Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, just last week we witnessed American, coalition and Iraqi forces taking the fight to the enemy by eliminating the terrorist leader of al Qaeda in Iraq. During the very same week the Iraqi people looked as their first democratically elected Prime Minister finalized his cabinet by selecting a new Minister of Defense, a new Minister of Interior, a new member of the state for national security.

The two events are clear evidence that Iraqi forces are making progress on two major fronts in the ongoing war. On one front the coalition and Iraqi forces remain in the hunt for insurgents and other groups that threaten a free and democratic Iraq. On the other front the Iraqi government continues to show encouraging signs into developing a much needed stabilizing body the country is longing for.

During my three trips to Iraq I have observed our military engaging the enemy, protecting the innocent citizens, training the Iraqi forces to make and control and support the new elected government. Despite the positive developments on the ground, we continue to hear naysayers around the world questioning the importance of the outcome in Iraq.

On the other hand, al Qaeda leadership and its terrorist network fully understand the consequences of war, calling Iraq the place for the greatest battle of the modern era.

I have a copy of a document captured from the safe House where al Zarqawi met his end. In it al Qaeda leaders lament the fact that their strategy for undermining America's resolve in Iraq is failing. They know that time, time to undermine America's resolve, time to foment a civil war, time to get media on their side, time to spread death and destruction to Iraq's neighbors is running out for them.

Ironically the document notes that al Qaeda originally saw time as being on their side in Iraq. It states time has been an element in affecting negatively the forces of occupying countries due to losses they sustain economically and in human lives which are increasing with time. However, here in Iraq, time is now beginning to be a service of the American forces and harmful to the resistance.

Winston Churchill understood the importance of resolve when a nation's interests are on the line. Winston Churchill, quote, I was only the servant of my country and had I, at any moment, failed to express her unflinching resolve to fight and conquer, I should at once have been rightly cast aside.

This body recognized that necessity when we passed the authorization of the use of military force against Iraq. While five pages long, the really vital 10 words are, ``be it resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives.''

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

I certainly want to support the gentlewoman's amendment also. Representative Millender-McDonald's amendment is certainly one on which we should all agree. This is something that needs to be clearly defined and stated, that airlift and sealift requirements to ensure our Nation's future mobility force structure capabilities are able to meet future needs.

In this war, 70 percent of the cargo missions have been flown by C- 17s. That is a 60 percent increase over the military's own prewar anticipated usage of the plane. In addition to military uses, C-17s have been used in humanitarian efforts to bring food and supplies to victims of Hurricane Katrina and to the Far East disasters there last year.

Senior leaders at the DOD can't seem to find clearly the exact number of C-17s required. The Chief of Staff of the Air Force states 187 TRANSCOM and Air Mobility Commander stated 200 C-17s are required. The former TRANSCOM commander, General Handy, whom I respect immensely, stated that 225 C-17s are required.

In addition to senior leaders of DOD, the Defense Science Board, in a report dated September 2005, raised concerns about the adequacy of the Pentagon's organic and strategic sealift and aerial tankers.

Therefore, I support this amendment so we can get on to fulfill our congressional oversight responsibility and ensure that our mobility system adequately supports current and future force structure requirements.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3929, the Dana Point Desalination Project Authorization Act. My legislation will authorize Federal participation in a relatively small ocean desalination project that could have an enormous impact on the future development of desalination projects.

As our country continues to look for new sources of water, particularly in the West, the expansion of our desalinated ocean water capability is essential. While extensively utilized in other parts of the world, most notably in the Middle East, the U.S. has only recently begun to consider large-scale ocean water desalination projects. There are a number of factors that have limited the viability of desalination projects. The major issues confronting ocean desalination are the cost of producing potable water and the potential negative impacts on ocean ecosystems.

The Dana Point Desalination Project is not a typical ocean desalination project. The project will use a unique subsurface ocean intake system that will collect water that naturally seeps through the ocean floor. The system provides a number of benefits over traditional intake systems, including removing the negative impacts on marine life as well as potentially reducing the need for extensive pretreatment filtration. If constructed and successful, the system would remove various concerns expressed by environmental advocates as well as improve the feasibility of future ocean desalination projects.

The Dana Point Desalination Project, to the best of my knowledge, is the only ocean desalination project supported by the Surfrider Foundation. Their support is a direct result of the unique subsurface intake technology that avoids negative impacts to the marine ecosystem. I would like to submit a letter form the Surfrider Foundation detailing their support for the Dana Point project for the record.

The Dana Point Desalination Project could have significant regional and national benefits. H.R. 3929 simply authorizes Federal participation in the project and limits the Federal obligation to $2.5 million to assist with preliminary engineering and environmental studies. No construction dollars are authorized in H.R. 3929.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting the Dana Point Desalination Project and passing H.R. 3929.

Surfrider Foundation,

January 10, 2006.

Re Support for MWDOC Beach Well Feasibility Study.

To Whom it May Concern: I am writing on behalf of the

Surfrider Foundation in support of efforts by the Municipal

Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) to investigate the

feasibility of sub-surface beach wells to supply seawater for

ocean desalination.

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental

organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the

world's oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through

conservation, activism, research and education.

In general, Surfrider Foundation believes that future

demands for water supplies should first be met by fully

utilizing water conservation, wastewater reclamation, and

stormwater management that will capture runoff for beneficial

uses. We feel very strongly that these supply alternatives

combine the benefit of meeting our future water needs while

simultaneously reducing polluted runoff and ocean discharges.

Ocean desalination should be the lowest priority for water

supply choices and only employed using the most

environmentally protective methods and technology.

We are pleased to see this approach to water supply

alternatives reflected in MWDOC's 2005 Urban Water Management

Plan. Furthermore, we are very supportive of the measured

approach MWDOC is taking toward filling a limited role for

ocean desalination in their water supply portfolio. Sub-

surface ``feedwater'' intakes for desalination will avoid the

unnecessary destruction of marine life, and disruption of

healthy marine ecosystems, that accompanies open ocean

intakes.

We look forward to the results of the sub-surface beach

well feasibility study MWDOC is proposing in Dana Point.

Sincerely,

Joe Geever,

Southern California Regional Manager.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the resolution (H. Con. Res. 366) to congratulate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the Space Transportation System, to honor Commander John Young and the Pilot Robert Crippen, who flew Space Shuttle Columbia on April 12-14, 1981, on its first orbital test flight, and to commend the men and women of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and all those supporting America's space program for their accomplishments and their role in inspiring the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 366.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall).

(Mr. HALL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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

Mr. Speaker, on April 12, 1981, two American heroes, Commander John Young and Pilot Robert Crippen, were strapped into their seats in the Space Shuttle Columbia and took off into history, orbiting the Earth for 54 hours, 20 minutes, and 53 seconds. This was the boldest test flight in history.

The space shuttle was the first reusable spacecraft to be flown into orbit without the benefit of previous unmanned orbital test flights, and was the first spacecraft to land on a conventional runway at Edwards Air Force Base in my home State of California.

Like the explorers Lewis and Clark who explored our great Nation and who opened up the West, John Young and Robert Crippen opened a new era of human exploration beyond our planet Earth. Now, as we move forward with the vision for space exploration, the successful return to flight of the space shuttle represents the first step toward going to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Today as a Nation, we want to pay tribute to the National Space and Aeronautics Administration on the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the space shuttle. We want to honor Commander John Young and Pilot Robert Crippen, who flew the first Space Shuttle Columbia, on April 12- 14, 1981, on its first orbital test flight. We want to commend the men and women of NASA and our aerospace industry for the roles they play in inspiring the American people. This is what provides the inspiration to our next generation to study math and science. This is what keeps our Nation competitive.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), a champion of America's space program.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 541 commends the great American ingenuity and level of excellence represented by our National Laboratories, particularly the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), whose work is so consistently stellar that it is often taken for granted.

American John Hall, who is one of the three scientists sharing the Nobel Prize for Physics, is the third NIST scientist to win a Nobel Prize. He is sharing the Prize for Physics with American Roy J. Glauber and German Theodor W. Haensch. Their studies reversed the earlier belief that the quantum theory of the behavior of particles did not describe the behavior of particles of light. These scientists, in fact, have changed the modern understanding of the behavior of light. Their discoveries could allow better GPS systems, better space navigation, and even better digital animation.

The 2005 Nobel Prize for Chemistry was won by American Robert H. Grubbs, from Southern California's California Institute of Technology, American Richard R. Schrock, and Frenchman Yves Chauvin. They made great breakthroughs in their work with olefin metathesis. This is a chemical reaction describing the changing of bonds between atoms.

Their work has great commercial potential in areas like pharmaceuticals, the biotechnology industry, and the foodstuff industry. The great work that these scientists produce contributes to our competitiveness and to our great standard of living.

I want to commend all of these outstanding scientists for their contributions to physics and chemistry and to the Royal Swedish Academy of Scientists for their recognition of their achievements, and to NIST and its laboratories who have supported research that strengthens our global competitiveness through the development of groundbreaking technologies.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this bipartisan amendment which will strengthen the Office of National Drug Control Policy's, and in turn our nation's, efforts against methamphetamine--the deadliest and most devastating drug that faces our communities today. As a founding member and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, commonly know as the Meth Caucus, I have seen our Caucus membership enrollment grow just as the meth epidemic has grown.

From a couple dozen Members representing Western states in 2001 to 140 today, the Meth Caucus membership hails from all regions of this country and across the political spectrum. Even the Senate has established their own Meth Caucus which is modeled after the House caucus. Each of these Members recognize the meth epidemic that is ravaging our communities on so many levels--from its toll on individual users, to the significant social costs it thrusts onto our law enforcement, prisons, hospitals, social and child welfare systems, and the environment.

As Mr. Chabot stated, the amendment, through commissioned studies and reports, will provide information critical to assisting the Administration and the Congress in developing necessary and up-to-date policies to address the meth epidemic. In addition, the amendment would create an online National Methamphetamine Information Clearinghouse to serve law enforcement and the broader community with a forum for sharing of ``best practices'' information regarding successful anti- meth programs and activities. These measures will only strengthen the reauthorization bill and ensure that the Federal response to the meth epidemic does not waver.

I would like to express many thanks to Congressman Souder for his support on this amendment. He has been, with his staff, relentless in their work to improve federal drug control policy and I appreciate their readiness and eagerness to involve the Meth Caucus in their activities. I also want to thank Congressman Chabot and his staff for shepherding this important amendment to the floor, and also my fellow Meth Caucus Co-Chairs, Representatives Cannon, Larsen and Boswell and their staff for their constant vigilance on this

issue and their efforts to make this one of the most proactive and effective Caucus' in the House. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the amendment and the reauthorization bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Mike Reaume for his dedication and commitment to improving the community of Corona, California. On January 14, 2006, the Corona Chamber of Commerce recognized Mike for serving as the chairman of the board for the chamber during 2005.

After joining the Corona Chamber in 1999, Mike quickly became an active member of various chamber committees. His involvement included work with the Website, Ambassadors, and Corona Night with the Angels Committees. While serving on the chamber's board of directors, Mike was elected as vice president, chairman-elect, and, most recently, chairman of the board. In addition to his dedication to the chamber, Mike owns an insurance brokerage firm, Reaume Insurance Services, which specializes in employee benefits for employers and individuals.

During Mike's term as chairman, the chamber continued to grow in membership and develop new strategies to strengthen the relationships within the business community. The chamber exceeded the goals it set for the year by increasing membership up to nearly 1,150 members representing over 35,000 jobs in the region. Furthermore, the new members made an immediate impact by noticeably increasing the participation levels and attendance at chamber events.

Community-based organizations, like chambers of commerce, rely extensively on committed and dynamic individuals who take the initiative to address important issues facing their community. Mike's dedicated service epitomizes the selfless, hard-working spirit that is the backbone of communities throughout our great nation. The Corona Chamber and the community of Corona are significantly better off thanks to Mike's tireless efforts.

I want to express my appreciation for Mike's tremendous contributions on behalf of our entire community and congratulate him on the tremendous leadership he displayed as chairman of the board.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Ali Sahabi for his dedication and commitment to improving the community of Corona, California. The Corona Chamber of Commerce honored Ali by presenting him with its 2005 ``Citizen of the Year'' award on January 14, 2006.

Ali is currently the President of SE Corporation, a privately held, California-based land planning, entitlement, and development firm. For nearly 18 years, Ali Sahabi has been an active member of our community, devoting a tremendous amount of time and effort to causes greater than his own.

After spending much of his youth in a middle class family in the country of Iran, Ali was sent to Michigan to live with an uncle and aunt at the age of thirteen. After graduating high school, Ali and his brother drove to California, where they lived in a small apartment with their grandmother and another uncle.

In California, the two brothers worked at a variety of odd jobs and Ali, always the entrepreneur, began trying his hand at different kinds of small business opportunities including sales. He became a print broker and opened his own printing business in downtown Los Angeles. Ali finished his bachelor's degree in business management at Pepperdine University, which he had been working on in the evening, and sold the print shop. Later, Ali obtained his Master of Real Estate Development degree from the School of Urban Planning and Development at the University of Southern California.

Throughout his career, Ali has undertaken a number of development projects across Southern California including industrial, multi-family residential and commercial retail projects. He has been instrumental in implementing innovative planning solutions and environmentally sensitive development plans for the Dos Lagos mixed use development in southwest Riverside County, making it a true model for sustainable development.

Ali is an active and leading proponent of local and regional collaboration and the stewardship of natural resources, establishing and endowing the Blakeley Center for Suburban Sustainable Development at UC Riverside. Through his vision and tireless efforts the Center has contributed to forming alliances across jurisdictional lines bringing individuals, local governments and communities together to address major issues that represent significant challenges for entire regions and communities.

Locally, Ali somehow finds time to play a significant role in a number of non-profit and community-based organizations. He serves notably on the Board of Directors of the Children's Spine Foundation and the Corona Regional Medical Center Foundation, Governor's Mentoring Program, and is active with the American Cancer Society, YMCA, At Risk Children's Angels, Boy Scouts, and ICUC among others.

I want to express my appreciation for Ali's tireless efforts on behalf of our entire community and congratulate him on receiving this award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Rear Admiral Michael G. Mathis, United States Navy, for his more than 30 years of active duty service to our country. Admiral Mathis most recently served as the deputy commander for Test and Evaluation at the Naval Sea Systems Command and he retired on January 26, 2006.

For over two decades, Admiral Mathis shaped the Navy's strategic planning of surface ship combat systems, from electronic warfare and tactical data systems to advanced radars and several generations of surface-to-air missiles. He is the rare combination of leadership at sea, exceptional engineering and scientific accomplishments, and success as a program executive and program manager. Serving tirelessly as a Navy and Joint leader, including as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Chief Engineer, Admiral Mathis kept the spotlight on the RDT&E required to meet the Department of Defense's current and future needs.

In his many years as the leader of the Surface Navy's acquisition professionals, as well as the Navy's senior expert in advanced and future weapons systems, Admiral Mathis instilled pride in generations of naval officers and civilian engineers. A strong proponent of technical proficiency in naval officers, he promoted the Navy's advanced science and engineering degree programs for junior officers.

Admiral Mathis's inspirational leadership and management of the 22,000 men and women of the Naval Surface Warfare Systems Command during wartime has directly contributed to the tremendous record of success in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, including the fielding of thermobaric weapons and innovative Force Protection advances developed in his warfare center laboratories. He put the weapons and tools in the hands of the warfighters when they were needed. Most recently, his talents and dedication to our warfighters were further put to use by our country as he served in the Joint Staff as Deputy Director, J-8 for Force Protection.

Throughout his career, the Navy's leadership selected Admiral Mathis for a series of key positions to mold the technical direction of the Navy's Theatre Missile Defense program. His foresight, vision, and management decisions led to the development and continuing success of missile defense programs vital to our Nation's defense. Key among his assignments was as the Director, Joint Theater Air and Missile Defense Organization, where he was responsible to the Chairman and Secretary of Defense for evaluating systems and emerging technologies to determine the optimum mix of surveillance, fire control systems, and the associated battle management system to counter aircraft, cruise missile and ballistic missile threats to our Nation.

More than just a leader providing the technical punch for the global war on terror, Admiral Mathis has focused on maintaining our Nation's technological edge in future weapons systems. He is the senior advocate and leader for the RDT&E in laser and directed energy weapons, inspiring industry and government engineers to solve engineering challenges and ensuring our next generation of warfighters has the weapons needed to win. He has championed the need for battle force, joint, and coalition interoperability and warfighting capabilities, serving as the Single Integrated Air Picture System Engineer for

the Chairman, JCS, and Commander, Joint Forces Command. He also led the development of the Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense roadmap, and to identify joint solutions to surveillance and command and control challenges.

As the Joint Staff lead for Interagency Homeland Air Security issues, Admiral Mathis most recently worked in close cooperation with USNORTHCOM, NORAD, the Services, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of Homeland Security.

On behalf of a grateful nation, I want to express my appreciation for his dedicated service and I wish him well in his retirement from the Navy.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for the time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Boehlert for his leadership and guidance, for the great job in making sure that we are here today, and I certainly want to thank Ranking Member Gordon and Ranking Member Udall for their leadership and support, also. I want to commend the Members of the Science Committee on both sides of the aisle for a job well done. I also want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) for his guidance and assistance and all his staff working together diligently for long hours to assure that this NASA authorization bill could be accomplished this year. This is the first time since the year 2000 that NASA has had an authorization bill and we have been able to complete it. This bill provides the agency with the rules and tools they will need to succeed.

This is a crucial time for the agency as it is going through a major transition. Our bill represents the first time that the President's Vision for Space Exploration has been fully endorsed by both Houses of Congress. When the President sends to Congress his budget for fiscal year 2007, today's backing by the Congress can only help us to increase the support for our Nation's civil space program and for the Vision for Space Exploration. We also seek equivalent strategic plans for aeronautics and science parts of the budget.

NASA represents only seven-tenths of 1 percent of the Federal budget and is an investment in our Nation's future. Even in this time of budget deficits, the United States cannot abandon NASA's research and technology and its exploration programs. It is not in the American spirit to shy away from this investment in our global leadership.

This bill also authorizes for the first time a competitive prize program at NASA based on the very successful X-Prize. This program will allow NASA to award prizes for those technologies that are useful for NASA's mission. This prize program will encourage our best and brightest scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to pursue technologies that NASA will need to pursue our Nation's dreams of exploration.

I am pleased that we are doing a 2-year bill through 2008, and we in the Science Committee look forward to providing oversight and authorization appropriate when needed. I want to urge my colleagues to vote yes on this truly bipartisan conference report. We owe it to the administration, to our national space enterprise and to the American people to pass this NASA authorization bill this year.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act. I would like to thank Chairman Sensenbrenner and Chairman King for the remarkable job they have done to bring this bill to the floor today.

A mandatory electronic employment verification system must be a key component in any immigration reform bill worthy of the name. We can never gain control of our borders until we turn off the job magnet that encourages people to flout the law. If illegal immigrants know that a job awaits them in the United States provided they can get past the gauntlet of the border, no amount of border security will ever stop them.

Every employee already fills out an I-9 immigration form and presents documents confirming their identify and eligibility to work. Of course, the current system does not work because the documents themselves are easily forged and cannot be checked.

The system proposed today would simply require that the information on the I-9 form be confirmed. It is not discriminatory; it is easy to use and will do more to stem the tide of illegal immigration than any other single provision.

Many people have commented on the mandatory employment verification system, and some comments have missed the point. This system is all about ensuring a legal workforce by preventing document fraud during the hiring process.

I believe that most employers are trying to do the right thing and hire only legal workers. Unfortunately, the current employment verification system does not give the employer enough information to be confident that their workforce is legal. Forged documents easily pass through the system without a problem, which leaves the employer with dubious U.S. citizens and legal immigrants at a competitive disadvantage and encourages the mass illegal immigration America is experiencing today.

Not only would this system strike a blow against document fraud; it would also reduce identity theft, a practice on the rise in the United States. Just like credit card companies can flag unusual purchases to stop identity theft, this program would flag unusual behavior.

This is a good program, and this bill must pass.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have joined Mr. Gordon and Mr. Boehlert as a lead sponsor of this legislation--H.R. 798, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2005. I thank Mr. Gordon for bringing this very important issue to the Congress' attention and Mr. Boehlert for steering the bill quickly through the Science Committee. I also thank the Science Committee's Majority and Minority staffs who have diligently worked together for the last two years to develop and revise this legislation.

As a Co-Chairman of the 135-member Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, I know the growing meth epidemic in our country shows no deference to district or party line. This is an issue everyone can agree is wreaking havoc on communities across the Nation. As mentioned by my colleagues, H.R. 798 focuses its efforts on the procedures and standards needed to decontaminate a site where a methamphetamine lab is found so our communities can more thoroughly remediate these sites. The creation of voluntary, health-based remediation guidelines for former meth labs, crafted by the Environmental Protection Agency, will protect and ensure the health of our citizens and the surrounding environment.

In my area of Riverside, California, methamphetamine production has reached epidemic proportions with many of these labs having the distinction of being labeled superlabs--these are labs that are capable of producing over ten pounds of finished methamphetamine per batch. One such lab which was seized in 2003 operated out of a barn in a rural area of Riverside County and produced over 6,000 pounds of finished product with a street resale value of over $33 million dollars. Over 4 million pounds of contaminated toxic soil had to be removed with heavy equipment, costing in excess of $226,000. Officials from the California Department of Toxic Substance Control have called this the most difficult and costly methamphetamine lab clean up in California's history.

This is a distressing issue with which my region, and quite frankly, most of America is becoming all too familiar. Our State and local agencies need all the resources and tools that we can provide them within their efforts to address this epidemic. Although we are all aware that much more needs to be done to win the fight against this devastating drug, I am convinced H.R. 789 will be a good start in that fight and will be welcomed by our communities.

I strongly encourage my colleagues to vote yes in favor of H.R. 798 today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Darrell Talbert for the leadership and dedication he has displayed while serving as mayor of the city of Corona, California. On November 29, 2005, Darrell's term as mayor came to a close and I want to thank him for his commitment and service.

Darrell has called Corona home for as long as he can remember and he continues to demonstrate the extraordinary qualities we expect in our community leaders. Shortly after graduation from California State University, San Bernardino in 1989, Darrell co-founded Odyssey Group, Inc. and Odyssey Publications, Inc. The Odyssey Companies quickly became industry leaders in the autograph and memorabilia business.

Just 5 years out of college and ready to take a more active role within the community, Darrell was elected to the Corona City Council in 1994. During his time on the city council, the city of Corona as well as the surrounding region has experienced significant growth. While this growth is surely a positive sign, it undoubtedly presents our local leaders with a number of challenges. In order to maintain the high quality of life residents come to expect, the Corona City Council has taken a number of steps to provide residents with the necessary infrastructure and services.

The city of Corona has had a balanced budget in each of the years Darrell has served on the city council, and they have done so without implementing new taxes. Under his leadership and due to carefully managed fiscal budgeting, the city has added over 100 acres of new parks, implemented the Downtown Revitalization Project and successfully attracted new retails stores, businesses and nationally recognized restaurants to serve the citizens of Corona and the surrounding communities.

I know I speak on behalf of our entire community in expressing my appreciation for Darrell's tireless efforts on behalf of our city. I also want to thank his wife Kimberly and daughter Haley for supporting Darrell and at times sacrificing their time with him to allow him to perform his civic duties.

Mr. Speaker, the resolution under consideration poses a clear and concise policy question. Either you support the mission our troops are carrying out in Iraq or you are against it.

I voted to authorize the use of force back on October 10, 2002 and today I want to reaffirm, on the record, my support for this important mission. Furthermore, I want to let all of our troops know, especially those who train and operate at the four military bases in my congressional district, that I will continue to support those strategies that will lead us to victory and stand opposed to any cut- and-run strategy.

In his book, The Hinge of Fate, Winston Churchill said, ``I like commanders on land and sea and in the air to feel that between them and all forms of public criticism the Government stands like a strong bulkhead. They ought to have a fair chance, and more than one chance.''

I think that we ought to let those words sink in. They ought to have a fair chance, and more than one chance.

No one ever said war was easy and any historian can tell you that anything of significant value has never come easy. The brave men and women serving in Iraq are writing the latest chapter in the history of freedom.

We should look forward, continue to support our troops, and provide them with the tools and the strategy to triumph--completing their mission is the most important thing to them. It should be our goal as well.

Mr. Speaker, let's show our support for this mission and embrace a victory strategy, not just an exit strategy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor a man who will long be remembered for his extraordinary leadership and the significant contributions he made to the western states of our Nation. Dennis Underwood served his country in many capacities and dedicated the better part of the past 35 years as an influential leader of water policy in the West. On November 2, 2005, Dennis passed away following a long battle with cancer. Our region collectively mourns his passing, while remembering his lifelong contributions.

Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation from 1989 until 1993, Dennis most recently served as the chief executive officer and general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which serves 18 million people. Dennis also served as the Executive Director of the Colorado River Board of California. He worked tirelessly with the seven Basin States, the International Boundary and Water Commission, and various Federal agencies to develop and manage Colorado River water resources.

The greatest challenge facing the West today and for the foreseeable future is meeting water supply needs in an atmosphere of growing population, conflicting state and international claims, and demands of environmental protection. Although Dennis most recently represented water consumers in Southern California, his leadership, ingenuity, fairness, and perseverance yielded important dividends for water users throughout California, Nevada, Arizona, and other states that draw water from the over-allocated Colorado River.

Mark Twain famously stated that ``whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting.'' While the West has undoubtedly seen its share of water wars, I can't think of a person who had a better ability to get people to stop fighting and sit down at the bargaining table than Dennis. His wisdom, warm good nature, positive approach and--above all--sterling honesty kept all players in the Western water drama focused on finding solutions instead of persisting in conflict.

Personally, I had the pleasure and honor of working with Dennis on a number of important water issues, including the sometimes tumultuous negotiations of the Quantification Settlement Agreement, which brought California's water use in compliance with its legal apportionment for Colorado River supplies. In each instance, Dennis displayed a tremendous ability to find balanced solutions that satisfied all parties.

Mr. Speaker, the United States has lost a great servant, the West has lost a brilliant leader, and I have lost a dear friend. On behalf of our region, I want to convey our appreciation for all of Dennis's efforts and express our heartfelt condolences to the Underwood family, including his wife, Carmen; daughter and son-in-law, Michelle and Ryan Dejournett; brothers, Russell, Lawrence, Rory, Kevin, and Jeffrey; and two grandsons.