Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support Monterey County's recognition of April 29, 2004 as Public Safety Appreciation Day. The County Supervisors have adopted a resolution on behalf of Monterey County and its residents recognizing the men and women who undertake the difficult and important work demanded of emergency services personnel. I would like to join the residents of Monterey County in thanking these personnel for their professional, heroic response to emergencies.

These men and women do their work to provide a timely, effective first response to unpredictable, often dangerous circumstances with admirable bravery and commitment. Emergency services personnel include 9-1-1 dispatchers, fire fighters, peace officers and emergency medical personnel, but in fulfilling their responsibility for maintaining public safety their actions often transcend their job descriptions.

I would like to include in this recognition the efforts of the personnel of the Monterey County Emergency Communications Department and Office of Emergency Services, and all those who work to ensure that first responders have the support they need to continue providing effective emergency services to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join the Board of Supervisors and the residents of Monterey County in showing my appreciation to the men and women who maintain public safety and work quickly to restore it following an emergency. These same personnel are often mentors and role models even outside their job, and I am pleased to recognize their contribution.

Mr. Speaker, in 139 days the assault weapons ban will expire. In 139 days our streets could be flooded with AK-47's. In 139 days the work of 10 years and the progress towards safer neighborhoods could vanish. In 139 days we could see the semiautomatic weapons that are used in combat zones on our street corners.

But we don't have to let this happen. H.R. 2038, the Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2003, is a common sense approach to protecting Americans from dangerous and impractical weapons. I continue to support responsible legislation that protects the rights of those who collect or hunt and use weapons for legitimate recreational purposes, but I think we can all agree that restricting the availability of Uzis will not impede lawful hunting. Assault weapons make up less than 1 percent of all guns but they are 18 times more likely than other guns to be cop-killers, and 16 times more likely to be traced to crime than other firearms.

H.R. 2038 is supported by more than three-fourths of the American public and virtually every major national law enforcement organization. In fact President Bush and Attorney General John Ashcroft have both stated their support for this legislation. I urge the leadership of the House to protect Americans from these senseless weapons of mass destruction and bring this legislation to the floor for a vote.

Thank you very much, my distinguished colleague from Portland, Oregon. I think but for your personal involvement in changing a city, we would not see the cities of America be as beautiful as Portland, Oregon, one of the most beautiful places to live now, and certainly the transportation system that the gentleman created there is the model for the country.

I am proud to be here on this 34th anniversary of Earth Day with all my colleagues. As I heard the people before me, I could not help but think that some of my colleagues will someday be future U.S. Senators, Governors and members of the Cabinet. With what they have said, it is obvious that their hearts and minds are in the right place.

I have a long statement, and I will submit it for the Record. I just wanted to say that today we launched, and this week, essentially a focus on how we should upgrade the oceans in America. We have ignored them. We paid attention to clean air, clean water, and we have 10 different agencies, departments in the Federal Government, hundreds of laws, and the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.

We have had a private sector report by the Pew Commission, a public sector report that we in Congress authorized, the U.S. Oceans Commission. They made the report back to Congress on Tuesday of this week. Now it is our responsibility, the legislative branch of government, to come up with a new organization, new laws, that will essentially focus on the ocean. In essence, to put it in perspective, more than 1,500 people have successfully climbed Mount Everest; more than 300 people have journeyed into space; 12 people walked on the moon; but only 2 people have ever descended to the bottom of the ocean and returned.

They are about that. I mean, we just do not know about the ocean. We know more about the Moon than we know about the oceans on the planet.

So we are going to spend the next few months here developing an oceans bill that I think will set the policy for this country, which will hopefully lead the policy of the world and the mechanism for ensuring that the oceans can be managed on an ecosystem basis and they can be cleaned up and made as the lungs of this Earth for children for generations to come.

It is the responsibility of this generation. We have found it in bad shape, and we have got to leave it in better shape.

I would just conclude on this Earth Day by inviting everybody to go out this weekend to celebrate Earth Day. There are all kinds of activities in your local community. I think the best quote about Earth Day and ourselves is what Teddy Roosevelt once reminded this country. He said: ``Do what you can with what you have where you are. Just do it.''

Let us hope we can get some good legislation adopted.

Mr. Speaker, I will include my statement for the Record at this point.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that we are holding this special order on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of Earth Day.

It is important that we take the time to recognize the importance of environmental conservation efforts and renew our commitment to them until we make everyday Earth Day.

We all must do our parts to be good stewards of our ocean, our land and our atmosphere. This is the only planet that we have after all.

Earth Day was born at a time of great concern over the degradation of the environment and the effects of that degradation on all species, including humans.

I like to think of Earth Day as an ecological version of New Year's Day--a time to reflect, take stock and make resolutions.

With that in mind, I want to take my time in this special order to talk about our oceans--two thirds of the earth that we need to know a lot more about.

Tuesday's release of the ``U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy's'' report marks a milestone for our oceans and for the way we view them. Their report is the result of almost 2 years of reflecting and taking stock of our current ocean management practices.

For the first time in more than 30 years, we as a nation, have re- considered our relationship with the sea. Unfortunately, the past 30 years have not been kind to our oceans.

Plain and simple our oceans are in a state of crisis--a crisis that affects each and every one of us.

Today, between one third and one half of the world's population lives within 50 miles of the coast.

We all depend on our oceans and coasts from the person who lives off the water to the person who visits once in a lifetime.

The oceans provide food, jobs, vacation spots, scientific knowledge, and opportunities for reflection, our movies our art and music.

In spite of this we tend to act with a great deal of ignorance about how our own activities actually threaten that economic value. In fact we have limited knowledge of how oceans work as an ecosystem.

I have some interesting numbers that I want to share with you. More than 1,500 people have successfully climbed Mount Everest. More than 300 people have journeyed to space. 12 people have walked on the moon. Yet, only two people have descended and returned in a single dive to the deepest part of the ocean.

Think about it--we know more about the moon than oceans on earth.

This morning I was testifying on the other side of the Capitol at the Senate Commerce Committee.

I met with Bob Ballard who showed me the most recent edition of Oceanography. He showed me two pictures. The first was of Mars and the second was of the ocean floor. What caught my eye was, to date, our pictures of outer space are 250 times higher resolution than from the ocean's depths.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned Earth Day was born at a time of great concern over the deprivation of our environment and out of this grass root effort we saw dramatic changes.

We proved that if we put our minds and resources to the problem, as we did in putting a man on the moon, we could bring things right again. We made giant progress with the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act.

Sadly, these land mark pieces of legislation have recently come under fire, administratively there has been a failure to investigate violations and enforce the laws on the books.

Protection of our oceans will require a change of course, a commitment from Congress and the administration. This commitment must be in the form of a new ocean ethic; one that is ecosystem-based with a governance structure that protects, restores, and maintains healthy marine ecosystems.

Regrettably, all too often we take our oceans for granted: We underestimate their value and we ignore the negative consequences human-related activities can have on them.

Our oceans represent the largest public trust resource in the U.S. and cover an area nearly one and a half times the size of the continental United States.

Americans expect the Government to safeguard this vast resource and I hope that the report just released will be the motivation for us to actually begin to do so.

Simply put, our current ocean and coastal management system, created over thirty years ago, is archaic and incompatible with new knowledge about how the oceans and coastal waters function as a whole.

Our policies are fragmented, both institutionally and geographically.

For example, today we find ourselves with over ten federal departments involved in the implementation of more than 130 ocean- related statutes.

It is time to reconsider this incoherent and often times incompatible management situation and bring order to our ocean governance structure.

The U.S. Commission's Report and last year's Pew Report offer some guidance on how to do just this.

We now know the natural world functions as interdependent ecosystems, with each species intricately connected to the other parts that make up the whole.

The U.S. Commission's Report, as well as the independent Pew Oceans Commission Report released last June, clearly states that we must adopt a new policy framework that is based on the concept of ``the whole,'' an ecosystem-based approach rather than one based on political boundaries.

This approach will not be as easy or straight forward as our previous approaches, but we must pass the legislation necessary to make it a reality.

Part of making it a reality is creating a strong regional governance structure. With a comprehensive national ocean policy explicitly written to maintain healthy ocean ecosystems, our oceans will be a bountiful resource in which we can all take pride.

The Report also stresses the importance of instilling a new ecosystem-based stewardship

ethic. Involved in instilling this ethic is increasing ocean-related education for all Americans at all levels, from first-graders learning how to read to graduate students investigating challenging scientific processes.

The U.S. Commission details suggestions on how we can instill a new stewardship ethic by emphasizing and investing in greater marine science education.

The Report released earlier this week is, technically, a Preliminary Report. It is being sent to the Governors for their comments. This comment period lasts until May 21, 2004. I urge all my colleagues to contact their Governors, let them know how important this issue is.

I sincerely hope that all states will take this opportunity to acknowledge that the oceans provide value for every American, whether intrinsic worth or direct economic benefit, and provide the Commission with input before the comment period ends.

Despite historic and geographic patterns suggesting otherwise, every state has a role to play in the management of our oceans.

The bipartisan House Oceans Caucus leadership is drafting legislation--the BOB, or Big Oceans Bill--that sets our country on the right path--the path of protecting our oceans.

Many of the details are still being worked out; however, the broad sections of BOB include national governance, regional governance, science and technology, and education.

We will be introducing our legislation this session. We have high hopes that our comprehensive bill will receive hearings and be considered this year, thereby demonstrating the bipartisan nature of the importance of protecting the health of our oceans for future generations.

It is up to each of us to not let this unprecedented opportunity pass us by. With the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and The Pew Oceans Commission Reports in the last year, the Bush Administration has a prime opportunity to take the steps necessary to instill a new ocean ethic in our government.

And, it's my earth day resolution to work with all my colleagues to make the decisions necessary to protect our largest public trust resource.

The time for leadership is now.

I will close with a quote from Commission's report:

The responsibility of our generation is to reclaim and

renew the oceans for ourselves, for our children, and--if we

do the job right--for those whose footprints will make the

sands of beaches from Maine to Hawaii long after ours have

washed away.

Don't forget to celebrate Earth Day, too. There are activities and festivities scheduled everywhere. Get out and participate, revel in the spring, and help build awareness just by being there. As Teddy Roosevelt once said: ``Do what you can with what you have where you can.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the courageous and selfless acts of three Monterey County residents currently employed at Monterey Credit Union, a local financial institution. Annette Garnett, John Thich and Bruce Din saved their fellow employees from certain danger when approached by a disgruntled and armed former employee.

On the morning of March 17, Annette Garnett, a four-year veteran of the Monterey Credit Union, was approached and threatened by Douglas Chase, a former employee that had been arrested just a day earlier on weapons charges. In an attempt to free Ms. Garnett from Chase's hold, John Thich and Bruce Din, both employed for less than a month at the time of the event, wrestled the attacker to the ground and successfully disarmed him. They were also able to immobilize Chase until police arrived to take him into custody.

I am deeply moved by the compassion and bravery these employees exhibited and I believe they should truly be heralded as heroes. There is no way of estimating the potential danger that could have incurred if the response to Chase's attack had been less effective. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of our community, I commend these three outstanding citizens for risking their lives in hope of protecting those of others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to provide a voice to those who too

often are silenced: the gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender students who face verbal, nonverbal, and physical harassment in our schools.

Today is the National Day of Silence across this country. Students have taken a vow of silence to protest the discrimination and intolerance that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students face on a daily basis.

In my district I am especially proud of Safe Schools Project of Santa Cruz County, which is coordinated by Santa Cruz County High School senior Nikira Hernandez. This program focuses on making K-through-12 schools in Santa Cruz County a safe place for all youth regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Considering our country's commitment to equality and liberty, it is disturbing that anyone is subjected to harassment and discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. We must work to protect our youth from violence and hatred while fostering a positive academic environment free of derogatory statements, taunts, and slurs.

For that reason I am proud to cosponsor H. Con. Res. 86, which memorializes the National Day of Silence.

Mr. Speaker, today marks a milestone for our oceans and for the way we view them. It has been more than 30 years since we, as a Nation, have evaluated our relationship with the sea. This morning, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy released its Preliminary Report--a comprehensive consideration of ``everything oceans,'' including governance structure, stewardship and education, living resources, science needs, and many other topics.

The Commission was mandated by the Oceans Act of 2000, legislation on which I am an original cosponsor and which is based on bills that I initially introduced in 1997 and 1999. In the Oceans Act we gave the Commissioners an enormous task and today I want to recognize the efforts of the 16 Commissioners, 26 Advisors, and countless staff who helped to create such a comprehensive report. I am sure that the Commission's excitement over the Report's release equals the thrill felt by those of us who love and care deeply about the oceans.

The U.S. Commission Report details, in over 400 pages, the appalling state of our oceans governance and embarrassing record of protecting ocean resources. While we have many crises--at home and abroad--that require our immediate attention, we cannot overlook the fact that our oceans are in a state of crisis, too. It is my sincere hope that both Members of Congress and the Bush Administration will read the U.S. Commission's Report and realize that our oceans need attention--now-- and that the country is looking to us--their leaders--to act.

We all depend on our oceans and coasts, from the person who lives off the water to the

person who visits once in a lifetime. The oceans provide food, jobs, vacation spots, scientific knowledge, and opportunities for reflection, Despite our inability to measure the many non-market values associated with our oceans and coasts, we are able to quantify some of the benefits they provide. For example, over a trillion dollars is added to our economy each year by ocean and coastal economies. I trust that we can all agree that this is a huge contribution; a contribution that must be protected so the returns keep coming.

Protection of our oceans will require a change of course. Unfortunately, all too often we take our oceans for granted: We underestimate their value and we ignore the negative consequences human-related activities can have on them. Our oceans represent the largest public trust resource in the U.S. and cover an area nearly one and a half times the size of the continental United States. Americans expect the Government to safeguard this vast resource and I hope that the Report just released will be the impetus for us to actually begin to do so.

Simply put, our current ocean and coastal management system, created over thirty years ago, is archaic and incompatible with new knowledge about how the oceans and coastal waters function as a whole. Our policies are fragmented, both institutionally and geographically. For example, Mr. Speaker, today we find ourselves with over ten federal departments involved in the implementation of more than 130 ocean- related statutes. It is time to re-consider this incoherent and often times incompatible management situation and bring order to our ocean governance structure. The U.S. Commission's Report offers some guidance on how to do just this.

One of the biggest advances in our understanding of oceans to occur since our last national review of ocean policy is that the natural world functions as ecosystems, with each species intricately connected to the other parts that make up the whole. The U.S. Commission's Report, as well as the independent Pew Oceans Commission Report released last June, clearly states that we must adopt a new policy framework that is based on the concept of ``the whole,'' an ecosystem- based approach rather than one based on political boundaries. This approach will not be as easy or straight forward as our previous approaches, but we must dedicate ourselves to making it a reality. With a comprehensive national ocean policy explicitly written to maintain healthy ocean ecosystems, our oceans will be a bountiful resource in which we can all take pride.

The Report released this morning also stresses the importance of instilling a new ecosystem-based stewardship ethic. Involved in instilling this ethic is increasing ocean-related education for all Americans at all levels, from first-graders learning how to read to graduate students investigating challenging scientific processes. The U.S. Commission details suggestions on how we can instill a new stewardship ethic by emphasizing and investing in greater marine science education. I look forward to learning more about their recommendations.

The Report released today is, technically, a Preliminary Report. It is being sent to the Governors for their comments. This comment period lasts until May 21, 2004. I sincerely hope that all states will take this opportunity to acknowledge that the oceans provide value for every American, whether intrinsic worth or direct economic benefit, and provide the Commission with input before the comment period ends. Despite historic and geographic patterns suggesting otherwise, every state has a role to play in the management of our oceans.

It is up to each of us to not let this unprecedented opportunity pass us by. With the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and The Pew Oceans Commission Reports in the last year, the Bush Administration has a prime opportunity to take the steps necessary to instill a new ocean ethic in our government. Action by this Administration could very well save our largest public trust. The time for leadership is now. I am dedicated to providing it in Congress, with the help of my fellow Oceans Caucus co-chairs, and I hope the President will provide it in the White House.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to close with a quote from the Report that encapsulates my thoughts on this historic day:

``The responsibility of our generation is to reclaim and renew the oceans for ourselves, for our children, and--if we do the job right-- for those whose footprints will mark the sands of beaches from Maine to Hawaii long after ours have washed away.''

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to dedicate themselves to shaping a better future for our oceans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Ted Fehring, who turned 90 on April 8th. Born to buggy manufacturers in Columbus, Indiana, Ted has lived a full and truly exceptional life. A man of the highest moral integrity, Ted has proven to be a devoted family man, dedicated member of the community, faithful Christian and successful businessman.

Ted married Marie Theresa Grote on June 29, 1938, and the rest is history--with five daughters, Janet, Jean, Joy, Julie and JoAnn, thirteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, Ted has led a rich family life.

As for his professional career, Ted has embarked successfully upon several different career paths: he was a teacher, a coach, an escrow officer, Vice-President of a Savings and Loan, and President of a Mortgage and Investment company. Ted has been a Carmel resident since June of 1945 and his active participation in our community has been invaluable.

He has been a member of the Lions Club, the Governing Board of the Church of the Wayfarer, the Red Cross, and has officiated many college football games--and this is only a fraction of his achievements!

I have known Ted Fehring to always be an honest and good man. Ted's ability to balance work, community involvement and his family serves as a model to all of us in the central coast community. At 90, Ted continues to live his life to the fullest and it is truly an honor to be able to recognize him today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lee Toler, a great man who passed away on February 4th, 2004. Lee was a shining example of the power one man can have in so many peoples' lives, and without him the world is a little dimmer. I offer Velma, his wife, and the rest of Lee's family my sincerest condolences.

Lee came from humble beginnings, as all great men do, but his spirit was richer than all the wealth in the world. His life was devoted to helping kids in our community and in California avoid the dangerous and detrimental effects of drugs and crime. He worked for the benefit of individuals and our community, and he did much of it as a volunteer.

During the 1960s Lee was a school custodian in Seaside, at Portola Junior High School, later renamed King Middle School after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. He became well known for his willingness to counsel students who came to him, and began to seek ways to help others. His ability as a counselor convinced then Governor Reagan to allow him into state prisons to work with inmates. He was also a key figure in championing the cause of drug treatment as an alternative to imprisonment.

In 1966 Lee founded Young Adults for Action to offer activities and alternatives to drugs, and in 1974 created Young Adults for Action Manufacturing Co. This organization recognized that good jobs could play a crucial role in discouraging drug use among teens, and he worked with local employers to offer jobs to youth and parolees. When these non-profits ended Lee continued his mission with Jobs Not Drugs in 1979, a successful program that continues to this day.

Lee's extraordinary work has not gone unrecognized. He's been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Governor's Award for Creative Citizenship, presented by Governor Reagan in 1968. The only other person to receive this award during Reagan's administration was Bob Hope for his work with soldiers overseas. I also had the opportunity to honor Lee twice, once in 1995 and once in 2000, with the Congressional Recognition Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise once more to applaud Lee Toler's many accomplishments. Lee was blessed with the ability to see the goodness that existed in everyone, and his life's work was devoted to bringing that out in people. While some merely condemn, Lee sought to understand. My only regret is that Lee could not be in every school, courtroom, and prison in our country, because our society grew greater and stronger with every person he touched. He was a remarkable figure in our community, and his memory will live on in the many people whose lives he has touched. I join the communities of the Monterey Bay, and friends and family in honoring this truly admirable man and all of his lifelong achievements.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Giovanni ``John'' Stagnaro, a patriarch within the Italian community of Santa Cruz who passed away this past March at the age of 90. Founder of the immensely popular and successful fishing business Stagnaro Brothers, John's legacy as a hard-working and dedicated entrepreneur has made his family name a staple in Santa Cruz County. John is survived by his wife of 67 years, Mamie Stagnaro; their three daughters: Teresa Tera, Jeanie McPherson, and Carol Tuttle; his eight grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.

Born in the tiny Italian coastal village of Riva Trigoso, John's life was an archetype of the American Dream. Via Ellis Island, John immigrated to the United States at the age of five, and quickly settled in Santa Cruz. In 1937, after saving several hundred dollars, John purchased part of a fishing company on the Santa Cruz Wharf--and the rest is history. Working alongside his brother, John's fish market and restaurant quickly became a staple of the Wharf. Today, Stagnaro Brothers is the last open-air fish market on the wharf.

John was a devout Catholic and an active member of the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Santa Cruz. He was also an avid participant in many community-based social organizations including the Sons of Italy, the Santa Cruz Elks Lodge, the Marconi Club, and the Italian Catholic Federation. John will surely be missed by his family and the community as a whole, but his business and his name will be a legacy that will last for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, many Americans enjoy taking cruises, in large part because they get to see some of the nation's most beautiful marine ecosystems. Because I want to see these beautiful marine ecosystems protected for future generations to enjoy, I am introducing The Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2004.

The Cruise Ship Industry has experienced much success over the past few years. In fact, the industry has grown at about an average of 10 percent over the past seven years, including an almost 17 percent increase in 2000. Unfortunately, as it grows, its potential to negatively affect the marine environment grows as well. Over a week's time, a single 3,000 passenger cruise ship, according to EPA and industry data, generates a tremendous amount of waste: Over 200,000 gallons of black water (raw sewage) are created. Approximately 1 million gallons of gray water (runoff from showers, sinks and dishwashers) are produced. More than 35,000 gallons of oily bilge water (oil and chemicals from engine maintenance that collect in the bottom of ships and are toxic to marine life) are generated. Isn't it reasonable to think that these ships should be subject to the same wastewater regulations as those governing municipalities of comparable size? I think so.

While many cruise ship companies have environmental policies in place, many are voluntary with no monitoring or enforcement provisions. Unfortunately, I am all too familiar with the down-side to voluntary agreements, as a cruise ship illegally discharged--breaking its voluntary agreement--into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 2002. Simply put, voluntary agreements between cruise lines and states aren't enough to ensure protection of our oceans. The public deserves more than industry's claims of environmental performance. We need a federal law and we need it now. It's time we strengthen the environmental regulations and in so doing, bring these floating cities in line with current pollution treatment standards. The Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2004 is the answer.

The legislation that I am introducing today, which has bipartisan support and is endorsed by over 30 local and national groups, plugs existing loopholes in federal laws, requires ships to treat their wastewater wherever they operate, and authorizes broadened enforcement authority. Several states including California, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, and Washington are currently considering legislation to better regulate various cruise ship wastes--similar to the legislation I am introducing today. In fact, I am proud to report that California is leading the country in protecting its coastal waters from cruise ship pollution. Introduction of the Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2004 is one of the ways that I am working to provide all states the kinds of ocean and coastal protections that Californians benefit from. Enactment of this bill will protect California's tourism industry by making sure that the beaches and oceans, two of the attractions that make California the most visited state in our country, will be protected from cruise ship pollution. Simply put, this legislation ensures two things: (1) a sustainable future for our oceans, and (2) a sustainable future for the cruise and tourism industry.

This legislation promotes the public interest for all Americans. The public deserves clean water--both in our inland waterways and in our oceans. The Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2004, through its discharge standards, will give the public what it deserves.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this critically important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Peter Troxell who passed away March 17, 2004 after a prolonged battle with cancer. Earlier this year I rose to congratulate him on his retirement and I am saddened to hear of this great man's passing. He is survived by his wife, Diana, children Adriana, Lyle, and Marina, and six grandchildren.

Although Peter was best known for his role as station manager of KUSP, which he assumed in 1993, he has been a leader in our community since the 1960s. He was one of the founders of the Mountain Community Theatre in Ben Lomond, helped establish the San Lorenzo Valley Children's Center, and managed Oganookie, a local band from Santa Cruz's hippie days.

His leadership skills were put to the test when he became the station manager of KUSP. The station was facing hard times internally and out, and might not have survived without Peter's tireless dedication. It is a testament to his skills as a businessman that we have KUSP in Santa Cruz today. But even with these new responsibilities, Peter never forgot his love of the arts. Even those who have never met Peter will recognize him as the host of the weekly shows ``State of the Arts'' and ``In the Green Room.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise once more to applaud Peter Troxell's many accomplishments. He was a remarkable figure in our community, and his memory will live on in the many people whose lives he has touched. I join the County of Santa Cruz, and friends and family in honoring this truly admirable man and all of his lifelong achievements.

Mr. Speaker, the bill we are debating today, H.R. 3966, purports to provide military recruiters entry to college campuses, and access to students that is equal to what any other employer has. However, the military is actually seeking special access that is not afforded to other employers that practice discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Equality was not a concern for the military in 2002 when they discharged 16 Arabic linguists from the Defense Language Institute in my district. Despite the high demand for Arab linguists, the military discriminated against these service members based on nothing more than their sexual orientation.

Schools should not be forced to choose between federal funding and their commitment not to endorse discrimination. The schools' standards of non-discrimination should apply to any organization, be it private sector or public that is seeking access to a campus and its students.

One of the Congressional findings that is incorporated in this bill states that ``the presence of ROTC programs on college campuses benefits even those students who are not enrolled by making them aware of the presence and role of the United States military.''

I wonder what the benefit is to the gay and lesbian students whose talents and skills are utterly disregarded by the military, simply because of their sexual orientation.

I encourage all of my colleagues to vote against this bill and for true equality.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute a great American: Jeff Schrock.

Jeff died last month after battling brain cancer. Sadly, he leaves behind a loving wife, Cass, and two doting children, Jenny and Max.

I pay tribute to him as a fallen hero. Why? Because this was a man who represented the best of what America is--a loving husband, a good father, a solid citizen. Jeff Schrock and all the ``Jeff Schrocks'' of the world are what makes this a great country, are the kind of person that forms the intricate fabric that binds us as a Nation, are the unsung heroes who serve as the massive middle class that exemplifies the American nature at its best.

I loved Jeff. He was as generous a soul as one could hope to meet. His love of the outdoors and business acumen came together in a well- known business that he owned and which became a beach-front institution in Monterey: Monterey Bay Kayaks. At his kayak shop he patiently taught people to explore and enjoy the ocean, up close and personal. And for someone like me, he rarely giggled when I squeezed into a full-body wet suit and ringed my waist with a rubber spray skirt. I will miss my friend, the gentleman with such aplomb and discretion!

It is sad to lose anyone so close. I want you to know how much I respected and admired Jeff and looked up to him. He was an American hero. He lived a life that bespoke the best of husbands and fathers everywhere. The dedication he showed to his family, the sense of community he exhibited in the way he ran his business, the daily comings-and-goings of Jeff Schrock, Everyman, is how we all ought to live our lives. Why? Because the end result is a life of integrity and honor, a life of quiet determination, and a life full of love. It is the hallmark of how the core principles of American life are manifested in our Nation. Jeff, in his way, knew this and reveled in it. He chose to be a leader for his family by showing compassion and generosity. He chose to be a leader by introducing his business associates to the wonders of economic profits through environmental preservation. He chose to be a leader by getting involved in community issues. He was a beacon for all of us, and those who follow his lead, will be part and parcel of a stronger America, as Jeff truly was.

Mr. Speaker, I miss my friend Jeff Schrock. I lament the death of the fellow who helped me squeeze into a kayak and who opened, so for many of us, an amazing Window to the wonders of Monterey Bay and our world's oceans. I share the grief of his wife and children. But above all, I honor the role model he was and will be for those he left behind.

Mr. Speaker, I associate my remarks with the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha).

I rise with concern and dismay on the Resolution before us.

First of all it resolves a sense of the House of Representatives. How can you have a sense of the entire House when it only has Republican authors?

How can it be a sense of the House with not a single Democrat as a co-sponsor?

This Resolution seems to provide political cover for the President for failing to secure support from our major Western allies in the War on Terrorism in Iraq.

This Resolution ignores the fact that we had no post-conflict reconstruction plan, before the first bombs dropped.

The Resolution glosses over the fact that our investigators, along with the United Nations inspectors, have found no weapons of mass destruction and were denied more time to complete their inspections, which could have obviated the need to go to war.

This Resolution is brought up at a time when the President's poll ratings are slipping.

The world is not safer and adoption of this politicized resolution won't make it so.

Baghdad is suffering new deaths as we debate, our own home turf suffers from its own brand of terrorism. Inner city communities are losing lives in drive by shootings and Americans don't feel safer.

No, the world is not safer and to get Congress to say that it is, is hypocrisy at its worst.

In an election year, Congress should work to bring us together--not to play political gotcha.

I urge this body to reject this Resolution. We can do better. We can truly support our troops without political excuses. We can commend the Iraqi people for their courage without taking credit for their courage.

Write a Resolution without partisan politics and it will get a unanimous vote, which is after all, what is needed to show support for our troops--not a house divided for partisan purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because March 1 through March 7 is National Peace Corps Week. One hundred and seventy thousand volunteers have served in 137 countries over the past 43 years to make an impact on this world, and I would just like to congratulate all of those who are in the field right now, who are in foreign countries all over the word, and send a special congratulations to each of them during this National Peace Corps Week for their service and contribution to the developing countries throughout the world.

And I would like to also remind them that what we heard yesterday in testimony by the leading generals in Iraq was that the military understands that until we cross the cultural divide, until the United States crosses the cultural divide, we will not have peace in this world. And the people that are being able to cross that cultural divide and bring the best of what is in America to the best of what is outside America together is the National Peace Corps.

And I would just like to say on this week of anniversary that the Peace Corps volunteers do not give handouts. They instead share their knowledge, experiences, technical skills with locals who in turn learn valuable lessons from them, the host country nationals, as well as the host country nationals learning from us. I am especially proud to be a return Peace Corps volunteer from Colombia, where I served in the 1960s, and the friendship and understanding and compassion that developed between myself and the Colombians is forever with me and with them.

And there are other Members, the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda), the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh), and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) who are also return Peace Corps volunteers, and I, with them, we extend congratulations to all those who are serving and to all those who applied to serve in the United States Peace Corps. I thank them very much on this week of the anniversary of the Peace Corps.