Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Kevin B. Brewer of the Faith in the Word Christian Center in Twentynine Palms. It is an honor to serve the people of the Eighth Congressional District, particularly when so many people in the district are dedicated to serving others.

Dr. Brewer began his service in 1972 when he joined the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1976 after graduating from Ashland University in Ohio. Between 1976 and 1997, Dr. Brewer wore the ranks of Second Lieutenant and Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps, and it was during his overseas tour in Okinawa, Japan in 1979 that he rededicated himself to God and his calling to minister the gospel.

In March of 1985, Dr. Brewer began working part time as a pastor at Faith in the Word, and became the full-time pastor in 1989. Even as he was serving members of the Mojave Desert community, Dr. Brewer answered the call of duty once again in 1990, reporting for active military duty in Operation Desert Shield, before finally retiring from the USMCR in 1997.

After his retirement, Dr. Brewer has continued to serve members of his community as president of the local Ministerial Association and Rotary Club, in addition to his vital work as pastor.

Dr. Brewer is just one example of the many community members in the Eighth District who have chosen to serve in many ways, and I want to thank all of them for their service and for honoring me with the chance to represent them in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Mr. Nelson Draper, Sr. of Barstow California who passed away on Sunday September 22, 2013.

After being recruited to join the U.S. Marine Corps in 1944, Draper joined the ranks of 420 others who used their native language to aid the United States military in World War II. At the age of 25, Draper left his home on the Navaho Indian Reservation in Chinle, Arizona to become a Navajo Code Talker. At the time of his passing, aged 93, Mr. Draper was the sole Code Talker veteran in San Bernardino County. The Navajo language was chosen as a secret weapon in the United States' war efforts because it was impossible for a non-Navajo speaker to learn and it had no written form. Before the use of Code Talkers, it would take military personnel up to two hours to encrypt and decipher secret codes. In 2001, Draper was recognized with one of the highest awards bestowed by this body, the Congressional Silver Medal. After his retirement from the Marine Corps, Mr. Draper and his wife moved to Barstow where he worked at the Marines Corps logistics base for more than thirty years.

Today, I join with the City of Barstow and the whole country in remembering a great Marine, citizen, and family man. My thoughts and prayers are with Draper's wife, Lena, their seven children, thirty-five grandchildren, and forty-nine great grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th Anniversary of the Morongo Basin. It is the honor of a life time to be able to serve the people of the Eight Congressional District in Washington, D.C. As seen over the course of the Basin's 100 year history, this region maintains a strong sense of community and upholds many noble traditions. Today I am here to talk specifically about Ms. Mara Cantelo and the strong sense of volunteerism she brings to the community.

Over the past 100 years, there have been many shining moments to which we can remember the Basin. The year 2009 comes to mind when I think of its altruistic spirit. It was in 2009 that Mara Cantelo, a Coachella Valley native, received the Jefferson Award from the American Institute of Public Service in recognition of her steadfast and selfless efforts to help those who are less fortunate. Mara has been a paragon of benevolence in her community since 1984 when she co-founded Tender Loving Christmas with her mother Julie Tunstall.

As the name suggests, Tender Loving Christmas was dedicated to giving care and compassion, in the form of food, to those who needed it most in the holiday season. Since then it has grown to become Tender Loving Cause, and has taken to providing for the poor year round. This charitable labor of love has successfully fed nearly 3,500 impoverished people since its inception, and will undoubtedly serve thousands more in the future.

To the people of the Morongo Basin, thank you for including me in your 100 year project. The sense of volunteerism you and Mara bring to your community is admirable and a true beacon of inspiration to us all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Dr. Cheryl A. Marshall who will be inducted as the seventh president of Crafton Hills College on September 27, 2013.

Dr. Marshall has had a distinguished career in the field of education. Having received her doctorate of education from the University of Southern California, Dr. Marshall has spent ten of the last twenty years as an educator in positions of leadership, changing the lives of her students for the better. As a member of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership's Education Council, she has contributed to the region-wide effort to address educational gaps and prepare our students for a strong presence in the workforce. As a former educator, I believe it is her specialization in educational management, strategic planning, and performance management that sets her apart.

A firm believer in the intrinsic value of education, Dr. Marshall fully understands and appreciates the vital role that education plays in our society. Having secured close to $9 million dollars in grant funding during her career, she has been able to safeguard various programs and services would always be available in order for her students to succeed. During her tenure as Vice President of Instruction, Dr. Marshall ensured Crafton Hills College received full accreditation within just two years. Such dedication, exemplified by Dr. Marshall, makes Crafton Hills College an excellent institution of higher learning.

In closing, I'd like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Marshall, her husband Patrick and their two children on her inauguration. I look forward to seeing Crafton Hills College grow and prosper under her experienced direction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues Ken Calvert and Raul Ruiz to honor the memory of a friend of mine, Jack Gosch, who passed away late last month. As an active member of the Hemet, California, community, Jack was a natural salesman who lived a long, enthusiastic, and vibrant life. He contributed greatly over his lifetime to the economic success and vitality of the city, and will long be remembered.

Jack was born on June 26, 1928, in Norwich, Kansas. He attended Wilson High School in Long Beach and the University of California Los Angeles. He graduated from the university in 1951 with a business degree and served two years in the U.S. Air Force. Following his service managing a Post Exchange, he joined Ford Motor Company, where he worked his way up from an entry-level data position to general field manager for the Los Angeles region. In 1964, he established his first dealership in Hemet, California. In the following years he added to the Gosch Auto Group with new dealerships in Temecula and other cities throughout Riverside County.

During the 1970s, Jack was president of the Hemet Chamber of Commerce and the Hemet-San Jacinto Exchange Club. In 1974, Jack co- founded The Bank of Hemet, and through his retirement in 2001, Jack served as chairman of the board. He was also a founding board member of Valley-Wide Parks & Recreation District, which was established in 1972 and has since grown from one park to over 75 throughout San Jacinto, Menifee, and French Valley. He was a partner in many local businesses, such as Hemet Valley RV, Hemet Insurance, and the Valley Chronicle Newspaper, among others.

Jack is survived by his wife Gwenyth; sons Eric (Gisela) and Marc (Marie); grandchildren Courtney, Patrick, Kurt and Matthew; great- granddaughter Lily Mae, and sister Betty Davidson.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 121 on the ordering of the previous question for H. Res. 175, I am not recorded because I was absent due to a death in the family. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 122 on adoption of H. Res. 175, the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 1549, I am not recorded because I was absent due to a death in the family. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 123 on final passage of H.R. 360, I am not recorded because I was absent due to a death in the family. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of one of my constituents, Rita Vogler, who passed away last week from lung cancer. A valued member of the Hesperia, California community, Rita formerly served as mayor and a city councilwoman. She also furthered the interests of the City of Hesperia as an active member of the Hesperia Kiwanis Club and the National Federation of Republican Women.

Rita is just one of 1,660,290 people expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year, according to the American Cancer Society's statistics. Approximately 580,350 Americans will die of cancer this year, or 1,600 people per day. In my home state of California alone, 57,290 people are expected to die from cancer in 2013.

I hope Rita's death will remind my colleagues of the importance of our continued pursuit of a cure for this terrible disease. At the signing of the National Cancer Act of 1971, President Nixon declared war on cancer. In that year, 215,000 Americans died from cancer. Yet the number of deaths each year has more than doubled to reach the 2013 prediction, and even when adjusted for population inflation, incidence and death rates have not shown the evidence of the nation's efforts to eradicate the disease. More Americans continue to die, leaving family and friends behind to mourn their losses. In Rita's case, her death came barely two weeks after her diagnosis with lung cancer. However, I am encouraged by the progress made by researchers every year and hope that we continue to see strides forward.

Rita's friends describe her as kind and sincere, a mentor and inspiration to many, devoted to serving her community. She is survived by her husband Al and children Rocky and Allise.