Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, every day 30 people are killed by someone using a gun. That number jumps to 100 if you factor in accidents and suicides involving guns. The steady stream of gun violence devastates families, communities, and schools.

Gun violence costs our country $280 billion every year. This status quo is not okay.

Our constituents know it, and they support H.R. 8 overwhelmingly.

The Special Order last night on H.R. 8 was another low point for decorum in the House. To be generous, it was an embarrassing display and a complete misrepresentation of the facts.

Viewers were told that the bill would create a Federal gun registry. Wrong. Read page 5, line 18. H.R. 8 prohibits any registry.

They were told you can't give a gun to a family member. Wrong. Read page 3, line 7. You can.

They were told that you can't transfer a gun if someone was suicidal or needed it for protection to address a self-defense situation. Wrong. Read page 3, line 21. You can.

They were told that you can't lend a gun to a friend to go hunting. Wrong. Read page 4, line 16. You can.

What the bill does do is close the private gun sale loophole, which has made it easy for felons and other prohibited purchasers to buy a gun online, at gun shows, or in person-to-person sales.

We know universal background checks work. Every day they stop some 160 felons and some 50 domestic abusers from buying a gun. Every day.

But without universal background checks, these people can take their business elsewhere, to someone without a Federal firearms license and buy the same gun.

I have personally filled out the 4473 form required to buy a gun from a licensed dealer. I have done it many times. It is something that every responsible gun owner should be able to live with. Heck, they should welcome it because it helps stop dangerous individuals from getting a gun.

In 90 percent of the cases, background checks are completed within minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that these letters that I have from dozens of gun violence prevention groups, healthcare workers, law enforcement, and others be included in the Record.

March 5, 2021.

Hon. Chuck Schumer,

Majority Leader, U.S. Senate,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Speaker, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Mitch McConnell,

Minority Leader, U.S. Senate,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Kevin McCarthy,

Republican Leader, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Speaker

Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy: We write to you in support of

H.R. 8/S. 529 the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and H.R.

1446/S. 591 the Enhanced Background Checks Act. As gun

owners, we understand that responsible gun ownership starts

with background check. Loopholes in federal law have

perpetuated the gun violence crisis in our country, including

those in our background checks system. Congress must enact

meaningful legislation to reduce gun violence. The Bipartisan

Background Checks Act would close one such loophole by

ensuring that a background check happens on every firearms

sale.

Since 1993, the National Instant Criminal Background Check

System (NICS) has conducted firearm background checks on gun

purchasers. Federally licensed dealers must run a check

through NICS to determine whether a potential buyer is

prohibited from purchasing firearms. If information in NICS

shows that a person is indeed prohibited, the dealer must

deny the sale.

However, no background check is required for sales at gun

shows, through online marketplaces, or between private

individuals. Individuals who would otherwise be prohibited

from purchasing or possessing a gun can easily buy guns

through such unregulated sales. And the frequency of these

unregulated sales is growing: recent studies indicate that

approximately 22 percent of firearms are purchased without a

background check, up to 80% of firearms used in crimes are

obtained without a background check.

H.R. 8/S.B. 529 the Bipartisan Background Checks Act/

Background Check Expansion Act would require a background

check on every sale, ensuring that people prohibited from

purchasing firearms cannot exploit loopholes and purchase

guns through an unregulated sale at a gun show, online, or

from an unlicensed private seller. In addition, individuals

would no longer be able to cross state lines solely to

purchase a firearm in a state with less stringent background

checks. Closing these background check loopholes is critical

to reducing gun violence throughout the United States.

Additionally, H.R. 1446/S. 591 the Enhanced Background

Checks Act/Background Check Completion Act would provide the

FBI more time to complete background checks and ensure that

people prohibited from possessing firearms are not able to

obtain them by default because of an incomplete background

check. This deadly loophole in existing law was exploited by

a white supremacist who killed nine people at the Mother

Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

As responsible gun owners, we urge you to consider this

legislation which would help keep our communities safe. Our

support for universal background checks stems from our desire

to protect the Second Amendment rights of law abiding

citizens while maintaining checks and balances to keep

communities safe.

We urge you to pass H.R. 8/S. 529 the Bipartisan Background

Checks Act/Background Check Expansion Act and H.R. 1446/S.

591 the Enhanced Background Checks Act/Background Check

Completion Act, as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Giffords Gun Owners for Safety.

On this bill we have coauthors who are Democrats and Republicans, cops, hunters, gun owners, district attorneys, a former FBI agent, and veterans, who have served in combat and put their lives on the line to protect our Second Amendment.

There is bipartisan support for universal background checks in Congress and near universal support for background checks from the American people.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 8.

Mr. Speaker, that is nonsense. What was just said on the floor is not accurate.

The only thing this bill does is require a background check. If someone has legally purchased a firearm and passed a background check, nobody is going to take that gun away from them. They legally purchased it. They passed the background check.

To come out with that kind of nonsense, that type of scare tactic, is not complementary to the decorum of this

House, and it does not speak to this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the first en bloc amendment, which stipulates that nothing in this act shall limit the ability of the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to manage forest fires, insects, and diseases in designated wilderness areas under the Wilderness Act.

Land conservation is an investment in our future, but it is equally important that we continue to manage our wilderness areas responsibly. Over the past several years, my district and others across our great country have been hit hard by historically damaging wildfires.

To protect countless communities, the Federal Government must ensure wilderness areas are adequately managed to minimize the impacts of wildfires.

I want to thank Chairman Grijalva and Representatives Panetta and Lofgren for being champions of public lands and responsible land management.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join them on this amendment, and I strongly urge an ``aye'' vote on the first en bloc amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation. The American people are hurting, half a million people are dead, tens of millions have gotten sick. Millions have lost their jobs, businesses have shut down, many closed forever, and kids can't go to school. Families are without food and behind on their rent.

This bill provides direct payments to Americans and helps small businesses and restaurants. It provides crucial funding for State and local governments, funding for vaccines, childcare, and critical funds to get our kids back safely to school.

Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to vote for this bill, the American people are counting on us.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my Chief of Staff, Melanie Rhinehart Van Tassell, for a decade of service to me and to the people of California's Fifth Congressional District.

Born in Santa Cruz and raised in Antioch, Melanie attended high school and college in the East Bay, graduating in 1996 with dual degrees in Political Science and Business from the University of California, Berkeley. She went to work in the litigation consulting industry until 2001, when she left to earn a Master's in Business Administration at New York University's Stern School of Business. Upon graduation, she moved to Washington, D.C. to use her intellect for public service.

Melanie began her career on Capitol Hill as a part-time intern in Congress before being hired as a legislative assistant to Congressman Earl Pomeroy in March of 2004. In just three short years, she took over as his legislative director, overseeing the congressman's policy agenda. After the 2010 midterm elections, I hired her to manage my legislative team at the strong recommendation of Congressman Pomeroy. Within months, she was promoted to Chief of Staff, becoming possibly the kindest, most genuine person to ever serve in such a position.

In my office, Melanie has proven herself to be an effective, charismatic leader and a skilled political operative. Handling issues of the utmost importance to our district, she has taken on a portfolio that spans natural disasters to the Wine Caucus. All the while, she has used her unbelievably positive, infectious personality to make everyone she interacts with feel special.

Despite the long hours involved with leading a congressional office, Melanie carves out quality time to spend with her husband Steven

and their young son Shane, whom she has ingrained with a deep appreciation for two of her favorite things--Disney and stuffed animals. Volunteering as Silent Auction Chair for her son's preschool in Alexandria, she showcased the same tenacity that serves her so well as Chief of Staff. Melanie raised over $20,000 for two consecutive school years, blowing out any record in the school's history.

Madam Speaker, my staff, myself, and the people of our district are deeply grateful for Melanie Rhinehart Van Tassell's expert guidance over these last 10 years. She personifies service, generosity, and leadership, and I am especially proud and honored to have her as my Chief of Staff.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Burn Awareness Week and the incredible work that the American Burn Association is doing to promote burn awareness, treatment, rehabilitation, research and prevention.

About 400,000 people are treated for burn injuries every year. Today, thanks to medical advances and greater education and awareness, almost 97 percent of those who suffer a burn injury survive. However, many are left seriously scarred or with life-long physical disabilities. That's why the American Burn Association launched National Burn Awareness Week to spread awareness about the seriousness of burn injuries and the steps each of us can take to prevent them.

The theme of this year's National Burn Awareness Week is electrical safety. Here are a few tips that can keep you and your family safe. First, always plug major appliances directly into a wall socket instead of using extension cords or power strips and always check cords for cracked or frayed sockets, loose or bare wire and loose connections before use. This is especially important around water, as electric current from a dock or marina's power supply can cause nearby swimmers to become incapacitated and drown due to electric shock. In addition, never keep batteries in your pocket because they can short circuit when the positive and negative ends come into contact, either directly with each other or indirectly through other metal objects.

Madam Speaker, we can prevent burn injuries by taking simple, commonsense preventive measures. It is therefore fitting and proper that this Congress designates the week of February 7-13, 2021 as National Burn Awareness Week.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Stephen Gale upon his retirement as Senior District Representative in my Santa Rosa office, and to recognize his longtime commitment to his community in Sonoma County.

Stephen knows the meaning of hard work. From picking apricots in his teens to earning the title of youngest Section Head at Hughes Aircraft Company, Stephen has been known as a humble, yet driven man. Not content with this early success, he returned to school, earning a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. Embarking on his second career, he found success as Director of Strategic Investments at Fair Isaac and founder of Wellspring Business Development.

Stephen has always had a passion for public service. Before joining my staff, he served as the Board of Public Utilities Chair for Santa Rosa, where he directed water distribution and spearheaded projects to develop renewable resources. He has also served as Business Representative to the County Commission that established the Sonoma- Marin Area Regional Transportation system and as the founding Chair of the North Bay Leadership Council. On top of his official duties, he found time to organize a week-long business simulation to teach entrepreneurial skills to high school students. For this, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors awarded him a Gold Resolution in recognition of his leadership.

Stephen's motivation to better our community led him to developing a passion for politics. In 2008, he was chosen to serve as Chair of the Sonoma County Democratic Party and revitalized the organization. His innate ability to bring together people of all political leanings, from progressives to moderates, helped him build a powerful Democratic coalition that secured Democratic victories and drove civic engagement. After the conclusion of his second term as chair, he joined the state party's Rules committee, where he used his expert knowledge of parliamentary procedures to ensure efficient and productive party activities.

For seven years, Stephen has served our district well as the Senior District Representative in my Santa Rosa district office. As my countywide liaison for Sonoma County, he has worked to advance the interests of many important facets of the county, including agricultural producers and labor. Additionally, he has helped to lead the community through many trials and tribulations, including the 2017 Tubbs fire and the Coronavirus pandemic. Notably, he was instrumental in advocating, both on the local and federal level, for the creation of the Veterans Village, which provided 14 homes for homeless veterans in Santa Rosa.

Madam Speaker, Stephen Gale has made our community proud everyday through his passion and commitment to Sonoma County. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor him here today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the life and legacy of Sophie Pasibe and to recognize the impact she had on the Filipino-American community in Vallejo and Benicia.

Born September 29, 1931 in the Municipality of Agoo in La Union, Philippines, Ms. Sophie Pasibe's life was characterized by her years as a teacher, philanthropist, and public servant. Before her emigration from the Philippines to the United States in 1969, Ms. Pasibe served her community as a fourth grade teacher. Soon after arriving in the United States, she continued her teaching career for the Stockton Unified School District. In 1975, Ms. Pasibe settled in Benicia, California, where she resided for the remainder of her life.

Ms. Pasibe had a huge impact on advancing the interests of the Filipino-American community. She was a leader, serving as vice president of the Agooenians of California, president of Fil-Ams of Benicia, and chair of the Lakbay Aral Program. Additionally, she helped to found both the Young Generations of Agoo and the Solano County Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce. Through her leadership, she helped to advance the prosperity and cultural expression of her community through projects like the Lakbay Aral Travel Study Program, a collaboration with the Fili Am Chamber and Philippine government to send Filipino-American teenagers to the Philippines, many for the first time, to connect with their roots through an immersive program.

Ms. Pasibe's dedication to her community further fueled her philanthropy, as she served as a certified court interpreter, traveling throughout much of California. Furthermore, she utilized her artistry and creativity to sell crafts at street fairs, with all proceeds going back to her home in the Philippines. Ms. Pasibe will be remembered by her selfless dedication to others.

Madam Speaker, Ms. Sophie Pasibe was a committed community advocate and exceptional leader who dedicated her life to serving the Filipino community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Cotati City Councilmember Wendy Skillman on the occasion of her retirement after more than eight years of dedicated service to our community.

Councilmember Skillman's record as a public servant traces back to 2008, when she first moved to Cotati. As a member of the city's Community and Environment Commission, she organized beloved events including the annual Christmas tree lighting and the ever-popular Pasta Feed and Bingo Night. After more than three years as the Commission's Secretary and later Vice Chair, she assumed the role of Cotati Planning Commissioner, where she developed strategies in cooperation with local businesses and homeowners to grow the city's economy while protecting its small-town charm. Those she worked with appreciated her ability to find common ground and advance solutions that served everyone's interests.

Following her initial foray into city politics, Councilmember Skillman ran a successful campaign for City Council in 2012. Focusing on affordable housing and championing local small businesses, she generated wide-spread community support that carried her to a resounding reelection victory four years later. Throughout her terms, she has prioritized cooperation and compromise, leading to many successes. Under her watch, the city emerged from its financial troubles, not only keeping public services operational, but expanding the Police Department, adding new Public Works employees, and kick- starting recreation programs. Well respected by her fellow Council Members, she served with distinction as the Vice Mayor of Cotati in 2014 and 2019 and as Mayor in 2015 and 2020. Her leadership, dedication, and tenacity will surely be missed by her colleagues and constituents.

Madam Speaker, Councilmember Wendy Skillman exemplifies the very best qualities that our community looks to in a leader. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor her here today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Cotati City Councilmember John Dell'Osso for his three terms of distinguished service. Our community is deeply grateful for his leadership and advocacy and congratulates him on a well-deserved retirement.

A resident of Cotati since 1986, Councilmember Dell'Osso has established himself as a pillar of our community. A National Park Ranger by profession, he worked at Point Reyes National Seashore for more than 35 years, serving as Chief of Interpretation and Resource Education and later as Public Information Officer until his retirement in 2019. In recognition of his exemplary efforts in this capacity, he was awarded the U.S. Department of the Interior's National Partners in Conservation Award in 2009 and the National Achieving Relevance Award in 2016.

Throughout his tenure in city government, Councilmember Dell'Osso has shown himself to be a leader among leaders. In addition to serving three terms as Cotati's Mayor, he sat as Chair of the Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Association in 2014, offering sage advice and wisdom to public leaders from across our community. A steadfast supporter of parks and open spaces, and an avid bird watcher, Councilmember Dell'Osso distinguished himself as an ally to conservationists in the city and beyond. As a strong advocate for public service, he has no doubt inspired many others to follow in his footsteps and fight for environmental stewardship, safer neighborhoods, and a stronger economy.

Aside from his professional and political life, he has also devoted himself to philanthropic causes. Councilmember Dell'Osso has given his time to numerous social benefit organizations, including stints as a board member of both the Rancho Cotate High School Graduation Project and Friends of the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. These pursuits further evidence his selfless dedication to our community.

Madam Speaker, the City of Cotati is indebted to Councilmember John Dell'Osso for his years of diligent public service. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor him here today.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 24, a resolution of impeachment against the President of the United States. Our institution of representative democracy is a beacon of hope for millions of people around the world and has been for nearly 250 years. Last week, the President changed all that when he incited domestic terrorists to tear that beacon down. He put the lives of every person in our Capitol at risk, including those in the presidential line of succession, Members of Congress, congressional employees and staff, and the men and women of the U.S. Capitol Police. The insurrectionists wanted to hang the Vice President, kill the Speaker and take Members of Congress hostage. They came frighteningly close to achieving their objective.

Make no mistake, the attack the President incited on January 6, 2021, was an illegal power grab. It was a criminal attempt to disrupt the certification of the Electoral College vote, to overturn the result of our Presidential election and to decimate our democracy. The President knew what he was doing. He knew the lies he spewed on Twitter, at his rally on the Ellipse and through his surrogates had the potential to inspire violence. He did not care. In fact, the President was reportedly delighted by the mayhem he unleashed. There has never been a more unconscionable act of sedition from a public servant, let alone a President of the United States.

This seditious act must have consequences. That's why, today, I am voting for the Article of Impeachment charging the President with inciting the January 6 insurrection. He must be held accountable. The Senate must swiftly convict and remove the President from office. He is too dangerous to remain another week.

Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States instigated an attack against our democracy.

For months, he ginned up his supporters with lies about our election and incited them to violence. On the 6th of January, he unleashed a mob on the Capitol.

The President must be held accountable for this vile attack. He knew what he was doing, and now, five people are dead.

Congress will not be intimidated. America will not succumb to mob rule.

The Vice President can initiate removal of a President who is unfit for office, and this President is unfit. He must be removed.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this resolution, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on impeachment tomorrow.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with the Honorable Jared Huffman, to recognize Western Farm Center as the recipient of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau's Friend of the Farm Bureau award. For 52 years Western Farm Center has been the premier feed stores that serves farms in the Santa Rosa area.

Western Farm Center was founded by brothers Larry and Lou Bertolini in 1967. The store is currently owned and operated by Lou's daughter Maria Bertolini Frampton and her husband Trevor Frampton, who is the general manager of the store. Western Farm Center has been a staple in Sonoma County for decades. The store provides essential feed, seed, and supplies to the surrounding rural community, as well as exceptional customer service.

For more than thirty years, Western Farm Center has worked alongside the Sonoma County Farm Bureau to bridge the rural and urban gap by bringing chicks and ducklings to the Farm Bureau's Ag Days, a celebration that introduces city children to the wonders of the farm community. Western Farm Center has provided straw and additional resources for other events held by the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.

Western Farm Center is known for being run by people who are generous and involved in our community. They frequently provide food and other supplies to Pony Express, All Aboard Dog Rescue, Sonoma County Animal Services, and Dogwood Animal Rescue. Western Farm Center played a large role in the days and weeks following the October 2017 wildfires. Along with their vendors, the store provided pet food, hay, and grain for cats, dogs, and horses that had been left homeless by the fires.

Madam Speaker, Western Farm Center is an important business in our community and has been aptly honored with the Sonoma County Farm Bureau's Friend of the Farm Bureau award. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor the store and its owners here today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with the Honorable Jared Huffman to honor the Beretta Family as the recipient of the 2019 Sonoma County Farm Bureau Luther Burbank Conservation Award, which recognizes an individual, business, or family that is committed to environmental stewardship. The Beretta Family Dairy has become increasingly environmentally friendly over the last 70 years.

The Beretta Family started focusing on their farm's impact on the environment in the 1950s. They stopped using chemical fertilizers, focused on pasture management, and committed to growing as much of their own feed as possible to reduce the amount of food that had to be trucked long distances. They currently produce 60 percent of the feed required for their 350 dairy cows, which not only helps the environment, but reduces the cost of feed as well. Starting in 1981, the Beretta family has used recycled water from the City of Santa Rosa to water the hay and silage on their 200 acres. By using recycled water, the family is conserving the groundwater in the aquifer underneath the Santa Rosa Plains. In 1992, the Beretta Family developed their

fertigation system which combined the cows' manure with the recycled city water and kept the manure from contaminating waterways. After they started using this system, their crop yields increased by one ton per acre. The Beretta Family Dairy was one of the first farms to collaborate with the City of Santa Rosa and the Sonoma Resource Conservation District on a nutrient offset project. The Beretta Family has hosted students from the Sonoma Resource Conservation District's FARMS (Farming, Agriculture, and Resource Management for Sustainability) Leadership program. They have provided opportunities to students that otherwise may not get to experience a working dairy.

The Beretta Family Ranch is currently operated by Doug and Sharon Beretta and their children Jennifer, Lisa, and Ryan. Lisa's son Brayden has shown an affinity for agriculture and may be the fifth generation of the Beretta Family to continue the family dairy business. In 2015, Doug Beretta, and the whole Beretta Family, were given the Water Quality Stewardship Award by the North Coast Water Quality Control Board in recognition of the family's management of water and resources on their dairy. Doug Beretta is the current Director and past President of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau and the Sonoma County Fair and is a member of the 4H Replacement Heifer Committee and the Youth AG and Leadership Foundation.

Madam Speaker, the Beretta Family is dedicated to environmental stewardship and has worked to make their dairy environmentally friendly over the last 70 years. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor them here today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with the Honorable Jared Huffman to recognize Tito Sasaki on his induction to the Sonoma County Farm Bureau Hall of Fame. His induction to the Hall of Fame signifies his commitment to Sonoma County's agricultural community and efforts to protect our 500,000 acres of cherished farmland.

Mr. Sasaki was born in 1938 in Tokyo, Japan. He has pursued his education in many different subjects and countries. He attended a seminary run by German Jesuits, studied mechanical engineering at a Japanese university, received a degree with honors in industrial design from the Royal College of Art in London, earned his Master of Science in Ekistics from Athens Technical Institute in Greece, completed postgraduate studies at the Institute of Traffic and Transpiration Engineering at UC Berkeley, and studied oceanography at the Scripps Institute at UC San Diego.

Mr. Sasaki has worked tirelessly on water issues in Sonoma County for over twenty years. He has devoted much of his time to developing water solutions and strategies, namely a balance between the water needs of farmers, fish, and urban residents. His work with the County was integral for the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Mr. Sasaki joined the Sonoma County Farm Bureau in 1985 after he and his wife bought their ranch and began to revive a neglected vineyard on the property. He has sat on the Sonoma County Farm Bureau Board of Directors for over fifteen years and was President of the Board from 2013 to 2014. He is also a member and past Chairman of Sonoma County Farm Bureau's Water Committee and a member of the Natural Resources Committee. In addition to his service at the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, Mr. Sasaki was a member of the Board of the Sonoma Ecology Center and is a member of the California Farm Bureau Federation Water Committee.

In addition to his contributions to Sonoma County Farm Bureau and our farming community, Mr. Sasaki is the President of Quantum Mechanics Corporation. Mr. Sasaki is known for his astute analytical skills, which he has employed in his work to help farmers and landowners.

Madam Speaker, Tito Sasaki is an integral member of our farming community and is deserving of his induction to the Sonoma County Farm Bureau Hall of Fame. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor him here today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize The French Laundry for providing 25 years of exceptional service and world-class cuisine to residents and visitors of Napa Valley, California and to honor the restaurant for its commitment to excellence for every dish prepared and every guest served.

Owner and Chef Thomas Keller began exploring his love of food cooking in restaurants in Florida and New York. He then honed his skills and talents at Michelin-starred restaurants in France. Chef Keller had dreamed of opening a destination restaurant specializing in French Cuisine in the Napa Valley and chose the historic two-story cottage in Yountville to open the French Laundry in 1994. The building dates from 1900 and is in the National Register of Historic Places, just one of the reasons the building is known locally and world-wide. Within several months of its opening, the restaurant's delectable cuisine and exquisite service was being recognized by publications such as the San Francisco Chronicle.

The French Laundry has received numerous hard-earned and well- deserved honors over the past 25 years. It was named the ``Best Restaurant in the World'' by Restaurant Magazine in both 2003 and 2004, earned the prestigious ``Outstanding Restaurant Award'' from the James Beard Foundation in 2007, and has received three stars, the highest possible rating, from the Michelin Guide every year since 2007. The French Laundry has also earned the Wine Spectator's Grand Award every year since 2007 and was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame in 2012. The French Laundry has become a world-renowned culinary destination and its international accolades highlight Napa Valley's outstanding culinary community.

Chef Keller is a revered internationally known chef and the only American born chef to earn multiple three-star ratings from the Michelin Guide. He has also received The Culinary Institute of America's ``Chef of the Year'' Award, the James Beard Foundation's ``Outstanding Chef'' and ``Outstanding Restaurateur'' Awards, and has been designated a Chevalier of The French Legion of Honor. For his menus he uses the finest fresh ingredients and wine from our community, bringing attention to the Napa Valley's agricultural heritage.

Madam Speaker, The French Laundry is an important restaurant and institution in our community that is committed to providing the best food and service to their guests. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor The French Laundry on its 25th anniversary.