Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Sidney Chaplin a Las Vegas business and civic leader who died this past March.

Sidney Chaplin was a longtime executive vice-president and general manager of Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada drew great personal satisfaction from helping those less fortunate. He was a true philanthropist who never sought recognition for his good deeds and generosity. During World War II, Mr. Chaplin served in the United States Air Force. After his military service for our country, he started his working career as an insurance

salesman in New York City. After that, he began his first job in the wine and spirits industry; which became his life long career. This career in liquor distribution enabled him to be exceedingly generous to others. Over the years he supported a number of religious and charitable groups. Sidney donated his time and resources to Temple Beth Sholom and eventually became a sponsor of the Shirley and Sidney Chaplin Lecture Series at the Temple. He was also a longtime supporter of the Lou Ruvo Alzheimer's Institute and UNL Vino.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the life and memory of Sidney Chaplin. His professional success and philanthropic dedication should serve as an example to us all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Nancy and John Kell ``Ike'' Houssels and their exemplary record of professional achievement and community service.

Nancy Houssels has always been at the forefront of cultural and social philanthropy. She served, at one time or another, on several boards including: Nevada Ballet Theatre, UNLV Foundation, the National Conference of Christians & Jews, and Law Vegas Performing Arts. Mrs. Houssels was also the co-founder of the Nevada Dance Theatre in 1972 and has served the company as Chair and Co-Chair for 35 years.

John Kell ``Ike'' Houssel is widely recognized as one of the respected and honored principles in the gaming industry. After graduating from West Point and, subsequently, Stanford Law School, Mr. Houssel embarked on a career in casino resort hotel ownership and management in the 1950s when he became the managing partner of the Showboat, followed by his legendary leadership as president of the Hotel Tropicana and later of the Union Plaza Hotel.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor both Nancy and John Kell ``Ike'' Houssels for their exemplary professional careers and their commitment to enriching their community. I wish them the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Herb Tobman, who passed away this past March. Herb was known as a successful businessman and a community leader and his quiet generosity that impacted the lives of countless Nevadans.

Herb was born in the Bronx in 1924. In the 1950s, Herb moved to Las Vegas, where he opened City Furniture Exchange, the first used furniture store in Las Vegas. The business thrived, and it was a Las Vegas landmark for more than 25 years. His success as a businessman led Herb to start Western Cab Company in 1965. Herb started with one cab, and ended with more than 134 taxicabs and 355 employees.

In addition to his business accomplishments, Herb was also an active participant in Nevada politics. In 1986, he ran in the Democratic gubernatorial primary against incumbent Richard Bryan. Instead of using his wealth to fuel his political aspirations, Herb limited contributions to $10 per individual. Needless to say, those limits put him at a competitive disadvantage, but Herb still managed to receive more than 15 percent of the primary vote.

Herb also knew the importance of giving back to his community and made many charitable contributions throughout his life. However, Herb never sought recognition for his efforts, but he impacted almost every life in southern Nevada. Every year, during the holidays, Herb anonymously fed hundreds of homeless individuals in Las Vegas. He helped local children with their college expenses, and he helped people who were down on their luck. No challenge was too great. If Herb knew you needed help, he was there to provide it oftentimes unknown to his beneficiaries. I needed help on several occasions, and Herb was always available. Herb was my friend and I will miss him very much.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the memory of Herb Tobman for his professional successes and distinguished philanthropic record. His death is a great loss to the community and he will be greatly missed. Nevada is a better place because of Herb.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of LTC Phil Wagner, U.S. Marine Corps. Phil died at the age of 87 this past February.

Phil Wagner, one of the ``Greatest Generation'' served in World War II and retired from the Reserves having attained the rank of lieutenant colonel. Lieutenant Colonel Wagner was a member of the American Legion for 52 years and served as Post 31's commander in 1970-71. He then took over the demanding job of adjutant, a post he held from 1972-1997, 25 years, with only one hiatus in 1977. He was not only active as a member and administrator of Post 31, but also of Grace Community Church, Boulder City Hospital Board and the BPOE Elks Club. Phil's dedication to his fellow veterans and to the community as a whole is admirable.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the life of LTC Phil Wagner. His death is a profound loss for the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel John Henry ``Hank'' Meierdierck, who passed away, in Las Vegas on March 21, 2006, at the age of 84.

Hank was born April 13, 1921, in Newark, New Jersey, the son of John Henry Meierdierck and Ida Getto Meierdierck. Hank married Mildred Marie Giles in 1943. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II and remained in the U.S. Air Force after the war, amassing over 7,000 flying hours in more than 50 different aircraft. Hank retired from the USAF as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1964. He then went to work for the CIA at headquarters, Langley, VA. He did a significant number of the original experimental flight tests on the U-2 airplane and the SR-71 airplane at the Nevada Test Site. Because of this work he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Then later, in 2005, Hank was awarded the Agency Seal Medallion from the Central Intelligence Agency for his leadership in developing the U-2. He was also authorized to wear the Air Medal, the European Area Medal with three Battle Stars, the World War II Victory Medal; the American Medal; the Air Force Reserve Medal; the AFOUA Medal; the Korean War Medal; and the AFLSA Medal with four Brass Oak Leaf Clusters.

Hank and his wife moved to Las Vegas, in 1970. They traveled extensively to wherever the fish are biting or the sun is shining. Hank considered himself a very good fisherman, and would want to be remembered as much for that as his military career. In retirement, Hank was a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and was very active and served as president of the Roadrunners Internationale, an affiliation of employees who were previously associated with the U-2 and SR-71 programs at Area 51. He was also honorary chairman of the Heroes of the Cold War Memorial and organized many military unit reunions. Hank is survived by his wife, Millie; two daughters, Gail and Victoria; one son, Jay; and 5 grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Douglas Harold Ritchie, of the Las Vegas Sun, who passed away April 1, 2006, at the age of 86.

Born February 20, 1920, in Portsmouth, England, Doug was the second eldest child of film distributor Joseph M. Ritchie and his wife, Jessica. Educated in Dublin, Ireland, Ritchie joined the British Army out of high school in the late 1930s.

During World War II, Ritchie served as a British officer and saw action on D-Day at Normandy. He later served with troops that marched into Germany and liberated prisoner of war camps. After the war he was transferred to India where he served as a Major in the British Army through the late 1940s. There he was witness to the turmoil that resulted in the separation of India and Pakistan. While shocked by the violence he witnessed between Hindus from India and Pakistani Muslims, Doug calmly maintained control. That was a trait that not only helped him in the 1st Punjab Regiment, but throughout his life.

Leaving the military in 1950 after 11 years, Doug came to Las Vegas. His brother-in-law Hank Greenspun, had purchased the Las Vegas Free Press from a group of International Typographical Union members who started the newspaper after being locked out by the Review-Journal over a wage dispute. Hank published his first issue of the Free Press on June 21, 1950, and 10 days later renamed the paper the Las Vegas Sun. In addition to serving as classified ad manager, Doug became head of Sun promotions in the 1970s and head of public relations in the 1980s.

In 1969 Doug met Brenda Ritchie and they were married in 1971. The couple would have celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary on April 10.

Doug served full-time with the Sun until 1990, the year the paper entered into a joint operating agreement with the Review-Journal, which then took over the selling of classified ads for both papers. That year, Ritchie and his family moved to California, and he maintained the title of assistant to the publisher until his death.

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to honor Douglas Ritchie on the floor of the House today. He will be remembered as a mild-mannered man, dedicated to his family and the community.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to speak in favor of H.R. 3277, the ``Federal Agency Performance Review and Sunset Act.'' The Federal Government is fraught with chronic program overlap and duplication. As Congress has created multiple agencies and programs to meet the needs of our Nation over the years, it has become increasingly clear that many of these programs are now outdated because they serve similar purposes.

Did you know that: 19 federal programs throughout the government focus on substance abuse prevention; 90 early childhood programs exist in 11 federal agencies within 20 different offices; 86 teacher training programs exist in 9 different agencies; and 27 different programs and services to prevent teen pregnancy exist in HHS alone.

The costs of the hurricane recovery efforts in Texas and Louisiana have reached record proportions and will place an increasing amount of strain on our Nation's resources. The President has stated that federal spending cuts are inevitable in the near future if the government is to achieve a balanced budget. Congress must take accountability by making sure the most effective spending cuts do not hinder the necessary operations of the Federal Government.

The members of Congress have a unique opportunity in front of them. Together, we can help eliminate program overlap and duplication and at the same time help offset the costs of the hurricane recovery efforts with the passage of the Sunset Act. Under the ``Federal Agency Performance Review and Sunset Act,'' or the Sunset Act the need and efficiency of each Federal Agency will be investigated by a Sunset Commission.

Once a Federal Agency has been reviewed by the Commission, Congress will have 2 years to positively reaffirm the need for that agency. No reauthorization by Congress in that 2-year span would result in the termination of the agency or program. The Sunset Commissions will empower the President to make the most effective spending cuts by trimming Federal programs whose functions exist elsewhere in the government.

Last year, Chairman Alan Greenspan testified before the Senate Budget Committee with regard to reforming the budget process. What was missing in government, he stated, was a systematic review of all Federal programs. He said, ``[Congress] might want to require that existing programs be assessed regularly to verify that they continue to meet their stated purposes and cost projections.'' The Sunset Act is expressly consistent with this analysis, and would bring light of review and accountability to Federal programs, and result in considerable cost savings to the taxpayer.

A similar important piece of legislation that I introduced is H.R. 3276, the ``Government Reorganization and Improvement of Performance Act''. Under the ``Government Reorganization and Improvement of Performance Act,'' bipartisan commissions would be created to study specific areas where there might be overlap and duplication in federal operations. The commissions would issue recommendations to the President on how to reorganize, at which time the President would decide whether to submit the proposal to Congress. This legislation would require both the creation of a Results Commission and any reorganization proposal endorsed by it to come before Congress under expedited procedures to ensure that the proposal receives a clean, up- or-down vote in both houses.

It is clear that the world works at much faster speeds than it did 40, 30, and even 20 years ago. It is clear that it should not require an act of Congress to reorganize the Executive Branch so that real solutions for crises can be found in the most efficient manner. H.R. 3276 will allow a ``fast-track'' reorganization authority to exist that will increase the overall operability and efficiency of the government and allow it to keep pace with the speed of the world today.

Something has to be done to eliminate the government waste caused by chronic program overlap and duplication throughout the Federal Government and get the biggest bang for the taxpayers' dollars. The two commissions proposed in H.R. 3276 and H.R. 3277 are critical to achieving a sensible and responsible analysis of government programs and operations and ultimately in eliminating unneeded programs and reorganizing government operations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chuck Worley for service to the State of Nevada.

Chuck has dedicated his time for the last three years to help the Bureau of Land Management, BLM, with public land stewardship and to help protect recreation access to public lands. He established the Friends of Wilson Canyon in 2003, and has been an active member since. Prior to the creation of this organization, the BLM was unable to provide a consistently strong level of recreation management to Wilson Canyon due to its distance and location from personnel. Chuck, along with the Friends of Wilson Canyon, have contributed more than 800 hours of volunteer labor, and $12,000 worth of materials, tools and heavy equipment to install Off Highway Vehicle, OHV, management barriers and informational signage in Wilson Canyon.

Through his volunteer service and working with the Friends of Wilson Canyon, Chuck initiated on-site awareness meetings with the U.S. Forest Service, BLM, Lyon County and local residents to avoid protective land closures. He then initiated volunteer action to work towards preserving and protecting the natural resources and public land recreation opportunities by organizing clean-ups, applying for and being awarded Recreation Trails

Grants and participating in the development of long-term management of the area. Worley also created and maintains the Friends of Wilson Canyon Web site which helps keep the public informed and teaches proper land use ethics and OHV responsibility.

Because of his dedicated service, Chuck has been chosen as one of the Bureau of Land Management's, BLM, national volunteer award winners. The national Making a Difference volunteer awards will be presented May 11, 2006, at a special ceremony at the Department of the Interior in Washington, DC. Chuck is one of 8 winners around the U.S. chosen for his outstanding volunteer service to BLM. The BLM's Making a Difference national awards program supports the President's call for increased service to America and is part of the Take Pride in America initiative.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Chuck Worley on the floor of the House today. I commend him for his service to southern Nevada.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Angela Berg, whose passion for nursing has greatly improved the lives of children.

Angela Berg began working as a licensed practical nurse in 1991 and subsequently got her nursing degree in 1992. She later earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in 1999. Angela has worked with children throughout her career, and has looked for ways to assist parents to care for critically ill children. She has campaigning for their safety and creates plans to keep children with their families. Since 2001, Angela has been playing an advocacy role in the fight to immunize children from the threat of childhood disease. She has served as co-chair of the Southern Nevada Immunization Coalition and has created a number of campaigns to educate the medical community about the importance of immunization. Angela has also worked with the state of Nevada to create an electronic immunization database.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Angela Berg for her efforts to educate the public regarding the importance of childhood immunization. Her work as greatly contributed to the overall welfare of the children in the state of Nevada. I wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Frances Wright, a resident of Henderson Nevada, who died at the age of 101.

Born Fanny Schneider on Feb. 14, 1905, in Poland, she was the third of four children of Louis and Molly Schneider. Her family came to the United States when she was 6 months old. Her father was a tailor for an upscale men's clothier on Temple Street in Los Angeles. By the time she was 10, Frances was an aspiring child actress who took the stage name of Fanny Snyder. She claimed to have had a big part in the classic and controversial 1915 silent film ``The Birth of a Nation'' and often told friends that she enjoyed working on the film, which paid 50 cents a day and included a box lunch.

Fanny attended Los Angeles Polytechnic High School where she lettered in volleyball, swimming and softball and was captain of those teams. She also was senior class president. Her yearbook listed her as most likely to become the ``first woman president of the United States.'' After graduating in 1921, Fanny became a part of the flapper scene while attending business school. In 1927 she married car salesman David Wright. They were married for 71 years. He died in 1998.

Adept at poker, mah-jongg, canasta and pan, Fanny was a longtime regular in Southern California card rooms. From the early 1950s until the late 1990s, she would alternate residences between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. She worked at Bains and Sloats, a women's clothing store on the Las Vegas strip, but Fanny's real love was hanging around Strip resorts, getting a deep tan at the poolside and hobnobbing with celebrities. She was a frequent patron at the Sahara's Casbah Lounge when Louis Prima and the Mary Kaye Trio performed there.

Unconventional to the end, Fanny took her doctors' advice last month to start using medical marijuana so she would get ``the munchies'' and eat to bulk up her thin frame. Fanny credited her longevity to being a good athlete in her youth, maintaining a good diet and taking a shot of bourbon at 4 p.m. every day.

In addition to her daughter, Wright is survived by a son, Ronald Wright of Los Angeles; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the life of Frances Wright on the floor of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sergeant Mark A. Pleasants, currently

the Non-Commissioned Officer of Broadcast Production, assigned to the 99th Communications Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

Since joining the United States Air Force in 1990, Sergeant Pleasants has reached impressive degrees of achievement and has a distinguished record of service. Having served in such foreign locales as Portugal, Germany and San Vito, Sergeant Pleasants has earned a number of accolades. In 1994 and 1995, while serving at Kaiserlautern in Germany, Sergeant Pleasants earned two Air Force level awards for his reporting and won the regional and worldwide Air Force talent competitions as a singer and announcer. In 1996, while assigned to the Air Force News Agency's Regional News Center at Ramstein Air Base, he was a key member pioneering the two most award winning shows in Air Force history; Air Force Prime Time and AFNEWS: On Assignment. Sergeant Pleasants was reassigned to the 99th Communications Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada in 2003 where he immediately applied his expertise in Television and Production to revamp an inactive television program called Eye on Nellis. Through his efforts, the program developed into a monthly 30-minute news show reaching 14 million homes around the world and has won recognition as Best Commander's Access Channel in the Air Force.

Sergeant Pleasants' career is celebrated by a number of awards and commendations, having won the Air Force Commendation Medal three times, the Air Force Achievement Medal four times, Air Force Level Recognition thirteen times, and the National Defense Medal twice.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Sergeant Mark A. Pleasants for his distinguished record of service and his commitment to providing quality news service to the Air Force community. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Colby Rupert for his heroic actions following an accident on Interstate 15 on March 18, 2006.

Colby and an ambulance crew had initially responded to a pickup truck that had run off the road. While responding to the emergency, a bus heading southbound on I-15 struck their rescue unit, virtually destroying the vehicle. Colby and his partner were still in their vehicle at the time of the collision and received painful injuries as a result. Nonetheless, Paramedic Rupert administered aid to a number of passengers on the bus. He carried a generator and the Jaws of Life from the crashed rescue truck to the Greyhound bus while dragging his injured leg. Despite his serious injuries, he ignored his wounds and aided injured persons in a desperate and critical accident scene. Only after assistance arrived sometime later did Colby receive medical treatment. He had to be literally forced to stop assisting others so he could receive medical attention.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Colby Rupert for his heroic actions. Colby's unwavering courage speaks volumes about his character. His dismissal of his own injuries serves as an example of the dedication our First Responders show in their service to their fellow citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Bob ``Chief'' Sears for his 40 years of service in the Fire ServIce.

Bob Sears has vigilantly served in a number of different capacities in the fIre service in several different cities. Sears, a graduate of the National Fire Academy in Maryland, began his career in 1951 and was promoted to Fire Chief of the Richfield Township Fire Department in Ohio in 1960, at that time he was the youngest Fire Chief in the State of Ohio. He subsequently served for 5 years as the Fire Chief for Kerr- McGee Chemical Corporation in California. Bob has also served over 21 years as Boulder Cities Fire Chief, while in this role he designed innovative programs which increase the efficiency of the Department in terms of firefighting capabilities, community awareness, and staff management.

Chief Sears is very active in the community, donating his time to many organizations; Bob is currently on the Board of Directors, Past President, Life Member and has served as interim Executive Director of the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce. He has also served as President of the Nevada Fire Chiefs Association and Charter President of the Southern Nevada Fire Chiefs Association. He has served as chairman for the American Heart Association's Nevada Affiliate, the local Salvation Army, and is a charter member of the Boulder Sumise Rotary Club. Chief Sears also serves on the Military Selection Committee for the United States Service Academies representing Nevada's Congressional Delegation.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Bob Sears for his long career in the Fire Service and for his dedication to many different community organizations. His record of professional service and devotion to the many organizations he was involved with serves as an inspiration to us all. I wish him the best in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada recognize their 65 years of distinguished service to the community.

The Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada was formed to carry on charitable work in the fields of religion, education and social services. Catholic Charities is one of the largest nonprofit social service providers in the state of Nevada, offering the most comprehensive range of human services which include Adoption Services, Child Care Services, St. Vincent Lied Dining Facility, Immigration Services, Migration and Refugee Services, Residential Services, Senior Services and Thrift Stores. The agency now encompasses many diverse programs that are designed to aid individuals in gaining self- sufficiency, independence and dignity.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada for their 65 years of admirable service. Their tireless work to provide a wide array of services to the people of southern Nevada is a noble mission and I wish them the best in their continued efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Daniel Skinkis for more than two decades of volunteer work in Southern Nevada.

Daniel Skinkis has founded several outreach programs over the past 22 years and speaks publicly each week at homeless shelters to help addicted and disenfranchised members of society turn their lives around. From 1988 to 1993, Mr. Skinkis ran a private fellowship in Henderson, NV, for young people with addictions, called Witness Outreach. In addition, Mr. Skinkis started Desert Homeless Outreach over 20 years ago as a place where homeless people talk about issues they face and work toward resolving them. Most recently, these efforts to assist the homeless community have earned Mr. Skinkis the prestigious Jefferson Award bestowed by the American Institute for Public Service.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Daniel Skinkis for his admirable work with the community in an effort to enrich the lives of disenfranchised and impoverished people. I wish him the best in his future efforts.