Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to an ongoing battle that is waged day-to-and minute-to-minute in our country. Largely perpetrated in silence, domestic violence is an overwhelming problem that affects every community and that transcends race, language, nationality, culture, sexual orientation, religion, economics, and gender. Too often, domestic violence is viewed as a women's issue, when in reality this is an issue that affects every aspect of our society: women, men, children, and communities as a whole. Domestic violence is an unacceptable reality and I believe that individuals must commit themselves to fighting this battle, which so often strikes at the very heart of our families.

In order to effectively decrease the incidence of domestic violence, full funding for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 2000 is essential. VAWA funds programs that assist battered women and their children. President Bush's FY04 budget cuts $19 million from VAWA programs. This cut will have a profoundly negative effect on the victims of domestic violence who need the support of these programs to stop the cycle of violence in their lives. I support Congressional action to restore the cuts made to the VAWA programs in President Bush's budget, in order to continue to provide essential services to those who need our help the most.

Last year Congress passed, and the President signed, the DOJ Reauthorization Act (PL 107-273), which included the Violence Against Women Office Act. This statute established an Office on the Violence Against Women as a separate and distinct office that would ensure that the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act is a high priority for the Department of Justice. Attorney General Ashcroft has failed to create this office. His inaction amounts to a systematic disregard for the full implementation of this law. I would encourage all of my colleagues to join me in urging Attorney General Ashcroft to establish a separate Office on Violence Against Women to fulfill both the spirit and the letter of the law.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the most loved and supported organizations in my congressional district. Last weekend the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County celebrated its 25-year anniversary, having begun when a small group of dedicated individuals decided in 1978 to help preserve open land.

The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County has worked cooperatively and collaboratively with a wide array of people, organizations, businesses and groups throughout this time to safeguard and protect over 1,250 acres. They have done this through direct purchases of land, donations of land, conservation easements and land management agreements. Mr. Speaker, as many people from my district and in this body are aware, I am a firm believer in the power of collaboration to achieve great ends, and I believe that the work of the Land Trust is one of the greatest examples of this power.

On Friday, February 21, the Land Trust held a benefit dinner to honor the work of those who were early pioneers in this effort. I was proud to join my colleague, Anna Eshoo, as a member of the Honorary Host Committee, although we could not attend due to other obligations. At this event, several people were honored for their work, and I wish to do so here, as well. First, my good friend and former staff member Fred Keeley received special recognition for his achievements as a member of the California Assembly for the past 6 years; John and Patty Brissenden were two of the first organizers of this organization, and have remained active and committed since then; Ted and Pat Durkee helped found the Land Trust, and have also remained closely associated since its inception; Angie Christmann has been a dedicated volunteer since 1985; La Mina Smith, who accepted the recognition on behalf of the late Al Smith, a local businessman vital to the groups efforts; Diane Porter Cooley, who accepted on behalf of the late Bernice Porter and her donation of conservation easements for a large agriculture area; and the Cummings family, who accepted on behalf of the late Anna Jean Cummings, a cofounder of the Land Trust and its first Executive Director.

I applaud the efforts of the Land Trust and those who support their mission of protection and conservation of this county's greatest natural resources. Mr. Speaker, I hope that my colleagues will join me in celebrating their anniversary, and wish them continued success in the next 25 years.

Mr. Speaker, this Friday is National Peace Corps day. All over the country, former Peace Corps volunteers are bringing their skills, knowledge and experience to

schools and community centers, sharing their experiences from all parts of the world.

Since 1961, more than 168,000 have volunteered in the Peace Corps. I was among the first in the mid-sixties. I spent two unforgettable years working as a Peace Corps volunteer in Medellin, Colombia. I have carried that experience with me ever since.

National Peace Corps Day will be a day of reflection for me. As I think back to my experience--and how it led me into public life and ultimately here to the U.S. Congress--I also think of the new opportunities for the next generation. I think of the fifteen volunteers from my home district who are now all over the world serving as Peace Corps volunteers. In particular, I think of Matthew Allen who began his service in Thailand last April. I remember him talking to me, asking me if going into Peace Corps was the right thing to do. I remember telling him that going into Peace Corps would be one of the most important decisions of his life.

It was for Matthew Allen, and thousands like him, that I introduced a bill last Congress--the Peace Corps Charter Act for the 21st Century-- to increase the number of volunteers in the Peace Corps. I would like every American, who is qualified and wants to serve in the Peace Corps, to have the same opportunity that I did.

I have introduced the bill again this Congress--H.R. 250. Among other things, it authorizes sufficient funds to double the number of Peace Corps volunteers by 2007. The President shares this goal and I hope that he will support this legislation. The bill also calls for the Peace Corps to enhance person-to-person contacts with the Middle East. It calls for Peace Corps to provide expanded training in HIV/AIDS treatment for volunteers in Africa and Asia.

H.R. 250 also authorizes the creation of a new fund which supports the third goal of the Peace Corps--bringing the Peace Corps experience home to communities in America. This is exactly the spirit of National Peace Corps Day.

I would ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Peace Corps today and everyday. Contact Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in their districts. Ask them to bring the story of Peace Corps to their schools and community centers. I would also ask them to support H.R. 250, so that everyone who is willing and able will have the opportunity to become part of this great American experience.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the efforts of the Japanese, German, and Italian American communities in educating the public about their experiences during World War II. I also commend my colleague, Rep. Michael Honda, for his efforts in redressing the mistreatment of many American ethnic groups during this period and specifically for sponsoring H. Res. 56, the Day of Remembrance Resolution.

Today we reflect upon the forced internment of thousands of American citizens during World War II. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which authorized the Secretary of War to incarcerate Japanese Americans in designated areas controlled by the military.

Executive Order 9066 was decreed without the issue of formal charges, warrants or trials; this presidential decree denied thousands of citizens the due process of law that is guaranteed by the Constitution. Executive Order 9066 was born out of the misguided fear that some Japanese Americans might harbor anti-American sentiment and could possibly threaten the nation's security during a time of war.

The execution of this law devastated the lives of many Japanese Americans. More than 120,000 Japanese Americans on the West Coast were given one week's notice and told to bring only what they could carry before being forcibly removed from their homes. They were then relocated to internment camps where they lived behind barbed wire and endured such hardships as inadequate medical supplies and insufficient food and water.

Japanese Americans were not the only ethnic group faced with internal prejudice during this period. German and Italian Americans also faced significant intolerance from other Americans during World War II.

Prejudice against ethnic Americans still resonates today. The events of September 11 proved that terrorists threaten our country and our very way of life. Although some terrorists may still inhabit our homeland, we cannot threaten the liberty of every Arab-American in order to get to those that would threaten the United States. In this way, the events of November 19, 1941 are with us as much today as ever.

Today is a day of remembrance and a day of reflection. We must reflect upon the atrocities committed during World War II, upon the internment of Japanese-Americans and upon the prejudice many Americans faced during this time. And we must remember and learn from the mistakes of our past, so that we do not repeat them in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Virginia ``Ginnie'' Muir Hirsch. She passed away in the early morning of January 29 in her home in Santa Cruz, California. Her husband, Fred, and their three daughters Liza, Leslie, and Laurie were at her side.

Ginnie was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania on August 4, 1925. She came from a family of strong Democrats. Because of her father's leftist ideals, he had difficulty finding a job in Altoona. Eventually the family was forced to migrate to West Virginia so that Ginnie's father could find work.

Ginnie moved to New York in 1942, where she began working for the American Committee for the Protection of the Foreign Born and for the American Slav Congress. Ginnie worked continuously during the period of anti-leftist hysteria in the nineteen forties, supporting many activists who were being deported for their progressive ideologies. While helping to organize a 1949 concert by Paul Robeson, her 1937 Oldsmobile was pushed over a cliff in what became known as the Peekskill Riot. The next day, in clothes bloodied by cross-burning Klansmen, Virginia testified with Paul Robeson about the attack.

Ginnie was married in 1952. In 1957 she and her husband moved to California with their children. Virginia held down two jobs, campaigned against the ``right to work'' law, and fought against the deportation and abuse of Mexican immigrants. In San Jose, Ginnie became an active member of the Office of Professional Employees International Union, and for a number of years she worked for the local Retail Clerks Union. She was also a founding member of the Friends of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, which involved traveling to Mississippi and bringing supplies to SNCC.

Ginnie has been a life-long activist in California labor politics. As a board member for the Central Labor Council, she consistently supported the United Farm Workers as well as a number of East San Jose labor organizations. In 1967 Virginia moved her family to Delano, California to open the first legal office for Cesar Chavez's United Farm Workers. She was also an integral part of the jury investigation team for the 1971 trial of Angela Davis.

Ginnie continued through her years in San Jose, and later in Santa Cruz, providing for her family and working for peace, against racism, and for social and economic justice. She regretted that leukemia made her unable to take part in the January 18 anti-war actions in San Francisco and died less than two weeks later.

Mr. Speaker, Virginia Muir Hirsch will be remembered in the community for her years of service and the invaluable contributions she has made to the progressive cause.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to honor the courageous efforts of the men and women in law enforcement. These individuals risk their lives each day in fighting crime and keeping our communities safe. Tonight, I honor four brave members of the Monterey County Sheriff's Department and two members of the Salinas Police Department that have been awarded a Medal of Valor by the Monterey County Peace Officer's Association for their dedicated service to the County of Monterey.

On December 29, 2001, Monterey County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle that may have been involved in the sale of stolen property. Deputy Matthew Luther determined the vehicle was stolen and also realized that it was parked at a residence where known felons took refuge.

Additional units arrived and surrounded the location: Deputy Luther and Deputy Phillip Farley covered the rear of the home, while Deputy Oscar Leon covered the front. Sergeant Joe Pedroza took the exterior perimeter.

A suspect's desperate efforts to flee were thwarted by Deputy Farley. Trying another exit, the suspect encountered Deputy Leon and began shooting. Deputy Leon returned fire at almost point blank range. Shortly thereafter, the suspect attempted to escape by jumping off the front porch of the residence and tried to climb into a tree above Deputy Luther. The suspect, still in possession of his handgun was disabled by Deputy Luther's return fire. After securing the suspect, two additional co-conspirators were located inside the house and taken into custody.

Throughout this quick encounter, each deputy employed his skills, training, and instincts--all of which culminated in the securing of the suspect and the crime scene. The encounter was not over after the suspect was shot and disabled. All the deputies involved maintained their focus, worked in unison and continued to react to each threat as it arose. The above Sheriff's Deputies were confronted with a life and death situation in which, a murder suspect attempted to gain his freedom by shooting his gun at them. In doing so, they were able to apprehend the suspect without injuries to the deputies involved.

Sergeant Joe Pedroza, Deputy Matthew Luther, Deputy Oscar Leon, and Deputy Phillip Farley were awarded this Medal of Valor on April 17, 2002.

On the evening of January 15, 2002, the Salinas Fire Department and the Salinas Police Department were dispatched to a structure fire at the Acosta Plaza apartment complex.

Officer Ernie Sanchez and Officer Teresa Naugle-Dudek arrived before any fire units and determined that the occupants of apartment #2, which was fully engulfed, were safe and accounted for. In speaking with the residents, the two officers learned that the occupants of apartment #1 had not been seen outside.

When Officer Sanchez knocked on the door and got no response, he forced the locked door. When Officer Sanchez and Officer Naugle-Dudek entered the premises, they found the apartment full of thick, dark smoke. Without breathing apparatus or concern for their personal safety, they located three individuals asleep in an upstairs bedroom. Officer Sanchez and Officer Naugle-Dudek evacuated the residents and had the persons evaluated by medical personnel at the scene.

Officer Sanchez kept the family with him until he could make arrangements with relatives for their lodging. Officer Naugle-Dudek assisted the other displaced residents in securing temporary housing in the complex, until their units could be declared structurally safe to inhabit.

There is little doubt that both their quick actions averted a potentially deadly situation.

These citizens, fast asleep, could have been overcome by smoke inhalation and perished in their home. Officer Sanchez and Officer Naugle-Dudek displayed heroism while disregarding their own personal safety during the structure fire.

Officer Teresa Naugle-Dudek and Officer Ernie Sanchez were awarded this Medal of Valor on April 17, 2002.

Undaunted, all of these men and women acted with great courage, in concert with one another and with the highest degree of professionalism. And it is their undying commitment to public safety and law enforcement that is so essential to the health of our communities. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I congratulate these individuals on their receipt of this tremendous honor.

Mr. Speaker I rise today to honor Doctor Hisashi Kajikuri, an exceptional physician who has continued to serve the Monterey Peninsula for the past thirty-five years. Dr. Kajikuri has been recognized by a number of local medical associations and this year, at age 76 he is being honored with the Monterey County's Physician of the Year award.

Dr. Kajikuri is well known in the medical community as a committed and talented physician and a strong patient's advocate. A man of great integrity and generosity, Dr. Kajikuri has been dedicated to providing quality healthcare to everyone who enters his door, myself included, as well as those who are unable to pay.

Born and educated in Japan, Dr. Kajikuri began his career as an intern for a U.S. Military Hospital and was later awarded a Fulbright Fellowship in 1954 to research heart valve autographs at the University of Indiana. He became a United States citizen in 1967. Dr. Kajikuri later moved to Monterey, California, where he established a practice and was honored by the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula as the first recipient of the Lifetime Physician Award. He is a member of the Monterey Medical Society Review Board, California Thoracic Society, Japan Surgical Society, and a Trustee of the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

The contributions that Dr. Kajikuri continues to make to the Monterey community are innumerable. The honor of Physician of the Year is awarded to a physician who has made a significant contribution in the health care field, is a strong motivator and educator, has a good rapport with patients, has demonstrated extraordinary professional competence, and is a strong role model for young physicians. I can personally attest to the care and competency shown by Dr. Kajikuri in his interactions with patients and affirm his reputation as a medical professional who stands out in his community as generous, talented, and worthy of such respect.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress I would like to honor and congratulate Dr. Kajikuri for his remarkable achievements and the great honor of this award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mrs. Carol Lacy, a close friend, longtime colleague and an indefatigable advocate for improving the quality of life in North Monterey County. She was a civic leader devoted to good land use planning in a county that depends on its ``good looks'' and ``productive dirt.'' Carol passed away after a battle with lung cancer on Friday, November 1, 2002, and is survived by her husband Richard Liebenberg, daughter Susan Lacy, son Tim Lacy, stepson Ken Liebenberg, her parents Tom and Winifred Carney, sister Janet Carney, brother Barry Carney, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Lacy was a former Monterey County planning commissioner, businesswoman and health insurance agent who was known for her involvement with her community. She served for seven years on the Monterey County Planning Commission, nine years as a North Monterey County School Board trustee, and as a PTA president at Prunedale Elementary School. Carol had been a grand juror and was involved with the Monterey County Special Healthcare Authority. After seeing accidents and deaths year after year along Highway 101 through Prunedale, her hometown of 35 years, she was a founding member of the Highway 101 Bypass Committee. Work is now underway to improve safety along that corridor thanks to her pioneering efforts.

Many people knew and loved Carol, and I am thankful to be one of them. Her contributions to her community have left a legacy that will last for years to come. She will be sorely missed.

Mr. Speaker, I ask permission to revise and extend my remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure and the honor today of introducing a bill which will reauthorize the United States Peace Corps. I served in the Peace Corps for two years, from 1964-66, in Colombia and it inspired me to devote my life to public service. With this bill, over 14,000 Americans will be given the chance to have the same inspiration.

This bill is long in the making. We in Congress have been advocating the increase and strengthening of the Peace Corps for a long time. The goal of increasing the Peace Corps to 10,000 volunteers was announced by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. It was echoed by President Clinton in 1992. Finally, President George W. Bush announced in his State of Union address last year, his commitment to double the number of Peace Corps volunteers in five years. Last year, following the President's statement, I introduced a bill, which would help fulfill this vision for the Peace Corps. The same bill was introduced in the Senate, where it was ultimately passed by unanimous consent.

The bill I am introducing today is essentially the same bill that was passed by the Senate:

It doubles the number of volunteers in five years;

It restates the independence of the Peace Corps;

It asks for reports to Congress on new initiatives and security for Peace Corps volunteers;

It makes a commitment to recruit and place Peace Corps volunteers in countries where they could help promote mutual understanding, particularly in areas with substantial Muslim populations;

It develops training programs for Peace Corps volunteers in areas of education and prevention of AIDS;

It streamlines and empowers the Peace Corps Advisory Council and creates a fund to promote the work of returned Peace Corps volunteers in fulfilling the third goal of the Peace Corps--to educate other Americans about their experience overseas.

This is a crucial time to invest in the Peace Corps, a crucial time to invest in improving America's relations with peoples and countries across the globe. I believe that this bill represents an important symbol of the good will of the United States, and reflects our fundamental nature as a concerned and caring nation.

I would like to thank Congressman Mark Udall, whose mother was a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal, for helping to author the bill. I would also like to thank my fellow Congressman Mike Honda for also being an original cosponsor. I would also like to thank all of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who have given invaluable input in creating this bill.

I encourage my colleagues to join us in cosponsoring this important piece of legislation.