Floor Statements

I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, today's consideration of this bill is a giant step forward in resolving California's water supply problems. Our water security is a critically important issue. In California alone in the last 2 decades, the population has grown over 30 percent while the water supply in storage has increased by a mere 2 percent. Over the next 15 years, California must reduce its dependence on the Colorado River by 15 percent while the population in California is projected to grow by yet another 30 percent. California's Department of Water Resources estimates that the gap between water supply and demand in the State will total 2.4 million acre-feet in normal years of rainfall and up to 6.2 million acre-feet in drought years. When you consider that a family of five uses an average of one acre-foot of water per year, it is not that difficult to imagine how destabilizing such shortages would be to California and to other western States.

We have come a long way over the last few years in assuring a reliable water supply for California. Since I have been chairman of the Subcommittee on Water and Power, we have conducted many field hearings in California, legislative hearings here in Washington, markups and too many meetings to count to get to where we are today. Today's bill is a culmination of the work and deliberation by many of us over the years. Since 1995, I have worked to bring certainty and a balanced road map for water use in California and the West. Since this bill passed the House several months ago, I have worked with the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), Senator Feinstein, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), and, of course, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) and many others who have worked hard to bring this bill to the floor.

The original intent of CALFED was to provide a balance to a complex water delivery system. H.R. 2828 achieves this goal. Under this bill, the environment, recreation, drinking water, agriculture, and industry all get better together. As our distinguished colleague from California (Mr. Pombo) has stated, this bill makes historic strides in water- quality improvements throughout the entire State of California. Improved water quality helps everybody across the board. We also create new water supplies for Northern and Southern California, and we enhance surface storage to improve our water quality and supply.

Lastly, I want to thank Governor Schwarzenegger's participation recently to assure us that these feasibility reports that are in the record of decision will move forward where we can have a balanced and completed project and that we can meet our future with assurance. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this Resolution and to recognize the Festival of Children Foundation for its valuable service to the Orange County and Southern California communities.

As my colleagues said, the Foundation is an umbrella group with the specific purpose to improve the lives of children and families. Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, the founder, has had the vision and commitment to create the Festival and the ability to bring together people and organizations devoted to children's issues.

Groups involved in the fields of health, education and the arts all collaborate in the Festival. Lectures, exhibits and information booths at South Coast Plaza take place for the entire month of September. I credit the Festival for increasing public awareness of children's issues and for providing opportunities for the public and non-profit organizations to donate their time and resources. I am told that over two million visitors have seen the Festival's exhibits in the past.

Because of the success of the Festival, the California State Assembly and the Orange County Board of Supervisors have taken official actions commending the Festival. I believe it is now fitting and timely for the U.S. Congress to also recognize the Festival of Children by this Resolution.

I encourage all my colleagues to support the Resolution and thank my colleague Dana Rohrabacher for presenting the Resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a recent achievement of two people who, in celebrating their 50th year of marriage, have provided an inspiring example to all Americans. On June 5, 1954 at Holy Family Church, South Buffalo, New York sweethearts Gordon Elwell married Mary Mattimore. With not much more at the beginning to call their own except their marriage, their faith and vast opportunities afforded by this great country, Gordon and Mary have come a long way in the 50 years of marriage.

Gordon became a respected house builder in the Buffalo, New York area. Mary ran the household and tirelessly provided a loving and nurturing home environment for her husband and eight children. Throughout their incredible life together, Gordon and Mary have dedicated their lives to each other, their and children and grandchildren. To date they have been blessed with twelve grandchildren to spoil as only grandparents can.

In a society with one of the highest divorce rates in the world, Gordon and Mary have provided their children and grandchildren with a shining example of a successful marriage. It is all about hard work, a sense of humor and yes, a love that will not quit. Gordon and Mary have been truly blessed by the first 50 years of this magical marriage, and here's hoping that the best is yet to come. On behalf of my colleagues, let me join the many friends and admirers in wishing Gordon and Mary, and their family, all good fortune during the next 50 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of Riverside County, CA, are exceptional. We have been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give of their time and talent and make their communities a better place to live and work. Mischelle Townsend is one of these individuals.

Mischelle Townsend has lived and worked in the Inland Empire most of her life. Today she retires from public service, where she will be greatly missed.

Mischelle Townsend came to Riverside County after five years working with the aerospace industry, North American Rockwell Corporation, including direct support of the Apollo Project. She then entered the public sector, where her time and talent has been vital to the growth of the Inland Empire. She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Redlands and a Masters in Public Administration from California State University, San Bernardino.

Twenty-two years Riverside County has been privileged to have Mischelle Townsend, as the Executive Officer of the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). LAFCO is a state regulatory commission responsible for jurisdictional changes such as the incorporation of new cities, annexations and formation of new special districts. Under Mischelle's tenure at this agency, three cities where established in seven years: Moreno Valley, La Quinta and Cathedral City.

Mischelle Townsend later served six years as Assistant Chief Administrator Officer, where her responsibilities included: preparation of Riverside County's annual budget, development of policy recommendations from 33 county departments and agencies, administration of an $18 million Special District Augmentation Fund, preparation of the annual Capital Improvements Program, and chairmanship of various task forces and policy advisory committees.

She then moved onto Director of Riverside County's General Services Agency and eventually moved into her current position as Registrar of Voters on July 31, 1997. As Registrar of Voters, Mischelle has been widely recognized as an innovator in modern election services.

Outside of the office, Mischelle has been equally giving of her talents. Her community involvement includes, but is not limited to: President of the Executive Council for the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA/Inland Empire); Vice President/Volunteer Personnel for the Inland Empire Chapter of the Boy Scouts of America; past member of the Board of Directors for Alternatives to Domestic Violence; Soroptomist International of Riverside; and, active member of Crossroads Christian Church.

Mr. Speaker, Mischelle Townsend's tireless passion for her profession and community has contributed immensely to the betterment of the Inland Empire, California. She has been the heart and soul of many innovative projects and events and I am proud to call her a fellow community member, American, and friend. I know that the community is equally grateful for her service and salute her as she retires from professional service.

I thank the gentleman from Washington for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in favor of this rule. Certainly water is extremely important, not just to California but the entire west, and certainly to all of those who have been associated with the current CALFED program, ecosystem restoration activities appears to be somewhat haphazard. The measurable outcome has focused on dollars spent rather than increased numbers of fish and wildlife. This legislation proposes new congressional oversight and accountability, requiring Federal agencies to report on certain ecosystem restoration program goals and accomplishments. For example, landowners want to see accomplishments of land and water management plans and how new ecosystem restoration plans will fit into the big picture.

The manager's amendment to the bill will be reducing the Federal cost of implementation of this from over a billion dollars 4 years ago, and $890 million as introduced to a Federal authorization of $427 million.

This bill has bipartisan support. H.R. 2828 is the product of congressional deliberation and lengthy negotiations. That is why it was reported by the Committee on Resources with bipartisan support. Democrats and Republicans throughout the State of California support this bill because it is balanced in nature and it will be, as I mentioned, not just good for California but the entire West.

I urge the adoption of this rule.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 711, I call up the bill (H.R. 2828), to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to implement water supply technology and infrastructure programs aimed at increasing and diversifying domestic water resources, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. R. 2828.

Mr. Speaker, today's consideration of this bill is a giant step forward in resolving California's water supply problems.

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

California (Mr. Pombo), the chairman of the full committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Doolittle).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 3\1/2\ minutes.

Mr. Speaker, before I make a statement about this bill, I want to also thank the ranking member, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) for all her great work on this bill. She has spent many hours and days traveling across the State of California. I think we probably were in most congressional districts throughout California as this process took place. Certainly I thank her for her great work in this legislation.

This bill represents great progress in helping solve the water problems of the west by making California more self-reliant and carefully using its own water supply. We have come a long way over the last few years. The Subcommittee on Water and Power conducted three field hearings in California, a legislative hearing, two mark-ups, and too many meetings to count to get where we are today.

Individually, many of the members of our committee have helped to shepherd often contentious quantification settlement agreements, for instance, that was delayed, but we finally came to a decisive conclusion. My friends in the upper-lower basin States should know that this bill today is another positive step in California weaning itself from historically overdrafting the Colorado River.

As we have found with the plumbing in California's water system, everything in the world of water is related to everything else. Thus, achievements like the quantification settlement agreement helped us conclude the carefully balanced agreement on CALFED that we have before us today. Water is not and should not be a partisan issue. I worked constructively with the Committee on Resources chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), Senator Feinstein, as I mentioned, the ranking Democratic member; the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano); the gentleman from California (Mr. Dooley); the gentleman from California (Mr. Cardoza); of course, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller); and the full committee ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) and many, many more to make sure this bill before us is a consensus that I believe that it is.

I am proud to have many Democratic members of the Committee on Resources supporting this bill. The original intent of CALFED was to provide balance to a complex water delivery system, to ensure that everybody gets better together. That is what this bill does. H.R. 2828 simply and truly means that the environment, recreation, drinking water, agriculture and industries gets better together.

As our distinguished colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) said, This bill makes historic strides in water quality improvements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta. Improved water quality helps everyone across the board. We have also created new water supplies for southern California through my friend, the gentlewoman from California's (Mrs. Napolitano) water recycling amendment, and we enhanced surface storage to improve water quality for families in our colleagues' district in the Bay area and beyond as evidenced by the support of such water districts as the Northern California Water District, Contra Costa Water District, Central Contra Water District and many others.

We have created a right to know provision by making Federal agencies report how they will spend the money. Congress and the American taxpayer deserve government accountability and this bill provides it.

Mr. Speaker, I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House and the Senate to bring ultimate resolution to this bipartisan effort. Our bill includes and supports a diverse approach to solving our water problems, including conservation, reclamation, desalinization, conjunctive use, ground water storage and, of course, surface storage options that have been carefully studied and negotiated down to the bare minimum.

We have made significant progress and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. With today's vote, we will pass this bill and we will make that light shine even brighter. I urge support.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the chairman of the Committee on Rules.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself what time I may consume for a short comment.

Congressional approval of water projects from planning through construction is not a new concept. The Corps of Engineers has authority through the Water Resources Development Act, WRDA, to implement projects following a favorable Chief's, or some people call it feasibility, report.

Through WRDA, Congress approves projects from planning through construction, subject to the conditions stated in a favorable Chief's report. Numerous examples of the corps' projects can be found in WRDA 1996, WRDA 1999, and WRDA 2000 which authorize construction following a favorable Chief's report.

In the last three WRDAs, over 50 projects were approved from planning through construction, with conditional authorization subject to a favorable Chief's report. New projects were conditionally authorized, and there were additional project modifications that were conditionally authorized.

WRDA projects conditionally authorized included the Bel Marin Keys Unit, California, well over $100 million; Kill Van Kull, New York and New Jersey navigation project, $325 million authorization to $750 million; the Savannah Harbor Expansion navigation project $230 million, and I can go on and on and on.

Are my colleagues saying we should replace the 120-day congressional authorization which is in the present bill with extensively used WRDA language that Congress has accepted and continues to support?

H.R. 2828 includes provisions that approve water recycling projects from planning through construction which was proposed by the Southern California Democrats. By the way, these four projects that are in this bill are in the Record of Decision which has been negotiated over the years, as all my friends know, and a very difficult negotiation, to bring this process of CALFED in a balanced manner forward.

So I would say to my colleagues, this is nothing new. People would like to see these projects built if, in fact, they are feasible; and all the environmental processes, NEPA, CEPA, Endangered Species Act, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, must be met to make sure that these projects are viable and feasible under the law.

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

Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her support and inquiry.

As the gentlewoman knows, I strongly support recycling as a way to reduce Southern California's dependence on imported water and help drought-proof the region. That is why I supported H.R. 1156, a bill championed by our colleagues, the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), whose district includes the Groundwater Replenishment System, and the gentlewoman here today from the 47th district.

I am fully supportive of House passage of H.R. 1156, H.R. 2991, introduced by our colleague the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), and other recycling bills reported by the House Committee on Resources, but I know that it is up to the leadership on both sides of the aisle to determine which bills are debated on the House floor.

In the meantime, I will continue to strongly support H.R. 1156, and I thank the gentlewoman's support for H.R. 2828.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his support of the Salton Sea. I would like to assure him that I and many of our Southern California colleagues, including the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono) and certainly the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), continue to strongly support the restoration of the Salton Sea, and we will work with him and others in our delegation to continue these efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose).

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, the answer to the gentleman's question is: No.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close, and I want to again thank the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) for her good work and her dedication on this legislation. She spent many hours and much of her time traveling through the State of California and throughout the western United States as we came to understand the issue of water.

There are very few subjects that bring out more emotion and passion than water, and certainly I have grown to understand the subject much better over the last number of years. I am looking forward to passing this bill today and moving ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment in the nature of a substitute.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have been working hard to improve this bill since its introduction. The amendment in the nature of a substitute is a bipartisan amendment that has been carefully crafted based on input from Senator Feinstein and her staff, the administration, the State of California, and water groups. This amendment was not crafted in a vacuum, and I believe it addresses many concerns voiced over the last several weeks.

Reflecting the dynamic that differing regions of California represent, as opposed to the whole State, the amendment also includes necessary policy provisions:

Bay-Delta water quality protections: Bay-Delta water quality issues have not been adequately addressed in the past and they need to be fixed now. It is not fair that the constituents of the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), or the constituents of the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), or the constituents of the gentleman from California (Mr. Cardoza) should bear the highest water quality burdens because of circumstances outside their control.

These water quality provisions addressed in this bill are the results of discussions between water users throughout California, including in- Delta water uses. Most importantly, these provisions do not allow increased pumping unless water quality standards are met.

Water storage: Everyone wants to have more flexibility delivering water supplies throughout the State. Increased storage will give us more flexibility and improve water quality. In fact, my good friends in districts in the Bay area and beyond recently supported the Los Vaqueros expansion for these very purposes. My amendment provides that CALFED storage projects are subject to appropriate feasibility studies and if Congress does not act to disapprove them in 120 days, then construction is authorized.

Ensuring that adequate storage is part of a balanced CALFED is important here since CALFED expenditures so far have been imbalanced. This provision helps develop CALFED storage, and in no way undermines the regulatory process, including the Endangered Species Act, NEPA, SEQA, the Clean Water Act, and a number of other Federal acts and laws. Furthermore, these projects are still subject to appropriations.

Ecosystem restoration: The amendment has a ``right to know'' provision on how taxpayer dollars are being spent on ecosystem restoration. These provisions ask the Federal agencies to submit a management plan for CALFED-related ecosystem projects. These management plans would require a cost analysis, possible alternatives, disclosure of impacts, and required mitigation. All other projects, like storage projects, require much more detailed feasibility reports. We are only asking for a management plan that sits before Congress, which has no veto authority over such a management plan. This is nothing more than a good government plan that in no way hinders ecosystem restoration.

Mr. Speaker, there has never been a water bill that everybody likes. God knows I know that. But this is getting close. We have worked hard to resolve concerns and will continue to work with my colleagues and stakeholders on these issues. We cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), the ranking Democrat.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cardoza).

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

As my friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), knows, negotiating water agreements is not easy; and we have had numerous conversations about the subject of water over the years. And certainly he has a long history in water in the State of California. As everyone knows who has been involved in water negotiations, they are difficult. There are conflicts all over the place. One of the concepts that we took when we went down this road was balance; and the Record of Decision that was a difficult Record of Decision to come to a conclusion, part of that was water storage on four projects. There were a lot more water projects that were being considered in that Record of Decision, but it was weaned down in difficult negotiations to really a limited amount of water storage.

Over $12 million has been spent to date on looking at the feasibility of these four projects. All of the environmental laws must be met, and that is considerable, before any of these projects could ever become feasible. And even then if in fact they are deemed feasible, you would have to go through the appropriation process.

As I would point out to my friends, the Auburn Dam is an authorized project. I doubt if it will ever get appropriations to build. Unless a project is feasible, unless it has the political support in order to build, it will not happen.

And so I would say this motion to recommit takes the balance out of the process that we put together, and I believe it would remove all support for this CALFED process to continue. So I would urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the motion to recommit and vote ``yes'' on final passage.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of Riverside County, CA, are exceptional. We have been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent and make their communities a better place to live and work. Vic Jensen is one of these individuals.

Vic Jensen will retire after 34 years of service as office manager of the Department of Motor Vehicles' Winnetka, Hemet, Corona, and Norco field offices on June 26, 2004.

Vic Jensen was born in Sacramento, California, on January 27, 1937. He and his wife, Isabel, have been married for 40 years and have one daughter, Julie Kim. Vic served in the United States Navy for 4 years, before moving to Norco in 1981 and quickly becoming involved in a variety of community activities, including: Board Member and President of the Norco Chamber of Commerce for 9 years; Commissioner of the Norco Streets and Trails Commission for 7 years; Numerous positions-- President, Secretary, Zone Chairman, and Regional Chairman--over 14 years with the Norco Lions Club; Chairman of the Sight and Hearing Board for the Norco/Corona Unified School District; and Member of the Citizen's Advisory Committee for the California Rehabilitation Center.

Recognition of Vic's contributions include the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, Assemblyman Ted Weggeland, State Senator Raymond Haynes, and former California Governor Pete Wilson, for his work as President of the Norco Chamber of Commerce in 1996. Additionally, he has received the Abdul Award for his work with Canine Companions, the Lyda Smiley Award for his work with the Norco/Corona Unified School District in obtaining glasses for children in need, and the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award in 1997 for all of his accomplishments as a member of the Norco Lions Club.

Vic also spends countless hours in perfecting his passion for golf, golf, and more golf. Whenever a chance arrives he is fine-tuning his game.

Mr. Speaker, Vic's tireless passion for community service has contributed immensely to the betterment of the community of Norco, California. He has been the heart and soul of many community organizations and events and I am proud to call him a fellow community member, American, and friend. I know that many community members are grateful for his service and salute him as he retires from professional service, but not from community service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of Riverside, CA, and the U.S. Navy Reserve are exceptional. On June 21, Captain Noreen Considine will retire from the Naval Reserves after 27 years of active and reserve military service. We are fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated military and community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent to make their communities and nation a better place to live and work. Captain Considine is one of these individuals.

Over the past 27 years Captain Considine has contributed to the Navy, Marine Corps, and Department of Defense in the areas of medical surveillance, hazardous materials management, preventative medicine, and occupational safety and health matters. She has also trained Navy Hospital Corpsmen in managing hazardous materials and workplace hazards.

Since 1997, Captain Considine has served with the Chief of Naval Operations' Occupational Safety and Health Branch, working with

full-time safety experts on pinpointing the causes of mishaps and targeting remedial actions that maximize force protection. She led the establishment of the Navy's 1,001 Safety Success Stories Project, which now serves as a web based showcase of the U.S. Navy's safety accomplishments. Additionally, Captain Considine developed a multimedia presentation of the Navy's occupational safety and health program for safety professionals and Navy Public Affairs. In fact, in March 2003, she was selected to speak on a panel before the Royal Australian Navy regarding military safety. Over the years, Captain Considine has been called up to active duty over a dozen times when her country needed her, including during Desert Storm.

Captain Considine's awards include two U.S. Navy Commendations and the Alaska Humanitarian Services Medal, earned in 1995 as an Officer in charge of a medical detachment to the Northwest Arctic.

Outside of her military accomplishments, Captain Considine is actively involved as an adult literacy program volunteer, a pro-bono technical book reviewer for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a community advocate for school board accountability and public safety, and much more. As a recent example of her care and service to others, she purchased and shipped several hundred pounds of supplies and personal care items to our military members serving in the War on Terrorism out of her own pocketbook.

Mr. Speaker, Captain Noreen Considine is a woman dedicated to her community and country. Her tireless dedication to the U.S. Navy Reserve and Riverside, CA, has contributed immensely to the betterment of those with whom she comes into contact. For all that Captain Considine has done and given over the years, I am privileged to recognize her accomplishments as she retires from a profession that she gave her heart and soul too, the U.S. Navy Reserve.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from California, our dean, Chairman Lewis, our able chairman of the Subcommittee on Defense, for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the greatest Presidents in the history of our Nation, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States.

He was a leader when our country needed it most, at a time when many Americans, including myself, had found ourselves disaffected by politics. His optimism gave our Nation the confidence and motivation to resume its place as a world leader.

I well remember the 1970s after President Nixon's resignation and the pessimism that followed, when many Americans disassociated themselves from public service. Ronald Reagan came onto the Presidential scene and reminded us that the ``best was yet to come,'' that we are not to blame for the world's problems; and yet, as a great Nation, we had a place of responsibility and a role to play.

President Reagan believed, as our Declaration of Independence states, all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Additionally, he knew better than most that strength comes from within, from the people. Therefore, first and foremost, Reagan used his first term as President to bring these rights back to Americans starting with what was then known as Reaganomics.

He sought to restore America to the people by giving them back control of their pocketbooks. Uncle Sam was put on a diet of lower taxes, sound money and fewer regulations, allowing us the benefits of hard work. By the time that Reagan left office, only two income brackets existed, with a top rate of 28 percent, compared to the 14 income brackets, with the top rate of 70 percent, that existed when he took office. Additionally, government was scaled back and red tape eliminated, allowing

Americans to take care of themselves. As Reagan was apt to say. ``Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.''

He saw the rebuilding of America's military. After years of low morale and interest in the armed services, President Reagan made a return to the pre-Vietnam days of faith and professional appeal in our military. As Commander in Chief, he oversaw the largest peacetime buildup of military spending in history, leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. His revolutionary policies regarding investment in military technology, good training, and pay laid the foundation for a strong military that later claimed victory in Operation Desert Storm and continues to protect our national security well into the 21st century and, now, in the war on terror.

Ronald Reagan lived a life worth living. He saw both the birth and death of Communism. He won the hearts of Americans and world leaders. How? He believed in peace through strength, and he lived his convictions based on experience, intuition, and love of life.

I will end with one of my favorite quotes: ``Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, no weapon in the arsenal of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.''

Thank you, President Reagan. May God bless you and your family, and may God bless America.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support NASA's new vision for our continued exploration of the universe. Forty-three years ago, President John F. Kennedy laid out a vision of space exploration that became a reality 8 years later when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Moon. With the Apollo missions, America led the world in space exploration and propelled decades of technological and biological research that continue to benefit us to this day.

Four decades later, President George W. Bush offered the Nation another bold and challenging vision of space exploration that will keep America economically, technologically, and militarily strong. Congress needs to support this mission so we can work with NASA to achieve the goal of returning Americans to the Moon and sending astronauts to Mars and beyond.

NASA's new space exploration vision comes at a time when America faces increased competition from other nations. Aside from Russia, the People's Republic of China now has an ambitious space flight program. China has already launched a spacecraft into low-Earth orbit and is intent on developing a manned aerospace and lunar exploration program.

We need to return the Space Shuttle to flight, complete the International Space Station, and extend our presence across the solar system by developing a new crew exploration vehicle.

Space exploration not only advances the Nation's vision. It provides jobs, growth and opportunity to millions of American workers. Being the leader in space flight also makes America the leader in commercial research and development. The end of the last century witnessed rapid advances in science and technology that could only have been accomplished by astronauts conducting research in space. Microgravity experiments on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station led to the creation of next-generation silicon computer chips and laser communication. Experiments on the Shuttle in the early 1990s fostered the development of a manufacturing process known as liquid phase centering that is now being used to produce over $20 billion worth of products in the United States.

Human space flight stimulates our economy and increases our global competitiveness. A new vision must be launched if we are to maintain our lead in space and ensure our viability as a Nation for decades to come. Like it or not, other nations are sending their citizens into space and seeking to reap the rewards of those journeys.

In an ever-changing and more unpredictable world, we cannot afford to cede our leadership role in space. We have come too far and paid too high a price to turn our backs on the future. Supporting NASA's new space exploration vision and a reasonable investment in NASA's budget this year will keep us on a path toward our nation's destiny.

The gentleman is correct. Not only did the aforementioned emperor burn the fleet, if I remember correctly, he was the one that first ordered the construction of the wall to insulate themselves from the rest of the world. That insulation stayed for some centuries, and they put themselves way back in the pecking order of the world. The Chinese now are trying to catch up. They are putting a lot of their national treasure and expertise into outer space.

In the 1950s, it was the Russians that first went into outer space with Sputnik. That launched a new generation of young people to go into engineering, science, and technology. Those folks were the backbone of what was the Gemini and the Apollo programs. It was a great part of our history as we went to the Moon and did some wonderful things in outer space.

As the gentleman well knows, in recent times we have starved our science budget. We are not doing as good a job as we should be doing in space exploration, which helped us bring along the personal computer, the types of equipment that we see in our cars that can tell us where we are at any moment, all of these amazing technologies that we just count on. The gentleman is correct, if we do not continue this investment, we are going to be behind in the world, and other nations are going to be ahead of us.

We are a Nation of pioneers. We are a Nation that explores the unknown, and science gives us the ability to go to outer space. Really, outside of the oceans of our Earth, which we continue to explore, space is the next frontier that has unlimited exploration and unlimited discoveries that can help us on this Earth and make us literally the leader of the world for many centuries to come.

As my friend from Texas understands also, this is about transformation. This is a time of transformation in the military. It is a time of transformation for NASA, to become refocused upon their primary mission; and their primary mission, I think we all agree, is the exploration of outer space. This is a great opportunity for this country to once again get back to our national dream of space exploration.

As the gentleman from Florida mentioned, whether or not we can afford this, I would say we cannot afford not to. The type of technologies that we have been able to share with this country that have come out of the space program are irreplaceable.

Look what we are doing with energy. The gentleman mentioned energy. Solar. We look at solar as a renewable resource. I cannot think of many folks that have done more work on solar research than NASA, because of what we use solar for today, to help get the energy that is necessary to keep the station going.

The fuel cell technology really started with NASA. Hydrogen technology, fuel cell technology, that gives us a clean source of energy, some people really believe the next generation of energy that will sustain this country as we move away from an oil-based economy.

Communications, where would we be without our cell phones? Sometimes I wonder. But it is those satellites up there that keep us communicating with one another.

All of the types of technologies that come from this fantastic investment, and I say ``investment'' in the true sense, the return on this, I do not think of many things we do in government that we get a higher return than what we do with the money we put in this.

Madam Speaker, just in closing, I would like to point out that in this very building, we were in a conflict between the States and the President at that time. Abraham Lincoln made a determination that the business of the Union would go forward, and the dome of this very building was completed during the Civil War. The business of this Nation moves forward. As a matter of fact, the underpinnings of the great railroad that bound this Nation together was done while Abraham Lincoln was President of the United States while the Civil War was raging across this Nation, but the business of the Republic moved forward.

So to say that we should stop the exploration of outer space for whatever reason is not a good reason, and I thank the gentleman for holding this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to University of California at Riverside Professor Emeritus Arthur Campbell Turner in conjunction with the Citizen's University Committee Banquet being held in his honor on June 3, 2004.

Professor Turner himself explained best his role in the creation of the University of California at Riverside (UCR), in a quote to the local newspaper, the Press Enterprise, in 1988: ``I was here before the beginning. I am one of the reasons there was a beginning.'' No truer statement could be given. Indeed, Professor Turner stands as one of the original eight founding faculty members in 1954 when the California State Legislature deemed that the Citrus Experiment Station in Riverside should become a new campus of the University of California system.

In 1953 professor Turner was recruited from the University of Toronto by founding Provost Gordon Watkins as Chairman of the Division of Social Sciences and Associate Professor of Political Science. As Chairman, Professor Turner appointed about one-quarter of the founding faculty of the College of Letters and Sciences at UCR. In 1958, Dr. Turner became a full Professor. He remained as Chairman until 1961 and was Chairman of the Department of Political Sciences until 1966. As if that is not enough, Professor Turner proceeded to be appointed as associate dean of University of California's Graduate Division, Southern Section, and as such was instrumental in the formation of a graduate division at UCR in 1961.

Dr. Turner, professor of Political Science, was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. He received his undergraduate degree in History from the University of Glasgow, graduate degree in History at Oxford (Queens College), and Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkley. While at Berkeley he met and married Netty, a graduate student. Following his Ph.D., Dr. Turner joined the faculty of the University of Toronto.

His educational career at UCR also includes his membership on the Editorial Committee of the University of California Press from 1959-65 and 1980-83, and Chairman of the Committee from 1962-65. Professor Turner has published extensively on British affairs, international relations and the Middle East. Not surprisingly, he has been named in Who's Who in America for the past thirty years. Professor Turner retired in 1988.

Mr. Speaker, Professor Turner has given back to his community four- fold. His vivid memories of the early days of UCR, the joys of building a new university, seeing it grow and become a formidable institution, and recruiting faculty members, some of who are still on the faculty, serve to give us a foundation by which we may judge the progress of our community and future generations.

Professor Turner has been and continues to be a shining example of a person with passion and principles, who has strived to improve the cultural and political direction of our nation. We have a vast system of public higher education in this country; a network of great state universities and colleges. Today we enjoy academic excellence in America as it is enjoyed nowhere else in the world. Professor Turner is one of those responsible for that part of America's incredible educational experiment known as UCR.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of our Nation's and California's eminent civic leaders and authority on water law. On May 27th, Arthur L. Littleworth was presented with the Frank Miller Civic Achievement Award for his contributions to the community. This annual award, given by the Mission Inn Foundation in Riverside, California, is a small step towards recognizing the enormous contributions by Art for his community, state and Nation.

Art Littleworth has always done the work of four men. His civic and professional engagements cannot help but serve as model to us all and include: senior partner at the law firm Best Best & Krieger, respected expert in water law, former board president of the Riverside Unified School District--playing a leading role in steering the district into voluntary integration of the schools in the mid-1960s, member of the task force that examined Riverside Police Department's use-of-force rules after the 1998 Tyisha Miller shooting, and first board president of the foundation that is honoring him. A dedicated leader, Art has willingly and unselfishly given of his time and talent to make our community and Nation a better place to live and work.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Art went to Yale University on a full scholarship earning a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in American History. He later entered the U.S. Navy and saw battle in the Pacific during the final months of World War II. Returning home he proceeded to earn a Masters in American History from Stanford University and J.D. from Yale Law School in 1950. That same year he joined Best Best & Krieger.

Art soon found himself representing a local group of ranchers in a federal case regarding Santa Margarita River water in 1958. The case would be in court for five years and have Art emerge as an expert on water law. His expertise grew to a point that the United States Supreme Court appointed him ``Special Master,'' in 1987, in a water rights case between the States of Kansas and Colorado involving the Arkansas River. The Supreme Court unanimously approved his first major finding in this case which became precedent setting in determining damages and awarding prejudgment interest approved by Court, 533 U.S. 1. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear his most recent ruling in this case this fall.

On the hometown front, Art's reputation also continued to grow as he served on the Riverside Unified School Board from 1958 to 1972, the last 10 years as its president. As president, Art Littleworth played a leading role in overseeing the voluntary desegregation of the district's elementary and middle schools. The feat made Riverside Unified School District the first large school district in the Nation to voluntarily integrate its white and black school children populations and brought the community together as one.

In 1976, Art took the helm as founding President of the Mission Inn Foundation to help the City of Riverside take over the bankrupt hotel and revive it to its historical beauty. The foundation was able to improve the hotel to the point where it was able to be sold to a hotel developer a few years later. It now stands as a testament to the City of Riverside's progress and growth as a city.

Mr. Speaker, Art's tireless passion for water law and vital social issues has and will continue to contribute immensely to the betterment of the community of Riverside, the state of California and our Nation. I know that many community and national leaders are grateful for his service and salute him for his acceptance of the Frank Miller Civic Achievement Award--a fitting token of our appreciation and esteem.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to our country are exceptional. This country has been fortunate to have dedicated individuals who willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent and make this country a safer and better place to live. Lieutenant General James E. Sherrard III is one of these individuals. Today, May 11, 2004, we should pause to honor him on the occasion of his retirement from the U.S. Air Force on May 31, 2004, after nearly 39 years of service.

Lieutenant General Sherrard was a distinguished graduate of the University of Mississippi's Reserve Officer Training Corps program and entered active duty in July of 1965. After flight school at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, he became an instructor pilot at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas and Eglin Auxiliary Field 3 in Florida. In September 1977, Lieutenant General Sherrard became the operations squadron for a C-130E squadron at Willow Grove Air Reserve Facility in Pennsylvania. Following this tour, he became the Assistant Deputy Commander, later, Deputy Commander for Operations of the 459th Tactical Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

Since 1981, Lieutenant General Sherrard has commanded at the Group, Wing, and Air Force level including the 910th Tactical Airlift Group in Youngstown, Ohio, the 440th Tactical Airlift Wing at Billy Mitchell Field, Wisconsin, the 433rd Military Airlift Wing at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, the 4th Air Force at McClellan Air Force Base, California, the 22nd Air Force at Dobbins Reserve Base in Georgia, and currently as the Chief of Air Force Reserve and Commander of the Air Force Reserve Command. He has accumulated more than 5,000 hours of flight time and has flown numerous aircraft including the T-41, T-37, T-38, C-130A/B/E/ H, AC-130A, C-141B, and C-5A/B.

Throughout his distinguished career Lieutenant General Sherrard has received over 20 major awards and decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf cluster; Air Force Commendation Medal; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters; Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters; Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters; National Defense Service Medal with bronze star; and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass. In addition to his dedication to his military career, Lieutenant General Sherrard is a member of the Air Force Association, the Reserve Officer Association, the Order of the Daedalians and the Airlift and Tanker Association.

Lieutenant General Sherrard's tireless passion for service to country and community has contributed immensely to the betterment of our nation's military and to the security of this nation. I am honored and proud to call him a fellow American and friend. I know that speaking for citizens across this country, I am grateful for his service and salute him as he moves on to the next chapter of his life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an organization whose dedication and contributions to the community of Riverside County, California are exceptional. Riverside has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated community organizations who willingly and make their communities a better place to live and work. Western Municipal Water District is one of these organizations. On Thursday, May 13, 2004, Western Municipal Water District will celebrate 50 years of service.

Western Municipal Water District, since its formation on January 19, 1954 and authorization by public vote on January 26, 1954 has fulfilled its founding raison d'etre, to augment the shortage of local water available to local communities with supplemental water imported 242 miles to western Riverside County via Metropolitan Water District's Colorado River Aqueduct.

The Western Municipal Water District, recognizing the need for a long-term source of high quality drinking water to sustain domestic needs of a burgeoning population, began importing a second source of high quality water in 1979 from northern California via the State Water Project's 444 mile-long California Aqueduct.

The Western Municipal Water District provides vital wastewater services as administrative operator of the West Riverside County Wastewater Authority since 1998, as operator of the Santa Ana Regional Interceptor (SARI) brine line since 1983, and as owner-operator of the March Air Reserve Base treatment facility providing irrigation water to the nation's second largest veteran's cemetery since 1996.

The Western Municipal Water District, as a court-appointed watermaster pursuant to the 1969 Stipulated Judgment, has been instrumental in maintaining peace among all parties to water rights and water quality issues in the Santa Ana Watershed.

The Western Municipal Water District, as one of the five water agencies comprising Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA), has provided exemplary water resource management through implementation of the Santa Ana Watershed Basin Plan in cooperation and integrated planning with its neighbors in the Santa Ana Watershed.

Western Municipal Water District, has worked cooperatively and diplomatically to address complex political and regulatory issues impacting water at local, regional, state and national levels, and has invested prudently in efficient drought-proofing ventures such as the Nonpotable Conveyance System, Arlington Desalter and Riverside-Corona Feeder. I would like to express deep appreciation to Western Municipal Water District for profound contributions to the present and future health and prosperity of all communities in Western's 510 square mile service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of the Inland Empire are exceptional. The Inland Empire has been fortunate to have dynamic and dedicated community leaders who willingly and unselfishly give their time and talent and make their communities a better place to live and work. Teri Ooms is one of these individuals.

In 1997 Teri Ooms was appointed the President/CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership (IEEP) and of its sister companies. IEEP is responsible for the regional marketing, attraction and recruitment of new business to the region, the expansion and retention of existing business, film, tourism, high tech regional development, workforce collaborative, regional visioning and the Small Business Development Center.

Ms. Ooms joined the Inland Empire Economic Partnership in 1991 as the Executive Director of its Inland Empire Small Business Development Center. Under the excellent direction of Ms. Ooms, the Center grew to a staff of 21 with multiple regional locations, and its program has increased funding to $1.1 million, making it the largest California program. The Center has created numerous special services and training programs, and can demonstrate economic impact of over $300 million in its eleven year history.

As President/CEO, Ms. Ooms completed a reorganization of the company resulting in new programs and services, financial stability and increased prominence in the community. In the period of 1997-2003 IEEP has had 70 successful business attractions and retentions resulting in over $730 million in new investment into the region creating over 9,500 jobs. The region has over 5,000 film shoots, demonstrating a little over $425 million in regional impact in the same period. In 1999, she was awarded ``Management Leader of the Year,'' by the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management, and in 1998, was a recipient of the ``Women of Distinction'' award given by the Business Press. Since 1997, IEEP's membership has grown by 10% and maintains an average membership retention ratio of 93%. EIIP has evolved to include a high technology development program and coordination of the region's workforce collaborative to bring education and business partnerships to benefit employers, employees and students and a regional collaborative focused on regional visioning, planning, advocacy and implementation.

Teri's tireless passion for community service has contributed immensely to the economy of the Inland Empire in California. I am proud to call her a fellow community member, American and friend. I know that many community members are grateful for her service and salute her as she retires.