Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the distinguish life of Sidney Lanier McFarland. Mr. McFarland, who retired in 1975 after 36 years honorable public service, passed away on August 12, 2004, at the age of 89.

Mr. McFarland served for 20 years as Staff Director for the U.S. House of Representatives Interior Committee from the 83rd through the 93rd Congresses. During that time, he coordinated the efforts that authorized and enacted 79 major water projects into law. These laws authorized the U.S. Department of the Interior to build dams and canals that stored and diverted water for use by agriculture, municipalities and industry. The projects made possible the large and productive habitation of arid and semiarid lands, laying the groundwork for the enormous growth that subsequently transpired in the western United States. Among the committee's accomplishments under Mr. McFarland's direction were the Colorado River Storage Project that included Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell; the Trinity River

Project Unit, San Luis Project Unit and Auburn-Folsom South Unit of the Central Valley Project in California; the Fryington-Arkansas Project in Colorado; the Garrison Unit of the Missouri River Basin Project in North Dakota; and the Colorado River Basin Project, which includes the Central Arizona Project.

Mr. McFarland also worked on 169 other pieces of legislation enacted into law. These included amendments to federal reclamation laws, compacts on interstate streams, authorization of the Saline Water Research Program, the Small Reclamation Projects Act, the Water Resources Planning Act, the Water Resources Research Act, and legislation relating to irrigation districts.

Mr. McFarland was born on March 25, 1915, in Georgia and grew up working on his family's farm. After earning a civil engineering degree at Georgia Tech, he worked for the Georgia State Highway Department before being called to active duty with the U.S. Army in 1941. He proudly served his country during World War II and many years after in the Officer Reserve Corps.

Mr. McFarland's military service is one of great honor and distinction. He was a member of the 551st Engineer Heavy Pontoon Battalion, initially assigned to General George Patton's Third Army. Under fire during Patton's rapid push across France into Germany, Mr. McFarland and his fellow soldiers courageously built several heavy pontoon bridges. In December 1944, the battalion was caught in the Battle of the Bulge, at which time the German army, holding everything east of the Rhine River, made a rapid breakthrough in an attempt to capture Antwerp. During the night of March 25, 1945, and part of the following day, Mr. McFarland's battalion completed the construction of a 1900-foot pontoon bridge across the swift-moving Rhine River, making it possible for the Allied Armies to cross and initiate the big push to end the war. As noted by Major General Inglis, Chief Engineer of the 21st Army Group, the Rhine River crossing was ``. . . one of the great military accomplishments of this war.''

Mr. McFarland, who was buried with military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Barbara, of Sun City West, Arizona; daughter Margie and her husband Robert Collins of Albuquerque, New Mexico; daughter Carol and her husband Bob Leone of Edgecomb, Maine; son Sid, Jr., of Dayton, Ohio; and son Christopher and his wife Lauren of Austin, Texas. He also has five grandchildren: Jennifer Collins, Lindsay and Sara Leone, and Renan and Shea McFarland.

I ask my colleagues to join me in paying final tribute to a great American.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of a true Santa Fe landmark: Bert's Burger Bowl. Last month I joined with thousands of New Mexicans to celebrate this milestone as well as their claim to fame-- the invention and commercial serving of one of New Mexico's famous foods, the green chile cheeseburger.

Staff t-shirts at Bert's boast, ``Since 1954: One Location Worldwide.'' To stay in business that long, Bert's is doing something right. This is the home of the greatest green chile cheeseburger in the world--a claim that is not easily contested--perhaps best known for allowing their customers to have a burger their way or not at all.

The current owners of Bert's Burger, Fernando and Debra Olea, decided to change their prices on August 17 to 1950s prices as a way to thank their loyal customers. By the time the day was done, thousands of New Mexicans had lined up for 35-cent green chile burgers, 19-cent crinkle cut fries and 10-cent soft drinks. Incredibly, between 10:30 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., Bert's served 2,000 burgers with only eight people working.

Bert's Burger Bowl, one of the last independently owned drive-in restaurants, was founded in 1954 by Bert Burtram, a World War II veteran, who operated the business 11 years before selling it to Fred and Barbara DeCastro. The Oleas bought Bert's in 1991 on the condition nothing be changed.

The most popular item on the menu has been and will remain No. 6--a chile/cheese burger. The eatery also serves burritos, Frito pies, fried chicken, chicken gizzards and chicken livers. Bert's is also known for its freshly made lemonade and limeade, as well as the cherry-lime drink and French Coke made with a dash of vanilla. Loyal customers, who dine under umbrellas on a sun-drenched patio overlooking Guadalupe Street, have kept Bert's in business all these years.

For the last half century, Bert's Burger Bowl has held a special place in the hearts of northern New Mexico residents and tourists. During the recent celebration, I met scores of people who told me their first job was at Bert's. Santa Fe Mayor Larry Delgado and his lovely wife Angie recalled how their very first date was at Bert's. Another customer reminded me that the establishment served as a backdrop for the 1971 movie ``Two Lane Blacktop.'' For 50 years, Bert's has meant so much to so many.

As the only member of the New Mexico congressional delegation to serve on the House Small Business Committee, I know the important contribution enterprises like Bert's make to our economy. I salute Fernando and Debra and their employees for their hard work and dedication. It was truly my honor to join with them on this milestone. My best wishes for another 50 years of success.

Mr. Speaker, a 50-foot man stuffed with shredded documents will go up in flames tonight at Fort Marcy Park in Santa Fe. Each year the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe stages the burning of Zozobra, kicking off the annual Fiestas de Santa Fe on the following Labor Day. Zozobra centers around the ritual burning in effigy of Old Man Gloom, or Zozobra, to dispel the hardships and travails of the past year. Over 30,000 people are expected to attend the 80th anniversary of this celebrated tradition tonight.

Zozobra is the invention of Santa Fe painter Will Shuster, who had the first burning of a 3-foot-high effigy in his back yard back in 1924. His inspiration for Zozobra came from the Holy Week celebrations of the Yaqui Indians of Mexico; an effigy of Judas, filled with firecrackers, was led around the village on a donkey and later burned. A newspaper editor and friend of Schuster's came up with the name Zozobra, which is Spanish for ``the gloomy one.''

The Fiestas celebration began in 1712 to celebrate an expedition by Don Diego de Vargas, who reconquered the territory of New Mexico. Zozobra became part of the Fiestas in 1926, and the Kiwanis club began sponsoring the burning in 1963 as its major fundraiser.

The effigy is a giant animated wooden puppet that waves its arms and growls ominously at the approach of its fate. A major highlight of the pageant is the fire spirit dancer, dressed in a flowing red costume, who appears at the top of the stage to drive away the white-sheeted ``glooms'' from the base of the giant Zozobra. The fire dance was created by Jacques Cartier, a former New York ballet dancer and local dance teacher, who performed the role for 37 years. His dance student, James Lilienthal took over the fire spirit role in 1970 and has continued it for 30 years.

Mr. Shuster constructed the figure of Zozobra until 1964, when he gave his detailed model to the Kiwanis Club to continue the tradition. Over the years the effigy has grown larger, reaching a height of 51 feet. Zozobra is a well crafted framework of preplanned and pre-cut sticks, covered with chicken wire and yards of muslin. It is stuffed with bushels of shredded paper, which traditionally includes obsolete police reports, paid off mortgage papers, and even personal divorce papers.

The festival is so popular that children arrive in the park in the morning to watch Zozobra's assembly. Spectators, who have paid a nominal fee to watch the event, continuously roar, ``Burn him,'' until Zozobra is destroyed. Since 1952, the show has raised over $300,000, which the Kiwanis has used to provide college scholarships and camp fees for physically challenged children.

Mr. Speaker, Zozobra is an annual event families and friends in the community look forward to and a meaningful tradition to northern New Mexico. I ask that my colleagues join with me in honoring the 80th anniversary of Zozobra.

Mr. Speaker, last month my home state of New Mexico lost a great man. Lorenzo Armijo Chavez, who spent his entire life in the Land of Enchantment, died at the age of 90. Born and raised in Magdalena, Lorenzo rose from modest beginnings to become a celebrated attorney, state legislator, and father of Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez. He was a legend in his own time, and he leaves a long and unique legacy.

Afflicted with polio, Lorenzo received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico in 1941. Attending Georgetown Law School as a full time student, Lorenzo earned his Juris Doctor degree while working 70 hours per week in charge of the Reading Room at the Library of Congress. He was a member of the Georgetown Law Journal Staff for 2 years and co-authored ``Insurance-Rate Making,'' graduating third in his class.

Upon graduation, Lorenzo became a law clerk for Justice Ambrose O'Connell in the Court of Custom & Patent Appeals in Washington, D.C., followed by work for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation in the District of Columbia, in charge of War Risk Insurance. He then became a special assistant to the Attorney General of the U.S. in charge of land condemnation in New Mexico. In this position, he obtained for the Federal Government the land where Sandia Corporation is now located for $3.00 per acre.

In 1946, he started his law practice in Albuquerque. During these early years, he was elected to the House of Representatives in the New Mexico Legislature representing Socorro County where the press characterized him as one of the two most effective freshman legislators. Despite pressure from influential and other friends, he refused to run for any other public office; during ensuing years, he refused appointments as a judge in the various courts, preferring to represent the injured workmen whom he felt had been sorely neglected by the courts for years. He helped create new law protecting injured workers. Additionally, he tried the first Federal court case where a Native American served in the jury.

During the Johnson Administration, he served his country for $1.00 per year as a special advisor on Minority Enterprises to Howard Samuels, head of the Small Business Administration, where he encouraged and promoted loans to Spanish Americans and other minority businessmen throughout the United States. In the 1960s he was a member of Civilian Orientation Corps for the Defense Department.

In 1962, Lorenzo founded and became the first president of the American Savings and Loan Association in Albuquerque, NM. Also in the 1960s, he served on the Board of the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers, of which he was a member for many years. After the death of U.S. Senator Dennis Chavez, he raised the funds necessary, contributing substantially himself, to have a statue of the Senator cast and placed in Statuary Hall in the Capitol in Washington, D.C. where it will remain for posterity. He made the presentation himself, along with Senator Hubert Humphrey, Vice President Lyndon Johnson, and other distinguished statesmen, to U.S. Congress.

Lorenzo's love and compassion for the poor and the underdog manifested itself in legal representation, despite lucrative offers from the insurance companies. He handled over 16,000 plaintiffs suits in every county of the state where there was a court, winning over 90 percent of them, and handling 68 cases in the Supreme Court of New Mexico, winning 99 percent of those cases. During his 52 years of law practice, he tried cases in every surrounding state as well as in California and Illinois. He handled some 12 cases in the Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit and handled cases in the Court of Claims in association with eventual U.S. Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas. He handled cases in the New Mexico Federal District Court. His pro-bono cases were numerous. These accomplishments led to him being the first New Mexican accepted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and he was regularly named in America's Best Lawyers.

Lorenzo served as a mentor to many up-and-coming Hispanic lawyers, including former Governor Toney Anaya. He was a founder of the G.I. Forum, a Hispanic veterans' political group. Former Governor David Cargo recalls Lorenzo approaching him in the 1960's and urging broader Hispanic representation on boards of regents throughout the state.

When taxpayers complained about the high income tax they paid, Lorenzo's favorite comment was that he was delighted to pay taxes, that he remembered only too well when he didn't make enough money to pay taxes at all. He had firm principles--and, I believe, right ones. He expounded them clearly, he acted upon them decisively.

Lorenzo is survived by his wife, Sara Chavez, three sons, Larry, Phil and Martin, 6 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. When Martin was running for office and he was asked to name his heroes, his father was always the first person he named.

Mr. Speaker, Lorenzo Chavez lived a long, productive and admirable life. He was a kind and loving husband, father and grandfather and enjoyed his life with family and friends to the fullest extent. His life left an indelible mark in the most significant of ways. He never forgot the foundations of family values, love and concern for others, a good education, and a solid work ethic. A great man is no longer with us, but will always be remembered in the minds and hearts of everyone who knew him. I cannot think of a more honorable legacy than that.

Mr. Speaker, September 3rd marked the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, which protects the Nation's enduring natural heritage as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Revered by scores of Americans and visitors

each year and spanning two generations, the wilderness areas that can be found from the West to East Coasts are a tangible source of pride, progress, and potential for our Nation.

In 1924, at the insistence of forester and future ``A Sand County Almanac'' author Aldo Leopold, the Forest Service created the very first federally designated wilderness--the Gila Primitive Area. Located north of Silver City, the Gila Wilderness is a gigantic reserve whose boundaries were eventually made into the 558,000-acre wilderness it is today. Senator Clinton Anderson of New Mexico, chairman of what was then called the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, stated that his support of the wilderness system was the direct result of discussions he had held almost 40 years before with Mr. Leopold. The Wilderness Act made the Gila Primitive Area official 40 years later.

After passing Congress with bipartisan support, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Wilderness Act into law on September 3, 1964. By the stroke of President Johnson's pen, the Act created 9.2 million acres of wilderness across the country. Today the system includes 662 areas covering about 105.7 million acres in 44 states, about 4 percent of the United States.

For the first time in American history, the Federal Government protected land as it is and defined wilderness as a place that ``in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a member of the natural community who visits but does not remain and whose travels leave only trails.''

The Wilderness Act is a deeply personal law to me. The legislation that President Johnson signed was sponsored by Senator Anderson and was guided through Congress at the urging of my father, then Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall. Serving as Interior Secretary for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, Stewart Udall's accomplishments during his tenure are numerous: he created new national programs such as the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and the Wilderness Act, which pushed the nation toward a deeper appreciation and protection of its remaining wild spaces. He helped create many new national parks and forests and the first national seashores. Perhaps most importantly, he established a bipartisan consensus on conservation issues that would endure for 20 years.

I visited with my father recently in Santa Fe about the Wilderness Act. He recalled that President Johnson awarded him 62 ceremonial bill signing pens throughout his service to the White House. As he signed the Wilderness Act into law, President Johnson spoke of Secretary Udall and his staff ``going all over the country, looking for places to save.'' My father recalls the remark as one of the highest compliments he has ever received; this in a lifetime of distinguished service to his country.

With 2.1 percent of its land area protected as wilderness, New Mexico harbors 23 wilderness areas. I have introduced legislation which would designate the first wilderness approved in New Mexico since 1987--the 10,794-acre Ojito Wilderness Study Area. The Bureau of Land Management recommended wilderness status for the Ojito area in 1992. We have had hearings in both the House and Senate on this bipartisan proposal. The bill is strongly supported in New Mexico by a diverse coalition. It is my sincere hope we can pass this legislation before the 108th Congress adjourns. Ojito would remain a natural place, perfect for recreation and quiet contemplation.

My legislation would also provide for the sale of about 13,000 acres of adjacent Bureau of Land Management holdings to Zia Pueblo, land that holds much historic and religious significance to the pueblo. All of it would remain open to the public. As such, the pueblo would be able to unite two separate pieces of its reservation, and in total, 24,000 acres would be preserved and protected. Not only is this place incredibly beautiful, it also contains rich cultural and archeological values. Designating the Ojito as wilderness will ensure that this vast landscape remains as it is, in all its natural glory, for future generations to treasure.

Mr. Speaker, the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act is an opportunity to rekindle the public interest in safeguarding our Nation's unique natural heritage for future generations to enjoy. I urge my colleagues to join with me to ensure we leave a rich legacy of unspoiled wildlands for our families, for our future.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to increase funding in the fiscal year 2005 Labor-HHS appropriations bill before us for the CDC's Preventative Health Care Block Grant. This important grant is one of the few grants that allows States the flexibility to address their own unique health care challenges in exciting and innovative ways.

Unfortunately, H.R. 5006 cuts the amount of funding for the Preventative Block Grant by $23 million from the fiscal 2004 amount of $133 million to $110 million for fiscal year 2005. The funding provided in the legislation is also $23 million below the administration's request for fiscal year 2005.

My amendment would restore the funding to last year's level. It would offset the increase in the Preventative Health Care Block Grant by reducing the level of the Department of Health and Human Services departmental management by the same amount.

Mr. Chairman, this block grant has allowed State health departments to address a wide variety of public health issues, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, physical activity, suicide prevention, just to name a few. States have documented that investment of block grant dollars has resulted in improved health care outcomes and in some significant cost savings.

I strongly believe that the Preventative Health Care Block Grant is exactly the type of program we should be supporting. The national investment in prevention is currently estimated to be less than 5 percent of the annual health care costs despite strong evidence that prevention can be cost effective and helps people enhance the quality of their lives.

In addition, this block grant is excellent public policy because it provides States with great flexibility in addressing the public health care needs their populations face.

Mr. Chairman, I am a strong supporter of health care promotion programs that have the potential to improve health, improve the quality of life, reduce health care costs, and boost productivity. I believe it is time for America to increase its investment in health care prevention strategies. It is a fact that adaptable lifestyle factors, such as smoking, sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition, unmanaged stress, and obesity, account for approximately half the premature deaths in the United States. Moreover, spending on chronic diseases related to lifestyle and other preventable diseases accounts for an estimated 70 percent of total health care spending. With the pending retirement of the baby boom generation, the financial burden of these preventable diseases will further threaten the solvency of the Medicare program.

It is my hope that with a greater focus on prevention, we will be able to greatly reduce the number of individuals who suffer from all types of ailments, including diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and strokes just to name a few areas where preventative health care can make the difference. The CDC's Preventative Health Care Block Grant goes a long way towards achieving this goal.

One of the other key components of the block grant is that it is the primary source of flexible funding that provides States the latitude to fund any of 265 national health care objectives available in the Nation's Healthy People 2010 Health Improvement Plan.

Mr. Chairman, I know the chairman and ranking member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee did the best they possibly could in stretching the dollar as far as they could in this bill, and for that I applaud them. However, a cut of this magnitude, nearly 18 percent, will force State and local health departments to eliminate or severely reduce some very important public health activities.

I look forward to working with the chairman and ranking member to restore funding to this account in some way.

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly oppose H.R. 3313, the so-called ``Marriage Protection Act.'' There is nothing in this bill that will provide protection to us or to the institution of marriage. On the contrary, this bill will create an extremely dangerous precedent in our legislative system and could cause inculculable harm.

When I was sworn in as a member of this House, I promised to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Every member of this body made the same promise. The Majority's push for passage of this bill sadly signals a step back from that promise and further calls into question the true motivations of the bill's supporters.

The unconstitutionality of this bill is quite clear. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads, ``No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.'' By

denying Americans who wish to challenge the Defense of Marriage Act their day in federal court, H.R. 3313 blatantly violates this equal protection clause. The bill singles out a specific group of Americans and tells them that they cannot have their day in court, thereby denying them due process.

Moreover, this bill violates the separation of powers. Our democracy is reliant upon an independent judiciary, and judicial review is a crucial part of our system of checks and balances. By adding a clause to a bill stipulating that cases against it must not be heard by federal courts as H.R. 3313 does, we are overreaching our powers to legislate.

If this bill passes the House today, I ask the leaders in the Majority: What's next? If we enact a bill into law saying that Defense of Marriage Act cases cannot be heard in federal courts, where do we stop? School prayer, gun control, abortion, obscenity--shall we say that none of these issues may be heard in federal court? What issue or group of people will be next?

Broad opposition to this bill from my constituents and colleagues gives me hope that this bill may not make its way to the President's desk. Those opposed include the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Human Rights Watch, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Alliance for Justice, and even former Representative Bob Barr, the original sponsor of the Defense of Marriage Act. These groups represent only a small portion of those firmly opposed to this bill.

The fact is, this debate is not about supporting or opposing gay marriage. Rather, it is about the cost of passing a bill that would result in the revocation of constitutional rights for certain Americans. This bill is a drastic, misguided piece of legislation with strictly political aims, and if this bill passes, it will be a tragic day for democracy. I strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote against this bill, and to preserve the constitutional rights of all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the upcoming 100th anniversary of Rancho Valmora, nestled on the eastern side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at the juncture of the Mora River and Wolf Creek.

Rancho Valmora was originally established as a revolutionary health center for tuberculosis patients and bears a National Historic Marker for this heritage. Valmora Ranch Company was founded in 1904 by healer and visionary, Dr. William T. Brown. This tuberculosis sanatorium became nationally renowned and a bright star in the medical world as thousands of patients sought out ``the cure'' at Valmora. It was believed the aged canyon walls, the warm sun, the ongoing medical research and the northern New Mexico ambience provided the ingredients to heal.

Dr. Carl H. Gellenthien came as a ``lunger'' in 1927, and he headed the next generation of healers and researchers at Valmora Industrial Sanatorium. Brown and Gellenthien were dreamers, ahead of their time during an exciting era of modern medicine. The program was closed in the 1960s.

The old and crumbling site was rediscovered in 1992 by a group of New Mexicans and Texans--board members of The High Frontier of Fort Davis, Texas. Their vision was to use this site as a residential treatment center for troubled boys and girls.

Today Rancho Valmora serves as a non-profit residential school aiming to assist adolescents that are in need of treatment. Over the years I have met counselors who have worked at Rancho Valmora, who have shared heartfelt stories of these young people. These youth are looking for a positive role model, a place to fit in and a peer group that accepts who they are. They are trying to make sense of their particular situations, themselves, their relationships and their lives. No young person wakes up one day and says, ``I want to be rejected, devalued, or alone.'' Yet this is the message that many of them received early in their lives. Many of the youth have had bad experiences that no one would wish upon a person they care about: abandonment, violence, physical and sexual abuse, drugs and alcohol to name a few. They have not known who to turn to, who to follow and who to look up to.

At Rancho Valmora, the youth learn that they are of value, that others care for and about them, and they learn that they can care for and about others. They find they have something to offer, they fit in for helping, not hurting others. A positive interaction with others becomes fashionable and with that comes a sense of well-being and a sense of self worth through Positive Peer Culture.

Within this structured learning environment, Rancho Valmora provides a complete educational program and recreational activities which will develop the mind, physical fitness and confidence of each student. For recreation the youth engage in social and physical activities through basketball, mush ball, volleyball, dances and through working and attending an old fashioned soda fountain named the Little Dipper. They also engage in horsemanship, horticulture and art to enhance their knowledge base and accumulate experiences outside the classroom setting.

The central position is that young people can develop self-worth, significance, dignity, and responsibility only as they become committed to the positive values of helping and caring for others. As an ancient Hindu proverb advises, ``Help thy brother's boat across, and lo, thine own has reached the shore.''

Rancho Valmora will mark their centennial of service on August 7, 2004. A day of fun, food, and entertainment will commence with the dedication of a new 39,000 square foot school gymnasium as the students, staff and friends usher in the next 100 years. It is sure to be a wonderful time.

Mr. Speaker, for the past century Rancho Valmora has served thousands of people. From the tuberculosis patients in the early 20th century to the troubled youth of the 21st century, Rancho Valmora has mended hundreds of sick bodies and souls. This special place of learning and healing has managed to take what is old and make it new again. Rancho Valmora has been, is now and will hopefully remain a place of hope and miracles. I ask that my colleagues join with me in congratulating Rancho Valmora.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Las Vegas Daily Optic, a newspaper in San Miguel County, New Mexico, on its 125th anniversary. On August 21, 2004, citizens throughout the area will celebrate this remarkable achievement.

The Optic, owned by Russell A. Kistler, was founded shortly after the railroad arrived in Las Vegas in July of 1879. Mr. Kistler, who had been publishing a newspaper in Otero, New Mexico, felt that Las Vegas would be a more lucrative location. So he packed his bags, moved there and set up the Optic's first office and a printing press at the building on the corner of Grand and Douglas.

At the time, Las Vegas--or rather what is now known as Las Vegas--was thriving. Indeed, in 1890 the population of Las Vegas far exceeded that of Albuquerque; Las Vegas had 5,273 people compared to Albuquerque's 3,785. It wasn't until 1910 that Albuquerque's population surpassed that of Las Vegas.

The Optic began as a weekly--its first issue published July 31, 1879. But just four months later--on Nov. 4--it began publishing daily.

From the beginning, the Optic earned a reputation for getting out local news and for providing vivid accounts of noteworthy events. Mr. Kistler and his assistant wrote firsthand articles and editorials about political rallies, school programs, church services, sports, theatre performances and many other social events. Another popular staple in the Optic's news coverage was crime--from shootings and hangings to robberies.

The stories featured in the pages of the Optic over the past 125 years capture the colorful history of Las Vegas, a history that is the stuff of legends.

There were stories of gunfights, public hangings and notorious outlaws from the ``Wild West'' days. Also detailed in those early issues of the Optic were the births of some of the area's most beloved and critical institutions, among them what is now known as New Mexico Highlands University, Montezuma Castle and the Las Vegas Medical Center.

And then there are the chronicles of the struggles, among them the 91-year struggle to consolidate old town and new town into municipality and the political struggle for dominance between the local Republican and Democratic Parties.

The Optic also published the comings and goings of legends such as Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and Jesse James. In December of 1879, it noted that Jesse James had been a guest at the hot springs the previous summer.

The Optic has changed significantly over the 125 years it has been published. Ownership of the paper has changed hands nine times since its founding, but it has remained in the Beck family for 35 years.

When brothers Robert and Stuart Beck purchased the Optic in 1967, it had a circulation of 1,200. Today, its circulation is 6,000.

The Optic reached another milestone in April of 1998, when after the death of beloved Optic Publisher Stuart Beck, his widow was appointed publisher. Until Delia Romero Beck became publisher, no woman had served in that capacity.

Each publisher, editor and writer at the paper has left his or her mark on the Optic. Through the years, its pages have narrowed, the manner in which it is printed has eased, and the typewriters that once dominated its newsroom have disappeared in favor of computers. The Optic has undergone countless format changes, and the editorial style found in the paper's early editions bears little resemblance to today's.

But one thing has remained constant: The Optic's commitment to its readers and to the people and institutions it covers and its commitment to being fair and accurate in its reporting.

In the years since the Optic began publication, other newspapers have come and gone. But for more than a century, the Optic has survived and triumphed, each day capturing in its pages the stories of Las Vegas and its people.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to rise and recognize the Las Vegas Daily Optic and the citizens of San Miguel County on this truly momentous occasion. Their commitment to community spirit represents the finest qualities of New Mexico.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the 35th anniversary of the Girl Scouts of Chaparral Council's resident camp, Rancho del Chaparral, located on 1,200 acres of forest, river and meadow in the Jemez Mountains. ``A piece of blue sky and all there is beneath it'' is the theme for Rancho, as it is affectionately called.

On July 17, Girl Scouts from New Mexico and across the United States will reunite to mark this historic occasion, exemplifying the strong bond of friendship that young women gain through their Girl Scout experiences. Such relationships are vital for young women and foster an appreciation for helping others, whether it be in the community, at school, or at home. It is clear that these women have cherished the spirit of the Girl Scout tradition as they now gather 35 years later to renew their friendships.

Rancho is located on part of the San Diego Land Grant bestowed to Francisco Garcia de Noreigo in 1790 by the Governor of New Mexico. It was purchased in 1963 by funds raised through Girl Scout cookie sales.

Rancho replaced Camp Elza Seligman, which had served the girls of the council since the early 1940's. Camp Seligman, located near Ponderosa, was no longer adequate for the growing needs of the council. Parents and friends of Girl Scouts raised funds through a Capital Campaign in 1967, and Rancho was dedicated on July 13, 1969. It was designed by the architectural firm, George Wright Associates, and built by La Mesa Builders, Inc.

Today, Rancho's El Bosque continues to welcome Brownie, Junior, Cadette and Senior Girl Scout troops, along with their leaders, for an exciting camp experience. El Prado--with its Adirondacks, hogans and covered wagons--houses individual girls participating in a variety of outdoor activities.

Rancho develops girls strong in mind, body and spirit by creating a cooperative and supportive community that encourages self-reliance and self-discovery. Girls experience hiking, horseback riding, arts and crafts, campfires, star gazing, archery, canoeing, and much more. There are even programs for the entire family.

During the celebration, there will be a memorial dedication to Captain Tamara Long-Archuleta, a former Chaparral Girl Scout, who was tragically killed last year in Afghanistan. Tammy was the copilot of the helicopter that crashed while on a rescue mission, killing all six aboard. She was from Adelino, near Belen, and her life was a shining example of what being a Girl Scout is all about. Tammy was valedictorian of her class and a world karate champion. She graduated from the University of New Mexico with honors, and while there became involved with Air Force ROTC. She had wanted to become a fighter pilot, but instead decided to do rescue work.

Tammy left behind a 3-year-old son and planned to marry a fellow Air Force pilot. Sadly, she was two weeks away from returning home when the accident occurred.

Girl Scouts of Chaparral Council serves more than 6,800 girls and 2,500 adults in nine counties in New Mexico and five counties in southwestern Colorado. Chaparral Council is committed to helping girls, ages 5-17, develop values, social consciousness, self-esteem and skills for success in the future. I have met hundreds of Chaparral Girl Scouts over the years and am constantly reminded through these experiences, our younger generations are ready, willing, and able to assume their rightful role as tomorrow's leaders.

Mr. Speaker, Rancho del Chaparral will forever be a place where friendships flourished and lessons were learned about life and the importance of our natural resources. Most of all, these women were instilled with the Girl Scout tradition, something they have passed down to their children and grandchildren. Thousands of girls' lives have been touched and enriched through their experience with the Chaparral Council. I am pleased to commemorate the 35th anniversary of this very special place that has meant so much to so many.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Sanders-Otter amendment, which would help restore the privacy and first amendment rights of library and bookstore patrons.

On the day the PATRIOT Act passed in this body, few Americans were aware of its harmful impact. Today, I can tell you Americans and my constituents are appalled at the emasculation of our Constitution.

Section 215 granted authorities unprecedented powers to search or order a search of library and bookstore records without probable cause or the need for search warrants. This is absolutely unprecedented. Those rights to a search warrant, to probable cause, are in the United States Constitution. They were swept aside in the PATRIOT Act.

We should make the commonsense changes that this amendment makes. I urge support of the Sanders-Otter amendment.

Madam Speaker, I want to pay tribute today to a colleague and good friend who will be leaving the House when the 108th Congress adjourns, Representative Doug Bereuter.

Doug brings to a close an impressive career working for Nebraska. For 26 years Doug has been a strong advocate for the First Congressional District as well as a respected advocate on foreign affairs and intelligence issues, especially his efforts on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. On these crucial issues he has consistently set partisanship aside, rolled up his sleeves and gotten the work done.

Not only does he retire as Nebraska's longest-serving member of the House, he has the third-longest service in Congress. He has a bipartisan record and close relationship with is constituents--nurtured at more than 900 town hall meetings. His constituents kept sending him back to Washington because he could be counted on to do what was right.

Doug will next head The Asia Foundation as its new president. His leadership on the House International Relations Committee has well- prepared him for this challenging assignment. He brings precisely the right mix of qualifications: seasoned judgment, policy expertise, management acumen and well-developed rapport with key Asian leaders.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to join my colleagues in wishing only the best for Doug and Louise as they move on to the next chapter in their lives.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time.

The issue has been raised here by the gentleman from California as to the National Endowment for Democracy. The fact is the National Endowment for Democracy is funded $1 million above last year's level. So that is not the issue before us today. The issue before us is whether we are going to take care of our small businesses, our small businesses which provide us with growth, which provide us with strength, which provide us with an economic base in this country. That is why this amendment is so important.

One of the biggest obstacles to entrepreneurs is establishing and growing a small business. And if entrepreneurs cannot get access to capital, they often have to turn to more costly alternatives. Without access to financing, companies are unable to target new markets, growth, and even hire new workers. That is why the 7(a) program is so important. The 7(a) loan program is the SBA's core lending program. Over the last decade, the SBA has approved more than 424,000 loans for over $90 billion. Think about it, $90 billion pumped into our economy to support small business growth.

Unfortunately, despite the immense popularity of this program, the Bush administration has continued its efforts to systematically dismantle this important program. The recent budget request by this administration for the 7(a) program has steadily declined while demand for 7(a) loans has continued to increase. As a result, the SBA was recently forced to shut down the loan program, injuring thousands of small businesses and lenders that had submitted applications for loans. After the outcry from the business community, the SBA reopened the program; but they capped all 7(a) loans, thus limiting the ability of American small businesses to get financing.

One of the key ways to help stabilize the 7(a) program is by providing more funding, and that is what this amendment does today. A bipartisan amendment offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Manzullo), our chairman on the Committee on Small Business, and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), our ranking member. They have come together. This is the most bipartisan committee in the United States Congress, and they reached an agreement on an amendment. I applaud that effort to reach bipartisan support, and I urge my colleagues to support the Manzullo-Velazquez amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for yielding me time to discuss an issue of great importance to my constituents and to America's security. First, however, I want to offer my thanks to the chairman and the ranking member for their work and leadership on this bill.

As many of my colleagues who have DOE facilities in their district know, there is a significant backlog of applications for employee security clearances, especially those known as Q clearances. Many qualified and capable trade workers are unable to start work on a timely basis or sometimes are not able to work for the national laboratories at all. That means the jobs important for our national security are not getting done. It also means that citizens living near the national laboratories are not afforded the economic opportunities that should be made available to them.

Although I recognize the difficulties the investigative agencies face in processing security clearances in light of

September 11, the backlog has existed long since that tragic day, and this situation must be addressed.

The DOE reports that Q clearance processes are taking at least twice as long as they should, and stories on the ground indicate that people are waiting over a year for a clearance that should be completed in no more than 75 days.

I would like to clarify that the main reasons for the backlog exist not in DOE, but instead in the investigative agencies responsible for doing the background checks. Regardless, it impacts DOE directly, so Congress may choose to try to solve this problem through the energy and water spending bill. For example, perhaps we need to direct more funds towards programs such as the little known Accelerated Access Authorization Program, or the ``Triple-A P.'' This program offers qualified applicants the opportunity to get an interim Q clearance and get to work while their full clearance is being processed. This program demonstrates that there are innovative solutions out there. But obviously the small numbers of workers that are able to process this will only scratch the surface.

Mr. Chairman, I hope that the chairman and ranking member are willing to work with me to find solutions on this serious problem.

Mr. Speaker, today I am very pleased to introduce a bill that will authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to help communities in eastern New Mexico develop the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System (ENMRWS). A companion to this bill, S. 2513, was introduced in the Senate by my colleague Senator Bingaman on June 9, 2004. There has long been a recognized need for a reliable and safe supply of potable water for this region. After years of drought and ever increasing population growth, this water supply project is now absolutely critical for the continued economic well-being of Curry, Roosevelt and Quay counties in eastern New Mexico.

The Entrada and the Southern High Plains, or Ogallala, Aquifers currently provide 100 percent of the municipal and industrial water supplies and the vast majority of agricultural water for communities in these east central New Mexico counties. However, both the quantity and quality of these groundwater reserves have declined severely in recent decades. Despite voluntary conservation efforts and improvements in agricultural water-use efficiencies, these groundwater supplies will not sustain current use levels in as little as 12 years and may be funcationally depleted within 25 years.

The water supply project that would be authorized by this legislation builds upon more than 40 years of research, planning, and design. In 1959, after recognizing the water supply problems in eastern New Mexico, the New

Mexico Legislature and Interstate Stream passed an Act authorizing the State Engineer to construct a dam on the Canadian River, thus establishing the Ute Resevoir. Since 1966, numerous Congressionally- authorized studies addressed the feasibility of a project that would utilize the Ute Resevoir as a reliable water supply for communities in eastern New Mexico. Finally, in the late 1990s, several communities, concerned about the increasingly urgent need, came together to begin planning for the development of a regional water system.

The Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Supply Authority, consisting of nine communities in the Curry, Roosevelt and Quay counties of eastern New Mexico, was formed in 2001 to oversee the development of the ENMRWS. This Authority has expeditiously and effectively finalized the studies and planning necessary to move forward with this project.

Mr. Speaker, as you can see from this brief history, the citizens of eastern New Mexico have both proven the critical need and completed the necessary steps that must form the basis for a project of this magnitude. This project is not new and the need for water is becoming increasingly more urgent. Without this project, it is clear that this important region will suffer economically. I believe that none of us in this House wants to stand by and watch vibrant communities dissolve into western ghost towns especially when a well-studied, adequate solution exists. I sincerely hope my colleagues will support this legislation and help provide a positive, long-term solution to a pressing water need in the rural West. This legislation represents the important next step toward addressing this issue, and I look forward to working with the entire New Mexico Congressional delegation.

Thank you very much.