Jim Costa

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to a man who has been a tireless voice for agriculture in my home district of Fresno County, California. On June 29, 2008, Jerry Prieto will be retiring as the Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner after over 35 years of dedicated service to Fresno County. Agriculture continues to be California's number one industry with Fresno County ranking as the number one agricultural producing county in California and the nation. The fertile soils of Fresno County support over 300 different crops, valued at near $5 billion annually to the economy of California. Many things contribute to California's bountiful crops, but one significant underlying factor in Fresno County's agricultural success has been the presence of Jerry Prieto as its lead advocate. Jerry has never been a stranger to agriculture. The son of a migrant farm worker, Jerry was raised on a small family farm near Corcoran, California. Jerry attended California State University, Fresno, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Science. In 1974, Jerry began working for the Fresno County Department of Agriculture advancing to the position of Deputy Agricultural Commissioner in 1980. In 1999, he was appointed to the position of Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures. In this position, Jerry has been responsible for promoting and regulating the Nation's number one agricultural producing county, and protecting the county's environment and the public's health, safety, and welfare. Among Jerry's varied accomplishments is serving on then Governor Davis' State Committee on Terrorism. Jerry has also been active on many boards and for 4 years served as chairman of the Fresno County Department Heads Council. Mr. Prieto is a member of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, the Fresno County Council of Governments Farmland Conservation Steering Committee, chairman of the Fresno County Council of Governments Farmland Preservation Advisory Committee, and the Fresno County Land Conservation Committee. He is the immediate president of the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association and was the first Agricultural Commissioner to serve two terms as President. Jerry Prieto recently was quoted as saying, ``All I ever wanted to do was to be a farmer.'' Part of what Jerry will now be able to focus on more is the acreage he owns. He plans to spend time with wife Cindy, his two children and two grandchildren. He also hopes to catch up on a little fishing. Though only days away from retirement, Jerry is still found diligently carrying out his responsibilities. His prompt and earnest action concerning the drought now facing California, mobilized Fresno County resources to quickly produce valuable data necessary for the Governor's office to declare an official drought emergency. I know that Jerry will continue to energetically advocate for Fresno County's Agriculture needs, not only up to, but well beyond his retirement date. It is only fitting that I recognize Jerry Prieto today before this Chamber and the country for unflinching service to his community, State and Nation.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Congressman Boucher and Congressman Terry, I want to thank you and your staffs for the hard work that you've done with your colleagues. The Energy and Commerce Committee has made a significant difference in bringing this legislation to the floor. This measure, along with its companion measure, Senate bill 2146, is, I think, very important to ensuring that we provide improved opportunities for air quality, as well as throughout the country. I also want to thank my cosponsors in the House bill, which includes the original cosponsors, Congressmen Cardoza, McNerney, Congressman Nunes, as well as Representative Butterfield, Representatives Hill, Kind, Matheson, Matsui, Bono Mack, Shimkus and again Congressman Terry. This measure, combined with Senate 2146, will allow the Environmental Protection Agency to continue the prior practice of accepting diesel emission reduction projects as part of an environmental settlement agreement. These settlement agreements are important when you're trying to reach an accord with the private sector and still, at the same time, clean up the air. For many years the Environmental Protection Agency has funded diesel retrofit projects through the Supplemental Environment Projects, otherwise known as SEPS with the corporations as part of overall settlement agreements. From fiscal year 2001 to fiscal year 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency entered into diesel emission reductions with these settlement environment projects valued at over $45 million. This bill will help maintain this separate private funding source as a part of a private/public partnership for these projects and, at the same time, improve air quality in basins throughout the country that have regional air issues that they are in noncompliance with. This is particularly of importance in my own district that I share with my colleagues, Congressmen Nunes and McCarthy and Congressmen Radanovich and Cardoza, as well as McNerney. The San Joaquin Valley area is a non attainment area, and consequently, we have difficult challenges trying to become an attainment area, especially when we consider that we are one of the fastest growing regions in California. The air basin is 250 miles long, but it's shaped in a valley where you have mountain ranges on each side. Therefore, we not only have our own stationary and mobile sources of emission that we create, but because we're in the center of the transportation hub between Northern and Southern California, actually, all the way along the west coast, we have interstate transportation on 99 and Highway 5, which is no contribution of ours, but it's part of interstate transportation that contributes to the emissions that we have to deal with. So, therefore, this is an important measure. We have among the highest rates of childhood asthma in the State. We have other issues that we are continuing to deal with. Today, 90 percent of the commercial trucks are powered by diesel engines. Two-thirds of all farm and construction equipment run on diesel engines. Therefore, this measure can make a difference. California does lead the Nation in clean diesel technology, and some of the cleanest types of diesel fuel anywhere in the world. But even retrofit projects have their role and play a significant contribution to improving air quality, not only in our district but throughout the country. Finally, in addition, retrofitting clean diesel technologies for diesel vehicles and equipment, I think, is one of the most cost effective strategies for achieving tangible and immediate air quality benefits. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that these retrofit projects have a 13:1 benefit-to-cost ratio, meaning that the $45 million invested between 2001 and 2006 translates to over $600 million of health benefits that also benefit young people, children who have asthma cases, those who have cardiovascular issues and the like. I want to again thank my colleagues, Congressman Terry, Congressman Boucher and your staffs and all those who are cosponsors of this important measure. This is cost effective. It's meaningful. It will improve air quality throughout the country. At this time I want to urge all of my colleagues to support the passage of this measure.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. This measure will give an added shot in the arm to assist California and other States throughout the country that want to implement, choose 21st-century state-of-the-art high-speed rail within their States. There are 11 corridors there. This notion that, in fact, we are giving a subsidy makes no sense. Every system of transportation in this country, roadways, airlines, freight, rail, and ports and harbors have had a public partnership, and there is a subsidy in them. And to think that we would not do anything less than that for rail in this country, for passenger rail, makes no sense. I urge all of my colleagues to support these good measures for all of the right reasons.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6003, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008. With over 21,000 miles that has already been mentioned of track in the United States and 44 routes throughout America, this reauthorization measure is sorely needed, and Chairman Oberstar and Chairwoman Brown deserve a great deal of credit and thanks for their hard work and their efforts on this, along with my minority colleagues that are supporting this effort. This legislation, as noted, will make improvements to existing lines throughout the country and in California. California provides over $70 million a year for intercity rail. We have the second, the third, and the sixth most frequently used corridors in the Nation. As a matter of fact, when people think about California, they think of the land of cars. But the fact of the matter is is that we have more intercity passenger ridership in California than any other State in the Union. In my district, the Amtrak San Joaquin lines run from Bakersfield to Oakland to Sacramento. It's the sixth busiest corridor in the country and had nearly 800,000 riders in fiscal year 2006. California, of course, obviously is not alone. This bill that Chairman Oberstar and Chairwoman Brown have been working on so hard and diligently, the RIDE 21 Act, will promote the development, construction, and the potential for high-speed rail, which is the transportation system that I think is a part of America's 21st century intermodal, interconnected system that will be the state-of-the-art system that we will depend upon. Our friends in Europe and Japan have had great success with developing over 6,000 miles of high-speed rail in Europe and over 2,000 miles of high-speed rail in Japan, and it is expanding. This is fourth generation state-of-the-art technology that we can have off the shelf. We don't have to reinvent the wheel. This November in California we will have a $9 billion bond measure that will help us implement the first state-of-the-art high-speed rail system, 790 miles, trains that will go 225 miles an hour connecting 80 percent of California's population. This measure will be a big shot in the arm to help this State.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 2632, as amended, and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2632) to establish the Sabinoso Wilderness Area in San Miguel County, NM, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. COSTA. I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 2632 would designate land managed by the Bureau of Land Management in San Miguel County in northwestern New Mexico as wilderness. The land has been managed as wilderness study area for more than 20 years. The area involved includes a mix of Ponderosa Pine and riparian vegetation and provides habitat for an array of species including the Red-tailed Hawk, bobcat and fox. The area features opportunities for hunting, hiking and horseback riding, among other activities. The area also includes a 1,000 foot deep canyon, Largo, which connects the Canadian River outside of the area. I would like to commend my colleague, Representative Tom Udall, for his fine work on this legislation. He has worked tirelessly to gain broad support for the measure before us today. I would ask my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 2622, as amended. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming the balance of my time, how much time do I have remaining and the opposition?

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, as Sergeant Friday once said, for those of us who remember back to our youth and the old television series, he used to say, ``Just the facts, Ma'am.'' While we are debating the importance of a 20-year study that puts about an additional set-aside of land in New Mexico for a wilderness study, it seems that we have gotten off track here. But let me for the record, as Sergeant Friday once said, just state the facts. Between 1999 and 2007, the number of drilling permits issued beginning with the Clinton administration, during the Bush administration to present day issued an increase in development of public lands on application of permits to drill increasing 361 percent. Let me repeat that. In the last 8-plus years we have increased the applications for permits to drill in public lands, both onshore and offshore, 361 percent. The Bureau of Land Management has now issued over 28,776 permits to drill on public land. Yet at that time, today, only 18,954 wells have been actually drilled. In other words, 10,000 wells have been stockpiled in terms of the permits that have not been drilled. In addition to that, when we talk about making additional available land, whether it's on the Florida coast or the California coast, we know there is opposition to that among both parties, but the fact of the matter is, again--as Sergeant Friday used to say, ``Just the facts, Ma'am''--the area that's available for energy companies to develop is 47.5 million acres onshore on Federal lands that are currently being leased by oil and gas companies. Today, only about 13 million of those acres are actually in production. Again, there are over 47.5 million acres that are currently available for use to be drilled for oil and gas. Only about 13 million acres are actually being utilized. Clearly, there are a multitude of solutions that deal with this painful, painful energy dilemma that we find ourselves in today, not just in the United States but in other parts of the world. There are short-term solutions and there are long-term solutions. Frankly, in my opinion, the sooner we get past this blame game-- because if my memory serves me correctly, the loyal opposition was in control for 12 years to develop this comprehensive energy policy. We have been in the majority for less than a year and a half. Yet all of the blame somehow is seemingly being placed on us. The issue on ANWR that was talked about earlier passed this House in previous Republican- controlled houses, only to never see the light of day over in the Senate. So, we can play the blame game, but what Americans want when I go to my constituencies, my district, is us to fashion bipartisan solutions that are commonsense that involve both the short-term dilemma that we are in and long-term solutions. Frankly, when we come together, in my view, to put together that sort of a bipartisan comprehensive effort is when I think we are going to be addressing the long-term needs for our country. Now, the bill before us obviously has nothing to do with the discussion we have just had. For 20 years, 20 years, Congressman Tom Udall and his colleagues in New Mexico have worked diligently to determine whether or not these lands could be put aside. That's what H.R. 2632 does, as amended. I urge my colleagues to support this measure before us. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I'd urge the Members to support H.R. 3682, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3682) to designate certain Federal lands in Riverside County, California, as wilderness, to designate certain river segments in Riverside County as a wild, scenic, or recreational river, to adjust the boundary of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3022) to designate the John Krebs Wilderness in the State of California, to add certain land to the Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park Wilderness, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. COSTA. First I would like to thank Congressman Nunes for your hard work and efforts on this. Without your support, I don't believe this measure would be a reality. The bipartisan effort I think is a commendation on how we ought to be working on all of our efforts here in the House. Protecting the local interests was a concern of mine, as it was of yours, and I am glad that we were able to find ways to satisfy the existing uses within the wilderness and the park area, because having been one who has utilized that park and have enjoyed it over the years, I want to be able to continue to use it myself in those ways, as do all of our constituents from the valley, who believe this, as I said, is one of our crown jewels. It was always a goal of mine that this be a bipartisan effort, and I am glad that Congressman Nunes feels comfortable with supporting the legislation and proud you were able to help make it a reality.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to introduce H.R. 3022, the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Act of 2008. This bill adds nearly 115 acres of wilderness in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California, two parks that are among the crown jewels of our Nation's national park system. Coupled with existing wilderness areas in the parks, this bill will expand the wilderness to about 97 percent on the land base that is included within the park area. About 45,000 acres of the wilderness created by this bill will be incorporated into currently existing Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness Area. The other 70,000 acres will comprise a new wilderness area, which will be named after former Congressman John Krebs. Congressman John Krebs served in this House from 1974 until 1978. He immigrated to this country when he was 17 years old. Like immigrants before him and immigrants since, he came here to find a better life for himself and his family. And in that effort, he contributed mightily, as all immigrants have, over the history of our Nation's years. He served in this House with distinction and honor. He was tenacious, and one of the areas that he worked on was this area of wilderness within the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness Area. So therefore it is appropriate that we designate this act by including this as a namesake, because within the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, we have California's and some of our country's most beautiful areas. The Redwood Canyon area contains Redwood Mountain Grove, the largest stand of giant sequoia within the parks. The Redwood Canyon also includes over 75 known caves, include the longest cave in California with over 21 miles of surveyed passage. The Hockett Plateau includes vast rolling forests of lodgepole pine surrounding spectacular subalpine meadows. The area is a favorite designation for equestrians, backpackers and anglers, people who, like all of us, like to enjoy our mountains. This bill is obviously important not only to me but for my colleague, Congressman Nunes, and all that have been a part of this effort, for preserving our natural areas for future generations is a responsibility that we all share in common. And it gives us an opportunity to honor Congressman John Krebs, whom I first went to work for back in the 1970s when he served in Congress. He was a mentor and still today is a friend and is living well in Fresno, California, at the young, tender age of 82. So it is fitting and appropriate that we recognize the people who deserve credit for making this bill a reality. Among those, I want to thank Chairman Rahall, subcommittee Chairman Grijalva of the Natural Resources Committee for their support, their staffs, as well as the committee's minority staff that worked so hard on this bill, and the National Park Service. In addition, there is a companion measure over in the Senate carried by Senator Boxer. I would very much like to thank her and her staff for their hard work, including most notably, the State director, Tom Bohigian, who devoted a great deal of time and energy to make this bill a reality. Finally, I want to thank my colleague and dear friend, Congressman Devin Nunes, and his Deputy Chief of Staff, Damon Nelson, for their work on this bill. This is a sensitive issue. The land we are talking about resides within Congressman Nunes' congressional district. The wilderness created by H.R. 3022 there is important to Congressman Nunes, as well as to all of us, and I want to thank him for his hard work on this bill and for ensuring that he protects the interests of his district and the local communities and the folks that live and work and recreate in the wilderness and surrounding areas. Mr. Speaker, I request my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 3022, as amended. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. In closing, I just again want to thank Congressman Nunes and thank Senator Boxer. I think it is fitting and appropriate that we name this additional wilderness area on behalf of a gentleman who dedicated a large part of his time to protect and preserve our heritage for future generations to come and was one of my mentors. It is a proud day for me to be here today to in fact make this happen. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1158) recognizing the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to urge the support of the passage of House Resolution 1158. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Georgia indicated earlier in his comments with regards to statistics gained by the Minerals and Management Service, which the last time I've checked has been under the executive branch of our Republican administration, has increased the leases to public lands, both on and offshore, 361 percent. In addition, the gentleman from Georgia indicated that there is an increase in revenues to the Minerals and Management Service, therefore to our Nation's treasury, because, in fact, more leases are being provided, and there is more oil and gas being derived from those oil leased lands. It is illogical and it would be unfactual to conclude that if revenues are up and more energy companies are seeking those leases, that they are seeking leases to lands that do not have oil nor gas. It is clearly illogical and unfactual. These energy companies are smart, competitive companies. They do not lease lands that they have not surveyed and that they do not have a great degree of certainty, based on the seismology, that in fact there is oil and gas there; otherwise, these record bids that the gentleman made reference to that just came back 2 months ago would not be record bids for dry holes. As a matter of fact, again, the Department of Interior that has been under the stewardship of our Republican leadership for the last 7\1/2\ years recently released a report, a report by Secretary Kempthorne, that indicates that only 38 percent of the oil and 16 percent of the natural gas today on public lands, whether they be onshore or offshore, are being excluded from leasing. The fact of the matter is is that we need the energy. We need to do everything we can to stabilize our gas prices. We need to reduce our dependency from energy offshore. This administration and the previous administration started that effort in 1999, but that alone will not reduce our dependency on foreign sources of energy; therefore, we have to work together in a bipartisan effort to use all of the various energy management tools that are in our energy toolbox if we are going to address this issue in the short term and the long term. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. House Resolution 1158 recognizes the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas. On March 6, 1908, then President Theodore Roosevelt set aside, by proclamation, the Ozark National Forest which today includes more than 1 million acres in the northwestern part of the State. The Ozark National Forest is one of the true gems of our national forest system, providing extensive recreational opportunities, more than 500 species of trees, habitat for 11 threatened or endangered species, and it's very appropriate therefore today that the House recognize the forest's 100th anniversary. This resolution is sponsored by the entire Arkansas delegation, and they are to be commended for their work on this measure. Representative John Boozman and the sponsor, Representative Mike Ross, have worked particularly hard to get this measure to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, I would ask that Members of the House support the passage of House Resolution 1158. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution that is under consideration.