Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I have the distinct honor and privilege of representing California's 17th congressional district and, on behalf of all the residents of the Central Coast, I would like to commend to my colleagues' attention the 40th Anniversary of Monterey-Salinas Transit, (MST).

The Monterey Peninsula Public Transit System Joint Powers Agency was formed by the cities of Carmel, Del Rey Oaks, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Seaside and the county of Monterey on October 1, 1972. As the predecessor of Monterey-Salinas Transit, it served the Monterey Peninsula area, and later expanded to provide service to the cities of Marina, Salinas, and Watsonville. With the formation of the Monterey- Salinas Transit District on July 1, 2010, MST today serves one-fifth of the coastline of California from San Jose in the north to Paso Robles in the south at 1,300 bus stops in 25 communities throughout Monterey, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and San Luis Obisbo Counties.

Through the foresight of the MST board members and the ongoing support of the Federal government, transit service in the Monterey region is consistently at the forefront of technology and innovation, with ridership of four and a half million passengers each year, on traditional fixed-route buses as well as paratransit minibus service for disabled customers, the popular MST Trolley system for visitors, ``MST OnCall'' demand response services in south Monterey County, and the award-winning Carmel Valley Grapevine Express.

New for 2012 is the MST JAZZ Bus Rapid Transit system, funded in part by a $2.78 million Federal Transit Administration Section 5309 Capital New Starts grant. MST JAZZ follows a 6.75 mile route on the Monterey Peninsula starting in Sand City, running along Fremont Boulevard in Seaside, through downtown Monterey and along the visitor-intensive Lighthouse Avenue corridor in New Monterey, ending at the world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium at the edge of the city of Pacific Grove. MST has partnered with the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival, currently celebrating its 55th year, to create a distinct brand and marketing identity for the new ``JAZZ'' line. The Festival has opened its archives for the project and has worked with MST to develop a year- round linear jazz museum featuring dramatic jazz-themed displays on the buses and at each of the 30 custom designed shelters along the route. Passenger amenities include benches, bike racks and real-time electronic bus arrival and departure signage linked via Global Positioning Systems to the location of each JAZZ vehicle along the route. While waiting for the JAZZ buses, passengers will be able to listen and view on their smart phones actual recordings from the Monterey Jazz Festival throughout its 55-year history and learn more about the artists who performed for Festival audiences over the decades.

Not only does MST play a significant role in the transportation system of the Monterey Bay region, but it helps meet the basic transportation needs of thousands of constituents. More than one out of every three MST passengers live in a household without an automobile. A majority of MST passengers are either low-income and/or elderly. To further enhance senior mobility, MST is utilizing Federal Transit Administration Section 5317 New Freedoms funds to provide free travel training and volunteer assistance through the innovative ``MST Navigators'' program to Monterey County residents 65 years and older, as well as subsidized trips in local taxicabs at a cost of only $3.00 for paratransit-eligible clients. Several Monterey Peninsula jurisdictions and the city of Salinas have also become funding partners with MST to extend this taxi discount voucher program to all seniors in their communities.

In addition, MST is at the forefront of forging partnerships with local stakeholders to expand public transit options throughout the community. MST's award-winning partnership with the United States Army's Defense Languages Institute at the Presidio of Monterey transports nearly 50,000 military and civilian personnel each month from all corners of the MST service area to work, relieving local traffic congestion and enabling the redevelopment of parking lots into language classrooms and training facilities vital to the global mission of our military. At Naval Postgraduate School, MST has again partnered with the military to provide two additional transit lines connecting student, faculty and staff housing areas with the college. And, MST's latest military partnership provides employees at Fort Hunter Liggett in rural southern Monterey County with two more transit lines connecting the base with communities in the Salinas Valley and San Luis Obispo County. MST's partnerships also extend to local colleges, with a University Pass program with California State University-Monterey Bay and a free fare zone at Hartnell Community College in Salinas. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is also a local funding partner for transit, helping to support the MST Trolley visitor-oriented service in downtown Monterey and Cannery Row and leading a new initiative designed to increase accessibility to the Aquarium for low income and minority residents of the Salinas Valley.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to commend Monterey-Salinas Transit for providing 40 years of exemplary public service to the Central Coast of California and ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to wish them well on the next 40 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th anniversary of the Monterey County Free Libraries. Author and broadcaster Studs Terkel once said, ``All you need in life is truth and beauty and you can find both at the Public Library.'' Well, for the last century, Monterey County's library system has offered up beauty and truth in abundance.

On August 6, 1912, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors established the Monterey County Free Libraries. On September 2, 1913 Miss Anne Hadden started as the first County Librarian. In her first six months she opened five branches. By 1923 she and others had established branches in 105 locations. Some were simple reading rooms housed in private residences, schools, and stores; the Big Sur branch was located in the Post Office. In those early days Miss Hadden used every means at her disposal to distribute books to the far corners of the county: by train, by car, and even on foot. Indeed, a photograph of Anne Hadden delivering books by burro has become an iconic image of the whole library system.

Today, the Free Libraries still function under the authority of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. The County Librarian operates seventeen branch libraries, two bookmobiles, a library-by-mail program, and also maintains collections in schools. Books for all ages and interests in regular and large print, books on tape, CD's, DVD's and videos, magazines, electronic resources and materials in English, Spanish, Korean and Vietnamese are available to the community. The libraries also maintain ten homework centers and a literacy program. All together they provide services to 220,000 people over 3,250 square miles.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Free Libraries on their 100th anniversary and know that I speak for the whole House in saluting them on this joyous occasion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my dear friend, Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams. After three incredible years of service, Director Williams is stepping down as the 18th Director of the Peace Corps. Without question, Director Williams leaves behind an amazing legacy that will benefit future generations of Peace Corps Volunteers and the communities in which they serve.

Director Williams was only the fourth Peace Corps Director to have been a Volunteer and, from day one, he wove that on-the-ground experience into his leadership. He understood the importance of a Peace Corps that draws from the full strength of America's citizens, and he put a laser sharp focus on expanding the diversity of the Volunteer ranks. Under Director Williams' leadership, Peace Corps formed a partnership with AARP; strengthened recruitment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges; and established new partnerships with Minority Serving Institutions. And the results of his efforts are clear. Today, 20% of Volunteers are minorities and 7% are over the age of 50.

And this diversity of background and skill is desperately needed. The Peace Corps of today faces a world of increasingly complex global challenges that cannot be solved by one single entity. Director Williams broke down silos to forge and strengthen partnerships with established development entities including FAO, PSI, and the Special Olympics to promote best practices, leverage resources, and maximize impact. He also rolled out safety and security reforms, many of which were codified into law, to ensure that Volunteers, particularly women, have the support they need and deserve. Without a doubt, Director Williams has significantly enhanced Peace Corps' capacity to meet 21st century development challenges.

Director Williams worked shoulder-to-shoulder with presidents and prime ministers, world and thought leaders, and current and former Volunteers to help Peace Corps fulfill President John F. Kennedy's initial vision of world peace and friendship. Director Williams has made Peace Corps as relevant today as it

was at its inception 51 years ago. As war and conflict flare around the world, Peace Corps has shown the world a hopeful, uplifting side of America that reflects our fundamental values of peace, prosperity, and progress. This could not be possible without Director Williams' vision, leadership, and spirit.

Mr. Speaker, it's been a pleasure to work with this great man from the south side of Chicago. I will miss collaborating with him, but I wish him the very best in the next stage of his life. Director Williams, thank you for your friendship and your service. The world is a better place for your leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of an American hero, Captain Alan G. Poindexter, United States Navy, simply known as ``Dex'' to those of us who were blessed to know and work with him. Captain Poindexter's deep sense of patriotism, selfless

dedication to others, jovial nature and innate leadership capabilities were evident in all facets of his life. Whether serving his Nation for 26 years as a combat-proven Naval Aviator, decorated Fighter Pilot, experienced Test Pilot, respected Astronaut and Space Shuttle Pilot, esteemed Dean of Students at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School or, for nearly 30 years, living out his enduring love and respect for his wife--Lisa--and his steadfast devotion to his beloved sons--Zachary and Samuel--``Dex'' made a profound difference on our world that will never fade away.

Born on November 5, 1961 in Pasadena, CA, Alan Poindexter grew up in Rockville, MD and Coronado, CA. As a youngster, he served in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and fulfilled his interest in aviation by playing with model aircrafts and watching the Apollo flights. Following his graduation from Coronado High School in 1979, Alan attended junior colleges in both California and Florida.

While in Florida in 1981, Alan met Lisa A. Pfeiffer of Pensacola, FL. They married on December 23, 1983 while Alan was a midshipman in the Georgia Institute of Technology Navy ROTC program. Their son, Zach, was born on August 9, 1985. Alan earned a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering degree in 1986, graduating with highest honors.

Following his commissioning in the U.S. Navy, and eventual designation as a Naval Aviator in 1988, Alan reported to Fighter Squadron 124 located at Naval Air Station Miramar, CA, for transition to the F-14 Tomcat. Following his initial training, Alan--whose call- sign was now ``Dex''--was assigned to Fighter Squadron 211, also at Miramar, and made two deployments to the Arabian Gulf during Operations Desert Storm and Southern Watch. During this time, Alan, his wife, Lisa, and their son, Zach, welcomed a second son, Samuel, on October 30, 1989.

While on his second deployment in 1993, Dex was selected to attend the Naval Postgraduate School/U.S. Naval Test Pilot School Cooperative Program. Following graduation in December 1995, he was assigned as a Test Pilot and Project Officer at the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron (NSATS), Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD. Dex was with Fighter Squadron 32, NAS Oceana, VA, when he was selected for Astronaut training in June 1998. As a Naval Aviator, Dex logged over 4,000 hours in more than 30 aircraft types with over 450 carrier landings.

Alan reported for Astronaut training in August 1998 and initially served in the Astronaut Office Shuttle Operations Branch performing duties as the lead support astronaut at Kennedy Space Center. He later served as a Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) for several missions and was a veteran of two space flights--he served as Pilot on STS-122 aboard Atlantis from February 7-20, 2008 and from April 5-20, 2010 he was the Commander of STS-131 aboard Discovery. During his NASA career, Alan logged over 669 hours in space. After his retirement from NASA in December 2010, Dex returned to the Navy and was assigned to the Naval Postgraduate School as the Dean of Students until his untimely death.

Alan's many decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, NASA Outstanding Leadership Award, NASA Aviation Safety Award, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V and various other service awards. Always active, Alan's recreational interests included motorcycling, cycling, photography, running, weightlifting, boating, hunting, fishing, and spending quality time with family and friends.

But a man is not measured alone by the awards he earned or the medals he wore, nor even for his personal interests, sense of humor and honor, his courage and compassion. It is all of that and more.

Alan's wife, Lisa, and his two loving sons, Zach and Sam, will always remember Alan for his unflinching willingness to be the one who ``slept on the rock'' at the campsite, so that they could take the more comfortable places. He became fondly, and gratefully, known to them over the years as the ``guy who slept on the rock.'' Nothing greater could be said, with more love, of any man.

Mr. Speaker, I know that I speak on behalf of the entire House, when I offer the Nation's deepest sympathies to Alan's wife, Lisa, his sons Zach and Sam, and to their entire extended family. Captain Alan Poindexter, loving husband and father, fighter pilot, astronaut, and friend, demonstrated for all of us the qualities that characterize the greatness of America.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House passed H.R. 1171, known as the Marine Debris Act Amendments of 2012.

This act reauthorizes the NOAA Marine Debris Program at currently appropriated levels through fiscal year 2015. It has strong bipartisan support, particularly from my colleague Don Young, who was an original co-sponsor.

Look, nobody wants to go out on the water or to sit on the beach and see trash. But it's not just an eyesore--marine debris is a very critical problem for marine ecosystems, fisheries, and shipping. Marine debris can have devastating impacts on the U.S. economy too. For instance, it is estimated that $250 million of marketable lobster is lost annually to derelict fishing gear, which can also cause up to $792 million per year in damages to boat propellers.

Right now, an estimated 5-20 million tons of debris from the Japan's tsunami are floating across the Pacific Ocean toward the United States. As this first wave of tsunami debris--including a 66-ft dock teaming with over 90 non-native species--washes ashore, I am astounded by the magnitude of this disaster's global impact. Cleanup costs can be huge. Alaska has already spent $200,000 just for aerial monitoring of the local debris field from the Japanese tsunami. While the Japanese tsunami debris resulted from a natural disaster, ocean trash is preventable.

Added to the debris that's already out there--is an average of 7 million tons of new trash dumped into the ocean each year. Solving this problem is going to require:

Local action, national and international coordination;

Unique partnerships between private and public sectors;

Innovative technology;

Education, Research and Prevention.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program has been achieving real successes at sea and on shore, for a modest amount of funding. But this program expired in 2010 and must be reauthorized. Over the past 5 years, funding has ranged from 3.2 million to 4.9 million dollars.

It is clear from the recent tsunami debris events--the boat off the coast of Washington and the dock washed ashore in Oregon--that the problem is growing. There is no doubt in my mind that the Marine Debris Program could effectively spend $10 million dollars a year--that is the magnitude of the problem. And that is what was authorized in 2006. As this bill moves through the legislative process, I hope we can bring up the funding levels. Most of these funds go to local communities in the form of grants for marine debris cleanup, education, research, and prevention efforts.

Mr. Speaker, NOAA's Marine Debris Program is leading the effort to address this growing problem proactively and I thank my colleagues for passing for H.R. 1171.

Mr. Speaker, the majority claims that there is no war on women, but here is yet another example of their attempt to restrict women's access to reproductive health care. H.R. 3803 is quite simply another attempt by anti-choice Republicans to reverse the freedoms women have gained over the last several decades regarding reproductive choice in health care.

Once again, the majority has sought to restrict women's access to reproductive healthcare by threatening doctors with prison (two years) and other penalties if they perform abortions after 20 weeks. With doctors fearful of yet even more restrictions to their practice, many will simply refuse to treat women who want to obtain a safe and legal abortion, thus achieving the majority's intended goal.

Unbelievably, this bill also allows the woman who obtains the abortion, the father, or the maternal grandparents to press civil charges against the doctor! In addition, there are no exceptions to this ban for rape, incest, fetal anomaly, or a woman's health, and with only a narrow exception for a woman's life. This bill also uses the term ``unborn child'' which is a very slippery slope.

The fact that H.R. 3803 is blatantly unconstitutional has been over- looked by the majority. It clearly violates two Supreme Court decisions regarding pre-viability and exceptions for a woman's life and health.

There can be no doubt about the national implications of a bill with D.C.'s name on it as a cover for attacking the reproductive rights of the Nation's women. The citizen's of the District of Columbia are being unfairly attacked. It is absolutely shameful that the sponsors of this legislation are trying to impose their will on the women of D.C. because they know for a fact they could not pass this policy at the national level.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3803 is just another attempt by the majority to wage a war upon women--unfortunately, this time it is directed at residents of the District of Columbia.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late Dr. John Peter Grothe who passed away on June 16th, 2012 at the age of 81. Dr. Grothe was a dedicated public servant who counted among his proudest achievements drafting the original Peace Corps legislation and giving it the name ``Peace Corps'' when he worked for Senator Hubert Humphrey. Dr. Grothe was a dedicated educator, author, and public speaker whose passion and work touched countless lives.

Dr. Grothe was born on May 28, 1931 in San Francisco to Walter and Dorothy Grothe and grew up in Hillsborough, California. He earned his BA and MA degrees in Journalism from Stanford University and later went on to earn his PhD in Political Science from George Washington University. After his work with Senator Humphrey, Dr. Grothe was appointed Deputy Director of the United Nations Division of the U.S. Peace Corps.

Following this appointment, Dr. Grothe launched a long career in academia, serving as an Adjunct Professor at the Graduate School of International Policy Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in my Congressional District where he was the Director of International Student Programs and taught American Politics and Cross- Cultural Communications. Dr. Grothe also held positions at San Jose State University, Odense University in Denmark, and State University of New York, Stony Brook. Dr. Grothe brought his knowledge and abilities to his work as a visiting research scholar, lecturing in Sweden, Norway, and 51 other countries. He also served with the American Field Service as an adviser, leader, and volunteer.

Dr. Grothe was also an accomplished author who wrote To Win the Minds of Men--A Study of the Propaganda War in East Germany and penned numerous scholarly articles that appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, and San Francisco Chronicle, among other publications.

Dr. Grothe was an inspiring mentor, leader and volunteer who served as a father figure to many. He was committed to creating opportunity for tomorrow's leaders and made a financial contribution that allowed 145 qualified international and minority students to pursue their educational goals. The Peter Grothe Scholarship Fund for Women in Developing Countries was created to continue Dr. Grothe's tradition of providing educational opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I offer my deepest condolences to Dr. Grothe's sister, Ms. Carol Stevens, and half siblings, Mr. Tom Grothe, and Ms. Heidi Carman. Dr. Grothe leaves an inspiring legacy and he will be deeply missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and exemplary service of the late Admiral James D. Watkins. Chief of Naval Operations, Chairman of the Commission on AIDS, Secretary of Energy, and Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, he was called out of retirement on multiple occasions but left the service of our Nation and our world last Thursday night. He passed on from his home in Alexandria, VA at the age of 85. His presence will certainly be missed not just in Washington, but across the country and particularly in the ocean science community.

A native of California and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Admiral Watkins served in the Navy for 37 years where he rose to become the Chief of Naval Operations. An esteemed feat by itself, this position was just the starting point for what would become his most venerable legacy. After retirement from the Navy, Admiral Watkins was appointed Secretary of Energy during the Reagan administration.

Accomplished through his ability to bring disparate groups together to understand and solve complex problems, he led two of the most important federal commissions to occur in the past 25 years--one on the AIDS pandemic and the other on the Congressionally directed Commission on Ocean Policy. Both commissions sought to improve the health and well-being of all through improved understanding of our least understood systems--the human immune system and the planetary ocean system. As a public servant and as a citizen, Admiral Watkins acted deliberately and thoughtfully to digest massive quantities of information and actors into specific challenges with clearly articulated steps to achieve agreed-upon outcomes.

His 16-member Commission on Ocean Policy developed ``An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century'' which offered comprehensive recommendations for a national ocean policy. When those recommendations were finalized and presented in 2004, he said, ``With a clear mandate from the President, and strong, bipartisan support among Members of Congress, we can begin the difficult, but critical process of implementing a comprehensive national ocean policy.'' He spent the last eight years of his life acting on implementing those recommendations. In his wake it will take many of us here in Congress, along with other nongovernmental actors to continue to steer and direct these efforts and contribute to the heavy lift of moving this important work forward.

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for the whole House in recognizing the contributions that Admiral Watkins made to make this world a better place. We offer our condolences to his family and friends, and particularly his six children and his wife, Janet. Those of us who had the good fortune to have known him are better people for the experience.

Mr. Speaker, I truly appreciate the support we've seen in a bipartisan fashion here for this legislation known as the Marine Debris Act Amendments of 2012.

This bill was first carried and introduced in the United States Senate by Senator Inouye and the late Senator Ted Stevens. They recognized, Senator Inouye from Hawaii, the entire island surrounded by ocean, and so much washes up on the shores of the islands, and Alaska, with probably one of the longest coastlines in the United States, certainly impacts from the ocean on them. And that's why it's so nice and wonderful to have my colleague Don Young from Alaska, the only Representative in the House from Alaska, to be a strong proponent of this.

As he pointed out, Alaska has already seen the consequences of not having reauthorization when the Japanese tsunami has started to wash up. They've spent, in the first wave of the tsunami debris, Alaska's already spent over $200,000 of State money in just aerial monitoring of the local debris from the Japanese tsunami.

What this legislation does in reauthorization is allow States to receive grants from NOAA so that the States can deal with their coastline debris problems.

It is important we do this for an even bigger purpose, which is that, frankly, life on land is dependent on the quality of life at sea. We know that we have over the years and decades been dumping everything we don't like on land--and can't figure out where else to dump it--into the ocean. At the same time, we take whatever we want out of the ocean. Dumping and taking can upset the system so badly that you have oceans die; and, certainly, we have big parts of the ocean that are dying because of all the debris and waste that are in the oceans.

What this bill does is allow the Coast Guard, in working with NOAA, which is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to jointly look at, monitor and figure out ways to clean this stuff up. If we don't do that, we're going to suffer. It's like living in pollution in your own backyard. Eventually, there are consequences.

I think that those of us who have done ocean legislation over the years--and Don Young has been one of the greater ones to understand it--realize that, in solving the problem, it's going to require local action and that it's going to require national and international coordination. It's not our ocean alone. It goes all over the world, and things in the ocean go all over the world. Just think of the old stories about bottles and where they wind up. Now we see with the tsunami that all this Japanese land mass stuff that was washed into the sea is now showing up in Alaska and is showing up in Oregon and has shown up on the beaches in California--in Capitola, where I live.

This problem is also going to require some partnerships between the private sector and the fishermen community, in that it knows where some of these drift nets are, and between the public sector. It's going to require innovative technology. You have to detect it. We have found nets that have been left in Monterey Bay that are too heavy to lift out with conventional craft. We're going to have to go back to the fishing boats and to the families who lost those nets and use their fishing boats, which is a private enterprise supported by the public know-how of how to retrieve those nets. I think it's very exciting. It's certainly going to require education so that people don't keep dumping things they don't want into the ocean.

There are consequences for dumping. California is now addressing it in every local community by just storm water, the fact that all the water that falls on our streets and roads picks up oil and picks up other stuff that isn't compatible with ocean life and washes into it. We have done a lot to clean up sewers and to say we're not going to dump that stuff out into the ocean anymore, but we're still allowing other storm water to get out there. California is addressing this almost community by community, that being: How do we stop storm water and polluted storm water from getting into the ocean?

So this legislation of reauthorizing debris cleanup is much more than just giving NOAA some money to go out there and figure it out. It's really an entire program of figuring out how to keep oceans healthy.

I appreciate the bipartisan support. I appreciate the leadership of Mr. Young, and I appreciate the leadership on the committees. This bill went to two committees--to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and to the Natural Resources Committee. Both committees passed it out in bipartisan fashion, and now we have to pass it in the Senate. I hope it's not too late, and I hope Congressman Young will work with me in getting bipartisan support in the Senate so that we can get this bill to the President and get it signed before the calendar year runs out.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Central Electric Company of Watsonville, California, on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. For 100 years, the Central Electric Company pioneered and improved safe electrical installations for residential, commercial, and agriculture customers around our beautiful Monterey Bay region.

In 1912, starting with just a bicycle, $100.00 in cash, and a 5-foot ladder, John Stanovich and Edith DuFour Stanovich began selling fixtures and appliances, and installing electrical wiring. At that time the demand for electrical work was very limited, but with the growing acceptance of the Edison light, plus John and Edith's hard work, the business grew. The next generation joined the company in 1926 with the addition of Edith's son, Alfred DuFour. The Central Electric Company survived the great depression and the shortages of World War II by supplementing their contracting business selling products such as irons, washing machines, and toasters, also china and crystal.

With the end of the war, the Central Electric Company focused on growing communities and industries in need of electricity. The next two decades would see the continuation of that post-war growth and the introduction of the company's third generation with Steve DuFour, who joined the company in 1958 after serving as a lieutenant in the United States Navy.

The seventies, eighties, and nineties saw continued growth and changes to the electrical industry, many of which were driven by the digital boom. Growth and change also came when Steve and his wife Joan were joined by Tony Kulich, Patty (DuFour) Kulich, Mark Jurach, and Sharon (DuFour) Jurach in the daily operations at Central Electric. In 1989, the company survived the Loma Prieta earthquake and rallied to aid the surrounding communities in their recovery. In 1999, Tony and Patty Kulich and Mark and Sharon Jurach, the son-in-laws and great granddaughters of John and Edith, purchased the Central Electric Company from Steve and Joan, passing the torch to the fourth generation.

The turn of this century saw the Central Electric Company's enjoyment of unprecedented growth, including the completion of a $3.5 million contract for a local college campus. This was the largest contract in the company's 100 year history. This new century has also ushered in the fifth generation, when great, great-grandsons Matt and Mike Kulich joined Central Electric as electricians.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to hold up the Central Electric Company as an example of the American Spirit. Enduring the hardships of war, economic downturns, and natural disasters, they have shown that people are more important than profit. They have shown us that when communities and families work together in difficult times, we can continue to face the challenges that have made this Nation great. May Central Electric's continued success inspire many more generations to enter the business arena, and in doing so, secure our Nation's posterity and its bright future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of myself and my colleagues, Representatives Eshoo, Lofgren, and Honda, to honor the life of Bruce Woolpert, a remarkable businessman, a noted philanthropist, and a stalwart of the Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay Area communities. As the leader of the Granite Rock Company, Bruce will be remembered for his integrity and his generosity, not only to his employees, but to the community where he was raised and in which Graniterock was based.

Bruce Wilson Woolpert was born on May 30, 1951 to Mary Elizabeth ``Betsy'' Wilson Woolpert and Bruce Gideon Woolpert. Betsy's father, Arthur Roberts Wilson incorporated Granite Rock Company in 1900 after seeing an opportunity with a small granite quarry located in Aromas, California. Bruce was a native to Watsonville, California, the beacon of the Pajaro Valley. He attended MacQuiddy Elementary School, E.A. Hall Junior High School, and graduated from Watsonville High School in 1970. He went on to study economics and mathematics at the University of California, Los Angeles, graduating summa cum laude. He obtained a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Stanford University in 1976, graduating first in his class, and going on to work for Hewlett Packard. By 1986, he returned to Graniterock to serve as President and

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3641, known as the Pinnacles National Park Act. As the sponsor of this bipartisan legislation, I would also like to express my thanks to my friend, Congressman Denham from California, for his original cosponsorship of

I rise today to express my shocking disappointment with some Republican Members of the other body in opposing the Senate ratification of the Law of the Sea Treaty. The Law of the Sea Treaty ratification is essential to protect American interests. For over 30 years now, the United States Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard, both under Republican and Democratic administrations, former Secretaries of State, and U.S. military personnel have been consistent and strong proponents of U.S. joining the Law of the Sea Convention. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta recently said:

Not since we acquired the lands of the American West and

Alaska have we had such a great opportunity to expand U.S.

sovereignty.

Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said:

The Law of the Sea provides clear guidance on the

appropriate use of the maritime domain.

As the world's major maritime power with the longest coastline, the U.S. has more to gain from legal certainty and public order in the world's oceans than any other country. It has been supported by every President since Ronald Reagan. The time is due for the other body to take a leadership role and ratify the Law of the Sea Treaty.

Madam Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Madam Chair, I want to have a colloquy between myself, the chairman, and the gentleman from Washington on an issue regarding costs associated with the security clearance process.

I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

As the gentleman knows, security clearances are necessary to protect our national security and are required for thousands of jobs. This process is also expensive.

DOD pays billions of dollars to the Office of Personnel Management, OPM, to manage the DOD security clearance program. OPM has made some improvements in their investigation process so the program is no longer on GAO's high-risk list, but the problem remains that OPM relies on manual labor to process DOD security clearances.

The research scientists at Personnel Security Research Center, PERSEREC, under the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, have developed a suite of automated tools. Those tools could save millions of dollars without sacrificing quality if these tools were incorporated into the security reinvestigation process. I greatly appreciate that the chairman and ranking member of the Defense Subcommittee have included report language encouraging DOD to investigate more in automated tools for the security clearance process.

Would my colleagues agree that DOD needs to leverage the resources of PERSEREC to integrate their research, called ACES, into the DOD security reinvestigation process?

I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished gentleman for his response.

I had hoped to attach to the bill language directing DOD to conduct a review, but in the interest of the House rules and jurisdictional matters, I chose not to.

I yield to the distinguished chairman, the gentleman from Florida.

I thank both of you for your friendship, leadership, and cooperation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to welcome participants of the 2012 Washington, DC Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference and Rally.

I share Falun Gong's commitment to freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration. As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, every person has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, and we must do all that we can to ensure that citizens here in America and around the world have access to these fundamental rights.

Since Falun Gong's inception in 1992, it is estimated that millions of individuals have been drawn to its guiding principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. These principles are enduring cornerstones of a democratic society. Yet, as we mark over 60 years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is a travesty that those who hold Falun Gong beliefs have been persecuted and tortured. I look forward to the day when Falun Gong practitioners can freely express their beliefs without fear of reprisal.

Mr. Speaker, peace and justice are not only values but calls to action that we must live out every day. I will continue to act here in Congress to promote peace for all persecuted communities and work for a more just world.