Jim Costa

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1838 establishes the Clear Creek National Recreation Area, as stated before, and the Joaquin Rocks Wilderness Area on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management in the Central Coast region of California in Fresno County. I am very familiar with this. It used to be in a previous district I represented. This area has mutual beneficial uses, from hiking and hunting to off- highway vehicle use. Adjacent to this area are areas that have been used for cattle grazing for families for generations. They have worked together to ensure that we can protect those areas for appropriate uses for cattle grazing but also, at the same time, separately provide areas where this hiking and hunting and off-highway vehicle use can take place. This legislation will improve and enhance the success for a variety of recreational activities, which is what it is intended to, and, at the same time, try to preserve ecological sensitive and unique areas in a way that supports the overall use. In addition to the many ecological benefits they are providing, including clean air and clean water, wilderness areas throughout the country play a large role in supporting the approximately $646-billion- per-year outdoor recreational economy. I am pleased that we are advancing a bill that adds 21,000 acres to the National Wilderness Preservation System. Our colleagues in the House have introduced several bills to designate wilderness areas. These bills are developed from the ground up with input and support from our constituents. This bill, in particular, has been a priority for Congressman Farr for many years. I want to congratulate him for his hard work and tenacity. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), my good friend from California's Central Coast area.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I think the bipartisan support is here. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. I yield the gentleman an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service and career of Mr. John Atwood Chase as he celebrates his 90th birthday. John has dedicated many years to ensuring the safety and security of our great nation. John Atwood Chase was born in Pepperell, Massachusetts on June 27, 1926 to his parents, Francis ``Curly'' Chase and Annabel Dougherty Chase. From a young age, John displayed many exemplary traits which ultimately led him to achieve many successes early in life. During his senior year of high school, he received the ``Outstanding Citizen'' and ``Person Who Has Done the Most for Lawrence Academy'' awards for the work he did as President of his senior class and the entire student body. In addition to his academic achievements, John was also a student athlete and captain of both the basketball and baseball teams. His success in sports led him to attract baseball scouts from the Boston Red Sox, but John declined their offer in order to serve our nation in the United States Navy. John was accepted to the U.S. Navy Officer's Program at Bates College; however, he left ten months later to attend a school providing more of an Annapolis education and ultimately selected Tufts over Harvard. Upon finishing school, John went on to complete his training at the Chicago Naval Base and was later stationed at Camp Shoemaker in Dublin, California. He then joined the light Pacific cruiser ship, the Pasadena. After the 1945 bombing in Hiroshima brought an end to the war, John was discharged from the Navy and went on to participate in a six month course with the Insurance Company of North America (ICNA). The experiences John had during this course led him to pursue a career in ICNA's Special Risk Division in New York City. Shortly after, in 1951, John left his career with the ICNA to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a Special Agent. During his time with the FBI, John had the opportunity to complete many assignments in cities such as: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and San Francisco, California; Miles City, Montana; and the Washington D.C. Field Office. A few short years later, in 1958, John returned to FBI headquarters and took on the position of Assistant Agent in Charge at Quantico. It was during this time that John was introduced to his wife, Janice Morgan, who also worked at the FBI headquarters. They were married a year later, in 1959, and were blessed with three beautiful children, John Jr., Lisa, and Julie. In 1963, John ended his career with the FBI to join a New York Securities Firm, McDonnell & Company which was later merged to become Butcher & Singer. Throughout the years, John had the opportunity to work with many prominent figures in the financial industry at firms including White Weld & Co., Kidder Peabody, Shearson Lehman, Merrill Lynch, Paine Webber, and UBS. Through his entire adult life, John was an avid golfer, even shooting a hole in one at the Bethesda Country Club in 1963. He now spends his time swimming at the Columbia Country Club and entertaining his four grandchildren, Madeline, Ryker, Kendall and Finn. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the career and noble service of Mr. John Atwood Chase. John's many accomplishments are a direct reflection of what can result from hard work and perseverance. It is with great pride that we thank him for his service, and wish him continued health and happiness with his friends and family.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2273 is a real straightforward piece of legislation. It would increase the amount of water that can be stored in the Fontenelle Reservoir, which is a reservoir located in Lincoln County, Wyoming, the great State of Wyoming. I want to commend the author, the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Lummis), for her efforts on this important legislation for Wyoming. This bill has been written in a balanced manner that respects existing laws, compacts, and treaties. It does not attempt to expand Wyoming's entitlement to the Colorado River supplies. Any time we are talking about the Colorado River, Upper Basin or Lower Basin, it gets to be a bit of a sticky wicket. This does not involve any of those issues at the expense of any of the Colorado River Basin States. H.R. 2273 is an important piece of legislation for the Congresswoman. It passed the Natural Resources Committee unanimously. Therefore, I lend my support to H.R. 2273, and I urge its adoption. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the members of the Tule River Tribe are descendants of the original inhabitants of the San Joaquin Valley that occupied the territory along the rivers and creeks flowing from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Tulare Lake in south-central California. Like many other tribes in California and around the country, the Tule River people have suffered many injustices and inequities over the years, including forced removal and relocation of the tribe to the roughly 54,000-acre reservation which they have resided in for 140 years. H.R. 4685, and Mr. McCarthy, will add to that existing land base by deeming that approximately 34 acres of Bureau of Land Management land be held in trust for the tribe. It is a small amount of acreage in the bigger picture. This land is situated between the tribal fee land and the reservation land, near the only entrance to the reservation, and it is entirely cut off from Federal lands in the vicinity. Mr. Speaker, this is a very small amount of land, as I said, but as the vice chairman of the tribe stated in testimony before the committee, ``every acre of land is important'' to the Tule River people. I want to commend the sponsor of the bill, Majority Leader Mr. McCarthy, for bringing this legislation to the floor. It passed by unanimous consent. I urge its quick adoption. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In one of the worst civil engineering failures of the 20th century, the breach of the Saint Francis Dam on March 12, 1928, tragically took the lives of over 400 Americans. To honor the memory of those who lost their lives on that fateful day, H.R. 5244 establishes a national memorial at the disaster site in California's Santa Clarita Valley. This memorial will provide a permanent place of remembrance and healing. In addition to the memorial, H.R. 5244 also establishes the Saint Francis Dam National Monument on 440 acres of public land that is currently managed by the Forest Service. The national monument designation authorizes the U.S. Forest Service, in consultation with a range of stakeholders, to develop educational programs to improve the health of these regional wetlands. I want to thank Congressman Knight and the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society for bringing the legacy of the Saint Francis Dam disaster to the attention of the Congress. As we all have heard, those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it. So we need to ensure that we remember the lessons of history that are part of the Saint Francis story. I also want to thank Mr. Knight for his work with the Forest Service to address some of the concerns before the bill was marked up in committee. This is a good bill, and I urge my colleagues to support its adoption. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Tuolumne Band of the Me-Wuk Indians of the Tuolumne Rancheria is seeking a transfer of the two parcels that have been mentioned from the U.S. Forest Service land to the Department of the Interior to be held in trust for the tribe. These two parcels, which represent a combined total of about 80 acres, are both undeveloped and they are landlocked. The parcels are located in an area of great cultural and historical significance to the tribe and are contiguous to lands the tribe currently owns in fee simple, known simply as the Murphy Ranch. When the tribe inquired about the status of these parcels, the local U.S. Forest Service staff confirmed that there are no current or future uses to the U.S. Forest Service or any other Federal agency. The tribe would like to make these existing two parcels a part of their Murphy Ranch Conservation Area, which was established to protect the environment, wildlife, and the natural beauty of the area, and also, as Congressman McClintock noted, to provide additional fire protection, which is absolutely essential. We, as a result of 4 devastatingly dry years, combined with the bark beetle, have a tinderbox of extreme fire conditions that we are dealing with in California. Some of you have noted the fires that have taken place already in other Western States. So fire protection is a part of the concern of this effort, and I feel very strongly that we need to do everything we can to improve the Forest Service's ability to manage our forest lands. Frankly, we are spending all the money that we do give to the Forest Service to put out fires and, therefore, it only makes matters worse because we are not doing the kind of work we ought to be doing in managing the forests. So I want to commend the tribe for working with the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors and the Edward Ingalls Trust to mitigate any other concerns that the land transfer might have had. Of course, Congressman McClintock has been tenacious in working with all the parties to try to bring this legislation to the floor for swift adoption, and I want to commend his efforts. We have no further speakers, and I think it would be appropriate that I thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Lummis) for all her good work. I, too, will be one of those who will miss her presence, her active engagement, and her constructive efforts to try to find bipartisan solutions to the challenges we face here in Congress. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Farm Credit system in America The Firm Credit System in America was established 100 years ago through the Federal Farm Loan Act of 1916, signed into law on July 17, 1916, by President Woodrow Wilson. It was founded to provide lending opportunities for American farmers, ranchers and dairymen; those who till the soil to put food on American dinner tables every night. Congess intended the Farm Credit System be designed as a permanent means to support the well-being and prosperity of the nation's rural communities and agricultural producers of all types and sizes. Further, it was designed as a network of cooperatives, independently owned and controlled by its borrowers, responsive to their individual needs for credit and financial services and continually adapting to meet the changing needs of rural communities and agriculture. Through the success of the Farm Credit organizations throughout this country, such as Fresno-Madera Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit we celebrate 100 years of that successful ability to make loans to young and old farmers alike, those just starting out or those who have been farming for generations. And to those who in every region of America do their best to produce the healthiest, most nutritious and bountiful crops anywhere grown in the world. The Farm Credit System today plays a vital role in the success of United States agriculture and the economic vibrancy of rural communities throughout all 50 States and Puerto Rico, providing more than $237 billion in loans to more than 500,000 customers. This is so American consumers can enjoy those food products at lowest cost value possible. Clearly we know the success of American agriculture is in large part due to the success Farm Credit across the country. We commend the Farm Credit System for their efforts and celebrate 100 years of making America the most productive agriculture country in the world.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise, first, to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Farm Credit System in America. The Farm Credit System in America was set 100 years ago to provide lending opportunities for American farmers, ranchers, dairymen--those who tilled the soil, those who put food on America's dinner table every night. Through the success of the Farm Credit organizations throughout this country, we celebrate now 100 years of that successful ability to make loans to those who are young, who are older farmers, who are starting out, who have been farming for generations--to those who in every region of America do best, which is to produce the healthiest, the most nutritious, the most bountiful crops anywhere grown in the world so that American consumers and their families can enjoy those food products at the lowest cost value possible. Clearly, we know that the success of American agriculture is, in large part, due to the success of the Farm Credit organizations across this country. We commend them for their efforts and celebrate 100 years of making America the most productive agricultural country in the world. Terror Attack in Orlando, Florida

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, finally, I rise, as I have on a regular basis, to update Members of the House on the situation that faces California's water system--the devastating drought that now has gone beyond 4 years. Today, the Shasta Lake and Folsom Lake, which are part of the Central Valley's project--two major reservoirs in the Sacramento River watershed--have enough water to supply 100 percent water allocations to farmers in the Sacramento Valley and to the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors, along with wildlife refuges in the San Joaquin Valley. We had hoped for an El Nino year. We didn't get it, but we did get between 80 and 95 percent of our normal supply, which is much better than the 5 percent of snow and rain that we received the year before. Notwithstanding that fact, the United States National Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service are now proposing new efforts in recent weeks to recover species, which will impact Reclamation's ability to deliver the water that they had previously allocated. In the spring, the way the Federal and State water projects work, is that, in April, the snow depths are measured--that is about the end of our snow in California--as is the precipitation during our rain time period of the year, and they measure how much water is available to be allocated for all of the water contractors, both in the Federal service areas and in the State service areas. Yet, if the action that is being proposed 2 months later by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and by NMFS--as a part of the NOAA Federal agency--is taken, it would be unprecedented that 2 months after allocations have been made, based upon what we believe the snow to be in the mountains and the rain we receive this winter, the allocations somehow would be taken back or dramatically cut back. Despite an abundance of water in the Shasta Reservoir--it is almost full--the National Marine Fisheries Service is considering a temperature control plan that would limit releases of only 8,000 cubic feet per second of water. Now the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking that we allow more water out, and, of course, the National Marine Fisheries Service is asking that we restrict water to reserve a cold water pool. The constraints, which are required by existing regulations, have the following implications if, in fact, these actions are taken: One, it would prevent farmers in the Sacramento Valley from diverting water already promised by Reclamation. Unheard of; It would limit Reclamation's ability to export water to meet its commitment to the Exchange Contractors and to senior water rights holders in the San Joaquin Valley. It has not happened before; It could lead to Reclamation's having to make releases from Friant Dam, which is in my service area, to meet other contractors' needs and reduce water previously promised to farmers in the Friant system, who, over the last 2 years, have received a zero water allocation. In April, Reclamation said they could get 35 percent of their normal water. Then, in May, it was increased by another 30 percent to 65 percent. Now they are talking about cutting it in half, maybe. Unacceptable; It would also be unlikely that Reclamation could supply the meager 5 percent of allocation that was made for south-of-delta agricultural water service contractors. Let me tell you that these contractors, for over 2 years, have had a zero water allocation. Hundreds of thousands of acres, as a result of that, have gone unplanted--fallow. These are devastating impacts for farmers, farmworkers, and the farm communities that I represent that work so hard every day to put food on America's dinner table. That is the consequence. Reclamation would be required to, once again, drain the reserves in the Folsom Reservoir, the Folsom Dam. These consequences, in my view, are unacceptable and should not occur. While the National Marine Fisheries Service is proposing water to be held in Shasta through the summer and fall, the Fish and Wildlife Service is requesting additional outflow, during the summer, for increasing the habitat for delta smelt. These conflicting requests make no sense. They make no sense to the person on the street. They make no sense if you try to explain it to people enjoying their dinner at their dinner table. And they certainly don't make any sense to the farmers, the farmworkers, and the farm communities. The request, I might add, is outside of the requirements of the 2008 biological opinion--I called them the flawed biological opinions--under the Endangered Species Act, and it is in direct contradiction to the requests made by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Further, the Fish and Wildlife Service has failed to conduct the statutory analysis on the outflow request; and when they made the request, it was made without adequate scientific support under the environmental review process. If I sound frustrated, I have good reason to be frustrated. Additionally, the Fish and Wildlife Service is also failing to implement a comprehensive plan for species recovery. In testimony, the head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, when I asked over a month ago if they had a recovery plan, said: Well, yes. I said: Well, what is it? He said: Well, it is 20 years old, so it is really out of date. I said: Well, then, you really don't have a plan. And they acknowledged that. Part of the comprehensive recovery plan does include provisions like those in legislation that we voted on yesterday in the Natural Resources Committee, the Save Our Salmon Act, of which I am a cosponsor. This act would begin to limit the impacts of predator species that are one of the principal causes of the decline of salmon and smelt in the delta. So the Save Our Salmon Act needs to be heard here on the floor, and I hope it will be passed and ultimately signed into law. So the requirements made by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service are unprecedented, I say again; and the impacts, intended or not, are real. They will be severe throughout California, especially in the San Joaquin Valley that I represent a part of, affecting as much as 6 million acres of productive, prime agricultural land that produces half the Nation's fruits and vegetables. That is the number one citrus State in the Nation, the number one dairy State in the Nation, number one production in wine and grapes. The product lines, 300 commodities, go on and on and on. That is how devastating these decisions could be if, in fact, they were granted. So I urge the administration to reject these harmful actions. Common sense, at some time, must be applied. Let's prevent this train wreck from happening. Let's get to work on fixing a broken water system in California that was designed for 20 million people. Today we have 41 million people living in California. It was designed for the agriculture we had in the sixties. Today, we are far more productive in our agricultural efforts, and it was never designed in a way to provide for environmental water as it is being requested today. So it is a broken water system because, when we have continuous dry years, it cannot serve all the demands that are placed upon it for our people, for our farms, and to ensure that we have the ability to maintain the environment for future generations to come. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise, sadly, to address the terror attack that occurred last Sunday in Orlando, Florida. Today, the President and the Vice President are journeying to Orlando to mourn with those families and friends who felt this terrible tragedy that has reverberated across America. As we mourn the loss of those lives, we stand with the LGBT community and decry all crimes of hate against all people in America and throughout the world. Sadly, in my district, there have been multiple instances of hate crimes committed, in part, against the Sikh community and against other communities. In the wake of the deadliest shooting in U.S. history, issues like hate crimes, access to weapons, and the threat of terrorism are at the forefront of Americans' thoughts. As Members of Congress, we have to ask ourselves: At what point are we going to have an honest discussion about the continuation of hate crimes that happen throughout our country? When is enough enough? If now is not the time, then when is the time? The deadly shootings that took place in Orlando, we know, could have happened anywhere in the United States. The reality is that we do not have a consensus here in this House on the appropriate policies that are needed to prevent it from happening again. It is time that we stop playing politics if we are ever going to have an honest discussion, a conversation, about preventing hate crimes in America. Sound bites and blaming others do not translate into improving policies that make Americans safer. It simply doesn't. I urge my colleagues, on a bipartisan basis, to thoughtfully discuss and to hold hearings on these very important issues so that we can pass meaningful legislation. Yes, if we pass meaningful legislation, it will have to be, by its very nature, bipartisan. Pass it, and send it to the President's desk so that it can be signed into law. Hopefully, we will point back to a time when we won't have to stand for a moment of silence for a tragedy that occurred in some part of America. Americans, I believe, want us to do better, and we owe them that. California's Water System

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with Mr. Nunes of California, Mr. Valadao of California, Mr. Cicilline of Rhode Island, Mr. Denham of California, Mr. Zeldin of New York, Ms. Lofgren of California, Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts, and Mr. Honda of California to recognize Dia de Portugal. On June 10 each year, Dia de Portugal celebrates the Portuguese people, their strong heritage, and their beautiful country and culture. Dia de Portugal honors the death of the revered Portuguese poet Luis Vaz de Camoes in 1580. While his mastery of verse has been compared to both Shakespeare and Dante, Camoes is famously known for his epic ``Os Lusiadas,'' one of Portugal's most treasured literary works. The poem pays tribute to Portugal's golden age of exploration and celebrates the many world-changing discoveries made by its seafaring explorers in the 15th century. In his poem, Camoes speaks of the Portuguese as destined to accomplish great deeds, and they have. This rings especially true of the more than one million Portuguese-Americans who have been contributing to and enriching culture in the United States for generations. Americans of Portuguese descent are responsible for tremendous growth and innovation, whether it be in the arts, agriculture, sports, or the highest levels of American government. The unbreakable bond between Portugal and the United States goes back many years--to the very founding of our nation. After the Revolutionary War, Portugal was one of our first allies and one of the first countries to officially recognize the United States. In 1791, President George Washington formalized diplomatic relations with Portugal, and our relationship is stronger than ever more than 200 years later. Today, Portugal is not just our friend and ally, but an important strategic partner for the United States. We must never forget the role of Portugal and Lajes Field during World War II, when the Portuguese helped us protect supply ships, identify U-boats, and win the war against fascism. As home to the U.S. Air Force's 65th Air Base Wing, Lajes Field was instrumental in our efforts during the Cold War and the Yom Kippur War and continues to be a critical asset in the Atlantic. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I join hands with the people of Portugal to reaffirm our commitment to strengthening the many ties between us, and we vow to ensure our relationship remains strong and robust. Along with the people of Portugal and Portuguese-Americans throughout the United States, we wish everyone a happy and joyous Dia de Portugal.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 70th anniversary of San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, California-- a private Catholic high school located in Fresno, California, in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. San Joaquin Memorial High School was founded in 1945, as the only Catholic high school in the greater Fresno area that is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno. Named after the men and women of the San Joaquin Valley who gave their lives serving our country during World War II, San Joaquin Memorial is the first Diocesan Catholic High School in the Monterey-Fresno Diocese. Since its founding the school has grown from being a small high school, to serving over 600 students today. Over the last 70 years, many generations of students have walked the halls of San Joaquin Memorial, and have continued on to become leaders throughout the Central Valley, and beyond. San Joaquin Memorial mission has always been dedicated to developing future citizens and leaders. Memorial promotes a standard of excellence that challenges students through a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, and faith based program. These programs are designed to challenge students to become active, and engaged members of their communities in order to enhance their learning experience. In addition to being top academic achievers, students also perform hundreds of hours of community service to the greater Fresno community through San Joaquin Memorial's Service Learning program. Service- learning offers students the opportunity to process what they learn in the classroom, and apply it by serving their community in a variety of ways. Each year, students are required to serve at least twenty hours in their communities, through a variety of local charities. Many students choose to volunteer with many community based organizations that serve the neediest of people in the Central Valley, including serving meals at the Poverello House, Community Food Bank, Catholic Charities, and volunteering on Kids Day to raise money for Valley Children's Hospital. When young men and women graduate from San Joaquin Memorial, they are prepared to enter college, and ninety-nine percent of all Memorial graduates do attend a four year university upon graduation. Memorial works to inspire their students to become compassionate and conscientious leaders, so that they are equipped to serve their communities in a variety of professions. San Joaquin Memorial is an inclusive community that embraces diversity and challenges each student to reach their full potential. Many outstanding alumni have walked Memorial's halls and now have established themselves in distinguished careers in law, medicine, business, education, government, technology, the military, sports, and other notable fields. As an alumnus of San Joaquin Memorial, it gives me great pleasure to celebrate this momentous occasion with the students, faculty, staff, and fellow alumni of Memorial. Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect that I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing San Joaquin Memorial High School of Fresno, as they celebrate its 70th anniversary. I extend my best wishes for the school's continued success in shaping the lives of young students, creating model citizens, and serving our communities throughout the Valley, and our nation.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tony and Juliet Campos on their 50th anniversary. Individually, Tony and Juliet each have a lot to be proud of, but together, as a couple, their accomplishments and passion to give back to the community are truly remarkable. Tony and Juliet met in 1965 at a wedding in Fresno, California. At the time, Juliet was working in her hometown of Chino, California, and Tony was trying to make it in the sheep herding business. As a new immigrant from Orondritz, Spain, Tony knew it was fate when he met a young lady whose family emigrated from a Basque town just a couple hundred miles away from Orondritz. In 1966, they were married in Chino and moved to Caruthers, California. Tony and Juliet partnered with Tony's brothers, and started a modest farming operation, Campos Brothers Farms. Tony's business savviness and charisma along with Juliet's tenacity, quick wit and humor complimented each other perfectly, and their small business turned into one of the largest almond processing plants in the country. Tony and Juliet's success reaches far beyond their family business. They are parents of three, Steven, Joe, and Jeannine and grandparents of ten, Vanessa, Antonio, Audrey, Ava, Grace, Mathieu, Olivia, Vivian, Sophia, and George. Faith and family are most important to Tony and Juliet, and whether you are a long distance relative, friend, or business colleague, you will always be treated with the utmost respect. Giving back to the community has always been a priority for Tony and Juliet. Most recently, Juliet was recognized by California State University, Fresno with the Common Threads Award for her contributions to the agriculture industry and philanthropic endeavors. And last August, Tony was honored at Fresno State's Ag One Community Salute for his contributions to agriculture and service to the community. Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect that I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Tony and Juliet Campos on their 50th anniversary. I wish them continued happiness as they celebrate this momentous occasion with family and friends.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a good friend and community leader, Maria L. Gutierrez. Maria led her life with purpose. She wanted to make a positive difference, and there is no doubt that she did that. She served as the general manager of Univision in Fresno, California, and led the television station to be one of the highest-ranking stations not only in the San Joaquin Valley, but in the Nation. She was a strong advocate for immigration reform, equal rights for women, and worked hard to bring more water to the Valley. She cared, she had a big heart, and she was a role model for all who knew her. We miss Maria dearly, especially that big smile that she always had on her face. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me and Maria's family and friends in paying tribute to her life. May she rest in peace. Immigrant Heritage Month

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize June as Immigrant Heritage Month. We are a Nation of Native Americans and of immigrants past and immigrants present. That is America. For over 250 years, since the formation of the United States, immigrants have helped make our country what it is today. They add energy and value with each generation of Americans. California's San Joaquin Valley, which I proudly represent, is home to people whose families come from all over the world. Their story is our story. It is one of achieving the American Dream, which is my family's story. I am fortunate to represent and live in an area with some of the hardest working people you will ever meet in your life who have made lasting contributions to the San Joaquin Valley's agriculture economy, businesses, education, and healthcare systems. Their contributions have had positive impacts not only in California, but throughout the Nation. Hispanic, Armenian, Italian, Portuguese, Sikh, and Hmong immigrants are among the many who have come from Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Europe to call America their home. These immigrant families, for generations, have been and always will be a cornerstone of a place that we call the United States of America. They are living out the American Dream, and their children and grandchildren continue to add value and make a positive difference in our valley and the Nation. Degrading immigrant communities is not an American value. Name- calling is not a virtue and never should be condoned. Insinuating that someone is not qualified based on their ethnicity and heritage is completely unacceptable, especially coming from someone who wants to be leader of the free world. The sad reality is that some individuals are going to use hateful rhetoric to tear us apart. It is wrong. But we must always remember that the bonds we share as Americans are far, far stronger than whatever differences we may have. Wrongly questioning a judge's objectivity because of his ethnic background is pure and simple racism. It is not the American way. We are better than that. And, Mr. Trump, you should apologize for your hurtful statements. Instead of talking about a wall to keep people out, our next President must focus on efforts to pass comprehensive immigration reform so that we can fix our Nation's broken immigration system. As I said, we are a Nation of immigrants. And that is one of the reasons why the United States is the greatest Nation in the world, period. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues and all Americans to join in celebrating immigrant communities throughout our great Nation by recognizing June as Immigrant Heritage Month.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Mrs. Valerie Bender. Mrs. Bender passed away on April 29, 2016, at the age of 60 as she valiantly battled breast cancer for seven years. Known by all who met her as a selfless individual, Mrs. Bender led a prolific career as a reporter and was loved deeply by friends and family. Mrs. Bender began her journalism career as a reporter in Florida. After having moved to Virginia and working there for a short time, her merits earned her the esteemed role of managing editor at the Wilmington News Journal. Mrs. Bender went on to work at the Fresno Bee where she served for 20 years. While at the Fresno Bee, she held a variety of different positions that included serving as Features Editor, Assistant Managing Director, Director of Community Publications, and Vice President of Custom Publications. In February 2014 Mrs. Bender was named President and Publisher of the Merced Sun- Star, a role that was certainly well earned and deserved. Among her many activities and passions, Mrs. Bender was an advocate for breast cancer awareness and was deeply passionate about art. She made it a point to promote mammogram examinations among the young women that she met and went on to become part of Sistah's Just Surviving, a support group for cancer survivors. Mrs. Bender was viewed as a role model by members of the group because of her genuine and loving persona. Furthermore, Mrs. Bender was on the board of trustees at the Fresno Art Museum and showed constant support for young up-and-coming artists in the community. She was able to take her passion for art and effortlessly apply it to her career. During her time at the Fresno Bee, she became so well known for her ``eye-popping'' art designs that she was called away by other McClatchy newspapers for assistance in making their papers more appealing for up to several weeks at a time. Throughout her battle with cancer, Mrs. Bender continued to work tirelessly and contributed in numerous ways to the Fresno Bee. She was known for her kindness and fierce devotion to her friends and family. In the wise words of Mrs. Bender, ``Life is precious and while it's easy to ask `why me?' the most important thing is still family and friends . . . I have a husband and a daughter who love me.'' Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect that I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to honor the life of Mrs. Valerie Bender. Often compared to feminist icon Rosie the Riveter, Mrs. Bender was a source of inspiration for all those she touched. She was a loving mother, wife, and journalist and everyone around her benefitted greatly by having her in their lives.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Rose Oberti Peracchi, who recently passed away on May 26, 2016, at the age of 100. Rose was an extraordinary person, and she will always be remembered as a woman who lived her life with purpose and great dedication to her family, friends, and community. Rose Peracchi was born on August 22, 1915 to Giacomo and Mary Nan Oberti on her family farm located near Sanger, California. She fell in love and married her teenage sweetheart, Gene Peracchi, early on in life, and together they worked hard, raised their two sons, Gene and Don, and took care of Rose's father, while remaining faithful to family, and her community. Rose was a self-taught seamstress, establishing her own drapery business and contracting with West Coast Draperies until her retirement in 1977. As a business owner, she was a trailblazer in the industry, and although difficult at times to run a business and raise a family, her dedication and hard work helped her accomplish many successes. She will always be remembered for her culinary skills, an art form enjoyed by family and friends. Rose generously shared her skills, teaching first her sons, then her daughters-in-law and eventually her grandchildren in the art of Italian food preparation. Rose's friendliness and genuine nature built many lasting friendships during her lifetime. Her long and remarkable life is fondly remembered by the countless friends and family who were fortunate to know her. Rose leaves behind her son Don and his wife Judy, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild. It is my honor to join her family in celebrating the life of this amazing woman, who will never be forgotten. Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect that I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to the life of Rose Oberti Peracchi, whose genuine character and her loving commitment to her family and community will be greatly missed.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I inadvertently voted `aye' for the Clarifying Congressional Intent in Providing for DC Home Rule Act of 2016 (Roll Call No. 248) when my intention was to vote `no' on the legislation. I support local budget autonomy for the District of Columbia.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Huffman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the amendment in the Energy Policy Modernization Act that was reflected in Congressman Valadao's legislation, H.R. 2898, of which I am a cosponsor. It is an important effort to try to fix California's broken water system. We cannot continue to kick this can down the road as we have for the last several years. Unfortunately, that is what has continued to happen. Farms, farm communities, and farmworkers are desperate to have Washington recognize that we cannot continue the status quo. Our Nation's food supply is an issue of national security, and we are dependent upon it. We don't think about it that way, but it is a fact. The drought impacts in California and the West are not going to get better. With climate change, they are going to continue to get worse. Passing this bill is part of a continuing effort to try to get something done. The Federal Government cannot continue to ignore the drought and the devastating impacts not only in the San Joaquin Valley, but statewide and Western States-wide. Parts of the valley are parched and without water, and we must continue to raise this issue every way we can. That is why we are doing this. Getting this legislation passed is part of an effort to fix California's broken water system. There was talk about issuing an allocation, and we were hoping for an El Nino. Guess what. It didn't happen. We got a 5 percent water allocation on the West side. Last year it was zero. The year before it was zero. Zero is zero. It means no water. So let's try to work together. Let's put aside our talking points and the political posturing for not only California farmers, farmworkers, and farm communities, but American families who count on having nutritious, healthy, and affordable food on their dinner table every night.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Chair, I want to thank the chairman, Mr. Simpson, for yielding me this time. This legislation that is before us gives Congress a new opportunity to give California an ability in the water provisions that are contained within this law that will help relieve the devastating drought that has been impacting Californians both in the short term and in the long term. In the absence of getting a comprehensive water bill passed into law--which I have not given up hope for, and my colleagues on both sides are still working on a bipartisan basis with Senator Feinstein--I hope my colleagues, in the meantime, will join me in supporting the provisions in this bill that Congressman Valadao has been able to provide that will, in fact, contain relief to the people of California whom we represent and who have been most impacted by this drought. Between December of last year and May of this year, hundreds of thousands of acre-feet went out to the bay, to the ocean, that could have been provided for farms and farm communities in the valley, that would have helped farmworkers and farmers. Unfortunately, that water was lost. The Federal Government cannot allow this to happen again. Congress must pass this bill so that next year, if we do have the water during the rain and snowy seasons between November and April of next year, we will be able to capture that water desperately needed instead of allowing it to flow out to the ocean. Even under the flawed biological opinions, these amendments make sense. I commend my colleagues for inserting them here. I want to thank the chairman for yielding me this time.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to work together on behalf of the people of California to get water legislation passed that will help fix California's broken water system. Yes, Californians have been divided historically for decades for a number of reasons on how to fix our broken water system, but that must change because we are living on borrowed time, and nothing has explained that more clearly than the last 4 years of drought conditions. Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing on Senator Dianne Feinstein's water legislation, the California Long-Term Provisions for Water Supply and Short-Term Provisions for Emergency Drought Relief Act. This week, Congressman John Garamendi introduced the House companion bill, legislation that I support as well. The California Long-Term Provisions for Water Supply and Short-Term Provisions for Emergency Drought Relief Act would provide $1.3 billion in funding and support for desalinization, recycling efforts, and water storage projects like Temperance Flat and the expansion of San Luis Reservoir. The bill would also direct State and Federal agencies to maximize water supplies during the short term, while not violating existing environmental laws that protect threatened and endangered species. Additionally, the legislation includes language that would generate and provide for scientifically managed reservoir operations which would allow us to, for example, raise the spillway gates at New Exchequer Dam in Merced County, providing an additional 50,000 acre-feet of water storage for the Merced Irrigation District. Finally, the bill would complement the ongoing efforts made by the recent passage of a State water bond that I supported--$2.7 billion for additional water storage in California. In order to get California's water bill passed and signed into law, our Nation's Senators must understand that there is support for Senator Dianne Feinstein's legislation among California Representatives in the House. That is why I am a cosponsor of the House companion legislation, H.R. 5247. Now, there is room for modifications and changes in Senator Feinstein's legislation as well as the House bill, especially provisions that deal with short-term fixes that would provide more accountability on how California's water system is operated year to year. But if Congress is going to be able to provide some relief to the people of California, which is a template for Western States--and, I would say, the world--we must continue to move forward, and the passage of S. 2533 would undoubtedly be an important step in the right direction. Once S. 2533 is passed out of the Senate, the House and the Senate will have the opportunity to go to conference to resolve the differences that exist in these water bills by each of the Chambers. That is the normal process under which we usually conduct business. I have consistently fought to bring more water to our San Joaquin Valley, and that includes supporting the California water bill that the House passed last year, but we need to use all the water tools in our water toolbox to fix the entire State's water needs. It is my hope that my colleagues will put aside their political differences which, for too long, have been a part of the problem and join me in supporting the California Long-Term Provisions for Water Supply and Short-Term Provisions for Emergency Drought Relief Act, because fixing California's water system is dependent upon it. If we don't pass this legislation and we don't work with Governor Brown in California, we cannot fix this broken water system. So, finally, what is this about? It is about investing in our infrastructure. We are living off the investments our parents and our grandparents made a generation ago. This is Infrastructure Week. We ought to be talking about investing in our infrastructure, not only in California, but around the country. What else is this about? It is about helping the environment because, notwithstanding the opposition to this legislation, the status quo is only resulting in further deterioration of the environment. Finally, what else is this about? It is about the reliability of our water supply to maintain our farms. Maintaining our farms, after all, is a part of America's national security. We don't think about it that way, but having reliable, cost-effective food on America's dinner table every night is about our national security. So it is about the sustainability, therefore, of our food supply and our way of life. If we are going to fix this, we have to come together. We have to work together. We have to get beyond our differences and beyond our talking points. If Congress is going to get anything done, we, in California, on our water fixes, must come together.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Monsignor James Edwin Petersen of Madera, California who passed away on May 3, 2016 at the age of 82. Monsignor Petersen will be missed greatly by his family, friends, and the entire community. Msgr. Petersen was born in Los Angeles, California on November 8, 1933. His family moved to Randsburg, California in the Mojave Desert, where his parents operated a general store. Monsignor Petersen realized his calling to become a priest at an early age. He attended seminary school in Columbus, Ohio at the Josephinum Seminary, where he completed high school, college, and post-graduate theology. Msgr. Petersen was ordained into priesthood in 1959, and he took his first assignment at the Shrine of St. Therese in Fresno, California. For over 40 years, he served throughout California's Central Valley in various roles, serving as a pastor for numerous churches including Our Lady of Sorrows in Parlier, California, Our Lady of Mercy, in Merced California, St. Anthony of Padua in Fresno, and as the Executive Director for the California Catholic Conference in Sacramento California. Msgr. Petersen served as a priest at the Shrine of St. Therese until his retirement. Throughout his priesthood and well into retirement, Msgr. Petersen served on numerous committees and boards and gave mass at the Nazareth House in Fresno on a weekly basis. Furthermore, he served the people of the San Joaquin Valley with grace, humility, and integrity. His commitment to faith and making a difference in the community truly made him a beloved individual. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a true community servant and man who put God above all else. Msgr. Petersen's memory will live on through his family and will be remembered by many in our community.