Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor National Park Service Ranger Ryan Regnell for his heroic actions that helped save eight lives and to commend him for receiving the U.S. Department of the Interior Valor Award.

On July 25, 2003, Ranger Ryan Regnell was on boat patrol in the Boulder Basin of Lake Mead when 50-mile-per-hour winds and four-to-six foot waves formed. He observed a boat in distress and went to their aid. When he arrived he found three adults, three children and two infants in a vessel that was taking on water and in danger of sinking. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Ranger Regnell attached a tow line to the boat and towed the troubled vessel to Lake Mead Marina. He then called for back-up from Nevada Division of Wildlife. En route to the marina, the tow line snapped twice due to the extreme marine conditions and the heavy load. Due to Ranger Regnell's skill, courage and decisive action, the boat and all eight occupants were safely delivered to shore.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Ranger Ryan Regnell for his heroic actions, courage and professionalism. I further congratulate Ranger Regnell for receiving the U.S. Department of the Interior Valor Award. I thank him for his distinguished service and wish him the best in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sergeant Jeffrey A. Stone in recognition of his heroic act performed at the Bureau of Reclamation's Hoover Dam resulting in the saving of a life and to commend him for receiving the U.S. Department of the Interior Valor Award.

On October 14, 2005, Sergeant Stone displayed outstanding dedication and commitment to the Hoover Dam Police Department

when he assisted a fellow officer in preventing a suicide. While on duty at the entrance to the Nevada Spillway Lot, Sergeant Stone observed a man standing on the wall overlooking the face of Hoover Dam. Suspecting the man was a possible suicide he radioed Corporal Russell Balbirona for help. While waiting for Corporal Balbirona to come, Sergeant Stone approached the man and demanded he get down from the wall. The man told him he was going to end his life.

Sergeant Stone offered him words of encouragement, but the man still refused to get down. Working in unison with Corporal Balbirona who had then arrived, Sergeant Stone continued talking to the man to distract him while Corporal Balbirona approached the man from behind. When the man reached for a cigarette that Sergeant Stone had offered him, Corporal Balbirona grabbed the man around the waist and safely removed him from the wall. As the two men were falling to the ground, Sergeant Stone immediately assisted Corporal Balbirona. After the man was subdued and taken into police custody, he was transported to Boulder City Hospital for a psychological evaluation. Prior to being transported to the hospital the man thanked the officers for saving his life and apologized for creating a disturbance.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Sergeant Jeffrey A. Stone for his exceptional display of courage, quick reaction, and heroic actions carried out in this life-saving incident. I further congratulate Sergeant Stone for receiving the U.S. Department of the Interior Valor Award. I thank him for his distinguished service and wish him the best in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Patty, Danny and Greg ``Greaser'' Bashaw for their continued support of the Marine Corps Junior ROTC program of Basic High School in Henderson, Nevada.

The Bashaw family has long been supporters of Basic High School's Marine Corp Junior ROTC program. Several years ago, Patty and Greg became involved in the Junior ROTC program through their son, Danny, who was then enrolled. To assist in the fund raising efforts of the program, Patty and Greg had the ingenious idea of starting a car show, an idea that proved to be very successful. Their personal belief in the goals and objectives of the

program and their son, Danny, joining the Army reserve after high school has prompted the Bashaw family to continue supporting the program in such an outstanding fashion.

The Bashaw family has a distinguished record of service to their country and community. Their dedication to their country is most evident by the fact that Greg served in the Vietnam War and subsequently became an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #3848. Their son, Danny, is currently keeping America safe by serving in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Patty, Danny and Greg ``Greaser'' Bashaw for their efforts on behalf of the Basic High School Marine Junior ROTC program and their dedication to country and community. The Bashaws are truly great Americans who epitomize civic pride in their country and a willingness to give themselves to furthering the ideas of our founding fathers by volunteering to help others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Linda and Luz Arellano. They are responsible for awarding the Order of the Silver Rose Medal and Award to our veterans in Nevada.

The Order of the Silver Rose was established in 1997 by Mary Liz Marchand. Her father, Chief Hospital Corpsman Frank Davis, died from illnesses resulting from the use of Agent Orange in the Vietnam War. Mary Liz's friend brought a silver rose to Chief Davis while receiving treatment in Salt Lake City. Upon his death Mary Liz established the Order of the Silver Rose for the victims of Agent Orange.

Linda and Luz Arellano have started the Order of the Silver Rose Nevada chapter in an effort to bring honor and recognition to the veterans of the Vietnam War. On April 26, 2006, Linda and Luz, on behalf of the Nevada Chapter of the Order of the Silver Rose, honored fifteen veterans from Nevada and recognized them for their service and sacrifice during the Vietnam War. I would like to share the names of those noble veterans, they are; Ronald G. Smith, Edward Fizer, William Siebentritt, David Gilmartin, Joseph C. Marrs, William T. Anton, Dennis Sitzler, Harold Williams Jr., Carlos Cepeda, Charles E. Johnson, Donald WeIchold, Robert F. McHale, George S. Nagy, Leon Walker, and Arturo Garingan.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Linda and Luz Arellano as well as the veterans they recognized with the award of the Silver Rose. On behalf of Nevada, I thank these brave veterans for their service and sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Corporal Russell W. Balbirona in recognition of his heroic act performed at the Bureau of Reclamation's Hoover Dam resulting in the saving of a life and to commend him for receiving the U.S. Department of the Interior Valor Award.

Corporal Balbirona displayed outstanding dedication and commitment to the Hoover Dam Police Department when he assisted a fellow officer in preventing a suicide:

On October 14, 2005, Corporal Balbirona responded to a radio call from Sergeant Jeffrey Stone reporting an individual standing on the wall overlooking the Dam. When Corporal Balbirona arrived at the top of the Dam he observed Sergeant Stone demanding that the man get down. The man told Sergeant Stone he was going to jump. Corporal Balbirona approached the man from behind and motioned to Sergeant Stone to distract the man by talking to him. Even with Sergeant Stone's word of encouragement, the man refused to get down.

As the man was reaching for a cigarette that Sergeant Stone offered, Corporal Balbirona took this opportunity to rush towards him, grabbing him around the waist and pulling him to safety. After both fell to the sidewalk, the man continued to resist but with Sergeant Stone's assistance he was subdued and taken into custody. Prior to being transported to the hospital, the man thanked the officers for saving his life and apologized for creating a disturbance.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Corporal Russell W. Balbirona for his exceptional display of courage, quick thinking, and the heroic actions carried out in this life-saving incident. I further congratulate Corporal Balbirona for receiving the U.S. Department of the Interior Valor Award. I thank him for his distinguished service and wish him the best in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 781), congratulating charter schools and their students, parents, teachers, and administrators across the United States for their ongoing contributions to education, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 781.

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

Mr. Speaker, this resolution honors the Nation's charter schools; the parents; the teachers; of course, the students; administrators; and other individuals involved with their hard work and dedication to run quality public education.

This week, May 1 through May 7, has been designated National Charter Schools Week. During this week, charter school organizations and others around the United States recognize these schools for their continued contribution to education. The Nation's charter schools deliver high- quality education and challenge students to reach their potential.

When President Bush took office in 2001, there were only about 2,000 charter schools nationwide, where today there are approximately 3,600 serving over 1 million students in 40 States, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In Nevada, we have 18 charter schools serving approximately 5,000 students. I am very proud to have been involved with Nevada's first legislation in 1997 to introduce and to pass our first charter school legislation.

We also have an example of a charter school that is nationally recognized, and that is the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, and it serves as a model for other schools across the country. It is designed to enhance a student's character, respect, motivation and self-discipline. Agassi Prep, as the school has been nicknamed, specifically is to improve skill levels and combat lowered academic expectations among the community's most challenged children. Advanced technology, small class size, and extended school hours are just a few of the practices that Agassi Prep utilizes to achieve a higher standard of education.

I commend the charter schools in the State of Nevada and across this great Nation for recognizing the immense need for improved education and for their commitment to improving student achievement for students who attend these schools.

Nationwide, charter schools serve a very special need. Many of the schools under their charter take care of kids with special needs, from hearing to speaking to other challenges. Even in the State of Nevada, we have a charter school that was designated through its charter to serve children from the State of California that are juvenile delinquents.

Charter schools provide a great service to our communities, grade schools, all different levels of schools across the country, to provide parents, communities, leaders, business, all members of the community access and the ability to be involved in education.

Nearly 56 percent of charter schools report having a waiting list, and the total number of students on such waiting lists is enough to fill another 1,000 average size charter schools across the Nation. By allowing parents and students to choose their public schools or charter schools, we can stimulate change and benefit all public school students.

In exchange for flexibility and autonomy, public charter schools are held accountable by their sponsors for improving student achievement and for their administration. A charter school is just that. A charter school is a school with a contract of performance. If they do not perform, if they do not provide excellence in education, these schools can lose their charters.

Charter schools must meet the same No Child Left Behind student achievement accountability requirements as other public schools and often set higher and additional individual goals to ensure that they are all high quality and truly accountable to the public.

According to the Center for Education Reform, as many as 15 studies find that students who frequently enter charters significantly are below the normal grade level. These students then achieve the same or even higher gains as compared to their surrounding districts' demographically compared schools or even the State averages.

A report from America's Charter School Finance Corporation called ``Take Me on a Reading Adventure'' cites research from several States that show greater gains and/or higher scores in reading for charter schools as compared to their traditional school peers.

Charter schools have enjoyed broad bipartisan support from the administration, Congress, State Governors and legislators, educators, and parents across this great Nation. The Seventh Annual National Charter School Week, held this week, May 1 through May 7, 2006, recognizes the significant impacts, achievements, and innovations of our Nation's charter schools. Through this resolution, Congress today acknowledges and commends the charter school movement and the charter schools' students, teachers, parents, and administrators across the United States for their ongoing contributions to education and improving and strengthening our Nation's public schools.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), chairman of the full committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I strongly applaud my colleagues across the aisle for their support, and certainly recognize the District of Columbia and its advancement in the charter school arena.

I reflect back to 9 years ago in Nevada when we passed our first charter legislation, and I remember a lot of

naysayers. As a member of the State senate at that time, I received numerous nasty calls and lots of different opinions on the impact of charter schools on traditional public education.

The problem was, at that time, in those days, a lot of the naysayers didn't realize that this would remain and would be a public school. But it truly is an example of success nationwide.

If we look at the classroom in the last 100 years, it looks just about like it did 100 years ago. If you look at the operating room in a hospital, it changed substantially, with new technologies and new techniques.

The one thing that has worked so well with charter schools is that so many diverse groups that were opposed to this have come together and have found and shown nationwide the success of helping children have the finest education; no matter what their background, what their physical handicap, that they can truly have a success.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be here today to recognize charter schools across the Nation. To those of our forefathers, just a short decade ago, especially here in the District of Columbia, to my friend, the gentlewoman who is the Congresswoman here, I thank them for their support.

Again, this is just the beginning. The more we can encourage charter schools across the Nation to encourage parents, teachers, administrators, business leaders and community leaders to get involved, the better we are going to help our children.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to conclude by saying there certainly have been challenges with some charter schools across the country, schools that possibly were underfunded, possibly weren't organized properly. But the advantage of a charter school is that if it does not succeed, they lose their charter, and immediately, as a public school should, a traditional public school system, there is a fail-safe security system in place. So there is no doubt there have been examples where the charters have not been a success, as there have been in other schools, traditional public schools, traditional high schools, traditional grade schools, that have not succeeded. Again, there are numerous, numerous stories of success, but those areas that have not performed properly have lost their charters. I think it is important to note that is one of the advantages with the charter system.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time and encourage support for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Timothy C. Williams, who has been appointed by Governor Kenny Guinn to replace retiring District Judge John McGroarty.

Timothy Williams has a distinguished record of service as an attorney in the Henderson, Nevada area. Mr. Williams has been a practicing attorney for the past 21 years representing physicians in medical lawsuits and accident victims in injury cases; Mr. Williams has also been a member of the Nevada bar since 1986. In recent years Mr. Williams has been heavily involved in alternate methods of dispute resolution, such as mediation and arbitration. He advocates these dispute resolution mechanisms as a means of decreasing court backlogs by increasing the likelihood that a case will be settled rather than going to trial.

Mr. Williams has a degree in business from Indiana University and received his law degree from Ohio Northern University. He will no doubt be an asset to the bench.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Timothy C. Williams for his distinguished legal career. I wish him the best with his new appointment and I am sure that he will serve the bench with honor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lawrence T. Wong and his associates at Arcata Associates, Incorporated for their being honored by the United States Small Business Association, as Prime Contractor of the Year for Region IX.

Under Mr. Wong's leadership, as President/CEO of Arcata Associates, the organization has maintained its commitment to quality and excellence. The Prime Contractor of the Year for Region IX award honors the organization for the outstanding goods and services that they have provided the government and industry as prime contractors. Arcata Associates being awarded the Small Business Association Prime Contractor of the Year for Region IX award is a testament to this commitment. Mr. Wong's hard work, innovative ideas, dedication to the community and professional excellence has led to his being celebrated by the Small Business Association.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Lawrence T. Wong and his associates at Arcata Associates, Incorporated for their outstanding success. I congratulate them for the recognition they have so rightly earned, and thank them for their contributions to our Nation's economy and communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Cam Usher, who is retiring after a long and distinguished career of promoting tourism in Las Vegas.

Cam Usher has been working for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority in a multitude of capacities for the past 25 years. Since 2004, Cam has directed sales and marketing for the authority's international offices in Austria, England, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea. Since her career began with the authority in 1980, she has run everything from convention and special event sales to the authority's research department and the Las Vegas News Bureau. Most recently, Cam has actively recruited new international air service in conjunction with McCarren International Airport; her efforts have made it easier for travelers to come here to visit from diverse locations. During her tenure, she received a number of accolades, such as being narned to the Travel Agent Magazine's ``Most Powerful Women in Travel'' list 3 years in a row. Cam's professional successes should not over shadow her philanthropic endeavors; her generosity is profoundly evident in everything she does, whether it is introducing friends to potential clients or creating job opportunities of local youth.

Mr. Speaker, I arn proud to honor Cam Usher for her illustrious career and contributions to the development of the international tourism industry in Las Vegas. I wish her the best in her retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. William H. Bailey for his outstanding career in music and business, but more importantly for his contributions to the Civil Rights movement. On May 2nd of this year Dr. Bailey will be recognized at the formal dedication of William H. Bailey Middle School, which is named in his honor.

Dr. Bailey was born Feb. 14, 1927, in Detroit, where his father worked in an auto factory. When his father lost his job during the Depression, the family moved to Cleveland, where Dr. Bailey grew up and learned to sing in church choirs. He finished high school at 16, and his musical talent combined with his high grades won him a voice scholarship to Morehouse University in Atlanta. While working his way through college by performing in local night clubs, Benny Goodman and John Hammond recruited him to sing with Count Basie. He then toured the ``Chitlin' Circuit,'' performing in black communities of big cities. He had three hit records: ``Danny Boy,'' ``The Worst Blues I Ever Had,'' and ``Blue and Sentimental.''

In 1950, Basie broke up his big band and Dr. Bailey became a student at the School of Radio and Television in New York City, receiving a scholarship from American Broadcasting Company. After he wasn't hired as on-air talent he tried for technical jobs, also without luck. Then, he heard about the Moulin Rouge in Las Vegas. Although Las Vegas was highly segregated, the Moulin Rouge Casino and Hotel was open to all. Dr. Bailey co-produced a show with black entertainers that became a hit, drawing a hip, interracial crowd. But when he started this job, he had to use the service entrance to reach the TV studio. He complained and the management decided to change their racist policy. Following his news casting career, Dr. Bailey developed a reputation for starting new ventures.

In 1957, he joined KTNV--Channel 13, where he hosted a variety show, and developed Las Vegas' first dance program for teens. In 1961 he also hosted current events talk shows. From 1965 to 1971 Dr. Bailey began working as a newscaster. In 1958, Dr. Bailey began working for gubernatorial candidate Grant Sawyer. The Legislature of 1961 established a commission to find out whether discrimination existed. Gov. Sawyer realized a great asset that he had and appointed Dr. Bailey as Chairman of the new commission. In this position he set up a dealers' school using loaned gambling tables and space from Al Benedict, a Stardust executive. At Dr. Bailey's suggestion, Benedict recruited managers from other casinos as teachers. Bailey also set up training programs in radio and television jobs, and other fields. More than 1,000 jobs were opened to minorities in 2 years because of his efforts.

In 1964 Dr. Bailey opened a club at Miller and Lexington avenues in West Las Vegas, named ``Sugar Hill.'' In 1965, Bailey bought the riot- damaged West Owens Shopping Center and converted it to the Pan-Afro Auditorium, which featured great bands, including Sonny Charles and Ray Charles. Bailey also established the Nevada Economic Development Co., which helped minority businesses get $300 million in government grants over 19 years. This success led to a job in Washington as Associate Director of the Minority Business Development Agency. Later, President Bush made him Deputy Director, overseeing MBDA's $66 million budget.

Proud as he is of the civil rights laws he helped pass, Dr. Bailey believes that today, learning the ropes of business, professions, and technology will do the most to improve the lives of minorities. He believes that ``education is the light that blinds ignorance'' and is a strong advocate for parent participation in schools, a curriculum that includes fine arts, and preparing all students for college.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Dr. William H. Bailey on the floor of the House. 1 commend him for his contributions to this country and thank him for his continued service to young students in southern Nevada.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Donald L. Robb, Jr. retired United States Air Force Major, who passed away on January 11, 2006 in Boulder City, Nevada.

Donald was born in Ohio and grew up in Ohio and Florida. After a few years of college, He enlisted in the Air Force after he felt the call of duty for his country. During his time in the military, Donald was stationed at bases in South Carolina, Japan, California, South Korea and Nevada. As Director of Administration for Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, he supervised over 100 personnel. He was the first such director to receive a ``1'' rating from the Inspector General team. For a total of twenty years Donald served his country as a navigator and an administration officer. He received many awards for his dedicated and outstanding military service, including; the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Combat Ready Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Vietnam Service Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters, the Republic Vietnam Campaign Medal and Republic Vietnam Gallant Cross.

Donald is survived by his children, Donald L. Robb, III, David A. Robb, Daniel L. Robb and Diana L. Robb, and his wife, Marcia Robb.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lamar Marchese for his long and distinguished career at Nevada Public Radio.

When Lamar Marchese moved to Las Vegas in 1972 he noted the absence of a public radio station. Marchese, his wife Patricia and a small group of founding board members incorporated Nevada Public Radio in December 1975 as an independent non-profit corporation. Lamar served as Chairman of the Board while the station was in formation in the late 1970s. In late 1978, he resigned from the Board and became a candidate for General Manager. Lamar was hired in this capacity in January 1979. KNPR, the first NPR affiliated radio station in Nevada, signed on the air in March 1980 while housed in a janitors' closet at the former Silverbowl Stadium on Boulder Highway. Under Lamar Marchese's leadership KNPR has evolved from its humble beginnings at Silverbowl Stadium to a public radio network that now operates a system of two Las Vegas stations, four associate stations in Tonopah, Panaca, Lund/Ely and St. George, Utah, nine rural translators and a statewide radio reading service for the blind and hearing impaired.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Lamar Marchese for his distinguished career and keen leadership that has allowed public radio in Nevada to thrive. His dedication to providing a public voice over the airwaves has allowed untold numbers of people to access a variety of radio programs. I wish him the best in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Bruce James, who is retiring after 3\1/2\ years as the Public Printer of the United States.

Bruce James was appointed by President Bush to be the Public Printer of the United States in 2002 and made a commitment to serve three to five years. Bruce is able to claim many successes during his tenure as the Public Printer of the United States, most notably that he took a government office operating at a $35 million-a-year deficit and made it profitable, using those profits to reorganize the agency to increase the use of digital technology and the Internet in carrying out its business.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Bruce James for his distinguished record as head of the Government Printing Office. In this role as a public servant he served with honor and dignity. I wish him the best in his retirement and with any future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the volunteers of Friends in the Desert for their tireless effort to provide food to the needy.

Six days a week, volunteers with Friends in the Desert feed the homeless of Henderson, Nevada out of the dinning hall at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church. Their efforts not only fill the daily nutritional needs for some of the communities less fortunate members, but also provide them with a taste of home cooking, rather than institutional food. The more than 3,000 volunteers associated with Friends in the Desert

served more than 20,000 dinners during the year. The system used by this non-profit group harnesses the good intentions of a wide swath of the Henderson community. Friends in the Desert provides a place for the privileged members of society to reach out to those less fortunate.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the volunteers of Friends in the Desert for their commitment to helping provide food for the homeless. The sheer size and scope of their operation is a testament to their dedication and their efforts should be applauded.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sigrid Sommer for her wonderful service to Las Vegas and her commitment to public international education.

Sigrid Sommer has served with great distinction as Germany's Honorary Consul in the Las Vegas area and beyond. She has enjoyed the highest possible respect for her professional accomplishments, as well as affection for her warmth and friendliness, by all those who have had the privilege of working with her, both in Germany and the United States. She has resided in the Las Vegas area for some 30 years and comes from a distinguished family of diplomats and journalists in Germany. She is a fixture in local business, cultural and political affairs and is married to another well-respected member of the Las Vegas community, attorney George Golson. She has received many accolades for her personal and professional accomplishments, most notably receiving the ``Cross of Merit'' from the German government in 1996.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Sigrid Sommer for her personal and professional success. I wish her the best in her retirement.