Lois Capps

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Tuesday was the darkest day in American history. Our grief for the victims knows no bounds. Our compassion for their families fills our hearts. Our pride in the rescuers, medical personnel, and volunteers is endless. In the aftermath of this terrible assault, our Nation now faces tremendous challenges. We have no greater challenge than to protect our citizens and our institutions against further acts of terrorism. Never before has our Nation faced such an extraordinary threat to our security and to our way of life. By passing this resolution, Congress stands united with the President in what may be a long and costly fight against these forces of darkness and evil. But make no mistake. We will prevail.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, in his extraordinary book, ``Night,'' Professor Elie Wiesel observed that when events are unspeakable, it takes some time to find the right words. Yesterday's events are unspeakable. Try as we might, we cannot find the right words to fully express our grief, our sympathy, our pain, our outrage. Words may fail us, but the images of yesterday's attacks are forever indelible on our minds. We will never forget the scenes of planes striking buildings, huge structures tumbling, our fellow Americans lying dead in New York and Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon. These are the images I will not forget, but they are not the ones I seek to remember. Instead, Mr. Speaker, today I dwell not on the images of yesterday's villains, but on its heroes; not on the acts of indescribable evil, but of incredible humanity. Because through yesterday's darkness and horror came the bright light of American courage, the compelling beacon of goodness and strength. We are uplifted by the heroism of firefighters, police, military personnel, and emergency workers who plunged into the carnage and saved many victims. We are inspired by the selfless way that strangers reached out and are reaching out still to open their arms and hearts to fellow citizens. We are amazed by the long lines that have formed all over the country of people donating their blood. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the terrorists destroyed our buildings and they killed many of our brothers and sisters, but they did not destroy the American spirit. They will never defeat our resolve. They cannot undermine the principles of freedom and democracy that undergird our society. Mr. Speaker, like so many Americans, I have turned to find strength today in scripture. Let me now read from Isaiah, Chapter 40, Verse 31: ``They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.''

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a constituent, Ms. Avis S. Goodwin. As Ms. Goodwin celebrates her 95th birthday, it is a good opportunity to recognize all the significant contributions she has made throughout her life. While some individuals may choose to retire at the age of 65, the word ``retirement'' isn't in Ms. Goodwin's vocabulary. She continues to be as active today as she was 30 years ago, much to the benefit of several environmental causes. Ms. Goodwin moved to California from Maine as a teenager, and has spent the remainder of her life in the Golden State. Armed with degrees in history and education at U.C. Berkley, and a master's degree in educational psychology, Ms. Goodwin moved to the Central Coast and worked in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties after World War II. After a long career in San Luis Obispo as a child psychologist with the juvenile court and the country superintendent of schools, Ms. Goodwin retired to Goleta, and began concentrating on her environmental pursuits. Ms. Goodin's is very actively involved in several organizations, including the Sierra Club, the Habitat for Humanity, the Yellowstone Reintroduction Program and the San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival. In addition, she is actively involved in preserving the Carrizo Plain Natural Area, and annually donates to 80 charitable organizations. Needless to say, Avis Goodwin has touched the lives of countless people in her pursuit of donating to her three most cherished causes, music, animals, and the environment. I feel honored to represent a citizen of this caliber who has consistently, throughout her 95 years, dedicated herself to bettering society. Avis Goodwin is an extraordinary woman who sets as a very high example for us all, and I would like may colleagues to join me in wishing her a very happy birthday.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the life of a former constituent, Helen Shorrock, who passed from this life August 3, 2001 in Claremount, California. Helen led an exemplary life and died surrounded by her loving family. Mrs. Shorrock will long be remembered for many reasons. She was an early student of theology and was ordained in an era when few women entered Christian ministry. She and her husband raised a remarkable family. And, having spent many years in Japan, she and her husband developed strong ties to the culture and built many bridges of understanding, especially in the area of higher education. But I rise to honor the legacy of Helen Shorrock as an exemplary teacher and educator in the public schools of my Congressional District, in Santa Barbara, California. In particular she will be remembered for establishing a School-Age Parenting and Infant Development program at Santa Barbara High School. This program is called the PACE Center (Parent and Child Enrichment Program) and it has significantly impacted the lives of hundreds of teenagers and their children in our community. Mr. Speaker, in the years proceeding my becoming a Member of Congress, I succeeded Helen Shorrock as Director of the PACE Center. I know very well the quality of the program she developed and know firsthand the lives that were forever changed in such a positive direction. With loving skill she established the highest level of prenatal care, educational goals and a child development center of exceptional quality. As a result, healthy babies were born, parenting skills were taught, and teen parents not only stayed in school but graduated and, in record numbers, went on to college and careers. What Helen Shorrock began continues to be a model program. Her memory will long be honored by the productive lives of generations of students to come.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to bring attention to the threat that heart disease and cancer pose to the health of American women. I want to thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender- McDonald) for organizing the Special Orders on women's health issues this evening and all during this month. As a nurse, I have made access to quality health care one of my highest priorities in Congress. I am particularly interested in making sure that there is equity in the access to health care between men and women. Certain diseases and conditions are more prevalent in women than in men, and certain diseases and conditions affect women differently. Often health care professionals and women themselves do not give these conditions and diseases the attention they need. Heart disease and stroke are perfect examples of this fact. Over half of all deaths from heart disease and stroke occur in women. That is over half. More women die from heart disease each year than from breast, ovarian and uterine cancer combined, making heart disease the number one cause of mortality in women. But heart disease is usually believed to predominantly affect men. As cochair of the Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition, I have worked closely with the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease and stroke. While women and minorities bear a major portion of the cardiovascular disease burden, they are often unaware of its life-threatening symptoms and are diagnosed at later stages of the disease, and they may not receive appropriate medical care or follow-up services. Addressing risk factors such as elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, physical inactivity and smoking will greatly reduce women's risk of disability and death from cardiovascular disease. Congress needs to do its part to make sure that doctors, patients and all Americans are educated about the symptoms and dangers that women face and all Americans face from heart disease and stroke. Very soon, I will introduce the Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act, or STOP Stroke Act, in the House, so that we can raise public awareness of the disease and its symptoms. Mr. Speaker, I also want to highlight now a few of the initiatives that address cancer treatment and research. Along with heart disease and stroke, cancer is a serious threat to women's health. As a member of the House Cancer Caucus, I joined with 44 of my colleagues to write to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson to express our support for expanded Medicare coverage of positron emission topography, or PET scan, for women's health. PET is a powerful clinical tool that can assist health care providers in making lifesaving diagnoses and determining the most effective treatment for women with breast, ovarian, uterine and cervical cancers. I am hopeful that Secretary Thompson will support this effort. In addition, I am a proud cosponsor of the bill authored by the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), which would require minimum hospital stays for women after mastectomies. In addition, I cosponsored two other initiatives this year relating to breast cancer funding and research. The Breast Cancer Research Stamp Act extends the Breast Cancer Research semipostal stamp through the year 2008, and the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act studies the links between environmental factors and breast cancer. It is so important to keep in mind that increased research on these and other women's health concerns can and surely will improve the quality and length of our lives. For all of these reasons, we must continue to work together in a bipartisan fashion to ensure that women's health remains a high priority on the congressional agenda. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hearing from my colleagues in the Women's Caucus as the days go by on these and other issues that pertain to women's health.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Norwood amendment. In the absence of action by the Federal Government, my State of California recently acted to protect its citizens from overzealous cost-cutters in the HMOs. One of the strengths of Ganske-Dingell is it creates a Federal floor for patient protections, allowing States like my own to have stronger protections. But this amendment would override those State laws in order to protect HMOs from accountability. As was confirmed in an exchange just now between the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), this amendment obliterates the cause of action defined by the State of California, my State, and so many other States as well. If this amendment were to pass, patients in my home State would have fewer protections than they do right now, and HMOs in California would have more freedom to abuse them. This amendment will do worse than take the teeth out of the Ganske- Dingell bill; it will take the teeth out of state protections. So I oppose the Norwood amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Ganske-Dingell Patients' Bill of Rights. This bill gives the American people strong, enforceable protections from the abuses and hard edges of the HMOs. It returns control of medical decisions to doctors and their patients, and takes it out of the hands of the bean counters. It guarantees patients access to health care they desperately need. I am a nurse. We nurses and our patients are particularly pleased by the whistleblower protections included in Ganske-Dingell. They would protect a nurse or other health professional who wants to blow the whistle on substandard care to a regulatory agency or accreditation body. I want to urge my colleagues to oppose the amendments to weaken this underlying bill. Ganske-Dingell holds HMOs accountable when they harm patients by denying them care. HMOs have been willing to trade patient safety for lower costs and higher profit margins. Ganske-Dingell gives patients the tools they need to protect themselves. With all due respect to our colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), his amendment would eliminate this essential protection. That weakens State laws and would dilute the ability to effectively enforce the Patients' Bill of Rights. His amendment would give the HMOs special protections that no other business or industry has. This bill should be about protecting patients, not HMOs. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the bill and oppose the Norwood, Fletcher, and Thomas amendments.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague for yielding time to me. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this bipartisan amendment. As we all know, MTBE contaminates ground water, making it smell and taste like turpentine. This is costing communities across the country millions of dollars to clean up or identify new drinking water sources. But this is no secret. In fact, just this week this House adopted my amendment to increase Federal efforts for MTBE cleanup, and this very bill contains my legislation to allow $200 million to be spent on MTBE cleanup. So, clearly, there is a problem with MTBE. California, followed by an increasing number of States, has banned MTBE as a gasoline additive. But without a waiver from clan air standards requiring oxygenates in gas, California will have to import huge amounts of ethanol. That, of course, is good news for Midwestern farmers, but it is bad news for California consumers. In fact, it will likely raise the price of gasoline by 10 to 20 cents a gallon for absolutely no reason. California refineries have demonstrated they can make clean burning gas without ethanol or MTBE. I would not support waiving the oxygenates requirement if they could not. We are not, as has been clearly stated, asking for a waiver from EPA standards. We are asking for a waiver on the method of how to achieve those standards. This is a matter of local control, of States' rights; and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment. The administration promoted California's electricity problem as a reason to enact their energy plan, the Drill America Plan; but the proposal did nothing about this Nation's most serious crisis. This bill makes the same mistake. Fortunately, due mostly to unusually cool weather, more power plants coming on line, Californians' impressive conservation efforts, and FERC's belated efforts, the situation has stabilized recently. The administration had nothing to do with the first two developments, ridiculed the third and opposed the fourth. But, unfortunately, the problems in California are not over; and the return of hot weather will show how inadequate FERC's actions are. Because FERC has pegged the cost of electricity to the least-efficient generator, this means one of six or eight most expensive generators will set wholesale prices across the West every time it is fired up. This will cost consumers in California and across the country billions more for electricity than is necessary. This amendment would simply ensure what FERC was supposed to do in the first place. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill. I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) for their leadership on this important legislation. I wish to highlight a couple of provisions contained in H.R. 2540 that I have worked on for some time. The first provision would end a Catch-22 faced by vets and VA researchers. Currently vets can lose benefits for an ``undiagnosed illness'' if participation in a VA study determines the illness and it is not service connected. This issue was brought to my attention last year. VA researchers told me of concerns that some vets might not participate in an ongoing study to look at possible connections between Gulf War service and Lou Gehrig's disease. I learned that some vets feared losing needed benefits by participating in the study. This lack of participation could compromise an important study that could benefit vets and all people suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease. H.R. 2540 fixes this problem by letting VA protect compensation in such cases. This provision is based on a bill the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) and I introduced earlier this year. H.R. 2540 also contains provisions to temporarily expand hours for VA's toll-free information lines to at least 12 hours a day Monday through Friday and 6 hours on Saturday. I have a lot of interest in this subject having introduced legislation for the last 2 years which would operate information lines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. My bill would also get the information line to include crisis intervention services. I am very pleased that the committee has included provisions to keep this information line open longer hours. It will make it easier for vets to get information on the benefits that they have earned. I look forward to working with the committee as we follow up on this important pilot program. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2540, the Veterans Benefits act of 2001. As an original cosponsor, I am proud to speak on behalf of this important legislation. First, I would like to thank Mr. Simpson, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Benefits and Mr. Reyes, the Ranking Member for their excellent leadership on the issue of improving services for our nation's veterans. I would also like to commend Mr. Smith, Chairman of the full Committee and Mr. Evans, the Ranking Member for their leadership. This bill offers several important initiatives to improve the lives of our veterans. I am especially pleased about the inclusion of the provisions in Sec. 203 and Sec. 407. I am pleased to have worked closely with the Subcommittee on these two critical areas. Sec. 203 would eliminate a classic ``Catch-22'' situation faced by our veterans and the VA in medical research studies and is based on legislation, H.R. 1406, the Gulf War Undiagnosed Illness Act of 2001, Representative Evans and I introduced earlier this year. Under the current scenario, veterans who are being compensated on the basis of an ``undiagnosed illness'' and who participate in a VA-sponsored medical research study, could lose their benefits if they are ``diagnosed'' with a non-service related condition during the course of the study. Last year, VA personnel told me about their concerns that if veterans declined to participate in a study because of the risk of losing benefits, the data may be insufficient and render the study unusable. These concerns were raised in connection with a study being done last year to determine a possible connection between ALS and service in the Gulf War. This legislation would give the VA the authority to protect compensation for undiagnosed illnesses when the VA determines that such protection is needed to ensure adequate participation by veterans in VA-sponsored medical research. This guarantee is particularly important for research that requires a high level of participation to achieve valid findings. I would again like to commend Ranking Member Evans for his leadership in this area. Sec. 407 of this bill establishes a pilot program at the VA to expand access to veterans benefits counselors. Under the bill, the hours would be expanded to no less than 12 hours a day, Monday through Friday and no less than six hours on Saturday. This expansion of access is essential to provide our veterans with the services that they richly deserve. I am proud to have authored H.R. 1435, the Veterans Emergency Telephone Service Act of 2001. This bill would address the pressing need of some of our nation's veterans for 24 hour access to crisis intervention services. By virtue of their service and sacrifice on behalf of this nation, our veterans deserve the very best support services we can provide. Such moments don't always occur during business hours, Monday through Friday. The bill before us takes critical steps to fulfill our obligation to our veterans. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the Committee on ways in which veterans' access to telephone service can be improved and expanded even more in its hours of availability and the services offered. I strongly urge an aye vote on H.R. 2540.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar).

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen).

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr).

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, I would close by saying we had a budget that was $35 million less last year, and instituted this Project Impact at that time. It has proven to be cost effective. It is already proven. We do not need to decide how to do it. I urge my colleagues to consider if we do not implement this program in this budget at this time, we will lose valuable ground and all of the networking that is going on in so many communities like my own with plans already in place. Mr. Chairman, these dollars have saved lives. We know that. They will continue to save lives. I urge support for this amendment and ask that Project Impact be continued. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time remains?

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This amendment, Mr. Chairman, will earmark $25 million of FEMA's Emergency Management Planning and Assistance Account for the successful Project Impact. Project Impact is a commonsense public-private partnership designed to help communities prepare for natural disasters by funding predisaster hazard mitigation. The goal is to help communities become disaster resistant. This funding allows communities to build partnerships with businesses, industry, public works, utilities, volunteer groups, and the local State and Federal Government. These partnerships assess their community's risks and vulnerabilities to natural disasters, identify priorities for mitigation, and begin implementing them. And the Federal funding works to leverage support from private sources, magnifying its effectiveness. Mr. Chairman, over the last decade, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has spent $20 billion to assist communities to recover from disasters. This does not include the billions spent by other agencies, like HUD, the Small Business Administration, as well as State and local governments. And not all damage can be repaired. People lose their jobs; businesses close. In fact, 40 percent of small businesses are never able to recover or reopen. And, of course, most tragically, lives are lost. Project Impact recognizes that we can spend a fraction of the money we spend now to avoid some of those costs and save many of those lives. It seems imprudent not to take this step. Project Impact is a classic example of the adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For example, earlier this year we saw the effectiveness of Project Impact. In January, Washington State and the City of Seattle were struck by the worst earthquake to hit the Pacific Northwest in 52 years. But according to press accounts, injuries were only about 15 percent of what FEMA expected from a 6.8 magnitude, and costs were only about half of what the agency projected. This was in no small part because of Project Impact. In 1977, Seattle was able to turn a $1 million grant from Project Impact into $7 million with private support, and they set about to make Seattle disaster resistant. They enforced building codes, strengthened existing buildings, and educated their citizens about prevention measures they could take. FEMA and Seattle took the initiative and their work ahead of time and made a terrible tragedy significantly less tragic. No less an expert on the matter of disaster relief and mitigation than former FEMA Director James Lee Witt pointed this out. In a letter he sent to me in support of this amendment to fund Project Impact, Mr. Witt says, and I quote, ``Despite FEMA's quick response, the reality is that without prevention efforts, thousands of families will continue to lose their homes and precious possessions, and hundreds of small businesses will be destroyed, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs. Seattle has shown the United States that prevention works. Other communities deserve the opportunity to replicate Seattle's success.'' Mr. Chairman, I am deeply appreciative that the committee has increased the funding for Emergency Management Planning and Assistance by nearly $35 million. It is clear that this funding is needed. But it is also clear that we should be spending some of that money on Project Impact and its preventive measures. My home county of Santa Barbara received a Project Impact grant to model potential wildfires and to look at ways to mitigate their impact. These efforts have allowed the county to better develop emergency plans which will save lives if, or more likely when, that catastrophe strikes. Besides Seattle and Santa Barbara, nearly 250 communities have received Project Impact grants since the program was established in 1997. Let us give the next 250 communities that same chance. It simply does not make sense for us to keep pouring money into communities after the fact and not try to help them before a disaster. This is especially true in light of FEMA's $2.25 billion budget. All this amendment does is dedicate 1 percent of that funding to predisaster assistance. It does not increase the budget and it will save many lives. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I would just say how much I appreciate the support of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh). Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would increase by $7.2 million Federal efforts to clean up leaking underground storage tanks. The amendment pays for this increase by cutting the same amount from the EPA's Environmental Programs and Management Account. It is my intention that this funding would come from the Regional Management Programs, which has been increased by nearly $20 million under the bill. I am offering this amendment with the hope that we can increase our attention to the problem that MTBE contamination is causing to drinking water across this country. While I cannot, under the rules of the House, specify that this funding be used for MTBE cleanup, it is my hope the House will send a clear message that we want to do something about this huge problem. MTBE is a fuel additive designed to reduce the production of smog by increasing the burning efficiency of gasoline. Unfortunately, due to its unique properties, MTBE has become one of the leading water contamination problems in the United States. MTBE makes water smell and taste like turpentine, even at very low levels, and has resulted in the closing of important drinking water supplies all across the country. For example, in my district, the coastal town of Cambria, California, is facing a real calamity. MTBE contamination has shut down two municipal drinking water wells the Community Services District has used as back-up sources during dry seasons and droughts. The district has spent more than $1 million to research the problem. Cambria is also considering the addition of a desalinization plant to ensure an adequate supply of drinking water, and that will cost millions more. In fact, there are 38 MTBE contaminated sites in San Luis Obispo County and another 86 in Santa Barbara County, both in my district. However, Mr. Chairman, MTBE contaminated drinking water is a huge problem not just in my district, but across the country. Santa Monica, California has lost about 80 percent of its drinking supply and spends a quarter of a million dollars per year buying replacement supplies. The South Tahoe Public Utility District has shut down 13 of its 34 drinking water wells due to MTBE contamination. Twenty-one of Wisconsin's 71 counties have detected MTBE in groundwater in potable wells. In Iowa, it has been detected in 23 percent of urban alluvial wells. In Maryland, over 149 domestic public water systems are contaminated by MTBE, and the list goes on and on. Owners and operators of underground tanks are responsible for cleanup, and that is where the responsibility should lie. But the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust fund provides additional cleanup resources, especially when no responsible party can be found or when the responsible party is no longer viable. It may also be used to enforce corrective actions and recover costs spent from the fund for cleanup activities. Funded by one-tenth of a cent tax per gallon of gasoline, this LUST fund is a backstop to ensure prompt and appropriate cleanup of leaking tanks. This tax is bringing in close to $190 million this year. Mr. Chairman, at the end of fiscal year 2002, the administration expects the balance in the LUST fund to be nearly $2 billion. The interest on this balance is bringing the trust fund another $87 million, yet the bill before us appropriates only $72 million to support communities in their efforts to clean up leaking tanks. That is $96,000 less than we appropriated last year, and that is about $15 million less than the interest we expect to earn on the trust fund balance this year. Mr. Chairman, I think we can do better than that. The American people pay taxes on gasoline and other fuels, in part to ensure that these underground tanks are not polluting their drinking water, so we should use those funds for this purpose. Mr. Chairman, last week the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously adopted my amendment to authorize up to $200 million out of the LUST fund for MTBE inspections and cleanup. We took this action because MTBE contamination is presenting a real problem to thousands of communities across this country. My amendment today is only a small step toward addressing those cleanup needs when we should be taking a giant leap. So I would urge my colleagues to support this common sense amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay special tribute to two extraordinary citizens of the Santa Barbara community, Susan and James Petrovich. This couple has devoted so much of their time to various community organizations and events that it is difficult to imagine what Santa Barbara would be like without them. Because of their dedication, the United Boys and Girls Club will be honoring them on July 28, 2001. As graduates of the University of California at Santa Barbara, the Petrovichs realized they had stumbled upon their ideal community, and decided to make Santa Barbara their permanent home. After her graduation, Susan attended the Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, but soon returned to the Central Coast to become one of the few female lawyers in Santa Barbara during the 1970s. Throughout her legal career, Susan has consistently dedicated her legal talents to helping others. She helped write the Santa Barbara County Agricultural Element in attempt to preserve agricultural lands, and authored a ballot measure to regenerate oak trees. She also serves on the site location committee for the Santa Barbara Montessori School, and supports the Legal Aid Foundation, the Santa Barbara Women Lawyers Scholarship Foundation, and the Santa Barbara County Cattlemen's Association. Her active involvement on all of those committees clearly demonstrates Susan's dedication. Susan's committed dedication to Santa Barbara is only equaled by the involvement her husband James has demonstrated towards the community. James has been a local real estate broker and investor for over 25 years, and his talents in these fields have earned him several national and lifetime achievement awards. His talents have been especially apparent in Santa Barbara, where he has managed to negotiate properties ranging from beachfront motels to the open space that is now Santa Barbara's largest regional park, Elings Park. However, James' community activism doesn't end with his real estate skills. He is the past president of the Santa Barbara Lions Club and the immediate past president of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Council. He has been an active fund-raiser for the Ben Page Youth Center, and is a member on several boards, including that of the Music Theater of Santa Barbara, the Elings Park Foundation, and the City's PARC Foundation, which funds many park projects. James has also served on the boards of CALM and is a founding trustee of United Against Crime. He has also co-chaired the site committee for the City's new police headquarters. Because James and Susan Petrovich truly appreciate how wonderful it is to live in Santa Barbara, they have adapted a unique philosophy about the community, and strive to give back to the community the same amount of joy and success the community has given to them. It is obvious that the Petrovichs have more than adequately given their share back to this community, and have aptly contributed in making Santa Barbara a truly special place to live. I hope all of my colleagues will join me in acknowledging the Petrovichs on their honorable contributions to the Santa Barbara Community.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Henry L. ``Hank'' Lacayo, an outstanding community leader from California, on the occasion of his 70th birthday. I want to recognize Hank's lifetime of service he has provided the Nation through his dedication to leadership and social activism. After graduating from John C. Fremont High School in 1949, Hank served in the U.S. Air Force and was later hired at the North American Aviation's Los Angeles Division in 1953. He then embarked on a career in organized labor starting with is election in 1962 to serve as President of the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 887. Until 1972, Hank represented 30,000 workers at North American Aviation, later known as Rockwell International in Los Angeles. Appointed as an Administrative Assistant to then-UAW President Leonard Woodcock, Hank moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1974. There Hank was appointed National Director of the UAW's political and legislative department. For the successive three UAW's Presidents, Leonard Woodcock, Douglas Fraser, and Owen Bieber, Hank served as administrative assistant. During the administration of President John F. Kennedy, Hank served as an advisor to the U.S. Department of Labor. He has since been a trusted advisor to several U.S. Presidents. Hank was named a National Director of the UAW Community Action Program, the UAW's political and legislative arm, in 1976. Hank's total devotion to his community is evidenced by the many organizations that he has chaired worldwide. Hank is a founding member of Destino 2000, the Hispanic Legacy fund, Co-Founder and Past Chairman of the Board of the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute and currently serves on the Community Advisory Board of the California State University Channel Islands. Hank's remarkable leadership skills are valued throughout the world as noted when he was appointed in 1994 and 1996 as an International Election Observer to the Presidential elections in Honduras and Nicaragua. Hank's devoted service to the community around him has been recognized through his receipt of honors in the form of the National Hero Award from the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, 1993 Labor Leader of the Year from the Tri County Labor Council (Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo), and by the Hank Lacayo Community Center in Van Nuys, California. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues join me in honoring the contributions that Hank has given to a myriad of communities through his lifetime. And we all join in wishing him a very happy birthday.