Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and dedication of Mr. J. Roy Gabriel, director of labor affairs for the California Farm Bureau Federation and chief operating officer of the Farm Employers Labor Service. Roy passed away suddenly this month in our Nation's Capital while representing the agricultural community on the issues he found most near and dear to his heart. His service and commitment to California agriculture and his passion and joy for life will be sorely missed.

A native of southern California, Roy attended California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo where he earned a degree in Agricultural Business Management and a technical certificate in crops production. Armed with this knowledge and a love for farming, Roy became active in local politics, honing his negotiating skills. In 1973, he joined the California Farm Bureau as a legislative assistant and began his life long commitment to the betterment of agriculture in California. Recognizing Roy's breadth of experience and political prowess, Gov. Pete Wilson appointed Gabriel in 1998 to serve as chief deputy director of the California Department of Industrial Relations.

Roy's involvement with California farming has spanned 30 years. Throughout his lifetime, he has been a tireless voice in support of the valley's immigrant population. In the eighties, Roy helped more than 50,000 workers apply for legal immigration status under the Federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Like me, Roy believed the current agriculture labor shortage to be a crisis and fought to bring attention to the issue and enact reform legislation like AgJobs. The agricultural labor reform movement has lost a great champion in his passing.

We also shared a passion for rail transportation. He was not only an avid historian of nineteenth and twentieth century rail development, but he was respected for his knowledge and opinions on the subject matter. Roy was also an active supporter of today's national high speed and inner-city passenger rail efforts. For all these reasons, we will miss him dearly.

Mr. Gabriel's leadership and dedication will continue to inspire Californians for many years to come. A man of great principle and integrity, his passion and enthusiasm has touched many lives, including my own. It is with fond sadness that I remember and honor the life of my colleague and friend, Mr. J. Roy Gabriel.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 969, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the aviators and sailors from Strike Fighter Squadron VFA 14 and VFA 41 along with the Fleet Readiness Center West Sea Detachment Personnel and the staff of the Carrier Air Wing 11, all of Naval Air Station, Lemoore in my district in California who returned home safely this past weekend after a 6-month deployment aboard the USS Nimitz in Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition to combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, these units participated in Exercises Valiant Shield and Malabar. In all, a total of over 550 sailors from Naval Air Station Lemoore deployed.

Successful deployments depend not only on military skills, but also on support from three important groups; families, employers and the community. The community of Lemoore is extremely proud of its servicemembers and hosted a grand welcome home celebration on base to greet the pilots and sailors. Anxiously, children, spouses, parents, aunts, uncles, and friends all waited for their loved ones to arrive.

It is happy homecomings like this that remind me of how proud I am to represent the 20th Congressional District and remind all of us why we live in a free country. These men and women have made great sacrifices in defending our freedom. Therefore, I am pleased to extend a warm welcome home to these fine men and women from NAS Lemoore and very proud to recognize their dedicated service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Community of Stratford on the celebration of their 100th anniversary.

In the late 1800's, the community of Stratford began taking the role of a trading post as an integral part of the booming mining industry that transformed communities across the country. Rich in vast fertile farmland, the production of cotton, hay, and grains soon became bountiful thus overtaking trade as the predominant industry in the region. A few years later, Stratford became home to a large dairy concentration as well as a diverse group of citizens. The ethnic groups of Stratford included Portuguese, English, Italian, and others from all over the world that settled in this charming community.

A glorious day occurred on October 7th, 1907, when Stratford was founded by the Empire Land Company as a development property. The history of this place further demonstrates that it is only by embracing the importance of cooperation and vision that thriving communities are born. I am honored to stand and shine a spotlight on the community of Stratford as they celebrate a century of pride and progress.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I want to thank her for her strong advocacy on behalf of victims of crime and her long history in being a tenacious fighter on behalf of the families throughout our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise, as a cochair of the bipartisan Victims Rights Caucus, along with Congressman Ted Poe, and speak on behalf of all the members of that caucus today to provide strong support for H. Res. 590, which supports the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which occurs every October. These goals and efforts are spelled out among the principles of what the Victims Rights Caucus advocates here in the House.

Next month, communities throughout the Nation will participate in National Night Out and Take Back the Night marches in order to bring the awful crime of domestic violence, once again, to the forefront throughout our communities. This resolution helps to bring more awareness of this terrible offense and its effect that it has on our families and our neighbors throughout the communities of this great country of ours.

In my home State of California, domestic violence hotlines answer more than 30 calls every hour from victims, a sad fact. And domestic violence unfortunately continues to plague our families and communities unless we come together as a Nation to end it for good, not just in terms of the formal efforts that we provide but in terms of all the other community organizations that play an important role.

We must remember that domestic violence victims are our sons. They are our daughters. They are our sisters and our brothers, even our parents and our neighbors. They struggle to survive after a crime, and they deserve our services and support to help them cope during their difficult hour.

Therefore, it is fitting and appropriate that we today support the goals and the ideals in recognizing National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which occurs every October.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Mike Torigiani of Buttonwillow, California for receiving the 2007 Agriculturist of the Year Award from the Kern County Fair. His dedication to young participants of 4-H and Future Farmers of America among other activities make Mike Torigiani most deserving of this honor.

Mike Torigiani was born in Kern County in 1943 during World War II. Son of Gino and Olympia Torigiani, Mike attended Buttonwillow Elementary School and graduated from Shafter High School. Immediately following high school, Mr. Torigiani attended Bakersfield College for two years, after which he began his farming career.

Mr. Torigiani formed a partnership with his uncle Oliver entitled O & M Farms. After 3 years of farming in that partnership, he decided to join his father and brother in business. Mr. Torigiani and his brother, Ron Torigiani, own and operate Torigiani Farms, which is a third generation business established in 1970.

Mr. Torigiani has served as President of the Buttonwillow Chamber of Commerce and is an active member of the Buttonwillow Lions Club. In 1975, Mr. Torigiani was named as Buttonwillow's Honorary Mayor. He has served on the Kern County Fair Beef Board for over twenty years and, serving in this capacity, he has enjoyed every moment he has been affiliated with the Junior Livestock at the Kern County Fair. Mr. Torigiani has shown his interest and dedication through countless hours helping young people raise livestock for the Kern County Fair.

Mr. Torigiani married Sandy Bulluomini in 1965 and together they have two sons, Steve, who is an attorney and partner in Young Wooldridge Law Firm, and Jim, who is an entomologist with Western Farm Service. His grandchildren, Tyler and Mia, are the light of his life and he looks forward to sharing the joy and tradition of the Kern County Fair with them.

The leadership and commitment Mr. Torigiani has shown to the Kern County Fair and the Kern County youth has never wavered. He personifies a man of principle and integrity. Mike Torigiani is a role model for all of us and it is with great pride that I congratulate him for receiving this distinguished award and for all that he does for Kern County residents.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Patty Arismendez of Bakersfield, California, the recipient of the National Association of Letter Carriers Heroes of the Year Award on behalf of the Western Region. This award is to honor Letter Carriers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

During her 17 years with the United States Postal Service, Patty worked her way up to a Letter Carrier. She spent the last 10 years working at Branch 782 of the National Association of Letter Carriers in Bakersfield, California.

Today we honor Patty Arismendez for her heroic action. On October 14, 2006, Patty saw a toddler wandering into the middle of the street. She used her vehicle to block the traffic in this busy intersection and jumped out to save the toddler. After Patty rescued the child, she searched for her family and eventually reunited them.

Patty saved the toddler from being hit by a car or kidnapped. We recognize her bravery and appreciate her devotion to her community. Patty Arismendez is an honest, compassionate woman. I wish her continued success and good luck in all of her future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the distinguished career of Dennis Plann. After decades of dedication to the agriculture industry serving the Fresno County Department of Agriculture, Deputy Agricultural Commissioner Dennis Plann decided to retire in August of 2007.

A native of California's Central Valley, Dennis attended Fresno State University. While attending school, Dennis harvested oat, hay, cotton and alfalfa on 90 acres of his family's land. After graduation, Dennis quickly found work as an agricultural inspector, and through this experience he continued to move up the ladder in his career.

During his tenure at the Fresno County Department of Agriculture, Dennis worked to ensure regulations were being followed, helped farmers to handle crises effectively, and interacted with the media extensively. The Central Valley as well as the entire California agricultural community benefited from Mr.

Plann's service and appreciated his knowledge in the field. His dedication to his work and to his community is to be commended.

Dennis was also instrumental in the development of the Fresno County hazardous material spill response plan and was the primary responder for the Department of Agriculture. His drive, dedication and attention to detail were certainly an asset to the county.

Throughout his career in agriculture, Dennis Plann has proven to be a highly effective professional who was always committed to excellence in his work and service to others. As he gets ready to spend much more time with his wife Connie and enjoy other relaxing activities, I wish him good health and a happy retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the City of Wasco on the celebration of their 100th anniversary.

The birth of the town of Wasco dates back to 1897, when the Santa Fe Railroad laid tracks through the area. Soon after, over 300 families relocated there through the efforts of Marshall V. Hartranft, who secured land for resale to the settlers from the Kern County Land Company. This effort was known as the ``Fourth Home Extension Colony.'' Originally named ``Dewey,'' then ``Deweyville,'' Wasco was renamed by William Bonham, a settler from Wasco County in Oregon, and the town name was recorded by the Post Office in 1900.

In 1904 Delta-Shamrock School was born serving as a multi-purpose institution including a school, a civic center and a welcoming place for settlers who arrived in 1907. A few years later, a business district was born which included a depot, a general store, a post office, two saloons, a blacksmith shop and a hotel. Eventually, the school was renamed ``The Wasco School'' and, in 1919, it became the Wasco Unified School District.

In 1929, the Wasco Union High School Auditorium was completed. This architectural

gem was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. The building, with its renaissance style architecture and aesthetic charm, still functions as a venue for educational, civic, and cultural purposes.

The City of Wasco has since flourished into a growing and vibrant community located in the heart of the most diversified agricultural region in the world. Wasco is nestled among blooming rose fields, almond and pistachio orchards, sugar beets, grapes, and white cotton fields among many other fruits and vegetables.

Wasco is also universally known as the Rose Capital of the Nation. Over 60 percent of all roses grown in the United States are grown in the Wasco area. Seven major rose companies grow more than 50 million plants in the North Kern County area. Rose companies were looking for a good climate, the right kind of soil, good land to lease, a desirable growing season, as well as an available labor force and water. Wasco has been home to many of these rose companies for over 50 years.

The history of this city further demonstrates that it is only by embracing the importance of community, cooperation and shared vision that such success can be achieved. I am honored to stand and shine a spotlight on the City of Wasco, as they celebrate a century of pride and progress.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring the memory of my good friend, Jeanine Armstrong of Clovis, California.

Jeanine was a loving wife, mother, and a dedicated member of the community who approached her work with an upbeat attitude and spirit that was an inspiration to us all. Her passing is a sad loss for the community of Clovis and Fresno.

Jeanine is remembered by all who knew her as an active participant in the political process, the Democratic Party, and a passionate supporter of the community of Clovis, California. She is well-known for her commendable service to the public and as a champion of the arts and public television.

Jeanine worked closely with her friend, the late Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles, to secure the 1984 summer Olympic Games in California. She also organized the Youth Olympics and numerous public television projects. Jeanine served on the board of the Fresno Junior Museum, where she stressed the importance of the arts for poverty stricken populations.

Jeanine is survived by her husband for life of 52 years Harry Armstrong, their three children, Thomas, Jim and Megan; her 6 grandchildren, Kelsey Joan-Marie Armstrong, Brittney Armstrong, David Armstrong, Kathleen Armstrong, James Armstrong and Audrey Armstrong; her five stepgrandchildren, Arthur Wille, Maya Wille, Ashley Hatter, Jon Hatter and Randy Hatter; and one great-grandchild, Lynn Ann Armstrong.

My heart goes out to Jeanine's husband Harry, her family and friends. We take comfort in knowing that future generations will benefit from her vision and leadership and that her spirit continues through the lives of the people she so graciously touched.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Rahall, Chairman Dingell and other committee chairmen, along with the Speaker, for developing this important, far-reaching bill to address many of the pressing needs to cut our dependence on foreign oil and gas.

There are many provisions in this legislation, and we know this legislation is a work in progress, but I would

like to point out an important protection the bill affords for the Roan Plateau in Colorado. These protections are of great importance to Congressmen Salazar and Udall, as well as the people of Colorado and the Nation.

The Roan Plateau is also, though, as was suggested by our colleague from New Mexico, a highly important source of natural gas supply to the Nation and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

Mr. Salazar gives us an opportunity to address both issues. The language in the bill specifies that the restrictions on the drilling are prospective only and do not apply to private drilling activities. It does not apply to roads, rights-of-way access to privately held land or production. Nor does it apply to pipelines and infrastructure needed to transport natural gas across BLM land to access stem pipelines to transport the gas to the rest of the United States.

Roan area gas is of immense importance to the Nation, with an estimated 9 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves. California, my State, gets 24 percent of its natural gas from the Rocky Mountains, clean- burning natural gas which today is the fuel du jour. California is struggling, obviously, to come into compliance with clean air standards. This supply of natural gas is important.

Mr. Chairman, in conclusion, this does provide new energy sources, solar power, and renewable sources. I want to thank Chairman Rahall and Congressman Salazar for their amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Poe-Costa- Moore amendment to the CJS Appropriations Act. The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund was created by Congress in 1984 to provide Federal support to Federal, State, tribal and local programs that assist victims of crime. And this fund is derived entirely from fines and penalties paid by offenders at the Federal level, not taxpayer revenues.

VOCA funds several important national programs, such as the Children's Justice Act, Victim Notification System, and the U.S. Attorney's office. It also funds Victim Compensation Grants that provide funds to states to reimburse victims for out-of-pocket expenses, primarily medical costs and lost wages. Finally, Victim Assistance Grants to states are also funded through VOCA. These grants go to States which support direct victim assistance services. It is estimated that 4,400 agencies depend on continued VOCA Victim Assistance Grant funding to serve 3.8 million victims a year.

Congress began setting a cap in the appropriations process on the amount dispersed to States annually from the Fund in order to ensure stable funding for victim service providers in the field. Both the House and the Senate CJS subcommittees have included a $625 million cap for FY 2008. This would be the fifth year in a row without an increase in the total VOCA cap.

Due to increasing claims, VOCA Compensation Grants rose $22.3 million in FY07 and are expected to rise by at least $5.6 million in FY08. The Poe-Costa Amendment will increase the VOCA cap by $10 million in FY 2008 to help prevent cuts to VOCA Victim Assistance Grants.

Crime victims are our sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, parents and neighbors who are struggling to survive in the aftermath of crime. They deserve services, and our support to help them cope. I urge all of my colleagues to support this important amendment.

Madam Chairman, I want to thank you and the ranking member and the members of the committee for the hard work on a bipartisan basis that really produced, I think, a good product.

Unfortunately, I have to rise against the Kind amendment, not because it does involve reform, but I think it involves reform in a way that uses a meat ax and does not provide transition for American farmers, something I think I know something about.

You see, I represent a third-generation farm family that has been farming in the San Joaquin Valley since the turn of the 19th, early 20th century. What this bill does, what this amendment does, if it were to be enacted, is not provide the level of nutrition or research and competitiveness for food safety and conservation that the underlying bill has, which is why I support the underlying bill, because it provides real reform. It provides nutrition. It provides the efforts to make American farmers more competitive on a global basis with global markets, provides reform in a host of areas.

Ladies and gentlemen, I urge that you vote for the underlying bill. Vote against the Kind amendment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the distinguished public service of Brent Holbrook. After nearly 40 years with the U.S. Department of Treasury--Internal Revenue Service, IRS, he retired this past June.

During his tenure, Brent worked at the IRS Fresno Service Center. Here, he steadily advanced in various staff positions to finally become a Supervisor. He then managed a large team of analysts, agents, and auditors improving the efficiency of processing Federal and State tax returns. I have had the pleasure of working with Brent frequently and his dedication to the community is to be commended.

In 1999, Brent was selected as the Governmental Liaison for California's San Jose Area and the Central Valley. In this position, he worked with the three California State tax agencies on compliance and customer service projects. He also served as the IRS Liaison for 11 congressional offices, providing them with IRS news and information, while answering constituent inquiries on general tax law. As his tenure with the IRS ends, Brent will be remembered as an example to staff throughout the Federal Government for his outstanding ability to work closely and effectively with government officials.

Throughout his career at the IRS, Brent Holbrook has proven to be a highly effective administrator who was always committed to excellence in public service. As he gets ready to spend much more time with his wife Linda, I wish him much continued success and best of luck for the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 2956, the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act.

Now, certainly this measure is part of an ongoing effort to try to bring comprehensive change. We do have a vested interest in the Middle East as we are engaged in this war on terror throughout the world.

Notwithstanding that fact, though, for 6 years, our administration has had a blank check in Iraq, and that war on terror, and unfortunately, I think, by any critical evaluation, at best it has been bungled. At worst, we have made a mess of things. The previous Congresses have left little to be desired in terms of real oversight.

With unlimited resources, we have complicated our relations with the Middle East, and it's unfortunate for our country. It seems for every step forward, we take a step back. This legislation, then again, is another effort to begin a new direction, which will protect our interests in the Middle East and begin to develop a plan to bring our troops home.

What is lacking in this legislation though is a requirement for the President to tell us how we are going to, in fact, stabilize the areas with all the diplomatic resources available to us and our allies throughout the world in this region. Nonetheless, under the current circumstances, this legislation, I believe, is the next logical step. Clearly, doing more of the same continues to risk precious lives of American men and women in uniform, not to mention our Treasury, with little responsiveness, unfortunately and cooperation from the Iraqi Government.

Hopefully, this legislation will allow the administration to engage and work with us for constructive change that the American people demands.

I ask for an ``aye'' vote.