestral homeland. The record of this atrocity is well documented in the United States Archives and has been universally accepted in the International Association of Genocide Scholars and the broader historical and academic communities.

However, there is still debate around the world, including here in our Nation, on whether this incident actually qualifies as genocide. On April 26, 1915, the New York Times reported on the first reported purges of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey. Later in 1915, the Times ran a front page article about a report from the Committee on Armenian Atrocities discussing exactly what was happening to Armenians in Turkey. ``The report tells of children under 15 years of age thrown into the Euphrates to be drowned; of women forced to desert infants in their arms and to leave them by the roadside to die; of young women and girls appropriated by the Turks, thrown into harems, attacked or else sold to the highest bidder, and of men murdered and tortured.''

One can debate specific historical incidents, but growing up in Fresno, California, the land of William Saroyan, I heard stories shared by grandparents from the Kezerian, Koligian and Abramhian families about being forced to leave their homes, the stories of the long marches, and the random murders. Clearly, they believed there was a systematic approach to eliminate the Armenian communities in places that had been their homes and farms for centuries. My Armenian friends believe this systematic approach was among the first genocides of the 20th century, and so do I.

Around the world, in the single, longest lasting and far-reaching campaign of genocide denial, Turkey seeks to block recognition of this travesty. It's against the law to even mention the Armenian genocide in Turkey. The Armenian Genocide involved the issue of man's injustice to mankind, and it continued to occur throughout the 20th century in the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and now in Darfur. As leaders, we must confront this and not allow Turkey to continue to stand alone and ask us to believe that the Armenian genocide was not genocide.

In standing up to this policy of denial, we, of course, honor the martyrs of the genocide and we encourage our Turkish allies and friends to come to terms with their past. And, in a very powerful and significant way, we reinforce our own vital role, as Americans, in leading the international community toward unconditional opposition to all instances of genocide.

Last October, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed H. Res. 106, a resolution to recognize the Armenian genocide in the United States. Unfortunately, this bill has yet to come before the full House for a vote. Supporters of this resolution are constantly told that now isn't the time to recognize the genocide, that scholars, not Congress, should determine if this event was genocide, or that passage of this resolution will hurt our relationship with Turkey. I could not disagree more with these statements.

First, there is never a ``right time'' to recognize genocide. Ninety- three years have passed since the start events occurred, and we cannot wait around for a convenient moment to recognize this truly catastrophic historical event. Secondly, the scholars have spoken and the historical record is clear and thoroughly documented. And finally, we have seen over and over again that Turkey's warning of disastrous consequences are dramatically overstated. In fact, in nearly every instance, Turkey's bilateral trade has gone up with each of the countries that have recognized the Armenian genocide--including Canada, Italy, France, Russia, and Belgium.

Genocide is not something that can simply be swept under the rug and forgotten. We need leaders around the world to not only recognize it, but to condemn it so the world can truly say, ``Never Again.'' The United States cannot continue its policy of denial regarding the Armenian genocide, and I encourage passage of H. Res. 106 to recognize the Armenian genocide in our Nation.