Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John B. Bright for his service to our Nation's veterans.

John was appointed by the Veterans Health Administration as the Director of Veterans Affairs of the Southern Nevada Healthcare System in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 1, 2006. He was previously the Associate Director since May 6, 2005.

Prior to his appointment in Las Vegas, John was the Chief Financial Officer at the VA Facilities at Big Spring and Amarillo, Texas since 1998. He has also been the Chief Financial Officer at Phoenix, AZ and Reno, NV. He began his career in 1985 at the VA in Seattle, WA and served in management positions at VA Hospitals in Durham, NC, Prescott, AZ, Battle Creek, MI and San Antonio, TX. John is a Veteran who served in the United States Army from 1972 through 1975.

As Director of the Southern Nevada Healthcare System, John has continually advocated for the construction of the new Las Vegas Veterans Hospital Complex. John is devoted to our veterans in Southern Nevada and goes above and beyond to ensure that veterans receive care. He has always been a remarkable resource to the Congressional Delegation and their staff. Dedicated public servants like John understand the contributions that our Nation's veterans have made and are an indispensable component of the veterans' healthcare system.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor John B. Bright. His long and distinguished career in service to our Nation's veterans is commendable. I applaud him for all his hard work and success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of United States Army Private First Class Phillip B. Williams who was killed on October 9, 2006, in Baghdad, Iraq, while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Private First Class Williams was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company,

4th Brigade Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Infantry Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. During his service, Private First Class was decorated with the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon. For his bravery on October 9th, Private First Class Williams was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Combat Action Badge.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the life of United States Army Private First Class Phillip B. Williams. Private First Class Williams made the ultimate sacrifice for his country while defending democracy and freedom. He was a true patriot who served the United States of America with valor and courage. I am saddened by his loss and I extend my deepest sympathies to his family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Toni Clark-Finuf for her dedication to the community of Las Vegas.

Toni, known throughout town as ``The First Lady of Las Vegas,'' helped her late husband, Wilbur Clark, establish the prominent Desert Inn Hotel and Casino. The fifth resort on a 2-lane highway, now the Las Vegas Strip, with 300 rooms and a 3-story tower opened on April 24, 1950. On October 23, 2001, Toni watched as her late husband's hotel was reduced to rubble in order for the now-popular Wynn Hotel and Casino to be erected.

In 1958, the Fashion Foundation of America named Toni to its 10 Best Dressed Women in America. She was among a small group who helped high- fashion designs from Paris and New York become stock in the forum shops of Las Vegas.

Toni was also a civic leader who spent seven decades sponsoring and promoting cultural arts as well as other philanthropic work in Las Vegas. Her and her husband donated land to the Catholic Church, now the location of the Guardian Angel Cathedral. Toni and Wilbur traveled throughout the world as goodwill ambassadors, praising the virtues of Las Vegas to various presidents and kings as well as Pope Pius XII. In January 2000, Governor Kenny Guinn presented the honor Nevada Ballet Theatre's Women of the Year to Toni during the Black and White Ball.

Seven years ago, Toni was diagnosed with progressive super nuclear palsy, a rare neurological disease. Sadly, on October 4, 2006, Toni passed away. She was 91.

Toni contributed a great deal to her community. She will truly be missed by everyone she touched. Her service and care helped shape Las Vegas into the thriving metropolitan city known today and we thank her for all her service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Troopers Eddie Dutchover, Rosell Owens, and Shawn Martin for their roll in the apprehension of Warren Jeffs, one of the most wanted men in America.

On Monday August 28, 2006, Trooper Eddie Dutchover pulled over a maroon Cadillac Escalade along the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 for a routine traffic stop. Upon questioning the passengers of the vehicle Dutchover noticed discrepancies in the accounts given by driver Isaac Jeffs and his passenger--fugitive prophet Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Isaac Jeffs had just consented to a search of the Escalade when two other troopers, Rosell Owens and Shawn Martin, arrived.

The three troopers conducted a comprehensive search of the vehicle and discovered: $67,500 in $100 bills; at least 14 cell phones; a radar detector; two global positioning system units; laptop computers; half a dozen pairs of sunglasses and three wigs--one blond, one black and one brunette.

Warren Jeffs, formerly of Colorado City, Ariz., was wanted on sexual abuse charges stemming from marriages that authorities say he arranged among minors and was one of the FBI's 10-most wanted. Due to the diligence and investigative prowess of these Nevada State Troopers one of the most dangerous men in America is now in custody and will be held accountable for his actions.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Troopers Eddie Dutchover, Russell Owens, and Shawn Martin. Their actions on the evening of August 28, 2006 relieved the American people of one of its most wanted criminals. These three individuals are excellent examples of the service that America's first responders provide for this country. I applaud their actions and wish them the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ann Schreiber for her community leadership and efforts on behalf of the State of Nevada.

Ann is a founder of the Muddy River Regional Environmental Impact Alleviation Committee (MRREIAC). Through Ann, this community based organization has contributed greatly to the Overton and Moapa Valley, Nevada communities by eradicating tamarisk plants, a non-native species to the area. I applaud Ann today for all of her hard work and dedication to removing this Western lands nemesis.

In 1994, MRREIAC was established in order to protect the Muddy River, a spring fed river that flows from the upper part of Moapa to Lake Mead. During its inception, MRREIAC grappled with ways to remove the tamarisk plants that encased the Muddy River and left this important water source for rural Nevada a dry bank. A single tamarisk plant can consume hundreds of gallons of water daily and their abundance throughout the West is a pervasive problem.

Without being formally educated on the process of how to remove this invasive species, Ann sought the assistance of Clark County, Nevada Power, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and other various volunteer organizations. Through trial and error Ann and MRREIAC were able to successfully remove tamarisk plants which had once before choked out the native plant species. Today, water flows freely down the Muddy River and native species live and thrive.

I applaud Ann and MRREIAC for their initiative and for successfully employing inmates from the Indian Springs Correctional Facility. Not only did these inmates receive vital work skills, but they were able to contribute to the overall success of MRREIAC's initiative.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Ann Schreiber for her relentless dedication to her water conservation efforts and to the safety of her community and the State of Nevada. She is an example to all of how one person's dedication to a cause can create lasting change. I wish Ann all the best on her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend Mr. Kenneth Mahal for his outstanding service to his community and to his country.

Ken is a retired architect who is licensed to practice in 50 States, District of Columbia, Virgin Islands and the United Kingdom. He has a wealth of academic experience, having graduated from the University of Minnesota, the Architecture at Chicago Technical College, and the Harvard International Business School in Vevey, Switzerland. Ken has also served in the military during War II as a fleet radar countermeasures director on aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga.

At age 30, Ken served as a volunteer to the Bloomington Planning Commission, where he served as vice chairman for 6 years. During his tenure with the planning commission, Bloomington, Minnesota, won the Best Cities Award twice. Because of his insistence for strong zoning, a strategic piece of land was saved until the world renowned Mall of America was built there.

As former C.E.O. of Ellerbe Architects and Engineers, the 8th largest firm in the U.S., Ken developed sales and marketing of architectural and engineering services, creating the first professional firm in this field. The firm developed sales projection marketing plans, which computerized fee projections.

Ken also owns L.K. Mahal & Assoc., a consulting firm specializing in concept design to real estate search. The firm provided full service design and construction oversight, plus served as a consultant to the Children's World Day Care centers and franchise project development. For 25 years, the firm represented the University of Notre Dame. Some other clients include the NIH Medical Center Washington, DC, Mayo Clinic as well as assisted in the UNLV Medical Center expansion project.

Presently, Ken is president of the Nevada Seniors Coalition, NSC, and writes a monthly column for Vegas Voice. As president, Ken focuses the organizations efforts on local growth issues such as air, water and traffic concerns. NSC also works on State and national issues for seniors, their children and grandchildren, enhancing the conditions of our senior citizens.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I honor my good friend Mr. Kenneth Mahal for his steadfast commitment to his community and to his country. I wish him luck with all of his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Carl E. Lovell, who succumbed to cancer on Thursday, September 21, 2006.

Carl served the people of the City of Las Vegas and the citizens of Nevada in a number of profound ways. He was widely recognized during his professional career as the youngest City Attorney in the Nation for the City of North Las Vegas and the youngest elected City Attorney in the Nation at age 28, for the City of Las Vegas. After starting his own firm in 1970, Carl became very active in the international arena for Estate and Asset Protection Planning, even representing the United States in international trade and law talks with Beijing, China in 1987 and tried cases before the United States Supreme Court.

Carl was very involved in a number of civic organizations. He was a founding member and President of the Nevada Donor Network, Vice President and Director of the Southern Nevada Better Business Bureau, Chairman of the the National Consumer Affairs Committee for the National City Attorneys Association.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the life of Carl E. Lovell. His professional success and philanthropic efforts should serve as an example for us all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Michael ``Mick'' Gillins for his exemplary service in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, LVMPD.

As a 19-year veteran of the Las Vegas Metro Police, Mick has a long history of admirable service and is a hero in the very essence of the word. In September, 1989, Mick arrested a suspect that had stolen military explosives that were intended to go to gang members. For this, Mick received a ``Job Well Done'' citation from the LVMPD. In January, 1992, Mick was nominated by the LVMPD for the American Legion Police Post #55 ``Outstanding Officer of the Year'' award; although he did not win this award, he was given a letter of Commendation from then Sheriff, John Moran.

Mick's dedication and service has affected countless lives; most noticeably on December 27, 1991 when he saved a drowning child's life by administering CPR. When Mick arrived on the scene, the child was clinically dead; but due to Mick's expertise the child was revived and suffered no brain damage. For his heroism, Mick received the ``Exemplary Service Award'' from the LVMPD, the ``Life Saving Award'' from Mercy Medical Services, and the ``Community Service Award'' from the Las Vegas Fire Department.

Recently, Mick was injured in the line of duty, On May 23, 2006, Mick was finishing up a traffic stop when he was struck by a car while sitting on his motorcycle. He sustained a broken left leg and two bulging disks in his lower back. The driver of the car that struck him was charged with driving under the influence, and toxicology reports indicated that she had more prescription drugs in her system than prescribed.

I also worked personally with Mick during my time as a Nevada State Senator. Mick spent a number of sessions at the Legislature for the LVMPD and the PPA, lobbying on behalf of his fellow officers.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Michael ``Mick'' Gillins. His commitment to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and to the Las Vegas Community has improved countless lives. I applaud his dedication and I wish him a speedy recovery.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend John Rinaldi, who is retiring after a long and distinguished career with the City of Henderson, Nevada. John is an outstanding example of a dedicated and supportive community-minded person that I have the privilege of representing in the Third Congressional District.

John joined the City of Henderson in October 1989 as Property Manager and City Surveyor and was promoted in July 2004 to Manager of the Office of Property Management and Redevelopment in the City Manager's Office. He formerly directed the City of Henderson's real estate interests; administered the sale, purchase, and lease of property for public use and city-initiated enterprise projects; and oversaw the Redevelopment Agency's efforts in three separate districts: Downtown, Tuscany, and Cornerstone.

John graduated from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture-- Landscape Design. John is a registered Water Rights Surveyor in Nevada and a licensed Professional Land Surveyor in Nevada, California, and Oregon. He is a published author of several articles on land surveying and an instructor, presenting papers at national conferences, classes and seminars.

In addition to his academic success and accomplishments, John is also a member of several organizations such as the Urban Land Institute, International Right-of-Way Association, American Public Works Association, American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, and the Nevada Association of Land Surveyors. John is also a graduate of the 1998 Clark County Leadership Forum.

John has allowed these experiences to strengthen his philosophies and ideologies of community, integrity, and professionalism to strengthen his moral code and leadership abilities. John is well regarded for possessing a strong moral character which has guided him successfully through his years of public service to our community. His commitment and passion for building a better Nevada reflects the type of person that he is.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor my good friend John Rinaldi. He has worked tirelessly for the last 17 years on behalf of the residents of the City of Henderson, and I applaud his efforts and dedication. I wish him the best in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Expedia.com, the world's number one online travel provider, for their business and service contributions to the tourism and travel industry.

Expedia delivers consumers everything they need for researching, planning, and purchasing a whole trip. The company provides direct access to one of the broadest selections of travel products and services through its North American Web site, localized versions throughout Europe, and extensive partnerships in Asia. Serving many different consumer segments--from families booking a summer vacation to individuals arranging a quick weekend getaway, Expedia provides travelers with the ability to research, plan, and book their comprehensive travel needs. Expedia-branded Web sites feature airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rental, cruises, and many other in- destination services from a broad selection of partners.

Expedia.com provides more than 25 million travelers per month the opportunity to research, plan and book their own travel accommodations. Travel opens our minds and hearts to different cultures, places and people. As Mark Twain wrote: ``Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it solely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one corner of the earth all one's lifetime.''

In this Nation, travel and tourism is vital to our health and well- being as a strong and vibrant economy. It is the 1st, 2nd or 3rd largest employer in 29 states and Washington, DC, thereby creating 7.3 million travel-generated jobs. October 23, 2006 marks the 10-year anniversary of Expedia.com, an innovative online travel company which maintains significant operations centers in Las Vegas with over 300 employees; I congratulate Expedia.com as one of the world's leading online travel providers with 25 million visitors to its site monthly and for its efforts to broaden this exciting, valuable industry.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Expedia.com. Over the past decade, Expedia.com has made significant contributions to the travel and tourism industry, the economy of my state, and the overall travel experience.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to submit a resolution that would support the goals and ideas of a National Plan Your Vacation Day.

I have introduced this resolution today because I believe that vacations play an important roll in creating a lifetime of memories that may be shared between individuals, friends, and families. Furthermore, travel opens our minds and hearts to different cultures, places and people. As Mark Twain wrote: ``Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it solely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one corner of the earth all one's lifetime.''

Travel is vital to our health and well-being as a strong and vibrant economy. The southern Nevada area is one of the top American and international tourist destinations. The city of Las Vegas has earned a reputation as the convention capital of the world. In 2005, the city hosted 22,154 conventions, attended by some 6.2 million people. In fact, two-thirds of every dollar spent in the State of Nevada is a product of the tourism industry.

With the advancements in technology, making travel arrangements to visit Las Vegas or other destinations has never been easier. In fact, in this new broadband world, where businesses need not be built on brick and mortar, we have seen a transformation and evolution to online commerce. For example, October 23, 2006 marks the 10-year anniversary of Expedia.com, an innovative online travel company which maintains significant operations

centers in Las Vegas with over 300 employees; I congratulate Expedia.com as one of the world's leading online travel providers with 25 million visitors to its site monthly and for its efforts to broaden this exciting, valuable industry.

Congress should encourage American workers to benefit from their hard work by taking time to travel and creating memories that will last a lifetime. It is for these reasons that I take great pleasure in asking my colleagues to join me in supporting the goals and ideas of a National Plan Your Vacation Day.

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to clarify my ``yes'' vote on Final Passage on the Conference Report H.R. 4954 SAFE Port Act. My ``yes'' vote is in full support of all the necessary Homeland Security and Port Security provisions included within the legislation, however, I do not support the inclusion of the non-germane and unnecessary prohibition on Internet Gaming. I am strongly opposed to the inclusion of this language and long felt that Congress does not have a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of this issue. It is based on this lack of knowledge that I introduced H.R. 5474, The Internet Gambling Study Commission Act. It is imperative that Congress fully understand the facts of internet gaming before coming to any rash decisions. The purpose of my bill is:

To establish a commission to study issues posed by the continued spread and growth of interstate commerce with respect to Internet gambling.

Although U.S. federal and state governments insist that online gambling is illegal, in reality it is thriving. There is a huge disconnect between current government policy and reality.

Millions of U.S. residents gamble online every day without the protection of reliable regulatory structures that ensure age and identity verification, the integrity and fairness of the games, or that responsible gaming policies are followed.

Neither U.S. federal nor state governments receive tax revenues from online gaming.

Disrespect spreads for laws that are neither enforced nor evidently enforceable against an activity that enjoys wide and growing popularity.

The online gaming industry creates no jobs in the United States and American businesses earn no returns from online gambling.

Current inconsistencies in U.S. Internet gambling policy could lead to sanctions by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Again, Mr. Speaker, I am opposed to this inclusion of this language and look forward to working with my colleagues to enact my legislation, or some similar type of study legislation in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend Rod A. Davis for his leadership as CEO of St. Rose Dominican Hospital.

Rod attended college at Idaho State University, majoring in business administration with an emphasis on information systems. Following college, he began installing IBM computer systems in hospitals, where he says he ``started catching the spirit of hospitals really helping people . . . and thinking this would be an excellent career.''

Today, Rod oversees the operation and direction of three St. Rose Dominican Hospitals in Southern Nevada for Catholic Healthcare West, a not-for-profit, religious-based and non-tax-supported hospital system. St. Rose's is a major healthcare employer in Southern Nevada, with a current payroll of more than 2,100 workers. As St. Rose's CEO, Rod has stabilized operations and overseen the creation of the Barbara Greenspun WomensCare Center of Excellence, the launch of Henderson's only open-heart surgical and pediatric intensive care center program, and the development of numerous outreach programs.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor my good friend Rod A. Davis. Under his leadership, St. Rose Dominican Hospitals have expanded tremendously and have greatly enhanced the lives of countless citizens of southern Nevada. I applaud his success and with him the best with his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend Walter M. Higgins III for his leadership as CEO of Sierra Pacific Resources, the parent company to both Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company.

Walter's first career was as a U.S. naval officer. After obtaining a nuclear science degree from the U.S. Academy, he served as a nuclear submarine officer. After ending his active military service, Walter remained a naval reservist, ultimately retiring as a captain after a total of 29 years of service.

The transition from military service to a civilian career was relatively easy for Walter, who obtained a position with Bechtel Corp., which was designing and constructing nuclear power plants, From there, he worked at the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Portland General Electric and Louisville Gas & Electric. He expected to remain in Louisville as the CEO for Louisville Gas & Electric throughout the remainder of his career, but was surprised when utility companies began recruiting him. He subsequently accepted a job with Sierra Pacific Power Co. in 1993. He then moved to Atlanta to head a natural gas company, only to return to Reno in 2000 as CEO of Sierra Pacific Resources.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor my good friend Walter M. Higgins III. I applaud his professional success and efforts on behalf of the community; he has greatly enriched countless lives with his activism. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Judy Tudor for her outstanding service as a social worker, helping the abused and neglected children in her community.

Judy understands the fear and turmoil associated with being removed from her parents' home and placed into foster care. When she was 15 years old, Judy was placed in Las Vegas' residential facility for abused and neglected children, Child Haven. Judy thanks the State's social welfare system for their intervention and maintains that their actions directly contributed to her personal and professional development. Her experiences within the social welfare system propelled her into a life of community service and inspired her to pursue a career as a social worker.

In addition to being a former ward of the state, she is also physically handicapped. Shortly after entering Child Haven, Judy suddenly lost all feeling from the chest down. She was diagnosed with a type of transverse myelitis, a neurological syndrome caused by inflammation of the spinal cord.

Judy has served the state of Nevada in a number of different capacities as a social worker; having served as a foster care case manager for the state and a supervisor for child protective services in Clark County. Most recently, Judy was promoted to assistant manager of the Clark County Department of Family Services, where she supervises the investigations of child abuse and neglect of 130 case workers.

Because of her personal hardships, Judy holds a genuine belief that the best measure to take is the one that is best for the child. She also believes that the system can always improve in order to put those in need first. Judy feels empathetic to the children in her cases, with each case helping her to feel as if she has achieved her ultimate goal of giving back to her community.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Ms. Judy Tudor. I commend her for her exceptional service to Clark County and the entire state of Nevada. Her dedication has enriched countless lives of children across the state. I applaud her efforts and wish her the best in her future endeavors.