Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of Beverly Ann Newell, a truly remarkable woman who enriched us all. Beverly's recent death has left her family and friends with a deep sense of grief, though the memory of her life still shines brightly.

Beverly was born in December, 1936 in Albuquerque N.M., the descendant of New Mexico and Colorado pioneers. She moved with her family to Seattle where she grew into a vibrant young woman. Beverly attended the University of Washington where she began her lifetime career in physical therapy. She quickly followed with a masters degree in physical therapy from Stanford University. Then in 1961, she found herself in Switzerland where she met a young traveling American student named Roger Newell.

In 1965, Beverly and Roger married and began a long honeymoon on the Newell family ranch in Big Sur. After living in the San Francisco Bay Area for a few years, they returned to Big Sur to raise their children Mark, Jonathan, and Annika. At the same time, Beverly became an integral part of the Big Sur community. She took active roles with the Big Sur Volunteer Ambulance Service and the Big Sur Historical Society. And in an effort that has had tremendous long term value, Beverly helped co-found the Big Sur Land Trust, which has played a pivotal role in the intervening years in preserving Big Sur's incomparable natural landscape.

As their children entered high school, Beverly and Roger moved up the coast to the Monterey Peninsula. Beverly became active with her church, Mayflower Presbyterian, where her deep faith helped her serve many years as a deacon. As her children grew and moved away, Beverly returned to her professional life as a physical therapist working with elderly patients in local nursing homes as well as people suffering from cerebral palsy. She also devoted herself to the lives of her grandchildren: Kyler, Micaela, Ohanapecosh, and Tole.

Beverly was the sort of person who had a tremendous influence on the lives of the people around her. She was invariably kind and loving. People's lives were enriched from the simple joy of being with her. She was also inexhaustibly creative. She was a phenomenal pianist who could play just about anything from ear. She also loved creating beauty with her hands whether through weaving, sewing, ceramics, gardening, or many other ways.

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for the whole House in offering our condolences to Beverly's family and friends. While we mourn her death, we celebrate the gift that her life was to all of us. The world is a far better place because Beverly lived her life with her own particular style of love and joy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Bob Lee, a champion for justice who committed his life to public service and worked tirelessly to assure that the Central Coast of California is a safe place to live for all.

Bob launched his career in 1985 as a prosecutor in Monterey County before joining the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office in 1988, where he served as Assistant District Attorney for fourteen years. Bob was a notably gifted trial attorney, having never lost a case in Santa Cruz County.

Bob was elected Santa Cruz District Attorney in 2002. As District Attorney, he made significant structural improvements to the District Attorney's Office. He led efforts in developing and strengthening specialized units that prosecuted gang members, violent criminals, sex offenders, and cases involving environment and consumer protection abuses. Bob also played a pivotal role in establishing the Santa Cruz County Gang Task Force, which centered on the containment of gang activity and prosecution of gang members.

A native of Santa Cruz, Bob was the youngest of four brothers. He earned a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Public Administration from California State University of Sacramento in 1980. His Juris Doctorate was obtained only four years later from the University of Santa Clara.

After a long and brave battle with cancer, the Central Coast of California mourns the loss of one of its strongest leaders. Bob will be remembered for his incredible achievements in building a safer and more thriving environment in Santa Cruz County. He gave his life to his service and his fervor for justice will forever remain unmatched. The District Attorney's office will certainly cherish Bob's unforgettable dedication and will continue to carry out his resolute spirit in future pursuits. Bob was also an amazing family man, and is survived by his wife, Barbara Lee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of an accomplished seeker of justice and loving husband, District Attorney Bob Lee. His life, legacy, and service to Santa Cruz County will never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the retirement of a distinguished public servant who I am proud to call a friend, Ambassador Rick Barton, Assistant Secretary for State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. On September 30, Ambassador Barton will end this chapter of a

long and venerable public service career. Without question, he leaves behind a legacy of diplomacy and peace.

Ambassador Barton has crisscrossed the world, going to the most neglected corners of the globe to promote stability and security. He led independent reviews of Iraq reconstruction; developed civilian strategies for Iraq, Sudan, and Sri Lanka; and initiated trail-blazing approaches to conflict resolution in Pakistan and Nigeria.

As the first Assistant Secretary of CSO, Ambassador Barton put a laser-sharp focus on innovation and locally-driven solutions to break cycles of violent conflict. Under his direction, CSO has harnessed the power of mass communications and advanced analytics to drive ground-up initiatives in Syria, Burma, Honduras, Bangladesh, Kenya, and Nigeria. Not surprisingly, he was honored in 2013 with a Distinguished Honor Award from the State Department ``in recognition of [his] groundbreaking work to create the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilizations Operations, promote peacebuilding and empower women, youth and other change agents.''

Prior to CSO, Ambassador Barton served as the U.S. Representative to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, co-director of the Post-Conflict Reconstruction Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Deputy High Commissioner of the United Nations Refugee Agency, and founding Director of USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives. Ambassador Barton's diplomatic career began as an election trainer and observer in Latin America, a region that is dear to both our hearts.

Mr. Speaker, as war and conflict raged around the globe, Ambassador Barton has been a stalwart advocate for peace. Ambassador Barton, as you head off to the Great State of Maine--where you made your mark both in the Democratic Party and on the squash court--I honor your tremendous public service. The world is better for your work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor N. Michael Rucka, an important community leader whose entrepreneurial spirit, tenacity, and ethical standards enriched the lives of his family, law partners, friends, and clients. Mike was a dear friend and wonderful mentor. He was the very essence of life, compassion, generosity, and curiosity. World affairs and domestic politics were always on Mike's mind and he was never shy about sharing his thoughts with me. Mike passed away on July 28, 2014, after struggling with cancer. His passing has left a huge empty space in those of us who knew and loved him. But what we will remember the most is the way he enriched so many lives and made the Monterey Bay Area, and indeed the world, a better place.

Mike was born on October 3, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, Nettie and Arthur, soon moved to Los Angeles and then settled in San Francisco. Mike graduated from Lowell High School before attending the University of California, Berkeley. Following his graduation from UC Berkeley and the University of San Francisco School of Law, Michael relocated to the Monterey Peninsula in the 1970s. There, he worked ambitiously alongside his friends Emmet O'Boyle, Alfred Lombardo, and J. Andrew McKenna to develop the Rucka, O'Boyle, Lombardo, and McKenna Law Firm in Salinas, California.

Mike devoted every day to representing injured parties in matters of workers compensation and Social Security disability. Mike won the Granado Case before the California Supreme Court, thus establishing the rule that temporary disability and medical treatment are not subject to apportionment. Thanks to his work, this rule has benefited all injured workers since.

Michael co-founded and acted as one-time National Chair of the Workplace Injury Law & Advocacy Group. He also served as the President of the California Applicant's Attorneys Association from 1975 to 1976. In 1993, Mike received the Eugene Marias Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mike was uniquely respected both in this community, throughout California, and by his peers throughout the country. In a small block of marble in his office is a short handled hoe, presented to Michael in honor of his instrumental work and help in getting the back-breaking short handled hoe banned from the agricultural fields of California. He donated his time, resources and energy to organizations that are committed to advancing the rights of injured workers and others who need a voice.

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for the whole House in honoring Mike's lifetime of achievement and in extending our heartfelt condolences to his friends, and family members, including his wife Corry, daughter Brandy, sons Greg and Nick, and his grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Santa Cruz resident Irving C. Weil on the occasion of his 100th birthday. I have had the great pleasure to know Irving as a community activist and political campaign volunteer. He has made his life an example of compassion and civic action for every citizen to emulate. I have had the honor of having a flag flown above the Capitol in honor of Irving in recognition of his many years of service.

Irving was born on August 27, 1914 in Brooklyn New York. During WWII he served in England as part of the U.S. Army, Medical Service Corps. He returned to the Army during the Korean war where he oversaw a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, popularly known as a MASH. Following the Korean war, Irving continued to serve in the Army with postings in Germany and Fort Ord, from where he concluded his Army career in 1968.

Following his retirement from the Army, Irving moved to Los Angeles, where he pursued a college degree. He was then employed by the Mobil Oil Corporation as a chemist and supervisor. Irving later relocated to the Monterey Bay Area where he became active in the local community, particularly with Temple Beth El. He is the recipient of the B'nai B'rith ``Akiba Award'' for extraordinary service to his Jewish faith and heritage. And even as he turns 100, Irving is active with the Santa Cruz County singing group called the DOGS (Dominican Oaks Guys Singing).

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for the whole House in wishing Irving a happy birthday and conveying our gratitude for his service to the United States. The world is a better place because of his efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 25th anniversary of the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance of California (NIAC), a remarkable organization that provides essential risk-management services to enable nonprofit organizations to meet the needs of our citizens and contribute to our economy.

NIAC was conceived by Pamela Davis in her Master's thesis at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Public Policy in 1987. Despite no insurance background, she recognized the growing inability of nonprofit organizations to obtain necessary insurance coverage from commercial insurers. This, in turn, limited nonprofits' ability to fulfill their missions of service to our communities. During the mid-1980s, many insurance companies dropped coverage for nonprofits when, at the same time, evidence of insurance was required as a condition of providing government funded services to communities. As a result, nonprofits lost funding and were unable to offer many essential services to children, seniors, and our most fragile citizens because the insurance industry believed that the risk posed by these operations was too great.

Ms. Davis challenged insurance companies to produce data that would demonstrate the riskiness of nonprofit operations. When no such information was forthcoming, she concluded that the risk of nonprofits had not been properly evaluated. Looking ahead, she proposed that the nonprofit sector could better serve its own insurance needs by pooling together and creating their own insurance companies--essentially self- insuring each other.

The Davis thesis led directly to the formation of NIAC. It was published by the California Community Foundation and widely distributed as a possible solution to a difficult problem. With California Association of Nonprofits serving as fiscal agent, Ms. Davis spent two years raising funds and putting together all of the required infrastructure for NIAC. On November 1, 1989, with loans of $1.3 million from foundations including Ford and Packard, NIAC's charitable risk pool welcomed its first member-insured.

Now, 25 years later, NIAC insures 8,500 nonprofits in California and holds an A (Excellent) rating from AM Best. It has demonstrated not only that nonprofits are eminently insurable, but also that the insurance prices that were being charged during the mid-1980s were too high. NIAC successfully reduced prices over its 25 years and returned $31 million in dividends to its 501(c)(3) nonprofits because of better than expected claims experience. Those nonprofits have, in turn, been able to use those funds to bring more services to their communities.

Congress, in consideration of the public benefits provided by the nonprofit sector, passed legislation in 1996 to grant organizations like NIAC 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. By this legislation, Congress recognized the value of keeping funds at work in the nonprofit community.

Heeding the call in the late 1990s to assist nonprofits outside of California, NIAC was instrumental in creating the Alliance of Nonprofits, Risk Retention Group (ANI). ANI's formation in 2000 was enabled with grants of $10 million from the Gates and Packard foundations. The company now insures nearly 5,000 nonprofits in 30 states for all types of liability insurance, just as NIAC has done in California.

In her thesis, Ms. Davis had proposed that if more resources could be allocated to providing training and risk management assistance, fewer accidents would occur and less money would be needed to pay for claims and litigation. From their inceptions, NIAC and ANI have provided free services to help nonprofits avoid injury and accidents to their clients and members of the public. They provide free driver training, webinars, in-person consultations and many, many other services to help nonprofits do their work more efficiently and safely. These programs have demonstrated the success of that idea.

Mr. Speaker, I have supported NIAC's efforts through its history and have watched the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance Group grow in its ability to serve our vital and vibrant nonprofit sector. Too often we fail to acknowledge the work of people and organizations who are dedicated to serving our community needs and making our neighborhoods a more livable and tolerant place for all of us. Today, I would like to recognize NIAC and its dedicated employees and volunteer board members for their work to help strengthen an important part of our economy-- nonprofit organizations.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 15, which is a bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform bill first brought to us by President Bush, a bill to properly address the humanitarian crisis at the border.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and career of a remarkable American who has spent the last half century helping to turn food into public art. John Pisto is one of the original celebrity chefs. He is part of the cutting edge group of restaurant professionals who have brought the creativity,

artisanship, art, and excitement of America's best professional kitchens to the attention of the general public. And in doing so he has helped make his hometown of Monterey, California, one of the world's finest culinary treasures.

Chef Pisto was born in Syracuse New York, on October 16, 1941. His Italian immigrant parents, Santo and Santa Pisto, soon moved to Monterey, CA where Santo worked as a tailor for the Naval Postgraduate School. After graduating from Monterey High School, Pisto began work as a line cook at a fish house on Fisherman's Wharf, adjacent to Monterey harbor. Within a couple years he had learned, saved, and bought the place. The fish house began to acquire a large local following and soon celebrities such as Clint Eastwood and Doug McClure began flocking to what was one of the few wharf restaurants that actually served fresh fish harvested from the Monterey Bay.

After years of working as a top line chef, Pisto found his calling in developing new restaurants. Pisto first established Domenico's on the Wharf in the late 80's, then followed up with the Abalonetti Seafood Trattoria, followed by Paradiso Trattoria, and finally the Whaling Station. Located in the heart of Monterey's famous Cannery Row, Pisto's Whaling Station has earned an international reputation for some of the world's best steaks and freshest seafood. Each of these creations have both boosted the Monterey Peninsula's dynamic tourism industry and added to Monterey's hometown charm for its own residents.

However, Pisto is best known as the host of ``Monterey's Cookin' Pisto Style''. His unique style of cooking brings simplicity to recipes thought difficult to prepare, always with a touch of humor and informality. Pisto will often take viewers on adventures to culinary exploits around the world, then return to kitchen to prepare a recipe related to the excursion. The show has been filmed in China, Tunisia, Italy, France, Thailand, Portugal, Spain, Costa Rica, and Croatia, as well as dozens of U.S. locales. Celebrity guests have also been brought onto to the show, such as the legendary Julia Child, renown chef Charlie Trotter, musicians Michael Bolton, Johnny Rivers, Sammy Hagar, racing legend Mario Andretti, and the past Secretary of Defense and personal friend, Leon Panetta.

As Pisto slows down his schedule after years of dynamic work, it is appropriate to reflect on how much he has enriched our lives. And while he may let his business involvement cool down to a low simmer, I know that Pisto will continue to enrich the community that has benefited so much from his efforts over the past 50 years.

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for the whole House in offering John Pisto, his wife Cheryl, son Dana, and daughters Kim and Gia our gratitude and best wishes. Buon appetito!

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of the House the powerful effect that National Night Out has on our communities' continued unity and success. Next month, we will celebrate the event's 30th anniversary.

The annual event was started in 1984 by the National Town Watch Association in order to incite local cultural and philanthropic interests in the name of crime prevention and promoting deeper community relations. On Tuesday, August 7, 1984, 2.5 million Americans participated across 400 communities in 23 states.

Presently, through the efforts of thousands of hard-working Americans with those missions in mind, National Night Out comprises 37.8 million people across 16,124 communities in all 50 states, U.S. Territories, Canadian cities, and military bases around the world.

My district contains the City of Salinas, an agricultural hub, providing fresh produce throughout the United States. The City of Salinas struggles with crime and, as often follows, social splintering among residents--partially due to gang-related violence. But time and time again, my constituents and organizations in the community come together to support each other and to remind the community that peace is the answer. This year the City of Salinas' National Night Out has approximately 30 organizations taking part in the Community Safety Fair and Peace March. Some of the organizations include: A Time for Grieving and Healing, Second Chance, County of Monterey, Clinica De Salud del Valle de Salinas, Monterey County Rape Crisis Center, Natividad Medical Center, Partners for Peace, Peacock Acres, United Farm Workers Foundation, United Way, and Sun Street Centers that are dedicated to creating unity and peace in the community.

Mr. Speaker, National Night Out will spread the message of unity and positive energy to communities throughout the United States, including Salinas, the way Salinas has shared Salinas-grown fresh produce throughout the country. I commend all of the participants taking part in National Night Out on their contribution to the worthy goal of eliminating crime and encouraging deeper community relations.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today in the well to appeal to my Republican colleagues about this debate, which isn't about the underlying bill, it is about the rule. You ought to all be worried. We all ought to be worried. This rule is a sham to the institution of Congress.

I am an appropriator, and I am proud to do that. We respect the jurisdiction of all other committees. That is why we have standing committees. We don't do their business.

This rule ignores all the standing committees in Congress. This rule says you can write a bill in the darkness of night. Nobody has read it. No Republicans read it, no Democrats read it. You can pick it up in the hallway here. I read it this morning.

The rule waives all points of opposition, which we say in this rule, ``All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived.''

All points--that means all the ideas of all the committees that are supposed to be writing these bills. Nobody is going to be thanked if they vote for this. First of all, nobody is going to thank you for voting for the rule because it does so many things that misjudge the purpose of Congress, misappropriate the purposes of Congress, which is to have transparency and allow people to get into the debate.

Nobody who understands the problem in the embassies of the host country was able to testify. Nobody in the administration who deals with the border was able to testify. No Member of Congress who has some knowledge about this was able to testify. This bill says: So what? We wrote the bill, and you just have to accept it, and if you any objections, we waive all those points of orders.

So the rule does a disservice to Congress, and it ought to be rejected.

Secondly, on the bill, when you get to it, if it isn't rejected-- first of all, if we reject the rule, nothing is broken. We can fix it. We can make it better because no own is going to thank you for voting for this.

Just to show you how outrageous it is, it says to the host countries that: we are going to give you money, but you have 15 days to convene your legislatures and enact legislation, secure your borders, and make sure everything is secure.

You couldn't do that in Washington in 15 days, much less essentially Third World countries. There are all kinds of provisions in here that don't make any sense and don't help fix anything that is broken, and for all the testimony you have just heard, there are a lot of other things that need to be addressed that aren't in this bill.

So my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, the best thing we can do to respect this institution is to reject this rule and vote ``no.''

Thank you, Madam Ranking Chair, for yielding.

I rise, Madam Speaker, on this bill with great concern. I am bringing a lot of passion to this debate because I lived in the barrios like the ones the children are coming from when I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Latin America, very violent barrios.

Look, this is not a border crisis. It is not a border security issue. This is a humanitarian crisis, and it is caused by problems on both sides of the border. Our country has a lot at fault here because we have not addressed comprehensive immigration reform, which means we have 11 million people living in the United States undocumented.

They are essentially incarcerated in this country. They are not allowed to go home because the minute they go home and try to get back to the United States, they get arrested, and they are not allowed to ever return, or they are barred for 10 years from returning.

So what happens, Madam Speaker? They have been living here for years and years. They have children that they left because there were job opportunities here, and those children are now living in places that are really dangerous, and all of a sudden, yeah, things have changed. They have got to get out.

These countries are ranked number one, four, and five of the highest murder rates in the world. They leave them because there are real, serious humanitarian crises. They are showing up on our border. They are not sneaking across the border.

There is nobody having to go out there for these kids trying to sneak in. They are throwing themselves--help me, help me find my relative, my dad, my parent, my mom--in this country.

What does this bill do? It doesn't address the humanitarian problems at either end. It hires more cops and puts military in there, National Guardsmen.

Now, if that is such a great idea, why is California--with probably the busiest border in the world with Mexico--not putting its National Guard down there? Our Governors and our mayors don't think it is necessary.

Madam Speaker, why are we putting more money in for National Guard? We don't need the National Guard. We need Red Cross--it is a humanitarian crisis--Red Cross. No, we are putting more and more money for arms and more money for military and cops. I don't think that is the right answer.

We are also doing something really dumb. We are stripping a law now that says when we give money to these countries--by the way, before you spend this money on your cops and on your military, you have got to vet them. We have a human rights standard. This bill throws that out.

You don't have to do that now. We are going to give you $40 million of American taxpayer money, and you don't have to do anything to abide by human rights. Now, that is really dumb, and I don't think American taxpayers want their money spent that way.

Madam Speaker, I am going to call upon my colleagues here not to come down here and think of themselves in a partisan way or an election year way, but come to this floor when you have to vote on this bill and think of yourself as a parent, as a neighbor.

A kid has knocked on your door, and you go to the door and say: Oh, my God he is crying, or she is crying. You say: What happened? They say: In my house, they are raping people and killing people, and I am running away. This bill says: Oh, what is your address? I will take you home.

Don't vote for it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 105. From day one, I have used my voice and my vote to promote peace in Iraq. Now, more than ever, that country and its citizens deserve peace. Accordingly, any decision to escalate our military involvement in this war-torn country must be careful, deliberative, and include Congress. I was proud to be one of the first cosponsors of H. Con. Res. 105, which stipulates that ``the President shall not deploy or maintain United States Armed Forces in a sustained combat role in the Iraq without specific statutory authorization for such use enacted after the date of the adoption of this concurrent resolution.''

There is no question that sectarian violence in Iraq poses a grave danger to both the country and region's stability. But before military options are put on the table, we must exhaust every possible diplomatic solution. Diplomacy and debate leads to lasting peace and stabilization, and at this point, I do not believe that sending more of our brave women and men to Iraq will win the peace. And I know I am not alone in this call for peace. But while it is one thing to express the desire for peace, it is a perhaps more daunting task to do what it takes to achieve peace. Change is afoot in Iraq's leadership, and I am hopeful they can move swiftly towards a more inclusive government that reflects the diversity of religions and prioritizes the meaningful stability and security for all citizens.

I will continue to watch this situation closely and insist that Congress be consulted for any matter involving U.S. military involvement. The stakes are too high and the cost is too great. I strongly urge you to vote in favor of this resolution.

Thank you very much for yielding. Thank you for your leadership on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill for many reasons. The first reason is that America needs to market itself. You think that, oh, everybody loves America, but I found in my travels in talking with people that not everybody has the same opinion about America. Right now, if you turn on your television, the rest of the world is trying to get people who live in this country to go travel to their country--go to Spain; go to the Caribbean; go to New Zealand; go everywhere; go to Canada. It is all trying to get our people to be tourists in their country.

Well, finally, we did something about it. We have been doing this in agriculture for a long time. With the Agricultural Marketing Act, we decided, well, let's market America. Let's tell people what this great country is, how you can get here, and what you are going to see when you get here. It has had a tremendous effect. It really has. It, to me, is the biggest jump-starter for jobs that we can do because tourism is everywhere. It is all those things. It is little restaurants. It is museums. It is essentially Washington, D.C., from parks to rivers to everything. That is what America is made of.

There is also, I think, in this hot world right now, this complicated world--the news is full of bad stuff, and, unfortunately, America, because of all our movies and television, also has an opinion of people this is the most dangerous country in the world to visit. We have got to get over that, because everybody who comes here finds that it is not true at all. It is very friendly people and wonderful help. So it is very important. It is kind of foreign policy to say: Come on, come see this great country, this little pillar of the world, and meet the people.

Next year, we are going to have the 100th anniversary of our National Park System. We are the only country in the world that has a national park system like this one. They are the most beautiful places in America.

I would suggest that, frankly, this is a great, bipartisan product. Mr. Bilirakis and I have been cochairs of this Tourism Caucus. We have been trying to get every Member to join. It was interesting; we got more Democrats to join the caucus than Republicans. And hopefully now with this bill and this sort of discussion of how important this is to your local districts, and there is isn't a chamber of commerce in the United States that isn't watching this vote and hoping that we will pass this bill because those tourists, just like politics, all of it is local. All tourism is local. They go to some community, and they go to the main street and they help the small businesses.

I represent a pretty remote area of California called Big Sur, a beautiful coastline. The foreign tourists are carrying the economy of that area by their visits. The Europeans are visiting it in greater numbers than ever before. If you talk to any of the merchants, they will say, but for that European travel after the recession we have had, we wouldn't be recovering like it is.

So I want every Member of Congress to join our caucus because what do we do? Caucuses produce things. We produced this reauthorization, a bill, and Mr. Bilirakis as cochair carried it, and he has done a tremendous job. It is important that we focus for a moment on the importance of tourism as an industry just like steel, electronics, and airlines, but it is made up of all these other parts. That industry is in every single congressional district. If this is the tide that lifts the ships that bring the tourists here, it is also the tide that will help leave that tourist tax dollar, that tourist expenditure dollar in our local community and hire people to be a service-oriented industry.

So I applaud our colleagues in Congress for reauthorizing. We have done this before without controversy because it is a pay-for. It is already paid for. It is not a tax. It is a fee that is levied on tourists coming to this country to get a visa, and a portion of that fee then goes into paying for this promotion. So it is a win-win. It is a job promotion, and it is good for everybody. I hope we get a unanimous vote on both sides of the aisle, and I hope those that vote for it will also join the Tourism Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, I am pleased to see the House of Representatives take up the Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014 today. I want to thank my caucus co-chair, Rep. Gus Bilirakis, for introducing this legislation to reauthorize Brand USA--our nation's Destination Marketing Organization or DMO.

This legislation will allow our country to continue its success in the international travel and tourism market, bringing greater numbers of international visitors to our shores. These travelers provide a substantial boost to our economy and produce many U.S. jobs. Did you know that international visitors coming to the United States are measured as an export? They are, and travel and tourism is the top export industry. Number One! Seventy million international visitors, spending over $180 billion, have produced a trade surplus every year since 1989--and Brand USA is a crucial part of this. Brand USA's most recent annual report showed that FY13 saw an increase of 1.1 million visitors. That increase brings an additional $3.4 billion in spending to our economy and supports over 50,000 new jobs.

International visitors are drawn to America's well known destinations like New York, Los Angeles, Orlando, and Chicago. And yet, it is our ``amber waves of grain'' and ``purple mountain majesties'' that attract travelers to all corners of our country. Our scenery sells us to the world and the upcoming 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service will highlight some of our most notable scenery.

Brand USA's efforts bring substantial benefits to our economy with a return on investment of more than 30 to 1. If only my investments did this well. This unbeatable value is done at no U.S. taxpayer expense. Funding for this program is provided by the international visitors who come to the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I like to point out that travel and tourism is in every state, every territory, and congressional district across this country, and I encourage all my colleagues to join Rep. Bilirakis and myself in supporting America's travel and tourism industry by voting aye for this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the House's attention the wonderful work of a California resident, Joyce Stevens. She is an environmentalist for all seasons and has done more in her quiet manner than any other single person in our community. She was a leading figure in the creation of the Big Sur Land Trust, the Monterey Bay State Seashore, the Fort Ord Beach State Park lands and numerous local parks and sanctuary lands protections. The residents of and visitors to the Monterey Bay region have Joyce to thank in no small way for the natural beauty they enjoy.

Joyce was born in Seattle, Washington in 1927. She graduated from the University of Washington in 1954 with a degree in architecture. Encountering gender discrimination in this ``man's field,'' and looking at the experiences of female civilians working for the government, she decided that she would be happier in that environment. As a single mother, she moved to Carmel, California in 1962 and took a job as Post Engineer at Fort Ord, working there until her retirement more than 20 years later.

One of Joyce's proudest achievements was designing the Post Chapel at Fort Hunter Liggett. It is located near the Hacienda, which was designed by another female California architect, Julia Morgan. She also convinced (pestered, actually) the army into protecting some rare native plant habitat at Fort Ord. Because of her persistence she had the satisfaction of seeing Fort Ord receive ecology awards.

Joyce's commitment to the community is unparalleled. She appointed herself full-time activist to save everything we all love about the Monterey Peninsula. As chair of the Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club, she was devoted to protecting our local natural setting. She served on the Board of Trustees of Big Sur Land Trust, which is dedicated to preserving the wild lands of Big Sur. Joyce joined Pine Watch to educate people about the significance of our native Monterey Pine Forest, with the goal of creating a Monterey Pine State Park. She also created the Hatton Canyon Coalition to preserve the scenic beauty of Carmel and the canyon. But of all her work, my personal favorite was the time she spent with my father, the late State Senator Fred Farr, in forming the Odello Land Acquisition Fund, or OLAF, to preserve the open space at the mouth of the Carmel River. That land now forms the heart of Carmel River State Park.

For over 20 years Joyce served on the Carmel Area Wastewater District. She became known as the ``Sewer Queen'' for her work to save the Carmel River by encouraging the increased use of treated wastewater and thus reduce pumping from the river. She formed the Dunes Coalition to save the Monterey Bay

shores from development. Eventually this concept grew into the Monterey Bay State Shore.

Joyce Stevens has spent her life ensuring that the quality of life on the Monterey Peninsula be improved through sound land use management. She brings a voice of reason to every debate knowing so well the value aesthetics plays in our communities and the role resource protection adds to its economic value. Through interpretation, the education process is enhanced allowing the political leaders to enact best management practices. For all of us in elected office, her gift is our gain.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Members of the House we thank her for her leadership, showing one person can make a difference, and wish her the happiest of birthdays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey. Established in 1984, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Monterey is a faith- based, nonprofit social service agency providing aid to individuals and families in the four California Central Coast counties of Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito, and San Luis Obispo. Formed with a mission to assist individuals and families of all backgrounds and beliefs by providing them with tools, training, and resources to help meet basic necessities for life, Catholic Charities also provides information and referrals to social service agencies in each community it serves.

The people of California's Central Coast are fortunate to be served by this distinguished organization. Serving over 20,000 individuals annually, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Monterey provides help and creates hope through its three core areas of service: Mental Health Counseling, Immigration and Citizenship, and Family Supportive Services. By taking into account the whole person as well as the family and life situation, the organization takes a holistic approach to helping people change their lives, rise up out of poverty, and overcome the barriers to self-sufficiency. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Monterey is affiliated with Catholic Charities USA, the nation's largest social services network that serves more than seven million people each year. Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey is dedicated to addressing the root causes of poverty and participates in the Campaign to Cut Poverty, part of a nationwide effort started by Catholic Charities USA, and collaboration with coalitions of community- based organizations, interfaith allies, government representatives, and business leaders in the four counties of the Diocese of Monterey to cut poverty in half by 2020.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Monterey is one of the few non- profit organizations in the region that is certified by the Board of Immigration Appeals, which is the highest administrative body responsible for recognizing and accrediting organizations that practice before the immigration courts. They provide guidance for those who struggle in achieving lawful permanent residence status and those who wish to become citizens of our nation. Catholic Charities staff are a significant resource in our communities known for their experience in the processes of becoming legal residents and/or citizens. Staff ensures full and accurate assistance for the current and ever growing, caseload of 5,000 clients annually in addition to over 9,000 services for consultation, replacement of legal permanent cards, work authorization renewal, applications for U.S. citizenship and English translation of certificates of birth, marriage, divorce, death and adoption. In the fall of 2013, Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey assisted 400 youth and young adults with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and work authorization applications. No doubt those numbers will continue to grow given the recent extension of the program. Catholic Charities is one of the few trusted organizations in our community and we are lucky to have them.

Mr. Speaker, I know the whole House joins me in congratulating Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey on its 30th anniversary, and commend the organization for its many contributions and quality of service to the public.