Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, on March 12, 2010, I was unavoidably unable to cast my votes for rollcall 109, rollcall 110 and rollcall 111. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today with my colleague Representative Lynn Woolsey, to honor Alcalde Niels Chew, who was bestowed the title of honorary mayor of the City of Sonoma because of his commitment to his community and its citizens. The naming of an Alcalde, which means ``magistrate'' or ``mayor'' in Spanish, is a tradition that began in 1975 as a way to acknowledge the citizen of the year.

Niels is best known for his generosity, humility and his unwavering dedication to the causes he believes in, which is why he was selected from a long list of candidates. According to Niels, his father is responsible for instilling in him the value of service.

``During the Depression, no one in need ever came to our house and left empty handed,'' he said.

Niels embraces quite a history of community service to the City of Sonoma, dating back to 1984 when he and his wife Susan first moved to Sonoma. Since then, Niels has graciously shared his warehouse with many area non-profits who have stored their food and clothing donations in his facility.

As owner of Dowling Miner Magnets until 2004, he provided opportunities to Becoming Independent to train and support people with developmental disabilities.

Currently, Niels serves on the board of the Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation, Operation Youth, and the Sonoma Overnight Shelter. He was formerly the president of Kiwanis of Sonoma Plaza and trustee of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District.

One of his most notable and impactful service endeavors has been his continuous support of the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance as a dedicated mentor and founding board member. He is even credited with starting the organization because he added the organization's executive director to his payroll at Dowling Magnets so she could kick-off the mentoring program.

As a result of his initial investment, what began as a 10 hour weekly commitment at Flowery School blossomed into an organization that has been successfully connecting caring adults with at-risk students for more than 12 years.

``He has a heart the size of a continent, especially where kids are concerned,'' said Ms. Kathy Witkowicki, Executive Director of the Mentoring Alliance. ``We could never put a value on all that he has contributed to the Mentoring Alliance over the years, because it's priceless.''

Madam Speaker, Niels Chew's commitment to service is a powerful example of the positive difference one person can make. We are thankful for the charitable contributions made by this humble and thoughtful leader and philanthropist and we wish him continued prosperity as he spends time with his children and grandchildren.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding.

I am pleased that this legislation supports critical U.S. intelligence capabilities at a level higher than we ever have in past years. This bill improves the intelligence community's ability to understand hard targets, those countries that pose the greatest strategic threat to U.S. interests.

But it also increases funds for intelligence collections that will support U.S. policy decisions in other important regions such as Africa, Latin America, and Asia. We must continue to focus our resources on our priority targets, but we can't neglect emerging threats. This bill does both.

The bill also includes an amendment that I introduced in committee in conjunction with our colleague, David Price of North Carolina, to improve the effectiveness of interrogations and prevent a return to past abuses.

It calls on the Director of National Intelligence to evaluate scientific research on interrogations and assess how to improve our U.S. interrogators' training. It also requires the DNI to assess the ethics training provided to interrogators so they understand the boundaries within which they can operate.

Finally, the bill contains a provision that I sponsored that requires the newly created Inspector General of the intelligence community to study the intelligence community's electronic waste disposal procedures. This provision was designed to protect not just our environment, but also our security. The Inspector General must assess both the environmental impact of these practices and the steps taken to ensure that discarded devices do not contain sensitive information that our adversaries would be able to exploit.

Madam Chair, this legislation will strengthen the capabilities of our intelligence communities and makes our Nation safer.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Susanne Scholz on the occasion of her retirement as executive director of the Lake County Land Trust. Susanne is a tireless advocate for the environmental protection of Lake County who will be missed by everyone in the conservation community.

Mrs. Scholz grew up in Alberta, Canada and received her B.A. with honors in liberal arts from Sonoma State University. She was a founding member of the Lake County Land Trust in 1993 and became executive director in 2000. Mrs. Scholz is an accomplished writer as well; she is a popular local nature columnist who also authored an anthology of poems and short stories. Suzanne is an avid birder and a knowledgeable naturalist whose keen skills of observation have enhanced her connection to the land and ability to serve in her position.

Mrs. Scholz has not only dedicated her professional skills to the conservation movement but her personal time as well. She serves as the membership chair for Redbud Audubon Society and is a member of the Lake County Grading Ordinance Committee, Lake County Resource Advisory Committee for the Secure Rural Schools Program, and she is a former board member of the Anderson Marsh Interpretative Association.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, it is appropriate at this time that we thank Susanne Scholz for her years of dedication and service on behalf of Lake County. She has been an exceedingly intelligent, reliable and professional executive director of the Land Trust who oversaw a vast expansion of conservation in Lake County. I join her husband Jim in thanking Susanne and wishing her a lifetime of fulfillment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with my colleague Rep. Mike Thompson to honor the memory of Donna Cook Freeman of Bodega Bay in my district, an energetic community activist whose petite frame exuded a feisty kind of determination combined with warmth and humor that earned friends, political power and a long list of accomplishments.

Donna came to Bodega Bay a half century ago as a young, poor and pregnant fisherman's wife with two small children in tow. She left Bodega Bay and this earthly plain on October 30, 2009 after two weeks of farewell visits from at least 150 friends. She was 72.

Donna Cook Freeman became involved in local politics in the early 60s in one of the earliest environmental battles of the modern era, the fight over the planned construction of a nuclear power plant at Bodega Head. Donna and several other ``ordinary'' townspeople and their friends took on the giant utility, and ultimately won after they exposed the danger of building the plant directly on the San Andreas Fault.

Remaining active in coastal issues, she served on the California Coastal Commission's advisory board for the county's coastal plan. She campaigned for a local assessment to provide paramedics for the Bodega Bay Fire Protection District. Later she served three terms as a director of the Fire District. She was also a founder of the Bodega Bay Fishermen's Festival, and served as president and a director of the Bodega Bay Chamber of Commerce, and for a decade she served on the board of the Sonoma County Fair. She successfully fought for new port facilities for commercial and recreational fishermen that became Spud Point Marina.

She also created a special place in a scrub filled ravine at the foot of Bodega Head. She filled it with cool ferns, waving trees, rippling ponds, narrow foot bridges and a gazebo she salvaged from the set of Alfred Hitchcock's Bodega Bay-based classic film, ``The Birds.'' She called this sheltered refuge ``Compass Rose Garden,'' named both for the center of a compass and her mother. She raised her family in a cottage in the garden, and turned its verdant grounds into a place for weddings, family events, community celebrations and political fund raisers that both advertised and expanded her political influence.

She served on the Democratic State Central Committee, and her endorsement was gold to numerous political candidates courting west Sonoma County votes. She served a vital role in ushering in progressive politics to the county when she successfully managed the campaign of former Sonoma County Supervisor Ernie Carpenter.

Last month she was diagnosed with advanced liver cancer and as her life ebbed away, she made plans for a final celebration at Compass Rose Garden. It was not to be. Yet she leaves a legacy of progress, a legion of friends and a loving family that includes her husband, Clarence Freeman, her two daughters Melinda McLees and Melissa Freeman; three sons, Scott Freeman, Kevin Freeman and Steve Freeman; and their families which include seven grandchildren; as well as her brother James Cook and a sister Dorothy Cook Hewett, and their families.

Madam Speaker, Donna Cook Freeman brought creativity, vibrancy and determination to every endeavor she took on. She led by her powers of persuasion and her personal magnetism. She was born in the Depression, but was guided through her life by her joyous sense of possibility. When the boats are blessed at the next Bodega Bay Fishermen's Festival, we will think of her and recall a spirit that could rise above the waves.

Madam Speaker, on December 14, 2009, I was unavoidably unable to cast my votes for rollcall No. 969 and rollcall No. 970. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, Representative Lynn Woolsey, to honor the 100th anniversary of the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has long served as a spirited defender of the Valley's interests, by encouraging new industry, organizing beautification projects and managing flood control efforts.

The Chamber began the evening of April 10, 1909, when 32 businessmen convened over dinner to discuss how they could stimulate commerce for the benefit of local merchants and professionals.

Membership quickly grew to 100 and the Chamber began their first initiatives, like publishing marketing material and establishing committees to begin tackling an ambitious agenda. In the early years, the Chamber called for transportation improvements and successfully lobbied Congress to protect a local federal facility from closure.

During the Great Depression, the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce was instrumental in addressing needs of a paralyzed business community. To generate renewed interest in the organization, the Chamber hosted an event benefiting street and driveway improvements.

In the subsequent years, the Chamber pioneered many efforts, including the creation of a commuter bus service to San Francisco, the endorsement of a municipal water system, support for State Parks and advocacy for underground utility and telephone lines. Notably, the Chamber raised local matching funds for a job stimulus program that was part of President Roosevelt's New Deal.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Chamber was designated as a farm labor office tasked with steering workers to local farmers. In the years following the war, the Chamber focused on supporting an adequate sewage system, the introduction of local hospital and the adoption of a zoning plan. By mid-century, the Chamber hosted an industrial conference, boldly escalating efforts to bring new industry to the Valley.

Today the Chamber has expanded its membership to more than 700 leaders who continue to help ensure a thriving economy through advocacy, promotion, networking, education and services.

Operating under the mantra that ``Strong businesses make strong communities,'' the Chamber hosts events, publishes a business magazine and offers comprehensive business, community and visitor resources. The Chamber also leads recognition efforts, honoring the business of the year and green businesses.

Madam Speaker, it is appropriate at this time that we acknowledge the 100th anniversary of the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce. In years to come, this organization will remain an integral and powerful force that continues to enrich the business community for the benefit of all Sonoma Valley residents.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Cheyenne Spetzler, Chief Operations Officer of Open Door Community Health Centers, of Humboldt County, California. Ms. Spetzler has dedicated 30 years to providing quality health care for the people of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties.

Beginning as a volunteer, Cheyenne has worked at all levels of Open Door Community Health Centers, ultimately becoming responsible for daily operations of the clinic system. Under her leadership, the original part-time clinic staffed by volunteers developed into a comprehensive network of nine licensed facilities and mobile medical programs throughout the two counties. Ms. Spetzler led the team responsible for the addition of the Del Norte Community Health Center in 1990, the Eureka Community Health Center in 1991 and the Burre Dental Center in Eureka in 2003.

Today, the Open Door Community Health Centers provide medical, dental and mental health care to more than 40,000 individuals annually and employ a staff of more than 350. The Open Door network provides health care to approximately one-third of the total population from this large rural area the size of Connecticut, and is the largest safety-net provider in Northwestern California.

Ms. Spetzler has served the people of California as a long time board member of the statewide Reproductive Health Association and as a member of numerous state and local associations and committees. She also continues to promote healthy living through her passion for sports, including the development of women's soccer at Humboldt State University, first as a club team and later as a fully intercollegiate women's soccer team.

Cheyenne Spetzler is also a respected Mayan scholar who has taught Mayan Hieroglyphic Decipherment at the University of Texas at Austin and Humboldt State University in Arcata. She served as primary researcher for the NOVA television special ``Cracking the Maya Code'' released in 2008.

Ms. Spetzler is a respected member of the community, highly regarded for her successful efforts to develop health care facilities, which meet community health care needs through their focus on health education, access to care and prevention.

Madam Speaker, it is appropriate at this time that we recognize Cheyenne Spetzler for her unwavering leadership and dedication to improving the health of California's North Coast communities.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Shannon Boaz, wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend and inspiration to all who came in contact with her, who passed away November 21, 2009, after a long battle with leukemia.

Shannon was an extraordinary woman who did not let her terminal diagnosis dampen her fighting spirit. She was first diagnosed with leukemia in June 2008, but by December of that year, the disease had remarkably gone into remission. She immediately began working with the committee in her hometown of Healdsburg, California to organize the annual anti-cancer ``Relay for Life,'' which was held in June 2009 and was named the Relay's Survivor Honoree.

Fate intervened on the last day of the Relay when her doctors determined that her cancer had returned. During the last four months of her life, much of it spent in the hospital, she continued to work with and comfort other leukemia and cancer patients.

To family and friends, Shannon would often state that she had the perfect life with her husband, Healdsburg Fire Captain Jason Boaz, and their two young sons, Jackson and Austin.

Shannon was born in Los Angeles on November 22, 1970, and moved to Sonoma County when she was five years old. She graduated from Geyserville High School in 1988 and received a degree in Business Administration from California Polytechnic State University in 1993.

Following college, she worked as a flight attendant for United Airlines and was in the air on 9/11, flying from Boise, Idaho to San Francisco. Shannon took a furlough following 9/11 to raise her family and manage the construction of the family home in Healdsburg. She worked as a realtor at Full Spectrum Properties in Healdsburg for the last few years of her life.

Madam Speaker, Shannon Boaz was a respected and well loved member of the Healdsburg community who will be missed by her family and friends. It is therefore appropriate that we remember and honor her today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Norton Buffalo, a man of enormous musical talent, who passed away October 30, 2009, after a short battle with lung cancer. Although he is no longer with us, his music and his virtuosity as a harmonica player are gifts that will live on for generations to come.

Born 58 years ago in Oakland, California and raised in the blue collar streets of Richmond, California, Norton developed an appreciation for music from his father, a harmonica player in his own right, his mother, a nightclub singer, and his great-uncle, an Academy Award winning composer. He won his first talent contest in 1963 while in the 6th grade and he never looked back.

For decades he called Sonoma County home. His first solo album and tribute to his adopted home, ``Lovin' in the Valley of the Moon,'' was released in 1977. In addition to his own albums, he played on more than 180 albums by other artists and was a member of the Steve Miller Band for 30 years. He was a master of all genres, from jazz to rock to blues to honky tonk. He toured with such notables as the Doobie Brothers, Kenny Loggins, Olivia Newton John, Commander Cody, Mickey Hart, Jerry Garcia and slide guitar player Roy Rogers, as well as his own bands.

I was honored and privileged to know Norton as a friend, long after I was a fan. I grew up on his music and sought out his performances at small clubs and venues throughout Northern California. When we became friends many years later, I was touched by his compassion and his dedication to making the world a better place. He was a man with a heart to match his talent.

Norton was a performer to the end. He was on tour with the Steve Miller Band in August when he received his diagnosis and was writing songs just days before his death.

He is survived by his wife, Lisa Flores, his children, Aisah and Elias, his stepchildren, Sierra Ruelas, and Bo Winterburn, his father, Ken Jackson, and five brothers and sisters.

Madam Speaker, Norton Buffalo touched millions of people with his music and his talent. It is therefore appropriate that we remember and honor him today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3961, the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act.

We've all heard from our constituents how important their relationship is with their doctor. We have a system that works--over 45 million people across the country depend on Medicare for that doctor- patient relationship.

Yet every year this doctor-patient relationship is threatened by excessive cuts to Medicare reimbursement rates. Every year we wait until the last minute to address it in Congress. Meanwhile, patients worry that they will lose access to their doctors. And doctors worry about how they will be able to continue to serve their patients.

This bill will permanently fix this problem--so that we don't have to put patients and their doctors through this yearly ritual, and Medicare recipients will have continuous access to their doctors. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Sutter Lakeside Hospital of Lake County, California. On November 19th, 2009, Sutter Lakeside will be hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony for their new Mobile Health Services Unit.

The Mobile Health Services Unit project began over 2 years ago. Twenty percent of Lake County's residents and 31 percent of its children are living below the poverty line. This fact, combined with the county's rural nature, means an unacceptably high number of residents have no access to basic health care services. The Mobile Health Services Unit will ensure that these underserved populations receive the care they need, where they need it.

The entire Mobile Health Services Unit team at Sutter Lakeside deserves our thanks for their efforts in making this project a reality. In particular, a debt of gratitude is owed to Charlie Melo, owner of American Custom Coach, who provided the expertise and leadership that made this all possible. He was also so kind as to donate the unit's solar panels.

Madam Speaker, it is appropriate at this time that we honor Sutter Lakeside Hospital and thank them for their contributions to the citizens of Lake County. The new Mobile Health Services Unit is an invaluable addition to the community and all involved in making this happen are to be commended for their efforts.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my dear friend Mel Aust, General Manager of the Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District in Lake County, California. Mel is being honored this evening on the occasion of his 20th anniversary with the district.

Mel's contributions to the people of Lake County and California over the years are immeasurable. Mel was the driving force behind the water reclamation treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant to sustain build-out of the Hidden Valley Lake community. In 2001, his Community Services District helped build a ballpark at Coyote Valley Elementary School. He also secured $250,000 in labor grants to clean up Coyote Creek, Gallagher Creek and drainage ditches throughout the Hidden Valley Lake subdivision. He played a key role in crafting a letter that secured essential federal funding for the training and technical assistance HVLCSD offers to water and wastewater systems all over California.

The list of boards and commissions on which Mel has served is equally impressive. Locally, he serves on the Lake County Business Outreach Team, the Board of Directors of the South Lake County Fire District and the Board of Directors of the Toys for Kids program. Statewide, he served on the Association of California Water Agencies Federal Affairs committee and the California Department of Water Resources Drought Preparedness Committee. Mel also serves as California's representative at the National Rural Water Association and is on NRWA's Asset Development, Legislative and Conference Committees.

Mel is known across the state for his immense knowledge of complex water issues and his public speaking ability. He frequently lobbies in Sacramento and on Capitol Hill for the Association of California Water Agencies, American Water Works Association, California Rural Water Association and National Rural Water Association. He is the go-to speaker for these organizations when needed, often speaking to audiences of thousands with ease.

Madam Speaker, it is my distinct privilege to recognize Mel Aust for his many years of service to the people of California and to thank him for his many contributions on behalf of our country and our community. I am proud to call him a friend. I join his wife, Connie, and all of our colleagues in congratulating him on this milestone.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding.

Mr. Speaker and Members, for far too long too many Americans have not had access to quality, affordable health care. Because of this legislation, the millions of Americans who don't have health care or who are struggling to pay their health care bills will be able to get the care they need when they need it. Families, small businesses, and individuals will save money.

There will be no copays or deductibles for preventive care services. If you change jobs, you can take your coverage with you. You will not be denied coverage for preexisting conditions and families won't be bankrupted by high medical bills.

The bill will also help inject competition into the marketplace to help bring down the rising costs of health care insurance. The Medicare doughnut hole will be closed and the bill reduces the deficit by at least $30 billion over the next 10 years.

There is still a lot more work to be done, and we are going to fix the doctor reimbursement to ensure the best access for our seniors in regard to getting health care. Today is a historic day for all Americans. It moves us one step closer to quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, Representative Lynn Woolsey, to honor Lin Lipetz, the Sonoma Treasure Artist of the Year. Selected by the city's Cultural and Fine Arts Commission, Ms. Lipetz was chosen for her talents as a teacher and an artist as well as for her contributions to the community.

With an MFA from the University of Washington in ceramics, painting and textiles, a bachelor's degree in art from the University of Washington, and a bachelor's degree from San Jose State University in interior architecture, Lipetz has the academic credentials to back up her long experience as an artist. With drawings and beautifully colorful and joyous paintings ranging from abstract to landscape, she has exhibited frequently, both as a solo artist and with groups.

Her work is in numerous collections, and she has also won honors and grants including Friends of the Crafts in Seattle, Washington; National Endowments for the Arts High School Art Instruction in Missoula, Montana; and the Art Across the Valley Tour through the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art.

Her contributions to the City of Sonoma enrich the lives of its residents and add to the vibrancy of its arts community. She teaches painting and intuitive drawing at the Sonoma Community Center, is active with the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art and served as a commissioner on the Cultural Fine and Arts Commission.

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to celebrate Lin Lipetz's selection as Sonoma Treasure Artist of the year. We join the Sonoma community in our appreciation of her talents and her contributions.