Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the National Day of Silence.

Tomorrow is the 17th year we have commemorated the National Day of Silence. It is a time when students across the country remain silent for a whole day to draw attention to discrimination towards their LGBT peers.

Our country has made great progress towards more acceptable and tolerance for gay and lesbian individuals; however, gender-expansive students, gender-diverse students, and straight allies still face a lot of fear and discrimination. I want all these students to know they are not alone.

I say this every year, but I continue to be so proud of my young constituents, their parents and families who are working to make the world a better place for all people no matter your race, your color, your gender, or your sexual orientation.

For example, Jordan, a ninth grade transgender male student at The Ark in Santa Cruz will be one of the emcees for the 17th Annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards in Capitola. Jordan's mom, Heidi, is an advisory council member to the Trans* Teen Project and a facilitator of the Transfamily Support Group.

Though many LGBT students and their allies are silent tomorrow, we in Congress must never be silent. It is our job to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 75th anniversary of one of the greatest pieces of American literature, John Steinbeck's ``The Grapes of Wrath.'' The National Steinbeck Center in his hometown of Salinas, California, is celebrating all year, with events throughout the country.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was published on April 14, 1939. Set during the Great Depression, the novel captured the brutal honesty, the story of migrant farmworkers fleeing Oklahoma's Dust Bowl in search of new opportunity in California. Steinbeck wanted to shine a light on the social injustices that plagued the working poor.

Sparking controversy, it quickly rose to the top of the bestsellers list. It was banned and burned in many parts of the country.

Inspired by the novel, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt helped pass new labor laws after touring the shocking conditions of the California camps. ``The Grapes of Wrath'' changed the way we viewed poverty in this country.

This is why it figured prominently in the decision to award Steinbeck the Nobel Prize. Even today, the novel still offers us hope--hope that our best days lie before us. Steinbeck's words resonate just as true today as they did 75 years ago.

Mr. Speaker, it is simply unfathomable that today is Equal Pay Day, the day when, more than three months into the year, women's wages finally catch up to what men were paid in the previous year. This is flat out unacceptable.

Today is not a celebration or a happy occasion at all. It is a glaring reminder of the hard work that still needs to be done in order to achieve gender parity in pay.

Women are half the population! How has this inequity been allowed to stand for so long? When President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law in 1963, women on average made 59 cents for every dollar earned by men. It has been 51 years since the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, and yet women still earn on average only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, amounting to a yearly gap of $11,607 between full-time working men and women. We've made some progress--but not nearly enough.

Equal pay is not simply a women's issue--it is a family issue. Families increasingly rely on women's wages to make ends meet, and with less take-home pay women have less money for the everyday needs of their families.

According to the National Partnership for Women and Families, in California, women in are paid 84 cents for every dollar paid to men, amounting to an annual wage gap of $8,183 between men and women who work full time in the state. In addition, Californian women who are employed full time lose a combined total of approximately $37,658,902,470 every year due to the wage gap.

The sad reality is that the pay gap is not simply an education issue. Nationally, women with master's degrees who work full time are paid just 70 cents for every dollar paid to men with master's degrees. Further, women with doctoral degrees are paid less than men with master's degrees, and women with master's degrees are paid less than men with bachelor's degrees.

Mr. Speaker, that is why the Paycheck Fairness Act is so critical. It will close loopholes and strengthen the Equal Pay Act, which hasn't been updated in 51 years. The bill has 207 cosponsors. It is simply shocking that out of 207 cosponsors, not one--let me repeat that--not one is a Republican. This is not an issue that only affects Democrats. It affects all hard-working American women--regardless of their political party. Does the Majority simply not care about this problem, or is it yet another continuation of the War on Women?

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend a distinguished career of public service. On April 4, 2014 Captain Gerral K. David will relinquish his command of the Naval Support Activity Monterey and retire from the Navy later this year.

Public service careers are often measured by either their long duration or some particularly distinguished accomplishment. The measure of Captain David's career invariably involves both. His Navy career will extend to thirty years by the time he retires. And each of those years was marked by distinguished service.

Captain David grew up in Conroe, Texas. In 1984, he graduated from the Naval Academy and began his Naval career as a flight officer. His early career took him many places, including deployments to Sigonella, Sicily, Bermuda, as well as numerous Special Project detachments throughout the Atlantic Fleet. He later served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk during various deployments in the Pacific that included the support of operations in Somalia and Iraq. Other flight assignments took him to Diego Garcia, and Japan. In 2002, Captain David assumed command of Patrol Squadron 46, based in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Under Captain David's command, the ``Golden Swordsmen,'' won numerous unit awards and commendations, as well as deploying after 2003, to help support the U.S. war efforts in Iraq.

Interspersed with his flight commands, Captain David took on various shore duties. Early on, he served as a recruitment officer in Houston. In 1997, he assumed duties as the Flag Secretary for the Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy. In 2007, Captain David took command of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Under Captain David's command, the Navy recognized Team Whidbey as the top Naval Air Station three years in a row and awarded it with a Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Then in 2010, Captain David took command of the Naval Support Activity Monterey. In essence, he became the city manager for the naval facilities that house the Naval Postgraduate School, the Navy's Fleet meteorology forecasting and research center, and a variety of other U.S. Navy shore functions. And it is in this capacity that I have come to know Captain David. He has helped steer several significant new construction projects to completion and has deftly managed his facilities relationship with the surrounding communities. He never fails to combine an understanding of the issue at hand with a deft personal diplomacy.

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for the whole House in extending our most sincere gratitude for Captain David's service to our Nation. The United States is a more secure and fruitful place as a consequence of his efforts. I want to wish Captain David and his wife Anne all the best as they transition from active duty to continued public service in what will surely be an active and fruitful retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the three-year anniversary of the humanitarian crisis in Syria. This horrific conflict has left over 100,000 people dead, a population roughly the size of Boulder, Colorado. Of those 100,000 casualties of war, 10,000 were children. As I speak, 5.5 million living children are dangerously vulnerable, having ``lost lives and limbs, along with virtually every aspect of their childhood,'' according to the United Nations. And the displacement crisis continues to explode, with some 6.5 million Syrians internally displaced within their own country and 2.4 million Syrians living as refugees in neighboring countries.

Mr. Speaker, it is easy to become desensitized by numbers of this scale. But these are not merely newspaper headlines. These statistics are made up of real people who had real hopes and real dreams, too many of which have been crushed by war and violence. The international community must draw on the full spectrum of diplomatic and development tools to bring swift, lasting stability to Syria and the surrounding countries. Three years is three years too long. The time for peace is now. We cannot wait a moment longer.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward ``Eddie'' Balli, an American hero who gave his life in service to his country. Eddie loved his job as an Unmanned Aerial System Operations Officer Platoon Leader for the 2nd Calvary Regiment. He provided the eyes in the sky for the soldiers on the ground.

On January 20, Eddie's unit was attacked by insurgents in the Kandahar province of southern Afghanistan. Believing it was his duty to place the safety of his fellow troops before his own; Eddie was killed while providing cover to protect the rest of his unit. His sacrifice ultimately saved the lives of several civilians and his fellow soldiers.

Eddie was a native of Salinas, California, graduating from North High School. Soon after graduation, he felt the call to serve his country. Following in the footsteps of others in his family, he joined the Army in 1991. During his distinguished career, Eddie received many accolades including the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart during his many deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was an inspiration to all who served with him. Eddie made himself available to talk with younger soldiers, mentoring them and offering both professional and personal advice.

Eddie was also a devout family man. He often spoke fondly of his wife, Kristy Balli, and his three children, Michael, Momilani, and Desirae. To his family he was more than just a soldier. He was a kind and loving husband, father, brother and son who had an infectious humor and quirky personality. His family was proud of his patriotic service to his country and the care he demonstrated for his fellow soldiers.

That caring personality, as both a soldier and a family man, is what made Eddie an extraordinary person. He was an exemplary soldier, family man, and friend who put the needs of others before his own.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a true patriot and hero, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli. Our nation is grateful for his service and we promise that his life, legacy, and his sacrifice for our country will not be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the exemplary work of Dominic Jarvis, an Australian student who has done excellent work in my office through the well established Uni-Capitol Washington Internship Programme. Dominic came to us as an Environmental Studies student from Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. A self proclaimed ``pragmatic advocate in social equity and justice, environmental conservation, peace and democracy'' he has been a fantastic attribute to our office here and has worked hard on the issues most important to the constituents of the Central Coast. Dominic's undeniable passion for green policy and environmentally friendly politics has been a pleasure to witness in the workplace.

We have had the opportunity to host students through this program for many years and Dominic has done well to uphold the high caliber of work that we have come to expect from these international students. The Uni-Capitol Internship Program has done an outstanding job in providing an opportunity for political and cultural immersion for over 140 students in its 15 years of garnering cross-cultural connections and I am very proud to have been a participant in this fantastic exchange both this year and in the past. I would like to recognize the importance of these programs in creating stronger multi-cultural ties and better relationships between nations at all levels.

Mr. Speaker, Dominic has been an outstanding ambassador of Australian culture and academic prowess. He is a pleasure to have in the office and executes his duties in such a cheerful and effective manner that I am sure his absence will be stark when he returns to Australia to complete his academic pursuits. I thank him once again for the time he has spent working in our office and the mark he has left on my staff, my district, and myself.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Marilyn Hummel who passed away peacefully in accompaniment of her family on Dec. 31, 2013. Marilyn was an old friend and a champion for environmental and social justice issues.

Marilyn was strong and unwavering in her beliefs and worked tirelessly to generously give back to her community. Her services are almost too extensive to list. She served as President of the League of Women Voters of Santa Cruz County; officer in the Rural Bonny Doon Association; office manager and Executive Committee member of the Santa Cruz Group of the Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club. She was a member of the Santa Cruz County Planning Commission; and member and Chair of the Board of Commissioners of the Santa Cruz County Housing Authority. She was a joyous presence wherever she worked and touched the lives of all those in her wake.

One of Marilyn's crowning achievements was saving an isolated and fragile outcropping of the Santa Cruz Hills along with their rare and endangered species of animals.

She is survived by her husband Don and their four children: Nancy, Bill, Tom, and Chris. My heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to this family.

Mr. Speaker, Marilyn's lifetime of community service stemmed from a place of love and compassion and her vibrant energy will truly be missed.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to this legislation, and I would hope that my colleagues will read it and look before they leap. It is called the Sportsmen's Heritage And Recreational Enhancement Act of 2013. Unfortunately, this is mired in a muck of text in the legislation that I think does just the opposite of enhancement. It ought to read, ``Kill the Habitat and Wildlife and Enjoy a Dead Forest Act.''

This bill diminishes the conservation measures designed to protect the habitat for wildlife by creating loopholes in the Wilderness Act and weakens the National Environmental Policy Act, NEPA, process.

Title I, for example, amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to prohibit the EPA from regulating toxic substances contained in bullets, angling lures, and other hunting equipment with respect to toxic substances.

It is not just people that are affected by toxic substances; so are animals. Here they prohibit barring lead in bullets. Now, California is a big hunter's State. Guess what? California State law prohibits the use of lead. Why? Because the Federal Government has spent millions, millions, and millions of dollars trying to restore the California condor. Does that count? Ask the Ventana and Post Ranch Inn. Post Ranch is $1,000 a night--nobody can afford that--but it is filled all the time. Why? Because you can see condors and mountain lions and sea otters and other things that we have protected by protecting their environment.

What does a condor die from? It eats dead things. It eats things that have been killed by bullets. It eats that lead, and guess what? It kills the condor. It is done over and over again. There is no question about this. This is the number

one cause of death in condors in California after we spent all this money trying to get them restored. This act wipes all that out.

It is going to hurt the economy, and you know what? People call themselves sportsmen. The sportsmen I know don't want to kill the wildlife by poison or destroying the habitat. That is why the bill passed in California banning lead bullets. This one prohibits States like California from doing that.

Even the military is moving toward pursuing a lead-free environment for their small arms. So it is a serious problem. This bill bans that. This is nuts.

Lead poisoning from ammunition is the way you kill off wildlife, not by a good shot. You kill it off by the poison that is left behind. That is why Governor Brown signed into law a ban on lead bullets, and they phased it in to 2019. This follows what at least 30 other States have already done in regulating lead ammunition in some manner.

So, if we really want to protect and enhance the environment, then we ought to do what the original conservationists did who were the hunters by switching to non-toxic ammunition, and allow them to continue on good conservation efforts, which is the heritage of hunters in this country.

This legislation is a step backwards for sportsmen. I am a fisherman. I certainly don't want to put stuff in the ocean or in lakes that is toxic, and conservation practices protect our public lands, our open spaces, and our wilderness areas.

So, I urge my colleagues to look before you leap. Don't jump in just because there are a bunch of people endorsing this bill. Look at the type. Look what it does. Look at the small print. I urge you to oppose this legislation until it can really be legislation that will be a Sportsmen's Heritage And Recreational Enhancement Act. As of now, it deserves your opposition.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Plantronics, a pioneer in audio communications and wearable technology based in my district in Santa Cruz, California. Plantronics just received the prestigious Secretary of State's 2013 Award for Corporate Excellence and with good reason. Over the past half century, Plantronics has excelled in both products and people. This innovative company was founded in a garage by Courtney Graham and Keith Larkin, two airline pilots looking to make a smaller, lighter headset for use in airplane cockpits. Their headsets were adopted by the Federal Aviation Administration, employed in the first Apollo mission, and used to transmit Neil Armstrong's legendary first words from the moon: ``That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.'' Today, Plantronics products are used by 911 emergency workers, airline pilots, astronauts, and all Fortune 100 companies.

While Plantronics emphasizes high-quality products, it is their equal emphasis on people and the environment that has further distinguished this company. The Plantronics manufacturing facility has advanced best practices in environmental stewardship, corporate citizenship, and employment. The company offers their workforce educational support programs, enabling employees to attain over 2,300 degrees; professional development programs have supported more than 1,000 employees' promotion into new roles; and they have a new 800,000 square foot facility that generates 70% of its own power. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

As CEO Kenneth Kannappan said, ``Our focus on our people, giving back to our communities and being responsible stewards of the environment are central to our identity, our culture and our position as a leader in audio communications.'' I congratulate Ken and Plantronics for receiving the Award for Corporate Excellence, a well-deserved recognition of their impressive work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the lives of the Navy sailors who were tragically killed in last

week's helicopter crash off the coast of Virginia. The crash touched my office in a personal way.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Andrew Collins was one of the three sailors who lost his life in that crash. He is the brother of one of my staffers, Morgan. My entire staff and I shared her grief as we received the news at work in our office.

Brian was 25 years old. He was born and raised in Truckee, California, and was a graduate of Truckee High School. He was an avid skier, who first strapped on his first pair of skis at the age of 2. He loved to fly down the mountains of California, bouncing in and out of the trees. After high school, Brian briefly attended trade school before deciding to enlist in the military. It was in the Navy that he found his calling.

Brian was a member of the Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron. Those teams patrol the waters to locate and destroy sea-based mines that could harm Navy vessels. Brian loved that mission. He enjoyed jumping out of helicopters and into the water as the team's primary rescue swimmer. It was during his service that he married his wife, Cheyenne. The young couple just celebrated their 1-year anniversary and had bought their first home. They were starting their life together and still had so much to experience. Cheyenne said: ``We just scratched the surface.''

I will never have the fortune of meeting Brian. However, I feel honored to have gotten to know him through the memories shared by the people he loved. There are few words that can comfort his family and friends in their loss. All I can offer is a sincere and humble ``thank you.''

Thank you for your service.

Thank you for sharing Brian's story, Cheyenne.

On behalf of all Americans, thank you to all of the military men and women in service.

I ask that this House join me in a moment of silence in honor of the life of Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Andrew Collins and in honor of his two fellow crewmembers who lost their lives in that crash, Lieutenant Sean Snyder and Lieutenant Wesley Van Dorn.

Thank you very much, and thank you, Mr. Chairman, for getting us back into regular order. I really praise the work of this committee. I am proud to be on it. I am proud of the ranking member in bringing this to fruition.

Madam Speaker, while we celebrate success--and this is one--we have to remember that we are still underfunding America. While we are praising America's need to grow, we are cutting, squeezing, and trimming government's ability to meet that population growth, particularly in my own State of California.

We have got to get back to regular order of allowing the revenue. We have got to have some increases in revenue. Yeah, we have got to mind the store and we have to do cuts, squeezes, and trims, but what we are doing is we are leaving the poorest populations in this country at risk.

I came out of the war on poverty. There is still a lot of poverty in America. Secretary Vilsack pointed out to the chair of the subcommittee that I am the ranking member on that there are 400 counties in the United States that are still by census the poorest counties in the United States--really, really poor. They are in the Third World, and they are in the United States.

Our committee, our agriculture outreach in the food programs and in the economic development--water and rural electricity and all those things--are the solutions, and in the communications systems, the broadband, and so on. We've got to address this, and we don't have enough money to do that.

I praise the Chair's ability to get back on order, but while I am going to support this bill, let's hope that next year we really get back in order and bring the fiscal affairs to the United States in good sound position, not just cut, squeeze, and trim.

We need to get our business done around here and this is a solid step in the right direction.

There are pros and cons to this bill, as there is with all bills. I've already mentioned the pro: it'll get the business of FY14 appropriations done and we can move on.

But the cons of the bill worry me: the funding levels, though higher or at the President's budget request still fall short, for me, in terms of doing right by critical programs.

Our colleagues from the other side of the aisle like to point out that this bill represents the 4th year in a row that appropriations ``continues the downward trend in federal spending.''

I think if that is our goal, we are shortsighted to the many other unfunded needs in our country.

It's not enough to keep programs at level funding. Where's the investment in the future? Where's the projection for a growing population? Where's the support for new and different initiatives that we can't imagine today?

Transportation, Infrastructure, Health Care, Food Aid, Job Assistance, Economic Development, Education and Science, Ag Research.

There are myriad issues that, yes, get funded, but at levels not sufficient to produce real advancements.

I don't want my country to be standing still.

I want it to move forward.

This bill should get passed, but it shouldn't be considered a victory for robust investment.

If anything it should be the floor from which we begin to plan future years' growth, and beyond.

Ms. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriff George ``Tony'' Jack who served 28 years in local law enforcement. Tony was born in Los Gatos, California and spent most of his life in Santa Cruz County, attending Soquel High School and Cabrillo College.

Tony was involved in the 4-H and the Santa Cruz County Fair and enjoyed teaching at Cabrillo College as well as counseling troubled youth, spending time with the elderly, and assisting the homeless. He was known for treating others with dignity and respect and knew early in life that he was destined to have a career in law enforcement.

Tony had a variety of assignments throughout his career, having worked as a patrol officer, gang investigator, field training officer, SWAT member, and an instructor for driving and the safe use of firearms. Most recently Tony was pleased to serve as Superior Court Bailiff for the Honorable Judge Timothy Volkmann.

Tony was a devoted husband and father, often bragging about his three sons, Gavin, Owen, and Kyle, and his significant other, Narine. The entire Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office and its extended family mourn the loss of Deputy Tony Jack, and the entire community of Santa Cruz share in the sadness felt by the Jack family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay respects to Tony and his commitment to community service and family, and I wish his family peace and solace during this difficult time.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for scheduling and for bringing this bill to the floor.

I am so proud that this bill is being brought to the floor by a Kennedy. President Kennedy appealed to the youth of this country with his inaugural address. I was a junior in college when he was sworn in, and that speech which has been repeated so much, of asking this country to think about what people in this country could do to help the country, rather than the government helping them, that call for action.

Today, 7,209 volunteers are spread out in 65 different countries around the world.

In President Kennedy's last State of the Union address, he said this:

Nothing carries the spirit of American idealism and

expresses our hopes better and more effectively to the far

corners of the Earth than the Peace Corps.

That is as true today as it was in the sixties, and what is so wonderful about this moment of sort of history and the folks that play in it is when I went into the Peace Corps in South America, the nickname, because the Kennedys were so popular, particularly in Colombia, the country that I went to, that we were called ``hijos de Kennedy,'' children of Kennedy. That is what the nickname for the Peace Corps was.

And isn't it so wonderful that we had a child of a Kennedy--Joe Kennedy is

now a Member of Congress--who is now able to carry this legislation. The torch is getting passed to a new generation. I carried this bill before, and I was so glad to be able to pass that torch to Joe. He is going to pass this torch to his children and other children, and we are going to keep the Peace Corps alive.

This commemorative that we are going to do here in Washington will remind the world that the Peace Corps is our best hope and chance for world peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 15th Annual Monterey Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival. The Monterey Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival is a non-profit organization composed of a group of volunteers who love cowboy poetry, western music, cowboy movies and western art and gear. The volunteers work tirelessly to bring us the, ``Cowboy Way of Life'' and its most talented musicians, poets and artisans to our region. I have a short poem by Monterey County resident, Wendy Brichnan, to read which captures the essence of this award-winning event.

A Glance at the Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival

From the Land of the proud California Vaqueros

set in beautiful Monterey, the first capital of California

a modest festival has, for the past 15 years,

celebrated the legendary Cowboy Way.

Through cowboy poetry, through cowboy songs,

through cowboy crafts and artifacts of the past,

the Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival

has shared important values that all should recall.

Honesty, Integrity, Friendship and Loyalty

Courage, Hard Work, and Dedication.

Collaboration, Teamwork, and Honor.

The Cowboy Code of Ethics is one to admire.

Founded by former Monterey police chief, Gary Brown

this special Cowboy Festival has shared highlights

of the Western Heritage that Monterey County

residents remember with pride.

Mike Beck, Monterey native musician and horse trainer

and visiting Western singers such as

Juni Fisher, Dave Stamey, Don Edwards

and others charm all ages with their prowess.

Their clever and moving songs celebrating the

spirit of the cowboy and cowgirls--

through hundreds of years, and thousands of miles,

and spark our imagination and pride.

They bring the world of the cowboy alive

with imagery that tugs at our hearts and minds

wide open spaces, shady oak trees,

whispering pines and swaying grasses.

The jingle of spurs, the soaring hawks,

the creak of leather, the sound of hooves,

the cattle grazing down the hillside along the trails

the heat of the day and the cool of the night.

Amazing cowboy poets such as Paul Zarzyski,

Diane Tribitt and Jim and Karen Ross

reach us deep inside with their

talented and humorous views of life. We

see through their eyes, their minds, and their souls.

Young poets and buckaroos come to the Festival

and share their respect for cowboy lore,

and adults step forward and recite

their own memorable poems for all.

It wasn't that long ago that renowned

artist Jo Mora walked in Monterey

and lived with the cowboys and Native Americans

throughout the land.

In his tradition, the Monterey Cowboy Festival

looks to other multi-talented Western artists

like Jack Swanson, Joelle Smith and many, many others

who drew and painted and illustrated what came before them

in the cowboy way of life.

Salinas saddle-maker G. S. Garcia's granddaughter,

steers this festival and allows us to admire

the man whose saddle brought home the

Gold Medal from the St. Louis World's Fair.

And, artisans from around America journey west

to Monterey to proudly display special

Cowboy boots, jewelry, Navajo blankets

and other symbols of our time-honored Western tradition.

The cowboy today is still seen on the slopes of

Monterey County in rambling ranches

that stretch over mountain tops.

The festival honors our hard-working ranchers

like the Violinis, Dorrances, and Pedrazzis,

and others who work with grazing

cattle, day in and day out.

And, training horses through their ``Feel'',

a well-loved method developed by

Monterey County's Bill Dorrance and carried on by

Others, such as Marvin and Marguerite Roberts and

Ray Hackworth revealing their unending respect for horses,

also a part of the Monterey Cowboy Festival.

The Festival's Saturday Night Dance lets everyone

kick up their heels in the popular Texas Swing tradition

performed by the always spunky Carolyn Martin Band,

bringing back lots of foot-stomping fun.

Raising money for the Salvation Army

through its famous Cowboy Church on Sunday morning,

with featured performers singing

songs of respect for all religions,

a tradition that graces the Festival stage.

And during the year, too, always loved

by teachers and students, learning history

the very best way through real live demonstrations.

The ``Cowboys in the Schools'' program

Held each year and teaching so many local youth

self esteem, history, cowboy culture and key values.

The three day festival draws to a close and

people meander out, sad that the time went to quickly,

taking home special artifacts of the Cowboy Way.

knowing they won't see some friends again until the next

time.

but recharged with another year of Monterey memories.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Monterey County Poetry and Music Festival on their 15th anniversary. The Monterey County Poetry and Music Festival always bring the finest western entertainment; cowboy poets, western music entertainers, fine cowboy art and gear to Monterey, the first capitol of Old California. I give a sweeping ``Hats Off'' on their 15th anniversary and wish them many more years of success.