Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am today introducing a bill to permit Ms. Betty Dick to continue her use and occupancy of a house located within Rocky Mountain National

Park. The bill is cosponsored by my Colorado colleague, Representative Tancredo. I greatly appreciate his support.

The purpose is to allow an 82-year-old Grand County grandmother to continue to live in this house for the rest of her life, as she has done for 25 years under a legal agreement between her late husband and the National Park Service. That agreement ends on July 16 of this year. Without this bill or a new agreement with the National Park Service, at that time Ms. Dick, who has been a good neighbor with the National Park and who has opened her home for community events, will be evicted from this property.

Such an eviction is neither necessary nor desirable. Ms. Dick has been a good neighbor, has taken good care of the property and has not created management or administrative problems for the National Park Service in the years she has lived on this property. She should be allowed to continue to live on this property and continue to contribute to the National Park and the surrounding community.

I had hoped that Ms. Dick and the Interior Department could work out a resolution to this issue so that she could remain on her property.

Last year I asked Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton to help make that happen. But the response--from the Director of the National Park Service's Intermountain Region--was that the Interior Department is ``legally bound to honor the provisions of the [1980] settlement agreement'' and that the furthest the Department would go would be to offer Ms. Dick ``the opportunity to remain on the property for the entire summer of 2005,'' an offer that evidently she has declined.

Ms. Dick needs to have a resolution to this issue as soon as possible--she needs to know by this spring whether she has to start packing her things and move out, or arrange to do some maintenance on the property if she is allowed to stay. I am not convinced that the Interior Department lacks the authority to resolve this matter by entering into a new agreement with Ms. Dick. But in any event, my bill would settle that question.

Since I first raised this matter with the Interior Department, I have been impressed with the outpouring of support from the nearby communities of Grand Lake and Granby, Colorado. The people in these communities have expressed a strong desire to have Ms. Dick remain on this property and be a part of their community. That is the purpose of this bill. For the information of our colleagues, I am attaching background information and an outline of the bill:

Background

Prior to their divorce, a married couple, Fred Dick and Marilyn Dick, owned as tenants in common a tract of land within the boundaries of Rocky Mountain National Park that included the property covered by the bill.

When Fred and Marilyn Dick were divorced, Marilyn Dick became the sole owner of the tract, but Fred Dick retained the right of first refusal to acquire it if Marilyn Dick ever chose to sell it.

In 1977, Marilyn Dick sold the tract to the United States for addition to Rocky Mountain National Park, but Fred Dick, asserting his right of first refusal, sued to cancel the transaction.

In 1980, that lawsuit was settled through an agreement between the National Park Service and Mr. Dick and his heirs, successors and assigns. Under the settlement agreement, Mr. Dick and his new wife, Ms. Betty Dick, were allowed to lease and occupy the 23 acres comprising the property identified in section 2(b) for 25 years. Mr. Dick died in 1992, but Betty Dick has continued to lease and occupy the property identified in section 2(b) under the terms of the settlement agreement.

Betty Dick's right to lease and occupy the property will expire on July 16, 2005, at which time Ms. Dick will have attained the age of 83 years. She wishes to continue to occupy the property for the remainder of her life, and has sought to conclude a new agreement with the National Park Service that would permit her to do so. However, the Park Service has not been willing to agree to such an arrangement and is demanding that she vacate the property by July 16, 2005.

Since 1980, Betty Dick has consistently occupied the property as a summer residence and has made it available for community events. During that period, she has been a good steward of the property. Her occupancy has not been detrimental to the resources and values of Rocky Mountain National Park and has not created problems for the National Park Service or the public.

Purpose of the Bill

The legislation reflects the fact that it is appropriate for Betty Dick to be permitted to continue her occupancy of the property covered by the bill or the remainder of her natural life under the terms and conditions applicable to such occupancy since 1980. The purpose of the bill is to require the Secretary of the Interior to permit this.

Outline of the Bill

Section 1 provides a short title, sets forth findings regarding background information and states the purpose of the legislation.

Section 2 has four subsections--

Subsection 2(a) would require the Secretary of the Interior to permit continued use and occupancy of property described in subsection (b) by Betty Dick for the remainder of her natural life, subject to the requirements of the bill.

Subsection 2(b) identifies the property covered by the bill through an appropriate map reference.

Subsection 2(c) provides that Ms. Dick's occupancy and use of the property covered by the bill is to be subject to the same terms and conditions as have applied to such use and occupancy under the 1980 agreement between the National Park Service and Ms. Dick's late husband, except that Ms. Dick is to make annual rental payments equivalent to \1/25\th of the up-front amount that the agreement required to be paid to the National Park Service in 1980.

Subsection (d) states that nothing in the bill is to be construed as permitting construction of any new structure on the property covered by the bill and that nothing in the bill would apply to occupancy or use of the property by anyone except Betty Dick.

Mr. Speaker, today I am again introducing the Environmental Justice Act.

I am proud that Congresswoman Hilda Solis and Representative Rob Andrews are joining me as original cosponsors of this bill. Representative Solis and I introduced a similar bill in the 108th Congress.

Reintroduction of the bill reflects continued concern about the way federal actions have had disproportionately adverse effects on the health, environment and quality of life of Americans in minority and lower-income communities.

Too often these communities--because of their low income or lack of political visibility--are exposed to greater risks from toxins and dangerous substances because it has been possible to locate waste dumps, industrial facilities, and chemical storage warehouses in these communities with less care than would be taken in other locations.

The sad fact is that in some eyes these communities have appeared as expendable--without full appreciation that human beings, who deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, are living, working, and raising families there.

This needs to give way to policies focused on providing clean, healthy and quality environments within and around these communities. When that happens, we provide hope for the future and enhance the opportunities that these citizens have to improve their condition.

Our bill would help do just that. The bill essentially codifies an Executive Order that was issued by President Clinton in 1994. That order required all federal agencies to incorporate environmental justice considerations in their missions, develop strategies to address disproportionate impacts to minority and low-income people from their activities, and coordinate the development of data and research on these topics.

Although federal agencies have been working to implement this order and have developed strategies, there is clearly much more to do. We simply cannot solve these issues overnight or even over a couple of years. We need to ``institutionalize'' the consideration of these issues in a more long-term fashion--which this bill would do.

In addition, just as the current policy was established by an administrative order, it could be swept away with a stroke of an administrative pen. To avoid that, we need to make it more permanent-- which is also what this bill would do.

It would do this by statutorily requiring all federal agencies to-- make addressing environmental justice concerns part of their missions; develop environmental justice strategies; evaluate the effects of proposed actions on the health and environment of minority, low income, and Native American communities; avoid creating disproportionate adverse impacts on the health or environment of minority, low-income, or Native American communities; and collect data and carry out research on the effects of facilities on health and environment of minority, low-income, and Native American communities.

It would also statutorily establish two committees:

The Interagency Environmental Justice Working Group, set up by the Executive Order to develop strategies, provide guidance, coordinate research, convene public meetings, and conduct inquires regarding environmental justice issues; and

A Federal Environmental Justice Advisory Committee, appointed by the President, including members of community-based groups, business, academic, state agencies and environmental organizations. It will provide input and advice to the Interagency Working Group.

In a nutshell, what this bill would do is require federal agencies that control the siting and disposing of hazardous materials, store toxins or release pollutants at federal facilities, or issue permits for these kinds of activities to make sure they give fair treatment to low-income and minority populations--including Native Americans. The bill tells federal agencies, ``In the past these communities have endured a disproportionate impact to their health and environment. Now we must find ways to make sure that won't be the case in the future.''

For the information of our colleagues, here is a short analysis of the bill:

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Remote Sensing Applications Act of 2005.

I introduced this bill as H.R. 2426 in the 107th Congress, and the House passed it in 2002. The bill was introduced again in the 108th Congress as H.R. 1292, and passed the full Science Committee. In this Congress, I'm eager to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to see my legislation through to passage in both chambers.

I originally introduced this bill mainly to address a real problem we have in Colorado, the problem of excess growth and sprawl. My goal was to point to a way to utilize the resources of the Federal Government to help foster wise community planning and management at the local level. As a Member of the House Science Committee and the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, it made sense to me to look for ways to help communities grow in a smarter way through the use of technology.

I have reintroduced the bill in this Congress because I still believe we need to do more to promote geospatial technology. Geospatial data from satellites can produce very accurate maps that show information about vegetation, wildlife habitat, flood plains, transportation corridors, soil types, and many other things.

By giving State and local governments and communities greater access to geospatial data from commercial sources and Federal agencies such as NASA, I believe that the Federal Government can help bring valuable-- and powerful--informational planning resources to the table.

My bill would facilitate this transfer of information. The bill would establish in NASA a program of grants for competitively awarded pilot projects. The purpose would be to explore the integrated use of sources of remote sensing and other geospatial information to address State, local, regional, and tribal agency needs.

State and local governments and communities can use geospatial information in a variety of applications--in such areas as urban land- use planning, coastal zone management and erosion control, transportation corridors, environmental planning, and agricultural and forest management.

But another potential application that has garnered much recent attention is the use of geospatial technology to bolster our homeland security.

Emergency management has always been an important responsibility of State and local governments. But in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the scope of this responsibility has broadened. Geospatial technology can help States and localities identify the location, nature, and scope of potential vulnerabilities and the impact of potential hazards, as well as how to respond to events and recover from them.

Certainly it is important that we continue to add to our database of available geospatial information--more information is always better than less. But we also need to get maximum use of information we already have at hand. That is the need this bill would address.

State and local officials are becoming more familiar with the uses of geospatial technology for various planning purposes. However, there is a need for Federal agencies such as NASA, which has been pioneering the uses of satellite remote sensing technologies, to work with State and local organizations to demonstrate how remote sensing and other geospatial data can offer a cost effective planning and assessment tool.

I'm pleased there has been broad bipartisan cosponsorship of the bill and that it has earned the endorsement of a number of important national organizations. These supporters of my bill understand the importance of targeting geospatial information at the places where it will have the greatest impact--the local and regional levels.

The Remote Sensing Applications Act can help begin to bridge the gap between established and emerging technology solutions and the problems and challenges that State and local communities face regarding growth management, homeland security, forest fire management, and other issues.

Mr. Speaker, this bill will be welcomed by States and localities nationwide. I look forward to working with Members of the House, including my colleagues on the Science Committee, to move forward with this important initiative.

Mr. Speaker, nearly two months ago this House passed a bill that failed to address many of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations, while including objectional provisions regarding immigration, civil liberties, and other issues. While the Senate was able to reach agreement on a bill that reflected the views of both parties, the Commission, and the 9/11 families, House leaders did not work in a similarly bipartisan way to reach agreement on the best way to implement the recommendations.

I voted for the House bill because I believe we need intelligence reform. I hoped that with the President supporting the Senate bill and every Republican in the Senate voting for it, the House Republicans' misguided criticisms of the bill wouldn't carry much weight in conference.

So I am very pleased that the conference report we are voting on today more closely reflects the Senate bill. And I am encouraged that during this last week of the 108th Congress, we have come together to put country before politics--and to send legislation to the President that will make America safer.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams of the University of Colorado for claiming the NCAA National Championship titles on November 22, 2004.

While the University of Colorado has won the title for both teams before, the men's squad in 2001 and the women's team in 2000, never before have teams of the university claimed both titles in the same year. In fact, this remarkable feat has happened only four times in NCAA cross country history. Both teams achieved their goal of winning the national championship by all five of the female runners finishing in the top thirty, and all five of the male runners in the top fifty.

These athletes are the epitome of dedication and hard work. I join the University of Colorado in taking pride in this noteworthy accomplishment.

Mr. Speaker, I commend these student athletes and ask all our colleagues to join me in congratulating the University of Colorado Men's and Women's Cross Country Team on their National Championships.

Mr. Speaker, I will support this resolution. But the fact we are considering it should be a source of embarrassment for our Republican colleagues and their leaders.

The resolution would delete from the omnibus appropriations bill a provision that would put at risk the privacy of every American's income-tax return. The Senate passed the resolution after the discovery of that provision led the chairman of their Appropriations Committee to publicly apologize and after it was agreed that the appropriations bill itself would not be sent to the President until the deletion was made.

Certainly this was an embarrassing development. But it should not have come as much of a surprise, because it was the result of a badly flawed process.

Rolling together nine separate appropriations measures--including one that had not been considered by either chamber and several that had been considered only by the House--is not the way Congress should do its work. And, as in previous years, the Republican leadership made things outrageously worse by rushing the massive measure to the floor under a ``martial law'' rule that prevented Members from having time to carefully review its thousands of pages.

That was the situation that faced us on November 20th, when the House took up the measure, and when each of us had to decide whether to support or oppose its passage.

I finally decided to support it, but the decision was not an easy one and came only after as much review as my staff and I could give to the measure and after giving serious consideration to voting against it.

On the one hand, a review of the measure showed that its enactment would have many benefits for Colorado and the country.

For example, its enactment would assure that the cleanup of the Rocky Flats site would be able to stay on the schedule that aims for completion and closure by the beginning of 2006, and that there would be funds for much-needed work at the NIST laboratories in Boulder.

It also would mean that the Interior Department could complete the purchase of the lands in the San Luis Valley that will become the new Baca National Wildlife Refuge adjoining the newly designated Great Sand Dunes National Park. It would mean that other Colorado lands could be added to the national forests, including more of the lands in the Beaver Brook watershed that the City of Golden is eager to sell for that purpose as well as the Miller tract near Grand Lake and other sensitive lands in other parts of the state. And it would provide other needed funds for ongoing work related to federal lands or other natural resources in our state being done by the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

In addition, it would provide funds for important projects for the benefit of many Colorado communities--including Boulder, Eldorado Springs, Idaho Springs, to mention only some in the Second Congressional District--and institutions, including National Jewish and Avista Hospitals, the Bonfils Blood Center, and the National Sports Center for the Disabled.

Further, both our Nation's leadership in science and Colorado firms would benefit from the $291 million to be used by NASA for servicing the Hubble space telescope--which the statement of managers said ``should be one of NASA's highest priorities''--and from the bill's provision of $28.2 million for the space grant program. And I was encouraged by the amounts the bill would provide for renewable energy research and development--including

$4.8 million for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as well as an additional $6.7 for construction of NREL's Science and Technology facility--and for research regarding abrupt climate change.

I wanted to support these provisions, particularly because many of them would not have been included in a long-term continuing resolution that was the most likely substitute if the omnibus bill did not pass.

On the other hand, I was sure that any appropriations bill with such a large number of specifically-earmarked funds must include allocations for low priority projects or questionable purposes--something of particular concern when the federal government is operating in the red.

Further, the conference report retained an objectionable provision that would allow virtually any health care entity to refuse to provide, cover, pay for, or even refer patients for abortion services, even when such actions are otherwise legally mandated by the federal or a state government. The same provision also would allow health care providers who receive public money to refuse to provide women with unintended pregnancies information concerning all their legal options. I thought this provision should not have been included. In another problematic provision, the bill cuts funding for NREL's photovoltaics program, which could mean a loss of as many as 40 jobs at NREL. This would be a devastating loss for the development of PV technology, for NREL overall, and for Colorado.

And I was very concerned that there was a distinct possibility that by voting for the bill I would be supporting other new legislation whose specific details--and possibly objectionable features--I would only be apparent if there were more adequate time to review the bill.

The fact that the bill included the tax-return provision addressed by the resolution before us today shows this concern was well-founded. And I would have been even more apprehensive if I had known that the statement of managers not only failed to fully explain many provisions, but in some instances was completely silent about important parts of the bill.

For example, the statement of managers omitted any mention of the fact that the bill included legislation for a full decade's extension of the recreation-fee demonstration program--legislation that I had opposed when it was considered by the Resources Committee and that in my opinion should not have been a part of any appropriations bill.

Finally, after as careful a review as possible under the circumstances and after weighing the decision carefully, I decided to vote for the omnibus bill despite the defects that I recognized and likelihood that there were others I had not found.

I will stand by that vote. The decision was mine and I recognize that I am accountable to my constituents for it. But I object to the circumstances under which that vote was cast--and my objections have only become stronger in the time between that vote and the one that we will cast on the resolution to remedy one--but hardly all--of the omnibus bill's flaws.

Mr. Speaker, I have used this forum from time to time to acknowledge the bipartisan public service of many distinguished Coloradans. Today I rise in what I hope will be a moment my Republican friends and colleagues will not begrudge--to honor a distinguished Coloradan who is anything but bipartisan. I rise to acknowledge Rick Ridder.

Rick has been a trusted advisor and friend throughout my career in politics. Although Rick is respected and widely sought after in Colorado politics, he has never lost his down-to-earth nature. This is because he is the rarest of political partisans--a determined strategist who keeps his humanity intact. He understands the game of politics well and he most certainly plays to win. At the same time he is unwavering in his integrity and his sincere desire to work for the betterment of people.

Rick has never been particularly impressed with the ``glitter'' of politics that attracts so many to our profession. Rather, he believes at his core in the importance of our democracy and his duty to fight for its vitality. This should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with his upbringing. By way of example, his mother took him to an Adlai Stevenson rally at the age of three. To occupy her little boy, she suggested that he pass out flyers promoting the Illinois Governor's bid for the presidency in 1956. In addition, having grown up in and around Washington, DC his playmates included the children of Robert Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy. Whereas many of our generation looked at those men as heroes and even icons of a generation, Rick saw them simply as his friends' dads.

Had he a different character this upbringing might have led Rick to a sense of entitlement, but instead, it gave him a razor sharp sense of purpose. He uses his unique experience in politics to serve a goal greater than his own self-interest. He has worked tirelessly to that effect for decades.

In 1982, he helped Colorado Governor Richard Lamm with his third gubernatorial campaign. He went on to become the National Field Director for Gary Hart's 1984 presidential campaign. In 1985 with his wife Joan, he formed Ridder-Braden Inc., a political consulting and polling firm that has been instrumental in crafting campaigns in Colorado and across the country. His clients have included Colorado Governor Roy Romer, Congressman David Skaggs, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell and various Members of Congress. In 2004 he helped launch the meteoric rise of Governor Howard Dean, and a provocative ballot initiative on reform of the Electoral College that made a significant contribution to the public debate on a largely over-looked, but critical, component of our democratic process.

While many political consultants are rightly maligned as ``hired guns'' who corrode public confidence in the political process, professionals like Rick Ridder and Joanie Braden are rare examples of people who work to elevate public discourse and improve our democracy.

For the information of my colleagues I'm attaching the original article.

[From the Rocky Mountain News, Oct. 29, 2004]

Consultant Ridder Says Measure Is About Stronger Democracy

(By James B. Meadow)

Joanie Braden was deep into labor, nearing the delivery of

her child, when she noticed something that years later would

strike her as both odd and normal.

Right next to her bed, there was her husband, the father of

the child, diligently checking his wristwatch so he could

time the intervals between contractions. And, simultaneously,

right next to her bed, the same man was diligently talking

long-distance on the phone, processing voter pattern

information from key precincts in the 1984 Oregon

presidential primary.

``As Rick was doing that,'' says Braden, laughing, ``I

remember him acting as if it was the most natural thing in

the world. He was there for me; he was there for the

campaign.''

Happily, both labors--natal and political--paid off for

Rick Ridder. Nathaniel Ridder arrived pink and healthy; Gary

Hart took Oregon.

Given this, it's no surprise to learn that ``Rick

absolutely loves politics . . . he lives and breathes

politics.'' At least that's the opinion of Tom Strickland,

who hired Ridder for his two cracks at one of Colorado's U.S.

Senate seats.

Although Strickland came away 0-for-2, his respect for

Ridder remains resolute.

``Rick has a gifted political mind,'' says Strickland. ``He

may be very understated and unassuming--he's like a political

version of Columbo, lulling you into thinking he's not

following you--but he's really a couple of steps ahead all

the time.''

He better be.

As Election Day draws closer, Ridder's campaign for

Amendment 36 is taking on water. The controversial measure,

which would revamp Colorado's electoral votes system,

replacing the current winner-take-all setup with one that

awards the electoral votes proportionally, based on popular

vote, has drawn national attention.

Republicans have decried it as a not-so-sneaky way to

siphon votes from George W. Bush. Not all Democrats are for

it, either.

And 36's proponents?

Well, one of them claims it's more representative, makes

everybody's vote count equally. Furthermore, ``It's the right

thing to do in order to create a stronger democracy. The

system we installed for democratic rule in Afghanistan did

not include an Electoral College, did it?''

Those words come courtesy of Ridder, who's heading up the

pro-36 fight. But words--to say nothing of a reported

$700,000--might not be enough to win. Although Ridder's side

was ahead early on, a Rocky Mountain News/News 4 poll

released today shows the measure sinking 60-32.

Those numbers prompted one political observer to refer to

Amendment 36 as ``toast.''

Ridder's reaction to the new poll numbers was cautious. ``I

think that one of the real issues that we're bringing forth

in this campaign is the importance of making votes count--one

person, one vote. And it is clear that we have started a

debate on the issue, particularly on the Electoral College.''

Earlier, in a previous interview, he acknowledged his base

optimism. ``You have to believe that change is possible and

that what you fight for can come about.''

Although there is passion in his voice, it is tamed by a

reflexive calm and control.

He is 51, has thinning hair, and his 6-foot-1, 150-pound

frame gives him a slightly Ichabod Crane air.

A scion of the Knight-Ridder newspaper family, Victor Frank

Ridder II was immersed in politics before, well, almost

before he was tall enough to be immersed in anything. When he

was 3, his mother was attending a rally for Adlai Stevenson.

To occupy her son, she had him handing out leaflets for the

Illinois governor who was bidding for the presidency in 1956.

The political theme stayed strong in his life, perhaps in

part because growing up in and around Washington, D.C.,

brought him into contact with playmates who were the children

of Robert Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy.

After taking a year off between high school and college to

toil on behalf of George McGovern's 1972 stab at the

presidency, he returned to academe and graduated from

Middlebury College in Vermont and earned a masters in

broadcasting from Boston University.

As he was getting ready to start his Ph.D. in

communications, he decided instead to defer his studies and

work on Hart's 1980 re-election as U.S. senator in Colorado.

In 1982, he returned to Colorado to help with Richard

Lamm's third gubernatorial campaign. He then became national

field director for Hart's 1984 presidential campaign.

By then, Braden and Ridder, married in 1981, had decided

Colorado was the place to raise a family and were ensconced

in Denver. In 1985, Ridder-Braden Inc., a political

consulting and polling firm, was born.

Over the years, Ridder compiled an impressive--and wholly

Democratic--political resume. He worked on all three of Roy

Romer's gubernatorial campaigns, as well as for numerous

congressional candidates.

Many campaigns later, in November 2002, Ridder surprised

the political world when he took on the job of campaign

manager for Howard Dean's fledgling presidential run. By

April 2003, however, Ridder was gone from the campaign, a

victim of infighting and his disinclination to work for a

``movement'' rather than a candidate.

Although Ridder points to his leap of faith with the Dean

campaign as proof that he takes chances, others aren't so

sure. One competitor says that Ridder's strength has to do

more with ``analysis behind the scenes'' than being a ``big

picture guy or a risk taker.''

Ridder, unflappable as usual, takes the comments and

criticisms in stride. He's not only heard the personal

remarks before, he's aware of the digs against his

profession. ``There is a wariness of the political consultant

industry,'' he says. ``People don't like the perception that

they're being manipulated.''

Ridder insists this isn't the case. As he once said, ``The

best we can do is take the positive aspects of our candidate

or cause and emphasize them. We can't take Adolf Hitler and

make him Mahatma Gandhi.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5370 which will name the post office at 4985 Moorhead Ave in Boulder, Colorado the Donald G. Brotzman Post Office Building.

Mr. Brotzman served in this body during the Vietnam War and the Nixon era. Even though our country was highly divided, he rose above partisan politics and reached across the aisle to work in a bipartisan manner. In my opinion, he was the kind of public official we and future Members of Congress can look to as an example.

Born in Sterling, Colorado, Mr. Brotzman was an All Conference lineman at the University of Colorado in the 1930's. While attending CU-Boulder he joined the military and served as a first lieutenant with the 81st Infantry Division in the South Pacific.

When he returned to the United States he finished his degree in both business and law and opened a law firm in Boulder, Colorado. Between 1945 and 1954 he served in both the

Colorado State House of Representatives and Senate. In 1959 he was appointed by President Eisenhower as U.S. Attorney for Colorado.

In 1963, as the nominee for the Republican Party, he was elected to serve the 2nd Congressional District of Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his 5 terms in office he served on the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee. He was instrumental in the passing of the Indian Peaks Wilderness Act, a national program to help runaway youth and establishing a tax credit for higher education expenses. He also helped shape the Clean Air Act and the Public Broadcasting Act. Mr. Brotzman was an early champion of stronger environmental oversight at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, and due to his efforts, the Johnson administration commissioned a scientific study which led to the eventual cleanup and closure of this site.

He was also one of the first members to call for an all-volunteer army and the end of the draft during the Vietnam War. After serving in Congress, Mr. Brotzman was able to assist in the establishment of the all-volunteer army when he was named Assistant Secretary to the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs by President Ford. He served in this position for two years and explained his job as making ``the all- volunteer army work.''

In the Colorado State Legislature, Congress and two Republican Administrations, Mr. Brotzman served our country and Colorado well. His dedication to acting on his conscience and working on both sides of the aisle to better serve Colorado made him a leader in Congress.

Donald Brotzman died in September at the age of 82. During his lifetime he admirably served both his country and the state of Colorado. I would like to thank my colleagues from Colorado for their support of this bill and Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Waxman of the Government Reform Committee as well as the leadership of the House for making it possible for the bill to be considered today. I urge the passage of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Linda Shoemaker, an exceptional community leader in my district.

Throughout her life, Linda has worked to improve the community in which she resides and to help those less fortunate than herself. In 2000, Linda and her husband, Steve, founded the Brett Family Foundation in Boulder, Colorado. The purpose of this foundation is to promote local nonprofits and policy initiatives that help disadvantaged youth around the state of Colorado. In 2001, Linda started the Bell Policy Center, a nonprofit organization which uses research to construct and promote public policy that focuses on the needs of working adults and families in Colorado.

Linda's accomplishments are vast. In addition to taking on numerous leadership positions over the years, including becoming a Board Member and Sponsor of the I Have A Dream Foundation, where she worked to provide scholarships to students who would otherwise be unable to attend a college or university, Linda also volunteers time to help abused and neglected children in her community by volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate.

Linda has been recognized time and again for her tremendous work in the Boulder community, as well as around the state of Colorado. Most recently, Linda won the 2004 National Philanthropy Day in Colorado award for Outstanding Philanthropist. It is individuals like Linda, who take action at the community level and take the time to help those less fortunate than themselves that will make this country, and the world, a better place for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I commend her accomplishments and ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Linda Shoemaker for her outstanding contributions to Colorado.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank and honor Robert Poirot for his exemplary public service as Clear Creek County Commissioner for the past twelve years. I would also like to thank him on behalf of all Coloradans for the in-depth and diverse philanthropic work he has contributed to the community. He is a dedicated public servant who has devoted himself to ensuring that Colorado remains a very special place to live.

Throughout his life, Bob has demonstrated time and time again that he excels in all of his endeavors. Whether it is in the Armed Forces, education, or government, Bob has shown that he can apply his leadership skills effectively in any arena. He has received numerous awards during his long and extensive career, most recently the prestigious Distinguished Service Award of Colorado Counties, Inc. . . . This award is a true testament to Bob's abilities to work together with all interests for the common good.

Between 1959 and 1992, Bob achieved the rank of Brigadier General in the Colorado Army National Guard. During this time, he also

served for thirty-two years as a school teacher, including four years on the Board of Education. At the same time, he found time to coach both football and track. Upon retirement, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Jefferson County School District.

Using his extensive command of the issues, Bob participated in and offered advice to almost every steering committee throughout his twelve years serving as County Commissioner. Building upon this, he also testified here at the nation's Capital in support of legislation to preserve and maintain public lands in Clear Creek County which are important for wildlife and the quality of life in Colorado. During this time, I was able to personally work at length with Bob in mutual support of the environment, an issue that remains high on the agenda of all Coloradans. Thanks to his leadership, more than 6,000 acres of land were properly distributed to public and private land owners, ensuring that the Front Range population will continue to enjoy this cherished and pristine land for many years.

Along these same lines, Bob has worked tirelessly on local issues in the state. As a member of the Board of Directors for the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), Bob spearheaded many regional policies. Working on transportation issues has proved to be one of his strong suits, as he has emphasized the creation of a new bus service to connect adjacent Clear Creek and Jefferson Counties. Another of Bob's transportation successes occurred when he helped gain approval of the Guanella Pass Road Project from the Federal Highway Administration's federal lands program. The result will be to improve this important and scenic roadway affecting numerous jurisdictions including Park County, the Town of Georgetown, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing our gratitude to Robert Poirot for his many years of public service and his contributions to the people of Colorado. Robert has displayed exceptional moral fiber throughout his life, and for that I believe we should acknowledge and celebrate his work and accomplishments. Bob's tireless dedication to his community and country stands as a model for what can be accomplished when citizens participate in our democracy. Although he is leaving his service as a county commissioner, I am sure that he will remain active and involved in the community. I wish him and his family good health and happiness for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill which will name the post office at 4985 Moorhead Ave. in Boulder, Colorado the Donald G. Brotzman Post Office Building.

Mr. Brotzman served in this body during the Vietnam War and the Nixon era. Even though our country was highly divided, he rose above partisan politics and reached across the aisle to work in a bipartisan manner. He was the kind of public official I admire.

Don Brotzman died in September at the age of 82. During his lifetime he admirably served both his country and the state of Colorado. Born in Sterling, Colorado, he was an All Conference lineman at the University of Colorado in the 1930s. While attending the CU-Boulder he joined the military and served as a first lieutenant with the 81st Infantry Division in the South Pacific.

When he returned to the United States he finished his degree in both business and law and opened a law firm in Boulder, Colorado. Between 1945 and 1954 he served in both the Colorado State House of Representatives and Senate. In 1959 he was appointed by President Eisenhower as U.S. Attorney.

In 1963, as the nominee for the Republican Party, he was elected to serve the 2nd Congressional District of Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his five terms in office he served on the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee. He was instrumental in the passing of the Indian Peaks Wilderness Act, a national program to help runaway youths and establishing a tax credit for higher education expenses. He also helped shape the Clean Air Act and the Public Broadcasting Act. Mr. Brotzman was an early champion of stronger environmental oversight at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, and due to his efforts, the Johnson administration commissioned a scientific study which led to the eventual cleanup and closure of this site.

He was also one of the first members to call for an all-volunteer Army and the end of the draft during the Vietnam War. After serving in Congress, Mr. Brotzman was able to assist in the establishment of the all-volunteer Army when he was named Assistant Secretary to the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs by President Ford. He served in this position for 2 years and explained his job as making ``the all- volunteer army work.''

In the Colorado State Legislature, Congress and two Republican administrations, Mr. Brotzman served our country and Colorado well. His dedication to acting on his conscience and working on both sides of the aisle to better serve Colorado made him a leader in Congress. I hope my colleagues will join me and the Colorado delegation in honoring this outstanding Coloradan and support the naming of the Donald G. Brotzman Post Office Building.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank and honor my compassionate and caring constituent, Ms. Barbara Martig. Barb's efforts have greatly impacted the lives of senior citizens for many years, and she deserves recognition for the many contributions she has made to our community.

Throughout her life, Barb has demonstrated time and again that she is dedicated to advancing the cause of seniors. While working for the Boulder County Aging Services, she also volunteered her time to numerous committees and councils relating to the advancement of the senior agenda. Due to this unwavering devotion to her work, she was recently chosen to receive the ``Women Who Light Up The Community'' award. This honor, given by the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, is presented to people who volunteer their time and talents to make Boulder County a better place to live, work and play.

In addition to her work with the elderly, Barb has worked tirelessly on transportation issues. By participating in the City of Boulder's Future Search Project, she contributed to the creation of a new bus line for our community and helped in finding solutions to many public transit problems that arose.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in expressing our gratitude to Ms. Martig for touching our community in far-reaching ways. In a time when we still face insurmountable odds regarding the welfare of our senior citizens, we must recognize that there are people such as Barb who have an innate devotion to our elderly citizens. I'm proud to offer warm congratulations to Barb on her award, honor her achievements, and wish her continued success in all her future endeavors. She stands out as a beacon of our community, who truly lights up many of our lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank and honor Jo Ann Sorensen for her exemplary public service as Clear Creek County Commissioner for almost eight years. I would also like to thank her on behalf of all Coloradans for the in-depth and diverse philanthropic work that she has contributed to the community. She has ensured that our great state remains a very special place to live and has innately displayed the qualities of a dedicated public servant.

Throughout her life, Jo Ann has demonstrated time and time again that she excels in all of her endeavors. She has served on almost every possible steering committee to represent not only Clear Creek County's interests, but also those of the I-70 corridor communities. It has been through this committee work that Jo Ann has achieved her numerous successes. Putting local and regional issues at the forefront of her agenda, she has systematically made it her cause to learn and understand the problems that plague our community. Through the wealth of knowledge that she has acquired, she has been able to help address these issues with her fellow County Commissioners, allowing her to volunteer her time for various other projects. Recently, Jo Ann was selected to receive the prestigious Colorado Counties, Inc., CCI, Commissioner of the Year Award. This award is a true testament to Jo Ann's long and distinguished list of achievements.

Jo Ann's work spans many areas. Aside from serving as Vice Chairman of the CCI Mountain District, she has spearheaded many reforms to better the lives of Colorado citizens. Working with her colleague Clear Creek County Commissioners, Jo Ann has greatly contributed to many transportation initiatives for the 1-70 Corridor Counties, while at the same time helping to revamp the Emergency Services in her area by pushing for the Reverse 911 Programs. It is this type of multi-faceted focus that has allowed Jo Ann to direct her energies into numerous projects and reforms.

But if one was to look at her many accomplishments, they would notice that her strengths reside squarely in her efforts to maintain the environment. Not only has Jo Ann testified at the Colorado Water Conservation Board on watershed development impacts, she has led the fight to protect the Beaver Brook Watershed property and participated in the establishment of the James Peak Wilderness. Her emphasis on preservation has allowed all Coloradans to enjoy the ridgeline beauty and pristine lakes that Colorado has to offer.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in expressing our gratitude to Jo Ann Sorensen for her many years of public service and her contributions to the people of Colorado. I have only touched on a small fraction of Jo Ann's work, and I believe that she has displayed numerous times why she is deserving of our recognition. Although she is leaving her post as a county commissioner, I am sure, given her energy, dedication and passion for maintaining and improving the quality of life for all Coloradans that she will remain active in community issues. I wish her and her family good health and happiness for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the town of Minturn, Colorado.

Minturn is a small town on the Western Slope of Colorado, with a population of a little over 1,000. Despite its size, Minturn holds an important place within Colorado's history. It began in 1887 as a railroad crew-changing station and was named in honor of Robert B. Minturn, who helped secure funds to build the Denver & Rio Grande westward down the Eagle and Colorado Rivers. The town quickly grew as more people began to make Colorado their home. Some established homesteads to farm in this area at the confluence of Gore Creek and the Eagle River, while others sought riches mining for silver in the mountains high above the town site.

On November 15, 1904, the first Town Council met and Minturn officially became an incorporated part of Colorado. This date became synonymous with the town's birth and was therefore marked as a day of celebration. In the years to come, Minturn became especially indicative of the Colorado experience.

After its vital infrastructures were in place, Minturn attracted people from all walks of life. Historic hotels that still exist today were erected to accommodate the influx of travelers passing through Colorado. And even the military became interested in Minturn, constructing a temporary training camp there for the 10th Mountain Division in 1942--a division that helped train soldiers to fight in high alpine conditions.

As the years passed, Minturn became a favorite stop amongst snow sports enthusiasts, due to its close location to some of Colorado's largest ski resorts, Vail and Beaver Creek. Recently, the town's beauty was on display in movies such as Walt Disney's ``Tall Tales'', and during the Winter Olympics of 2002, when the Olympic torch passed through the town en route to Salt Lake City, Utah.

I also have great pride in stating that one of my district offices is located in Minturn. Because of this connection--as well as the town's respect for it's western rural roots--I have developed an affinity with this town and appreciate the friendliness and communal spirit of its residents. This community has welcomed me to their town in a manner that greatly reflects the essence of Colorado.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in commemorating the historic 100th anniversary of Minturn, Colorado. I believe that by honoring Minturn and all the other historic small towns of this vast Nation, we keep the great tradition of the American spirit alive for future generations. We must not forget about the many places that molded this nation into what it is today. Centennial celebrations are few and far between, and Minturn's is deserving of our recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Charles ``Charley'' Shimanski, an accomplished mountain climber who served as Executive Director of the American Alpine Club from 1993 until his retirement in October of this year.

Charley grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1981 with a degree in Economics. He worked in the financial services sector for 12 years both in Europe and in Denver, including at Oppenheimer Funds, United Bank

and Darlington Asset Management of Geneva, Switzerland. But a big part of his heart was always in the mountains.

Charley's love of climbing has taken him throughout Colorado's mountainous landscape, especially the backcountry peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park. He also climbed in the Swiss Alps and the Cascades along the Pacific Northwest.

Raised with a belief that volunteer service is the price one pays for living on this planet, it did not take long before his love of the mountains and his passion to serve the community combined into an almost 20-year commitment to the mountain rescue community.

In 1985, Charley joined the Alpine Rescue Team, a volunteer mountain rescue group that provides rescue services in portions of the Front Range and Summit County, including 4 of Colorado's Fourteeners (peaks with elevations over 14,000 feet, for those unfamiliar with the term). Within 4 years he was president of Alpine Rescue Team, and over the years he has served as the team's mission leader, public information officer and helicopter specialist.

In 1997, Charley was honored by the Colorado Search and Rescue Board with the Hunter Holloway Spirit Award for his work developing Colorado's ``Avalanche Awareness Week.'' Avalanches are a serious issue in Colorado and other mountainous western states. Sadly, lives are lost every year to avalanches and western states frequently encounter road closures due to avalanches, which affects local economies and tourism. As a result, Charley's contributions here are very significant and worthy of such recognition.

Eventually Charley's focus expanded from the Alpine Rescue Team and Colorado search and rescue activities to the national Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) and international rescue consulting. He has served as chair of the MRA's Rocky Mountain Region and continues to serve as chair of the organization's Education Committee. Charley is the author of several national MRA manuals, including ``Accidents in Mountain Rescue Operations,'' ``Search and Rescue for Outdoor Leaders,'' ``Helicopters in Search and Rescue Operations,'' and ``Avalanche Rescue Operations.'' He is a frequent lecturer at meetings of the Wilderness Medical Society, the Mountain Rescue Association and the International Technical Rescue Symposium, and has consulted with government agencies and rescue groups throughout the world.

Despite these awards and accomplishments, Charley's most personally rewarding search and rescue mission was the 1990 rescue of a lost hiker in which he served as incident commander. The hiker was found after 12 hours, but, more importantly, the ``reporting party'' was a woman who later became Charley's wife. It was the only instance anyone in the mountain rescue community can recall in which a person who reported a search eventually married one of the rescuers.

In May 1993, Charley left the corporate world to work full time on climbing and mountaineering issues as the executive director of the American Alpine Club (AAC), a national association of climbers and mountaineers dedicated to promoting climbing knowledge, conserving mountain environments and representing the American climbing community. At that time, the AAC had a membership base of 1,700 members, annual operating revenue of $300,000 and net assets of $2.8 million.

Charley often remarked that the AAC's greatest asset was its potential. Over his 11-year tenure as executive director, he spurred the Club into action on a number of fronts. The AAC, in partnership with the Colorado Mountain Club, bought and renovated the historic (and then vacant) Junior High School building in Golden, Colorado at the foot of the Front Range, turning it from a public eyesore into the American Mountaineering Center, a facility housing several regional and national climbing organizations and hosting climbing-related conferences and events. He oversaw a transformation in the Club's library from an obscure collection of unorganized mountaineering books into arguably the finest mountaineering library in the world, fully cataloged and electronically searchable by any Internet user in the world. He expanded the AAC's advocacy efforts on behalf of climbers so that the Club was a leading voice on such issues as mountain rescue, climbing ethics, conservation of alpine regions, and management of climbing destinations both domestically and abroad. Charley was an enthusiastic advocate of the AAC Press, the Club's publishing arm, which documented world climbing and published award winning historical guidebooks to several climbing disciplines.

In October, Charley resigned from the AAC and accepted a position as Executive Director of the Colorado Association of Nonprofit Organizations. When he left the AAC, it had grown to 7,500 members, an annual operating budget of $1.3 million and net assets of $7 million-- an almost four-fold increase in most categories. The organization's staff grew in both size and professional capability during his tenure. Though his leadership will be missed by American climbers, he looks forward to new challenges rallying the Colorado nonprofit community to similar gains.