Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a very heavy heart. This past Sunday, good friends of mine, the Picini family from Las Vegas, Nevada, lost their son, 19-year-old John Picini, Jr., in his sleep.

My prayers and my thoughts go to the Picini family for the loss of a loved one which is hard to imagine, as a father myself. I know how difficult a time it is, and I will provide for the Record words of his Aunt Terry Murphy, also one of my best friends, regarding her heartfelt thoughts at the loss of John Picini, Jr.

The words of Ms. Terry Murphy, referred to above, are as follows:

John Joseph Picini Jr.

Man. Boy. Brother. Son. Cousin. Friend. Dude. Musician.

Angel. Amazing. Loving. Giving. Kind. Adorable. Sweet. Sad.

Happy. Fun to be with. Inventive. Creative. Peaceful.

Beautiful. Sensitive.

These are all the words to describe John Picini Jr. Two

days before his birth, John nearly didn't make it into this

world. Upon arrival, we all learned about the Duffy Factor, a

blood disorder which made his entry into the world a bit more

difficult than most. As we all watched John grow, we never

ceased to he amazed at who he was becoming. At who he did

become.

When he made music, he was transported to a different plane

and he took along with him all who watched and listened. He

carried us away. Only a very evolved soul can so profoundly

move people with his own creations and John's were beyond

amazing.

John was graced with an unusual sensitivity. Webster's

dictionary defines sensitivity as the capacity of being

easily hurt, and the awareness of the needs and emotions of

others. This sensitivity was the foundation of his creative

abilities. It was also the foundation of what made us all

love him to the core.

When John suffered the accident that damaged his knees, he

turned his pain into comfort for others. His first act after

receiving compensation for his injuries was to give his

mother a gift of $2,000.00 to be used for a research program

which was designed to, and did help people. He then set up a

big Texas Hold-em game. Upon learning that a friend of his

mother had no money to pay her rent, he took the money from

the game, gave it to his mom and told her to pay the rent,

but not to tell the woman where the money came from. Giving

selflessly and without expectation of gratitude. That was

John. He took great joy in giving. And in his life he gave us

more than he ever knew.

John took his own pain and turned it into good fortune for

others. This is truly a lesson to all of us in what living is

about. A statue of St. Francis of Assisi stood in John's

house. From St. Francis, John learned that it is in giving

that we receive, in comforting that we find comfort, in

giving faith that we find it, and in loving that we are

loved.

So much did John enjoy giving that he went to a party at

the Oasis Center for Children at Christmas time and gave each

child a card, a hug, and twenty dollars. He did this again on

Valentines Day. These actions represent the very essence of

John Joseph Picini Jr.

If we can define a man by the music he loves, we can define

John as a peacemaker and a poet. His heroes--John Lennon,

Jimi Hendrix, Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan. All peacemakers and

poets. All but Dylan, taken from this planet long before

their time.

John will be watching and loving us from his new home with

the angels. He was, after all, an angel flying too close to

the ground as Willie Nelson would say.

We who are left behind have been forever changed for

knowing John. And we will be forever changed for having lost

him. He is, without a doubt, surrounded with warmth and love

and light in the arms of God the father, his son Jesus Christ

and the Blessed Mother. They're holding him and keeping him

safe. He will live forever in our hearts and he'll have no

tears in heaven.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to engage the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary in a colloquy.

Mr. Chairman, it is my understanding that included in the Department of Justice reauthorization are measures that will ease the administrative burdens that exist for State and local governments and provide them greater flexibility to spend the money they have been awarded from the various grant programs. Is that correct?

I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, there are many areas throughout the country that have extremely high tourism rates. The local law enforcement agencies of these areas have the difficult task of providing services to these tourists on top of their responsibility to the base population. For example, the city of Las Vegas has a population of over 534,000 people; however, over 40 million tourists a year visit Las Vegas. Local law enforcement is responsible for the safety of these visitors, which places a huge financial strain on the various police departments.

With that in mind, would the chairman agree that one factor in awarding grant money should be the disproportionate amount of tourists an area has related to that area's base population?

Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the chairman for his offer and look forward to working with him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of a great American, Commander Deidre McLay. I honor her today for her service to our nation in the United States Navy.

Commander McLay recently assumed command of the USS Farragut, which is the Navy's newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer. CDR. McLay is only the sixth woman in naval history to command a destroyer and is the first commanding officer of the USS Farragut and its 383 officers and enlisted personnel.

Commander McLay is from Boulder City, Nevada and was commissioned via the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program in 1986. She graduated from the University of Colorado with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. While serving in the United States Navy, she has earned a Masters of Science in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and a Masters degree in National Security Affairs from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

Commander McLay's most recent operational assignment was as Chief Staff Officer, Destroyer Squadron Thirty-One, where she deployed as part of the Abraham Lincoln Battle Group for Operation Iraqi Freedom. During her earlier tour as Executive Officer in USS Spruance DD 963 she was deployed for six months to Standing Naval Force Mediterranean, operating with ships of eight NATO nations.

Commander McLay has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and various service and campaign awards.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and heartfelt gratitude that I salute Commander McLay for her service and dedication to our great nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3736, Katrina Volunteer Protection Act. This legislation will provide much needed legal protection for those charitable Americans volunteering in the Hurricane Katrina rescue and recovery effort.

It is imperative that when thousands of selfless volunteers respond to those who have incurred the wrath of a natural disaster that legal liability need not be hanging over their heads.

Currently, there is vast uncertainty from state to state about what defines legal protections for volunteers, especially when volunteers from one state travel to another to help out their fellow citizens.

Under current law volunteers who are not working with an official nonprofit organization are not covered by the Volunteer Protection Act. Therefore, there are absolutely no legal protections for the average American who wishes to volunteer.

This legislation will correct that gap in the law while at the same time continue upholding the penalties against those who act in a willful, reckless or criminal manner or who violate a State or Federal civil rights law.

Further if a volunteer's home State has a law on its books that provide greater liability protection, then this legislation would defer to those stronger protections.

This legislation will clear the way for all those Good Samaritans, who live in our great Nation, not to have to worry about lawsuits when they volunteer.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, again, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this great bill today, but I think we can add a few things.

We send our children off to school every day and we trust that our teachers are the best and the safest and the best trained in the country. Unfortunately, there are a small few, a number of teachers across this country who are slipping between the cracks. In the State of Nevada, we hire about 1,400 to 2,000 new teachers a year. Unfortunately, some States are not able to share information regarding the criminal activity of these particular teachers.

I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Madam Speaker would like to voice my strong support for

Offered By: Mr. Porter

Amendment No. 3: At the end of title III of the bill,

insert the following (and make such conforming changes to the

table of contents as may be necessary):

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Bonnie Rinaldi. Bonnie recently retired from the position of Henderson's Assistant City Manager on July 14th, and will be sorely missed by all.

Bonnie's public service spanned almost 30 years, starting as an intern in North Las Vegas. Since her intern days, Bonnie served in many aspects of city government, including assistant city manager for Clark County, before accepting the position of Assistant City Manager for Henderson in 1999.

I have known Bonnie for many years and consider her a good friend. I have also tremendously enjoyed working with her. Her intelligence and personality made her a strong and effective leader throughout Southern Nevada. Those who worked with Bonnie sometimes referred to her as ``the little engine that could,'' skipping from meeting to meeting without missing a beat. Bonnie's life philosophy is that, with some determination and hard work, anything could be accomplished--a quality that will continue to take her far in life.

I wish Bonnie the best of luck in her retirement. It will be hard to imagine the City of Henderson without her.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my support for the PATRIOT Act. As we all learned on September 11, 2001, terrorists will use any and all means available to them to attack the United States of America.

Since its passage following the September 11 attacks, the PATRIOT Act has played a key role in a number of successful operations to protect innocent Americans from terrorists. The PATRIOT Act removed major legal barriers that prevented the law enforcement, intelligence, and national defense communities from talking and coordinating their work to protect the American people and our national security. Now FBI Agents, Federal prosecutors, and intelligence officials can protect our communities by ``connecting the dots'' to uncover terrorist plots before they are completed. Simply put, the PATRIOT Act allows the United States to become proactive, rather than reactive.

Mr. Chairman, the simple truth is that while key provisions of the PATRIOT Act are set to expire, as we have learned twice in the past two weeks from events in Great Britain the terrorist threat that faces the world will not expire.

Southern Nevada is visited by over 35 million people each year; many of these tourists are our friends from foreign countries. Unfortunately we have learned that mixed in with these friendly tourists are some who wish to inflict harm on our Nation. This sentiment is supported by the fact that we now know that planning meetings of the 9/11 hijackers took place in Las Vegas.

While this may not be a perfect bill, I do believe that the legislation before us today reflects a compromise that includes the proper balance between security and privacy to face the challenges of the current world we live in as well as the necessary safeguards to protect our fellow citizens against an over-encroaching government.

I understand and appreciate the privacy concerns that have been expressed by many and will continue to protect civil rights and insist that the proper and regular oversight exists when possible infringements on Americans' civil rights are concerned.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Central American Free Trade Agreement. The Central American Free Trade Agreement. We use this acronym frequently, CAFTA. It is Central America, our brothers and sisters and the future of the world when it comes to the corridor for an economic base that is unlimited into South America and Central America.

Exports to Central America from my home State of Nevada grew 56 percent from 2000 to 2004, far higher than the 16 percent average increase. In 2003 alone, Nevada experienced an 88 percent increase with significant gains in machinery, computer and electronic manufacturing.

Manufactured goods accounted for 69 percent of Nevada's exports to Central America. Not only will the passage of CAFTA immediately eliminate tariffs on 80 percent of exports on Nevada's manufacturers; it will also abolish all remaining tariffs within 10 years, including the tariff on chemicals, electronic equipment, machinery, and transportation equipment.

Mr. Speaker, Central American Free Trade Agreement, the future economic base of the world is Central and South America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Bob Abbey. Bob recently announced his retirement from 32 years of Government service--25 years with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) alone--a career that all Americans should thank him for.

I represent a State where the Federal Government owns and controls almost 90 percent of our land. Although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency and the U.S. Forest Service oversees parts of Nevada, more than 48 million acres of public lands in Nevada were controlled under Bob's leadership at the BLM for over 8 years--a large feat for anyone to undertake.

As Nevada's BLM Director, Bob was influential in ensuring that Nevada's public lands are preserved for future generations by taking an active leadership role in restoration and conservation projects, such as the Great Basin Restoration Initiative. Despite the monumental tasks he was often presented with due to the diverse nature of Nevada's landscape, Bob was always able to understand the importance of long- term goals so that our children's children can someday enjoy ``wild Nevada.''

Thank you, Bob Abbey, for your hard work and dedication as Nevada's BLM Director. Your love for our State is evident and appreciated, and I join with all Nevadans in wishing you a happy retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Lucille Salter, as she celebrates her 100th birthday. It is my great pleasure to commemorate this milestone for a woman who is a pillar in her community of Boulder City, Nevada.

Mrs. Salter arrived in Boulder City in l931 at the height of the Great Depression. She spent time working for the telephone company, the Federal Government, and the City of Henderson.

Today, Mrs. Salter lives with her husband, Ross Salter, in Henderson, Nevada and enjoys visits from her grandchildren and playing bridge. She leads a full life and is admired by her many friends for her willingness to help in any way she can.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege to honor Lucille Salter and give her my deepest thanks for her contributions to the Southern Nevada community. It is my hope that those that have been touched by her giving spirit will remember her example and use it in their own lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 25th anniversary of one of southern Nevada's first Spanish-language publications, the El Mundo.

I would also like to recognize the dedication and perseverance of my longtime friend Eddie Escabedo, El Mundo's founder and publisher.

What began as a truly local community newsletter has grown to a newspaper that reaches 50,000 Nevadans and many more through radio and television affiliations.

I applaud Eddie and all of those who have assisted him throughout these 25 years. The service that you provide the Spanish-speaking community in southern Nevada has benefited us all by demonstrating our common needs, despite our diversity.

Eddie, it was great to see you in Washington last week. Your efforts to provide our Spanish-speaking students with information on the resources available to them to continue their education are truly an invaluable service. I look forward to working with you on the Hispanic Scholarship Directory long into the future. I congratulate you and El Mundo on this milestone and wish you all the best of luck in the next 25 years.

Eddie, I am proud to call you a friend. Congratulations.

Mr. Chairman, I raise a point of order against section 607. This provision violates clause 2(b) of House rule XXI. It proposes to change existing law and, therefore, constitutes legislation on an appropriation bill in violation of House rules.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my colleagues in support of House resolution 282 and encourage members of the International community to continue to aggressively condemn anti- Semitic actions and statements.

For over sixty years, world history and international perspectives have been shaped by the painful reminders of the events of World War II. Blind eyes could not hide the effect racism had during the Holocaust that affected millions of Jewish men, women and children. And now, many years later, I join with others to continue to remind the world community to resist the small seeds of hate that once led to the attempted annihilation of an entire race of people.

More now than ever, we must all take a proactive stance against views that promote racial, religious and ethnic intolerance. America's past is certainly imperfect. However, the lessons of the past remind us that through these imperfections we were able to unite and build alliances that promoted a stronger and wiser nation. I now call upon the International community to also build alliances and word for peace by actively condemning the increasing culture of anti-Semitic views and religious intolerance.