Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Last winter, two miracles occurred 3,000 miles apart. Here in Washington, our Nation's Capital, Republicans and Democrats came together and passed a significant water bill that was signed into law. Back in California, we saw massive amounts of rainfall that came down in our drought-stricken State, quickly filling our depleted reservoirs.

But I think we can actually take another big step forward by passing H.R. 23, the GROW Act. This bill before us provides even more long-term water solutions for California by expediting the consideration of feasibility studies for water storage projects that have languished for periods of time that are longer than it took to actually build the Hoover Dam. The GROW Act also includes provisions that are critical to the Bay-Delta operations and help improve water reliability.

Last year, Mr. Chairman, you heard a lot of doomsday predictions from certain groups that said the language we passed would push threatened species towards extinction. That did not happen. Today you hear a lot of the same talk. But solutions to H.R. 23 are common sense and will bring reliability to the water supply of California.

Mr. Chairman, I encourage a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contribution to our national security has been exceptional. After eight years of active duty service in the U.S. Navy and decades of work dedicated to the development and assessment of U.S. Navy weapons delivery platforms as a civilian, Robert ``Bob'' Everly is retiring on June 30, 2017.

Between his active duty service and civilian work directly supporting the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division, Mr. Everly spent nearly fifty years supporting the U.S. Navy. That civilian employment includes thirty-three years managing projects and programs supporting weapons and combat systems performance assessment, Fleet exercise assessments, metrology systems engineering, RM&A assessment, range systems engineering, telecommunications engineering, information systems engineering, software development, Information Assurance/ Accreditation, and classified network operations.

Mr. Everly has also dedicated a tremendous amount of time as an essential member of various community-based organizations. That includes his service as an Executive Board Member and Co-Chair of the Science and Technology Education Program (STEP). As the Honorary Chairman of STEP, I have been incredibly fortunate to work closely with Mr. Everly to develop a successful program that sparks students interest in math, science and engineering. Mr. Everly also served as Chairman of the Board, President and Vice-President of the Measurement Science Conference, as a member of the Corona and Riverside Chambers of Commerce, and participated as a member of state and local Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Retention Committees during the Base Realignment and Closer (BRAC) process.

Mr. Everly has contributed immensely to the betterment of our region and military and I am proud to call him a fellow community member, American and my friend. To conclude, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Everly for his service to our country and the Inland Empire--his dedication, insight and passion will be greatly missed.

Mr. Chair, I am pleased to be here today in strong support of H.R. 1873, the Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act.

As we enter wildfire season, it is of the upmost importance that the federal government act to prevent these devastating disasters.

The Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act strengthens electric grid reliability while reducing the risk of fires and fire hazards caused by poor vegetation management in power line rights-of- way on federally managed public lands.

Currently, bureaucratic permitting delays impede electric utility companies from effectively managing overgrowth near electric infrastructure, which puts these areas at greater risk for a fire event. This common-sense, widely-supported, legislation would require an expedited federal review process for trees that are dangerously close to power lines.

The effective management of this unruly vegetation is especially important in my home state of California, where in 2016, an overwhelming 6,986 fires destroyed over 565,000 acres of land throughout the state.

I thank my Colleague from California, Mr. LaMalfa, for his leadership on this legislation and I look forward to supporting the Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act later today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to William H. Hecht, a dear friend of mine who passed away on Monday, June 12, 2017. Bill lived a rich life filled with a myriad of accomplishments. He would count his family as the greatest of those accomplishments. A true family man, he was the beloved husband of Susan; a devoted father to Herb, Robert David, Tim and Jim; a proud father-in-law to Dana, Jill and Melissa; and a doting grandfather to Caroline, Rachel, Will, Robbie, Christian, Danny, Hannah, Sammy, Holly and Johnny. Along with all of them, I will deeply miss Bill.

Born in 1933 in Tifton, Georgia, Bill received his Master's of Divinity from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri and a degree in Philosophy from Washington University. He served as a Lutheran pastor and later became the campus pastor at the University of Oklahoma, also teaching in the Philosophy Department. Among the many tributes Bill received are the Miles Christi Award from Concordia Seminary, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Concordia University, and the Silver Beaver Award from the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In 2012, Bill received a commendation as an ``Outstanding Georgian,'' one of only three people to receive that honor.

Bill was a lifelong participant in politics. In 1967, he became the Executive Director of the Missouri State Republican Party and later served as vice president of the American Security Council. Moving to Washington, DC, he was hired as the Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the House Committee on Internal Security and then moved on to be vice president of legislative affairs at the Tobacco Institute. He worked on the Reagan for President

campaign before opening Hecht, Spencer & Associates, a firm that celebrated its 35th Anniversary last year.

I was a beneficiary of Bill's education and experience over many hours spent at his favorite table at the Capitol Hill Club. He could philosophize on any number of subjects and would hold all of us there at the table in rapt attention with stories from his past or explanations of why his St. Louis Cardinals were the greatest franchise in baseball history. The Club will never be the same without him and he will always be in my thoughts when I am there.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Hecht family and Bill's many friends. Although Bill may be gone, his legacy and memory will live on.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an extraordinary man, Joseph John ``Joe'' Carvalho. Joseph passed away on May 22, 2017 at the age of 88. A resident of Hacienda Heights, California, he was a pillar of the community and will be deeply missed.

Joe was born on June 3, 1928, in Tiverton, Rhode Island and grew up in North Dighton, Massachusetts. He served in the Navy for two years and obtained the rank of Engineerman Third Class while working in a POW camp in World War II. In 1951, he enrolled in the Massachusetts Maritime Academy where he received his degree in Marine Engineering. Upon graduation, he served with the Merchant Marines for two years.

Joe married the love of his life Audrey Enos on November 21, 1953. They moved to California and welcomed the birth of their children: Catherine, Cynthia, Barry, Pamela, and Janet. He worked for the Department of Water and Power for 33 years as an Electrical Engineer. At 55, Joe retired and worked for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Organizing Committee while also maintaining his own real estate business. He was a founding member of Saint John Vianney Parish and was a dedicated usher and volunteer. He was a dedicated Red Sox fan and was able to see his dreams realized with the 2004, 2007, and 2013 World Series Championships. Joe's greatest joy was his family. He became known as Poppi to his five grandchildren: Danielle, Tara, Nicole, Hope Willard, and Brennan Carvalho, and two great grandchildren: Emma and Quinn Massari.

On Friday, May 26, 2017, a memorial honoring Joe's extraordinary life will be held in Hacienda Heights, CA. Joe will always be remembered for his incredible work ethic, generosity, contributions to the community and love of family. His dedication to his family, work, and community are a testament to a life lived well and a legacy that will continue. I extend my condolences to Joe's family and friends. Although Joe may be gone, the light and goodness he brought to the world remain and will never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Raymond Magnon, who passed away in California on Monday, April 24, 2017. Raymond, or Ray as he was known to friends and family, proudly served our nation as a plane mechanic in the Air Force during the Korean War and he will be deeply missed.

Ray was born to Frank and Caroline Magnon in Niles, Ohio. In 1944, when Ray was 14 years old, his family moved from Ohio to Riverside where he attended Poly High School, served in the Air Force as a plane mechanic during the Korean War, and later attended Chaffey College. After college, Ray worked at Lockheed and at a local fiberglass company. Shortly after Ray started his career working as an electrician, he would eventually start his own company, Service Electric. Over the years, Service Electric would provide the electrical construction for many notable buildings in the city of Riverside, including Tyler Mall. At one point in the 1970s the company was the largest electrical contractor in California, employing hundreds of electricians and staff.

Later in life, Ray ventured into commercial real estate development. In 1977, he founded The Magnon Companies which developed and built many of the buildings constructed in Riverside, including buildings in the Sycamore Canyon Business Park, Hunter Park, and other areas of the city. Ray also was responsible for the construction of several apartment buildings in Canyon Crest including Bunker Hill. Ray had many passions in life such as Formula 1 races, tennis, traveling to Europe, collecting sports cars, and a fondness for classic jazz and crooner songs. One of his strongest passions was being a business leader in the community and working to advance important causes for our region.

Ray is survived by his wife, Kelly Magnon, their son, Ryan Magnon and by his daughters from his previous marriage to Elaine Timmons Taber; Patti Oldham, Cheryl Cliff and Deanna Magnon. Ray was preceded in death by his son, Douglas Magnon. He is also survived by many loving grandchildren, nieces, nephews and step-children. I had the distinct privilege of knowing Ray for many years and I will deeply miss him. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the entire Magnon family. Although Ray may be gone, his selfless dedication to our nation will long be remembered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The Interior division of this omnibus bill attempts to fairly balance the needs of our subcommittee's many diverse agencies and programs. It continues the subcommittee's critical work on addressing wildland fire, domestic energy production, the needs of our national parks, and meeting the obligations to Native Americans and Alaskan Natives. I look forward to working with the new leadership at the Interior Department in the FY 2018 appropriations process.

This bill provides funding for fire suppression at the 10-year average level. It includes $407 million in the FLAME wildfire suppression reserve account to help avoid borrowing resources from other forest programs to put out wildland fire.

This bill provides additional funding for the National Park Service, including efforts to address the maintenance backlog, the Service's Centennial, and the Centennial Challenge matching grant program.

The bill makes significant investments in health care, law enforcement, education programs in Indian Country, honoring the longstanding commitments to the American Indians and Alaska Natives.

This bill builds on the Trump administration's efforts to promote domestic energy and mineral development both onshore and offshore.

Before I close, I want to thank our ranking member, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota. She has been a partner and friend as we worked through our hearings, wrote the bill, and moved it through the legislative process to completion.

I also want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen for his support of the Interior Subcommittee and his leadership of the full committee. Kudos to you, Mr. Chairman, for bringing this appropriations process to a successful conclusion.

Finally, I thank the staff who have worked so hard on this bill. They include Dave LesStrang, Jason Gray, Darren Benjamin, Betsy Bina, Jackie Kilroy, and Kristin Richmond; also Ian Foley and Rebecca Keightley in my office.

Mr. Speaker, the package before us today is the product of many months of bipartisan negotiations. I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall votes 207 and 208 I was unable to vote due to obligations in my congressional district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall 207, the Motion to Recommit, and ``yes'' on rollca11 208, related to H.R. 1431, the EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2017, which would ensure EPA administrator and the Science Advisory Board make public all reports and relevant scientific information at the same time they are received by members of the Science Advisory Board.

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the FY2017 Defense Appropriations bill. I commend Chairman Frelinghuysen, Ranking Member Lowey, our new Chairwoman Granger and Ranking Member Visclosky for their leadership on this bill. I would also like to thank our dedicated professional staff who have tirelessly worked on this agreement.

I have served on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee for many years and providing for our men and women in uniform is a privilege and an honor. This bill provides vital funding for our Armed Services, including a 2.1 percent pay raise and additional funding for increased end strength.

As many of us have noted, our military is in a precarious position, and this bill is an important first step to rebuild and restore our military strength. It provides funding for necessary shipbuilding; aircraft and vehicle procurement; and important research and development to maintain our technological superiority. The bill also provides vital Operations and Maintenance funding for facility sustainment, restoration, and modernization programs.

I look forward to working with the new Administration and providing the resources our military needs to maintain our position in the world as well as continue to invest in our most important asset--the men and women our United States Armed Forces.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to Riverside County, California, are exceptional. Last month, Daryl Busch completed his service on the Board of Directors of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (``Metrolink''). He began his service on the Board in January of 2005 and served as Vice Chair between the years of 2015 and 2016.

Daryl Busch brought valuable expertise to the Board through his service as Mayor of the City of Perris and commissioner of the Riverside County Transportation Commission. Daryl ushered in a new era of service that included a fourteen percent service expansion, the introduction of express trains, bike cars, quiet cars, service to sporting events throughout the region, and increased coordination with other regional transit providers including airports. During Daryl's service at Metrolink, major capital projects were pursued including the procurement of the Guardian Fleet, the new Tier 4 locomotives, development of the Ground Power Plug-In program, Positive Train Control and Perris Valley Line Expansion.

Daryl brought a tremendous amount of passion and enthusiasm to the agency, as he helped increase ridership on Metrolink, resulting in reductions in traffic congestion and air emissions, and providing Southern California commuters with a safe, reliable, efficient, and cost-effective means to travel. Daryl also helped institute an enhanced safety culture at Metrolink; he was essential to the implementation of lifesaving equipment onboard Metrolink trains such as crash energy management technology and inward and outward facing cameras.

I have had the privilege of knowing Daryl Busch for many years. Daryl's contributions to the Metrolink system have generated an admirable legacy as well as many friends and colleagues that will miss him. I applaud Daryl's service and I will truly miss working with him. His service and his achievements will have a longstanding and truly positive impact on our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community

of Lake Elsinore in Riverside County, California are exceptional. On Saturday, February 11, 2017 Natasha Johnson will be honored as the Citizen of the Year by the Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce.

Natasha is a manager of a local credit union and a strong advocate for Lake Elsinore. In 2012, Natasha was elected to the Lake Elsinore City Council, where she continues to serve after being re-elected in 2016. As an elected official, Natasha has worked tirelessly to establish a more sustainable economic development base in Lake Elsinore to create more jobs and demonstrate that our community is a great place for families to live, work and play.

Natasha has served our region through her participation in organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, H.O.P.E, Operation Homefront, and New Song. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Elsinore Woman's Club, Boy Scout Advisory, and United Way. Natasha is also a past President for the Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce.

In light of all that Natasha has done for the community of Riverside County and the city of Lake Elsinore, it is only fitting to honor her as Citizen of the Year. Natasha has contributed immensely to the betterment of our region and I am proud to call her a fellow community member, American and a constituent of the 42nd Congressional District of California. I add my voice to the many who will be congratulating Natasha Johnson on being named Citizen of the Year by the Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of Lake Elsinore in Riverside County, California are exceptional. On Saturday, February 11, 2017 Steve Manos will be honored as the Citizen of the Year by the Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce.

Born in Santa Monica and raised in Lake Elsinore, Steve is a 29-year Lake Elsinore resident. In 2012, Steve was elected to serve as a Council Member for the City of Lake Elsinore, for which he served as Mayor in 2015. As an elected official Steve serves on several regional organizations. He has served as Chair of the Riverside County Habitat Conservation Agency, Commissioner on the Airport Land Use Commission, and represents all of the cities in the County of Riverside as the State Director for the League of California Cities. During his term Steve was proud to improve public safety by voting to staff and re-open the Rosetta Canyon Fire Station and add peace officers to the City's police force.

Steve has a great passion for economic development and during his term he has actively recruited new businesses--hundreds of new businesses have opened in Lake Elsinore since 2012, bringing over one thousand new jobs. He has been a relentless, unapologetic ambassador for the City. Steve is a devoted volunteer and charitable contributor having served at the local school district, his church,

and community. He is a founding member of Lake Elsinore's major disaster Citizen Emergency Response Team.

In light of all that Steve has done for the community of Riverside County and the city of Lake Elsinore, it is only fitting to honor him as Citizen of the Year. Steve has contributed immensely to the betterment of our region and I am proud to call him a fellow community member, American and a constituent of the 42nd Congressional District of California. I add my voice to the many who will be congratulating Steve Manos on being named Citizen of the Year by the Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to Riverside County, California, are exceptional. After ten years of exemplary service, Dr. George Beloz is stepping down as President of the Greater Corona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Beloz was born in Chicago and grew up in an ethnically diverse neighborhood, where he was interested in fine arts and fishing. At an early age he sold daily newspapers on South Lakeshore Drive in Chicago, worked for Fannie Mae as a teenager and played the piano at church. After a couple of years in college, George was drafted into the Army and was assigned to Heidelberg, Germany where his wife joined him and they lived off-post and traveled throughout Europe while stationed there. After his military service he returned to college and completed his Bachelor's, Master's and PhD degrees, the latter two with the assistance of the GI Bill. He received his PhD from Southern Illinois University. After college, Dr. Beloz was recruited into the Foreign Service and worked for the U.S. Department of State for seven years learning the ropes in the Asian, the Middle Eastern and Latin American regional areas.

Dr. Beloz left the Foreign Service and held several administrative and educational assignments in the Orange County College District. He and his wife, Ruth, moved to Corona in 1983. Since moving to Corona, he was a candidate for the School Board in 1989 and served on the Board of Trustees for the Corona Public Library from 1993 to 1997. Dr. Beloz was appointed to the Citizens Oversight Committee for Measure C, the $169 million bond issue affecting Riverside City College, Moreno Valley and Norco campuses. In 2016, Dr. Beloz was appointed to the Corona Regional Medical Center Board of Governors. For the last ten years he has headed up the Greater Corona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GCHCOC) by planning engaging evening meetings at Miguel's restaurant with a wide variety of speakers on topics of community interest that have contributed to increasing GCHCOC membership.

Dr. Beloz has contributed immensely to the betterment of our community and I am proud to call him a fellow community member, American and my friend. To conclude, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Dr. Beloz for his service to Corona--his dedication, insight and passion will be greatly missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of Corona in Riverside County, California are exceptional. On Thursday, January 19th, Cyndi Monroe will be honored as the Citizen of the Year by the Corona Chamber of Commerce.

Cyndi is the founder of Christian Arts and Theatre (CAT), a non- profit performing arts education program for children. For more than 17 years, thousands of children have participated in CAT's award-winning program. The CAT Ambassadors Program encourages young members of our community to share their incredible talents at community events, such as Chamber of Commerce gatherings, concerts in the park, and various holiday festivals.

In addition to giving back to the community through CAT, Cyndi is an active member and Past President of Soroptimist International of Corona. Cyndi is a tireless advocate for Corona and fostering partnerships that bring people together to better serve our community. As an author, playwright, and inspirational speaker, Cyndi has enriched the cultural opportunities for every Corona family.

In light of all that Cyndi has done for the community of Riverside County and the city of Corona, it is only fitting to honor her as Citizen of the Year. Cyndi has contributed immensely to the betterment of our region and I am proud to call her a fellow community member, American and a constituent of the 42nd Congressional District. I add my voice to the many who will be congratulating Cyndi Monroe on being named Citizen of the Year by the Corona Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Paul Edward Bell, Colonel, U.S. Air Force (Retired), who passed away in California on November 16, 2016. Col. Bell dedicated thirty-three years of his life to serve in our military and he will be deeply missed.

Shortly after his high school graduation, Col. Bell enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet. During World War II, Col. Bell served as a B-24 crew member. Throughout the war, he participated in conflicts on the islands of Morotai, Indonesia and Okinawa, Japan, as well as in support of the final bombing offensive in the Pacific. Col. Bell flew 251 combat missions amassing 862 combat hours in fighter, bomber and rotary wing aircraft. His awards and decorations included the Legion of Merit with four oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with eleven oak leaf clusters, just to name some of the many medals he received.

Even after leaving the military, Col. Bell continued his public service through his participation in numerous community, military support groups and veteran's organizations. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Elks and the Newcomen Society. He was an area vice president for the California Air Force Association; was on the governing boards of the Silver Eagles, the March Field Air Museum,

the Forum, the Riverside Chamber Military Affairs Committee and the 15th Air Force Association. Col. Bell was instrumental in establishing several historic sites on March Air Reserve Base, persuaded Bob Hope to allow the Riverside chapter of the Air Force Association be named in his honor, and established the chapter's annual ``Air Crew Excellence Award'' for airmen of the 4th Air Force. In 1995, Col. Bell was recognized by Air Mobility Command as its Citizen of the Year. Col. Bell's significant contributions to the base, its units, its uniformed members and government employees will long preserve March Air Reserve Base's legacy in Riverside history.

I had the distinct privilege of knowing Col. Bell for many years and I will deeply miss him. I extend my heartfelt condolences to Col. Bell's wife, Helen, as well as the entire Bell family. Although Col. Bell may be gone, his selfless dedication to our nation will long be remembered.