Jim Costa

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to give recognition to James V. ``Jim'' Boren, the Editorial Page Editor/Vice President of the Fresno Bee newspaper as he prepares to celebrate four decades of dedicated service to the Fresno Bee. A native of Fresno, California, Jim attended Hoover High School, where his talent for using written words to convey specific imagery and captivate a reader's interest, officially began. While at Hoover, Boren became actively involved in the school's newspaper, the Hoover Patriot, and continued as a school reporter until his graduation in 1967. Following graduation, Boren attended Fresno City College where he earned his AA degree and became engaged with the official news publication of Fresno City College, the Rampage. His strong interest in journalism continued during his tenure at California State University, Fresno, where he graduated in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. While still in college, on June 9, 1969, at the age of 19, Jim Boren was hired as a vacation relief reporter for the Valley Department of the Fresno Bee and with that position, Boren's illustrious journalism career officially began. During his 40-year tenure at the Bee, Boren has covered almost every beat at the paper. In 1980, Jim Boren quickly became known as ``The Bee's Political Guru,'' as he continued to report exclusively on politics for nearly 15 years. During that time, Boren covered every level of politics, including city council elections, gubernatorial races, and presidential campaigns, joining the press pool of national campaigns to see, hear and report first-hand the events and progress surrounding those campaigns. In 1995, Jim became the Editorial Page Editor of the Bee, one of the positions he still enjoys today. Boren has received a variety of journalism awards, including an investigative reporting award from the Society of Professional Journalists and in 2004, Boren earned recognition as the winner of the Jim Tucker Journalism Award presented by the Mass Communications and Journalism Department of his alma mater, California State University, Fresno. Always dedicated to helping prevent hunger for Valley residents, Boren's volunteer advocacy on behalf of the Community Food Bank continues to aid those less fortunate. Additionally, his volunteer efforts on behalf of Children's Hospital of Central California, resulted in significant funds being raised for the annual Kids Day event, where he has raised tens of thousands of dollars for those seeking medical care at the valley's only children's hospital. Boren is a founding board member and remains active on the board of the Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno. A proud father, Marissa Boren continues in her father's footsteps and is dedicated to education and the community. She has just completed her education at the University of California at San Diego. Boren, in his current role as Editorial Page Editor/Vice President, continues to write a weekly column on politics and public policy in addition to his duties overseeing the Bee's opinion pages. He is also a member of the Operating Committee, which is the senior management group of the newspaper. On behalf of all those who have read his words, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate Jim Boren for 40 years of providing interesting informative stories, columns and opinions to Fresno Bee readers everywhere.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Chair, I rise today asking my colleagues support an amendment to H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY10. This amendment would request the Secretary of Defense to carry out a study and submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the distribution of hemostatic agents to ensure each branch of the military is complying with their own policies on hemostatic agents. Since the American Civil War, the percentage of our men and women that are killed in action has remained unchanged at approximately twenty percent, despite the numerous advances in battlefield equipment and treatment. The American Red Cross also estimates that half of all military deaths on the battlefield are a result of excessive blood loss. All branches of our Armed Services are using hemostatic agents, which are either surgical gauze with blood clotting agents or a granular powder, which have been proven to save the lives of soldiers and Marines. In February 2003, the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care, an organization made up of over 30 military and civilian doctors, recommended that all combatants carry hemostatic dressings. Military Medicine published a report in January 2005 which stated that ``the use of effective hemostatic dressings will benefit most combat injuries (whether they are life threatening or not) because better hemorrhage control is always advantageous.'' It is clear that the men and women who are risking their lives in combat zones should have access to any and all life saving items, including hemostatic agents. Also, these combat zones can be extremely hostile and the terrain can be extreme, resulting in delays in evacuating injured soldiers or Marines. We need to ensure that not only field medical staff is supplied with these life saving items, but ensure that each solider and Marine has one in their individual first aid kit as well. This amendment also includes a Sense of Congress that every member of the Armed Services deployed in a combat zone should carry a hemostatic agent and asks the Department of Defense to submit a report back to Congress on how these agents are distributued and where distribution problems may occur. I want to thank Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member McKeon for accepting this amendment. Also, I want to thank both of them and their staff for their hard work on this authorization.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to Mr. Fred H. Swanson. On June 29, 2009, after 26 years, Fred is retiring from his position as Director of the University of California Kearney Research and Extension Center near Parlier, California, a tenure that saw the transformation of a quiet UC field station into a world-class agricultural research facility. Mr. Swanson's journey began only five miles from Kearney on the family farm. Upon graduating from high school, Fred left for college to the University of California, Davis. In 1965, upon receiving his Bachelor of Science Degree in Viticulture, the adventurous side of Fred led him to take a position growing food for thousands of workers who were tasked with constructing dams in West Pakistan. Three years later, the job finished with West Pakistan's electricity capacity successfully doubled and the 35-acre farm effectively turned over to the Pakistan army. With the completion of this project, Mr. Swanson returned to California where he took a post managing a vineyard in the McDowell Valley of Mendocino County. Mr. Swanson was then hired as a UC Cooperative Extension viticulture farm advisor for Fresno County, a position he held for 10 years. Fred then returned to expand his own farming operation while helping others with their farms. During this time, Fred met the legendary viticulture specialist Fred Jenson which led Mr. Swanson to apply for the open directorship at the Kearney Ag Station. Since 1983, Fred has made outstanding contributions to the Kearney Ag Station. One of his early additions was the purchase of 75 acres of farmland across the street from the original parcel. With this purchase, the total amount of land available for research grew to 330 acres with 45 different varieties of agricultural crops including stone fruit, nut crops, raisins, wine and table grapes, specialty vegetables, blueberries and kiwifruit being grown on this acreage. In 1989, Swanson made one of his most visible improvements with the construction of a two-story state of the art laboratory, office and meeting complex. This laboratory and office complex provided UC scientists, recognized worldwide for their pioneering agricultural research, the facilities needed to further their research. Additionally, under Fred's direction, a 20,000 square foot greenhouse complex was completed in 2003. This complex continues to give Valley agricultural scientists access to 24 high quality greenhouse modules with computer controlled heating, cooling and lighting systems. Among his many awards, Fred's accomplishments have been recognized by the University of California, Davis through the Award of Distinction from the College of Ag & Environmental Sciences and the Citation for Excellence by the Cal Aggie Alumni Association. Madam Speaker, it goes without saying that Mr. Swanson's dedication and accomplishments to the San Joaquin Valley's agriculture community have gained him respect and appreciation from all who have worked with him and know him. With retirement now a reality, Fred is preparing to spend more time with his wife Cheryl, as well as enjoying fishing and hunting trips. We owe Fred a magnificent collective thank you. I honor Fred Swanson, before you my colleagues, for his productive years of service to agriculture and the nation.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Commander Franklin D. Mellott, United States Navy, upon his retirement after twenty three years of service to the United States Navy and to the Nation. Commander Mellott has served the United States Navy with distinguished service over his exceptional career. His devotion to the Navy and the Nation is inspiring. My initial experience with Commander Mellott began when his service commenced in 2006 as Executive Officer for Naval Air Station Lemoore, which is located in my 20th Congressional District in Kings County, California. I met with Commander Mellott at the base to introduce myself and my staff and from that day on, a great working relationship was formed. Commander Mellott served as Committee Chair for my 20th District Academy Committee. During this time, he devoted countless extra hours to coordinating the committee and assisting my office with academy nominations. Whether we were calling Frank to ask a question or to follow up on issues my office was working on with the base, Frank was always professional, courteous and helpful. His volunteer service to my office will always be remembered. It is so fitting that the President of the United States has presented Commander Franklin Mellott with the Meritorious Service Medal for his outstanding leadership as Executive Officer of NASL. I ask that excerpts from the Citation be printed. ``For outstanding meritorious service as Executive Officer, Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, from June 2006 to June 2009. Commander Mellott displayed extraordinary leadership and exceptional insight in supporting half the fleet's tactical air combat power at the Navy's largest and busiest master jet base. Brilliantly assisting the Commanding Officer in every facet of business and operations, he provided superior support to Commander Strike Fighter Wing Pacific, four operational air wings, 16 squadrons, and a work force of more than 10,000 military and civilian personnel through mishap-free control of more than 700,000 operational and training sorties. Under his leadership, the installation opened more than 2,500 cubic miles of new training airspace to the fleet, the largest new training airspace the Navy has developed in more than 25 years, completed several large military construction projects valued at over $150 million, provided support to 16 helicopters fighting wild fires in Northern California, and provided award winning services to a community of more than 25,000 constituents. Additionally, he helped orchestrate and align Navy efforts to preserve the strategic value of Naval Air Station Lemoore in the future with an exceptionally diplomatic strategy to influence current land-use decisions by local governments and to develop productive forums for perpetual engagement. Singularly responsible for good order and discipline aboard the installation, he balanced justice with mercy in the effective handling of countless delicate and emergent law enforcement and operational matters during his tour. His actions culminate a 23 year career of distinguished service to the Navy and the Nation. Commander Mellott's decisive, principled, and visionary leadership and inspiring devotion to duty reflected great credit upon him and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.'' Commander Mellott has always been available to myself and my staff and we are sad to say goodbye. He is a man of outstanding character and we will remain grateful for his unwavering dedication and exceptional insight. On behalf of the United States Congress, I wish to express my sincere thanks for his hard work, selfless service, and dedication to the United States Navy. I want to personally wish Frank continued success and my best wishes go out to his wife, Sheri, and his children; sons, Alex and Nathaniel and daughter, Francesca as they embark on their new endeavors in Pennsylvania.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, one of the most important duties we have as a nation is the commitment to taking care of the men and women who have served their country in the Armed Forces. I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 403, The Homes for Heroes Act of 2009 to help aid homeless veterans. This legislation will unlock important tools to combat the ongoing challenges of homelessness within the ranks of our poorest veterans. The VA estimates that 154,000 veterans are homeless on any given night, accounting for about a quarter of the total number of homeless individuals. My district, Fresno in particular, has a large homeless population. Many are veterans who would benefit from the implementation of the programs in this legislation. This bill will unlock important tools to combat the ongoing challenges of homelessness within the ranks of our poorest veterans. At-risk veterans live with lingering effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and substance abuse, compounded by a lack of family and social support networks. No matter how many urgent problems face our Nation, we must never forget those who put their lives on the line to defend the United States. Their uniformed service is a testament to the common values of sacrifice, honor, and patriotism we all share. It is my hope that this legislation will find swift passage in the Senate, and be signed into law by President Obama in an expedient manner. I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I rise to speak in favor of Congressman Nunes' amendment. My district is ground zero, where the drought is having its most severe effect in California. The biological opinion in question asked for modifications to the Central Valley and State water projects that would divert even more water from agricultural communities in the San Joaquin Valley. We believe, with the modeling, that this adds another 330,000 acre-feet to more than 3 million acre-feet of water that has already been reallocated over the last 20 years. There are substantial biological assessments that have been performed on the delta. These opinions have been cited, the assessments have been made, but they were not taken into account in this biological opinion. Therefore, we believe it's flawed. There are other factors that contribute to the decline of the fisheries in the delta which we must change, which we must correct-- treatment from sewage facilities; unscreened private pump diversions that take up as much water in the delta as we export south; nonpoint source pollution that has quadrupled as a result of urban areas in the area; and invasive species. Bottom line, this biological opinion is flawed, and we ask that we finally stop this nonsense and come together. When will this stop? When our valley has no more water left for its farmers and its farm workers? I strongly support Congressman Nunes' amendment. I ask that we come together in a bipartisan sense. This is not a Republican or a Democratic issue. It's an issue that we must solve, and we must do it now.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Chairman, I just think that it's time for common sense to prevail. I've lost 30,000 jobs in my district as a result of this drought. We may lose generations of farmers. We need to come together with a California solution that is aside from the partisan differences and bring back water for all regions of California. We're fighting for farmers and farm workers. I would ask common sense to prevail.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Berman for the hard work that he and the committee staff have done on reauthorization of this bill. A lot of work has been put into it, and I think all of us, as we look upon the challenges we face around the world, understand that there has to be a utilization of all of the tools in our foreign policy tool box to ensure that we take care of America's interests and that we gain greater support in our interests abroad. Smart Power is a part of that effort. Smart Power allows us to reenergize our diplomatic work around the globe. Specifically, the reauthorization of this bill allows the State Department to do work that the Department of Defense is doing, more appropriately under the Department of State: international organizations, strengthening the Peace Corps, focusing on drug trafficking and violence along our southern borders. There are so many good things that this does. Smart Power is often overlooked, but it's a vital tool in this foreign policy toolbox. We've seen the benefits of American Smart Power in Afghanistan and Iraq, and we need to continue to do that good work. I thank the chairman and his staff for the importance of the reauthorization. I urge all of the Members to vote for this bill.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to discuss what continues to be pernicious drought conditions that affect the people of the San Joaquin Valley, those in my district and my colleague's district. I hope that most of the Members, if not all of you, recognize that we are now in three continuous dry year conditions in the San Joaquin Valley that is not only affecting the richest agricultural region in the United States, in California, but the entire State as well. A drought caused by Mother Nature, expanded and impacted by numerous judicial decisions and legislative changes, has very, very much devastated the economy of the valley I represent. Water is the lifeblood of the agricultural communities in my district, supplying over a $20 billion industry in the San Joaquin Valley that provides half the Nation's fruits and vegetables, Number two in citrus production, Number one in production of wines, the list goes on and on, 300 commodities that are grown and produced; Number one dairy-producing State in the Nation. Sadly, if this drought continues, we will find not only the San Joaquin Valley but the entire State of California, that is already economically depressed, further set back. Today, unfortunately, the National Marine Fisheries Service finalized a biological opinion asking for modifications in the Central Valley Project and the State Water Projects that would divert even more water away from the agricultural communities and the San Joaquin Valley. This biological opinion, I think, on top of the additional reallocations of water, could relocate a very, very significant amount of water and make a very fragile system even more difficult to operate. We have a sad situation where communities have 41 percent, 38 percent, 34 percent unemployment. While we have a deep recession facing all parts of our country, when you have those kinds of unemployment numbers, they are depression-like circumstances that we're facing. We have food lines. I have been with my constituents in those food lines, some of the hardest working people you'll ever meet that, sadly, today, are asking for food. These people would normally be working if the water was there. If you had water, you'd have jobs, you'd have food. They would be working to put food on America's dinner table, but they're not today because of this man-made and Mother Nature-combined drought. There are numerous factors that come together to issue this biological opinion, but I don't believe that the biological assessment supports the biological opinion because it only deals with one of the contributing factors that are cause for the decline in fisheries in the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta. What the biological opinion ignores is the presence of invasive species, striped bass that were actually planted there, non-native in the 1920s, tertiary treatment from sewage facilities in Sacramento and Stockton which caused ammonia to leak into the Sacramento San Joaquin River systems. It would cost $2 billion for Sacramento City to fix this ammonia problem, but they don't want to deal with that. We have over 1,600 pumps in the delta that divert water that are unscreened. And we have non-point source pollution from the surrounding urban areas because they've quadrupled in population. In sum, this administration must understand that, while we've lost over 30,000 jobs this year, if this drought, God forbid, extends a fourth or a fifth year, there will even be greater impact. Without water there is no work and there is no food, and that impacts not just California but the entire Nation. We must work together to address the drought crisis in California in the short term and in the mid term. These fixes include factors that could lead to improving and moving water around, to get water supplies to those who need them, to deal with pump schedules and conflicts that arise, to increase the water bank, to ensure that in the next 6 months and the next year and beyond, that we do everything possible on the State, with the Federal Government's collaboration, to ensure that we deal with not just the fisheries of California, but people who have lost their jobs and whose lives have been impacted. That's what we need to do. We have a water system in California that was designed for 20 million people. Today we have 38 million people. By the Year 2030 it's estimated that there may be 50 million people in California. It's now time to fix the problems in the delta in a comprehensive fashion, not simply by impacting those who grow the food in our Nation. Mr. Speaker, I will submit the rest of the information for the Record. I rise to discuss the drought that continues in our San Joaquin Valley. As you all should know by now, we have faced three years of drought conditions in the San Joaquin Valley, further exacerbated by numerous judicial decisions and legislative changes to benefit fisheries and water quality in other areas of California. Unfortunately, we are still a long ways from bringing solutions to our Valley. While we have found some short-term fixes such as water transfers and temporary projects that will bring drought relief to our distressed communities, we must not forget the fact that this drought could continue for a fourth, fifth, or sixth year. Water is the lifeblood of communities in my District, supplying a robust $20 billion industry in the Valley that provides over 50 percent of the nation's fresh fruits and vegetables. If this drought continues into the years ahead, we must be prepared to ensure that those hard-working people in the San Joaquin Valley who work to put food on America's dinner table will not stand in food lines and go hungry. This is unacceptable, and we cannot sit by and watch it happen. Today, the National Marine Fisheries Service finalized a biological opinion asking for modifications to the Central Valley and State Water Projects that would divert even more water away from agricultural communities in the San Joaquin Valley to protect salmon, steelhead, and green sturgeon populations in the Delta. Over the past several years, more than three million acre-feet of the Central Valley's federal water supply has been reallocated as a result of similar decisions. All the while, fisheries such as the Delta smelt are still on the decline! If this system were working, we would not see this happening. Today's biological opinion adds yet another 330,000 acre-feet to that total. This decision is unwise, and will have very serious implications for Valley farmers and communities. Agricultural communities south of the Delta, especially in my District, will bear the entire brunt of today's biological opinion facing further reductions in water supply allocations when they already face Depression-level unemployment numbers and food insecurity. People are standing in food lines and being turned away; unemployment has risen above 35 percent in many Valley towns. There are numerous factors that can lead to the decline of fisheries in the Delta, but federal agencies continue to only focus on the state and federal pumps that supply agricultural communities in the Valley. Federal policy should take all factors into account, such as: the presence of invasive species such as striped bass. tertiary treatment from sewage facilities in the Sacramento and Stockton area which cause ammonia to drain into the Delta, over 1,600 private pumps in the Delta diverting water without screens, and non-point source pollution from the surrounding urban areas, among other factors. In sum, the administration must understand that over 30,000 farm- workers have lost their jobs due to limited water supply allocations. How much more can we stand? Without water, there is no work; there is no food on the table. There is no San Joaquin Valley. We must work together not only to address the drought crisis in the short-term, but also to find long-term solutions to California's water supply needs. In the short-term, the Administration must get more creative in finding ways to fix the Delta. This includes looking at all factors that could lead to the decline of fisheries, not just federal and state pumps. It also includes expediting transfer activities that will get water supplies to those who need them. Resolving pumping schedules and conflicts before they arise. And identifying any present or near future yields for south of the Delta water users. Beyond this, we have a system that was designed for 20 million people, and we have 38 million now. We might have 50 million by 2030. We must work to address California's long-range infrastructure needs.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to a drought crisis that is affecting California's San Joaquin Valley. Three years of below-average rainfall have created tremendous hardships in valley communities that are the backbone of California's agriculture economy. We have heard time and time again about the deep, deep financial impacts affecting all regions of our country. But in places like Detroit and in places like the San Joaquin Valley, where you have 30 and 40 percent unemployment, it is no longer a deep recession, but it is a depression. Farmers and farm workers in the San Joaquin Valley grow over 350 different crops, employing tens of thousands of people and providing half the Nation's fruits and vegetables. It is number one in the dairy industry and a host of other important agricultural commodities that are not subsidized, that don't use subsidized water, that, in fact, are critical to healthy diets for Americans and provide a tremendous balance of payments on our trade efforts abroad. Sadly, though, three critical years of drought shortage have had a devastating effect on communities in the San Joaquin Valley and in my district. My district and Congressman Cardoza's district are at ground zero where we have communities that have 30 and 40 percent unemployment, communities that have 10 and 12,000 people, 30,000 people, 50,000 people. When one-third of the people in your community don't have jobs, it is a depression. Today, clearly, our environmental regulations are not working. We have an inability to move water around California. We know that, if this drought lasts a fourth and fifth year, Katy, bar the door. These are food lines in communities in my district. The irony is that these are some of the hardest working people you will ever meet. Normally, they would be working in fields, working in processing facilities, putting food on America's dinner plates. Sadly, they're in food lines. How horrific in America. Many of my colleagues for the last 4 months, 5 months have been working to try to bring attention to our State representatives, to our Governor and, here, to our President and to the new administration in town because we know, in California, like other parts of the country, droughts and floods are cyclical. This photograph is an almond orchard that has been pulled out because of a lack of water. So, to that degree, Congressman Cardoza and I, in January, began meeting with the new administration, laying out a host of administrative efforts that we thought, with flexibility, could allow us to move water around from parts of the State that have water. We have met with Secretary Salazar and his staff, with the Mid-Pacific Region and their staff time and time again and with the Governor and his director of water resources, and we have brought to the attention of the President and of his White House staff the fact that they should come to the valley and see firsthand the devastating impacts. We need to have flexibility during times of drought. Clearly, people are as important as the other environmental balances and trade-offs that are there. If the Environmental Species Act were working, we would not have a decline in the fisheries that have taken place over the last two decades. So we are working on short-term efforts to try to deal with the current situation in the event that this drought lasts a fourth or a fifth or a sixth year. The last drought we had in California lasted 6 years, from 1988 to 1993. I predict to my colleagues that if, in fact, this drought lasts a fourth or a fifth year, California will be rationing water in southern California and in the Bay Area, and we will see a horrific set of circumstances affecting our State. So it is time to act now, both with the short-term remedies as well as with the long-term remedies. We need to try to do everything we can to plan for the next year in the event that this drought continues. We need to provide flexibility at the Federal and State pumps to move water around, to make water banks work, and yes, in the long term, we need to fix the plumbing system in the delta. California has 38 million people. By the year 2030, it is estimated we will have 50 million people. We have a water system designed for 20 million people. It cannot work. So, with a larger coalition of the Latino Water Caucus, we marched on water in April. We are going to continue to march. We are going to continue to try to seek out our colleagues who want to constructively help us with the administration to understand that both short-term and long-term investments in California infrastructure are critical if we are going to solve this problem. This is a forerunner of what's occurring, not just here in California but around the world. Water is the lifeblood of man's ability to produce food and fiber. The problems we are having in California today are happening around the world. We need to act today.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the distinguished priestly and sacramental service of Reverend Monsignor Edwin James Petersen. After 50 years, Reverend Monsignor Petersen is retiring as Monsignor with the Diocese of Fresno, California. Edwin James Petersen was born on November 8, 1933 in Los Angeles, California to Edwin Clarence Petersen and Maryellen A. Underwood. As a young man, Rev. Msgr. Petersen attended Randsburg Elementary School in Randsburg, California. His high school and college education was obtained at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Worthington, Ohio. Between 1961 and 1963, he attended Fresno State College in Fresno, California where he obtained his Masters of Art degree. In 1970, Edwin James Petersen was invited to study at the prestigious American College in Louvain, Belgium where he received his Masters of Art in Theory. Rev. Msgr. Petersen has been appointed to serve many of our Valley churches beginning as early as June 1959 at St. Mary's in Cutler, California as an administrator. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed as an assistant at the Shrine of St. Therese's in Fresno where he spent several years working with the parishioners. Over the course of the next decade, Rev. Msgr. Petersen spent time as an administrator at Our Lady of Sorrows in Parlier, and then became a part of the parish families of St. Patrick's, Our Lady of Mercy, and Sacred Heart, all located in the community of Merced. Between 1974 and 2000 he was a valued and revered Pastor at Our Lady of Mercy, St. Anthony's of Padua and the Shrine of St. Therese. Always an advocate on behalf of those in need, Rev. Msgr. Petersen was appointed by all of the California Bishops to work as a Public Policy Advocate with the California Catholic Conference in our great State's capital of Sacramento. This work allowed him to effectively provide a strong compassionate voice for the traditionally underserved on a wide variety of issues. Throughout his lifetime of service, Reverend Monsignor James Petersen has become a highly respected leader who has always demonstrated sincere commitment to the Diocese of Fresno. As he prepares to retire and embark upon new endeavors of interest to him, we thank him for his unselfish service and wish him the best of luck for the future.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the American Conservation and Clean Energy Independence Act of 2009, a bipartisan piece of legislation that extends our efforts from last Congress, the 110th Congress, with Congressmembers Murphy, Walz, Capito, Wilson, Abercrombie, myself, and many others. This legislation is to develop a new policy that is comprehensive in nature that will, one, reduce our dependency on foreign sources of energy and, two, develop the robust renewable portfolio that Americans want to see. This effort is common sense. It's PAYGO neutral. It would enhance our path toward energy reduction of our dependency on foreign sources and improve our national security. I'm a firm believer that we have to use all the energy tools in our energy toolbox. This legislation does just that. In the near term, 1 to 10 years, choosing oil and gas and nuclear. In the intermediate, 10 to 20 years, building a robust, renewable portfolio that will give Americans an energy policy that we believe our Nation deserves.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, as the co-chair of the Congressional Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Caucus, I am pleased to rise today in recognition of Donate Life Month, honoring all of the men and women who have made the decision to give the gift of life through organ donations. In 2007, over 28,000 people received transplants. Still, over 100,000 people are currently, today, on the waiting list. The numbers grow each day. Despite amazing advances in medical technology and the tremendous work of the transplant community, sadly, many of the patients will not live long enough to receive a transplant. Today, each of you have an opportunity to make a difference in the life of a daughter or mother, a father or a brother or a husband that is coping with a life-threatening illness. I encourage each of my colleagues to make a pledge today that has nothing to do with politics but everything to do with making a difference and that is to join me in supporting Donate Life Month by becoming an organ donor.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to Mr. D. M. Samuel on his retirement with 42 years of service with Chevron Corporation of California. Denny joined Chevron in 1967 and moved extensively throughout North America in the marketing department. As sales manager in Puerto Rico, and marketing manager in Canada, he was successful in notable advancements in Chevron's return to stockholder investment. He has been Chevron's legislative advocate in Florida, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California. Most recently, Denny has served as chief advocate for the company in Sacramento, serving as Chevron's lead with the California State Legislature and several governorships for more than 20 years. In this capacity, he has been a true leader within the business lobbying community. He has served on the Government Affairs Committee of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association, and is the outgoing chairman of the Western States Petroleum Association's California Petroleum Resource Group. Denny has been honored by both parties recently, as the top business lobbyist in the State; by the Latino Caucus with a Lifetime Achievement Award; and by many peers and leaders in Sacramento and an honest and hard working advocate on behalf of California's largest company, Chevron. Denny is a solid citizen. He has served on the boards of many community and industry organizations including the Sacramento Child Abuse Prevention Council and served as chairman of the River Oaks Center for Children. He is known for his compassion and willingness to help others. Samuel graduated from the University of Washington, did post graduate studies at Golden Gate University, and received his master's in business administration (MBA) from Pepperdine University. Samuel enjoys golf and fishing and resides with his wife and mother of four, Fran, in Loomis, CA. I congratulate Denny on his retirement and thank him for his diligent service to the energy industry, particularly in the great State of California.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia for his leadership and his support for this important House Resolution, H. Res. 109, which I rise today to introduce. As has been stated by my colleagues, this resolution supports the mission and goals of National Crime Victims' Rights Week, to designate this week, April 26 to May 2, as National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Congressman Ted Poe and I introduced this resolution on behalf of our fellow Victims' Rights Caucus members who have been supportive of our efforts over the last 4 years. As was noted, in 1980 President Reagan first called for the national observance to recognize and honor the millions of victims and their families and survivors who have been victims, sadly, of crime in America. This year, we mark the 25th anniversary of the enactment of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, better known as VOCA. This legislation has supported rights and services for crime victims for the last 25 years, and quite successfully. It has done it without the use of a single dime from American taxpayer dollars. The Victims of Crime Act, the VOCA funds, are supported by fines and penalties that come from the criminals who have perpetrated these crimes. These funds are used by State and local organizations to help people through their difficult time periods after experiencing a crime that they have been victimized by. There are over 4,400 agencies across the country which depend upon VOCA funding. These agencies serve near in excess of 3.5 million crime victims each year, sadly. This resolution also honors the lives that have been rebuilt over the last 25 years as a result of all the good efforts by these local agencies throughout our country. These are millions of people working in victim organizations who have dedicated their lives to assisting people through these terrible, terrible time periods, and each and every one of them I think deserves a thank you from all of us as Members of Congress. When I arrived in Washington, Congressman Poe and I discovered that there was not a caucus that was dedicated for the purpose of recognizing those victims of crime. So Congressman Ted Poe and I decided to form a new bipartisan congressional caucus that would provide a louder voice for all the advocacy groups who advocate on behalf of victims of crime. The Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus, of which I am proud to be a cochair of, frankly, has done a lot of good efforts over the last 4 years, and we encourage Members who are listening and their staff who are not members of this bipartisan congressional caucus that you join our efforts. We have three simple goals. The first is to represent crime victims in the United States through bipartisan introduction of legislation that reflects the interests, rights and needs of victims of crime. Two, our goal is to provide an ongoing forum for proactive discussion between Congress and national victims' assistance organizations to enhance mutual education and legislation advocacy and initiatives which promote justice for all, including the victims of crime. Three, to seek opportunities for public education initiatives to help people in the United States understand the impact of crime on victims and to encourage their involvement in crime prevention, which is the best sort of effort we can possibly do. An ounce of prevention, as we all know, is worth a pound of cure. And also to provide victim assistance and community safety throughout our neighborhoods across this great land of ours. I want to thank again the gentleman from Virginia. I want to thank Congressman Ted Poe, my cochair of the caucus, for all of your efforts on behalf of Members who work on behalf of those who are victims of crime. Finally, my fellow colleagues, crime, as we know, knows no boundary, knows no demographic, or congressional district boundary. Sadly, crime affects in some capacity all Americans at some point in life. When our families, when our friends and when our neighbors are in need of assistance after a crime, they should not be met with a closed door, but they should be met with open arms. We all have a responsibility. This is not simply the domain of local law enforcement agencies, which play a tremendous role, but we as Americans all have a responsibility to help out in our communities. So I want to thank those members of the Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus, I want to thank those who support this resolution, H. Res. 109, and encourage all of my colleagues to support important legislation that we will pursue in the 111th Congress.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker and Members, welcome to the world of water in California. This is a very serious issue. Sadly, it has been a confrontational issue for more decades than I would care to describe to you, but I am pleased that the gentleman from California offered the amendment. And I want to thank Chairman Gordon for accepting the amendment because it does underline the serious nature of drought conditions, not just in California. We had them in Georgia just recently in the last 2 years. The fact is that water in our country and water around the world is one of the most precious resources that we have, and that's why this bill is important. That's why we need to use all the water management tools in our water toolbox. We can recite our version of past history. I have differences with my colleague Congressman Miller on a number of those issues. I have differences with a number of my colleagues from California who have tried to bring consensus together and who are under difficult circumstances to balance the needs for farmers, the needs for urban water use and to restore the environment. I want to thank the chairman for adopting this amendment, and I want to thank my colleague for offering it.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleagues from the House, Mr. Nunes and Mr. Radanovich, and from the Senate, Mrs. Feinstein to pay a special tribute to the life of an agricultural icon of California, Mr. James Griffin Boswell II of Indian Wells, California. James passed away on April 3, 2009 at the age of 86. He is survived by his wife Barbara Wallace Boswell, three children and several grandchildren. Mr. James Griffin Boswell was born on March 10, 1923 in Greensboro, Georgia to William Whittier Boswell, Sr. and Kate Hall Boswell. James graduated in 1941 from the Thacher School an exclusive private boarding school in Ojai, California. In 1946 he received his B.S. in Economics from Stanford University. Prior to graduating from Stanford, ``JG'' as he was most commonly known, served in the United States Army during World War II where he was stationed in the South Pacific. At the age of twenty-nine, James inherited one-third of the JG Boswell Company after the death of his uncle, JG Boswell I. At that time the company held 150,000 acres in California. During the next half century, James spent a good portion of his time transforming the family farm located near Corcoran, California in the San Joaquin Valley. The diversification of the JG Boswell Company created many industry leading developments. Mr. Boswell's labs developed new, highly productive seed varieties as well as technological improvements that increased their capacity. He was an innovative water user, one of the first to employ lasers when leveling fields allowing water to flow evenly and efficiently. His careful water management also included hiring agronomists to determine when and how to irrigate. This allowed the Boswell farms to produce more cotton with less water than their competitors. James remained a very private man, in spite of periods of growth and success for his enterprises, which included such things as diversification into real estate development and farming ventures in Australia. His family business maintained that private reputation throughout his life. James Griffin Boswell served as Chairman, President and CEO of the JG Boswell Co. from 1952 and continued until his retirement in 1984. After his retirement James continued to serve on the Boswell Company Board of Directors until his passing. In addition, Mr. Boswell served on the Boards of Safeway, General Electric, Security Pacific Bank, Bank of America, and Up with People. James was a trustee of the California Nature Conservancy, Cal Tech, Thacher School, the James G. Boswell Foundation in California and the Boswell Family Foundation in Idaho. Many were the recipients of Mr. Boswell's generosity. It goes without saying that Mr. James Griffin Boswell's dedicated involvement to the cotton industry earned him a reputation of respect and enormous appreciation from Central Valley cotton farmers, and the agriculture industry in general. James was known as the Cotton King. My colleagues and I are honored and humbled to join his family today in celebrating the life of this amazing man. His presence will be dearly missed in our community in the years to come.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Reverend Chester Riggins, Sr. of Fresno, California, who passed away at the age of 80 years old. Reverend Riggins was preceded in death by his first wife Lillian Hines, his son Rodney Chester and daughter Diedra Grazelle and is survived by his second wife Anna Marie and his children Chester Jr., Shawn Mark, Noel Patrick, Sheila Antionette and Freida Yvonne along with their families. Chester was born on December 8, 1928 in Marshall, Texas to John and Effie Riggins. Chester grew up in Marshall, Texas, until the middle of the fifth grade at which time his family moved to Fresno, CA, in December of 1938. Upon arriving in Fresno, he began attending Lincoln Elementary School. During his teenage years he attended junior high at Thomas A. Edison Jr. High School and graduated from Thomas A. Edison High School in 1945. In 1946, he volunteered for the U.S. Army and following his basic training was stationed in Guam. After an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 1947 he enrolled at Fresno State College. As a child Chester answered an altar call during a chapel service at Park School in Marshall, Texas. Upon settling in Fresno his family attended the Second Baptist Church where he was baptized by Reverend Charles H. Byrd and Reverend L.C. Garret, and then transferred to Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. In 1950, he served as a Sunday school teacher, Director of Baptist Training Union, church clerk and church financial secretary. Two years later he was ordained as Deacon and served as Deacon Chairman for 5 years. Chester continued to grow in his religious studies when he was called to the Gospel Ministry in 1960. On January 8, 1961, he was licensed as a Pastor by Reverend H.S. Moore. In 1961, he was invited and served as Youth Minister for Mt. Pleasant. He was ordained on Januray 25, 1962, to the Gospel Ministry by Reverend L.C. Garrett and assumed pastor-age at St. Rest on February 13, 1962. Reverend Riggins was instrumental in bringing many people back to the church even after being inactive members. The church grew both in spirituality and financially under the leadership of Pastor Riggins. As the congregation grew so did the need for a bigger building. His leadership in the community proved to be instrumental as the new building broke ground in March of 1979 and was ready for use at the Christmas Eve celebration in December 1979. Pastor Riggins was also an active member of the community throughout the years. He was a founding board member of the Fresno Police Chaplains Organization, member of the Concerned Citizens for Quality Education, temporary Chairman of the Fresno Model Cities Program and a member of the West Fresno Interdenominational Alliance. It is my privilege to say Reverend Chester Riggins, Sr., was an honorable and respected man with a commitment to God, family, and the community. He will forever live in the lives of the people he so graciously touched. I am honored and humbled to join his family in celebrating the life of this spiritually amazing man whose legacy lives on at Saints Rest Missionary Baptist Church of Fresno, California.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 94th anniversary of the start of the Armenian Genocide, which was the first genocide of the 20th century and sadly, the template for a cycle of genocide that continues to this very day. It is, by any reasonable standard, established history that between 1915 and 1923 the Ottoman Empire systematically killed an estimated 1.5 million Armenians and drove hundreds of thousands of others into exile from their ancestral homeland. The record of this atrocity is well documented in the United States Archives and has been universally accepted in the International Association of Genocide Scholars and the broader historical and academic communities. This year, our Nation has the opportunity to finally recognize the Armenian Genocide as such in the annual commemoration from the White House. Year after year, we have seen the same standard letter from the White House which offers sympathy and apology for the ``mass killings,'' yet refused to label these events as genocide. However, President Obama made promises during his campaign that he would right this wrong, and recognize the Armenian Genocide. I am hopeful Madam Speaker, we finally escape from being under Turkey's thumb on this issue. It is vital our Nation has a foreign policy that accurately reflects history. Despite my optimism, I am told yet again that now is not the right time for our Nation to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Two years ago, we were told recognition would hurt our troops fighting in Iraq. Four years ago we were told the same thing. This year, we're being told that recognizing the Armenian Genocide will hurt American jobs. How? We cannot develop a foreign policy based solely on what other countries want to hear about their past. Should we not recognize the Soviet orchestrated famine which killed millions in the Ukraine? Should we allow Cambodia to rewrite the atrocities committed under the reign of the Khmer Rouge? What if our schools stopped teaching the American Revolution and we stopped celebrating the Fourth of July because it offended the British? All nations must recognize past events, both good and bad, and learn from it. To ensure Congress does not mention or pass the Armenian Genocide resolution, Turkey hires powerful and expensive lobbyists to meet with Members and staff, distort the historical facts, and make veiled threats on what might happen if the Genocide is recognized. For the last 20 years, Turkey has been very successful. I firmly believe that we should work with foreign nations on challenges and mutual interests. However, I do not believe another nation can hold our foreign policy decisions hostage because they do not want to admit to dark periods in their past. It is unacceptable that we continue to allow threats from Turkey to hinder our Nation from recognizing a historical fact that has been recognized by historians, scholars, theologians, philosophers, common people, and President Ronald Reagan. My district is home to thousands of Armenian-Americans, many who are the sons and daughters of survivors. When I am home, I am often approached in the store or on the street by my Armenian friends asking when our country will honor their parents and finally recognize the genocide. We are quickly approaching the 100th anniversary of the start of the Armenian Genocide, and I am hopeful we do not have to wait until then to bring justice to my Armenian friends and neighbors. In closing, Madam Speaker, I will say again, genocide is not something that can simply be swept under the rug and forgotten. We need leaders around the world to not only recognize it, but to condemn it so the world can truly say ``Never Again.'' The United States cannot continue its policy of denial regarding the Armenian Genocide, and I encourage passage of H. Res. 252 to recognize the Armenian Genocide in our Nation.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 94th anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide, which was the first genocide of the 20th century. Sadly, that template has been a cycle that continues to this day. In this case, it was established by history that from 1915 to 1923 the Ottoman Empire systematically killed an estimated 1.5 million Armenians and drove hundreds of thousands of others into exile from their ancestral homeland. President Obama made promises during his campaign that he would finally recognize the Armenian genocide. It is vital to our Nation and to our foreign policy that we accurately reflect history. My district, in the San Joaquin Valley of California, is home to thousands of Armenian Americans, many of whom are the sons and daughters of survivors. We are quickly approaching the 100th anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide. I am hopeful we don't have to wait until then to bring justice to my Armenian friends and neighbors. We know that genocide, sadly, continues to this day. The United States cannot continue a policy of denial regarding the Armenian genocide. I encourage the passage of House Resolution 252 to recognize the Armenian genocide in our Nation.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the distinguished service of Eva Plascencia. After 30 years with the Internal Revenue Service, she continues to dedicate herself to her career of service. Eva was born in Clovis, California on September 25, 1956 to Roy Woodley and Juanita Tovar. She graduated from James Logan High School in Union City, California in 1974. In 1979, she married Robert T. Plascencia and their marriage blessed them with three daughters. She is most proud of the fact that all of her children have earned college degrees. Personally, Eva enjoys arts and crafts, sewing and spending time with her grandson Joshua Diego Ojeda. Mrs. Plascencia began her career with the Internal Revenue Service on January 17, 1978 as a Career Conditional Appointment Clerk--GS03. Since then Eva has worked hard to advance into many different positions and levels within the IRS. Her commitment to learning new policies, honing her skills, and taking on new challenges provided her the opportunity to progress on a yearly basis within the Service. Her most recent positions where in 1998 when she was promoted into Accounting and in 2006 when she moved into the Collections department as a GS8. Throughout her career at the Internal Revenue Service, Mrs. Eva Plascencia is well known for her hard work ethic and determination. As she celebrates her 30 years of service, I wish her continued success and good luck in all her future endeavors.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call for immediate response and Federal action to assist California in the drought crisis that we're facing today. Clearly, the entire Nation is feeling a financial meltdown with home foreclosures and many other challenges we face, but in California, beyond that, we have a drought that also involves a dairy meltdown. We have reservoirs that are low, Federal allocations that are set at zero in the San Joaquin Valley, which I represent, along with many of my colleagues, 20 percent for State water deliveries. As a result, we could lose as many as 80,000 jobs. The economic impact could be as much as $2.2 billion in the San Joaquin Valley that we represent. Small communities have been crippled. Communities that I represent like Mendota and Firebaugh have 36 to 40 percent unemployment. Delano, with over 50,000 people, has over 34 percent unemployment. Naming a drought task force is helpful but it is not enough. Plain and simple, we don't need words, we need water. Federal and State collaboration is urgently needed and needs to be improved to make stimulus funds available for immediate relief and to relax standards that prevent water supplies from going to those who most need it. We ask for your help to increase the water supply for California's future.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call upon the Congress to reform our health care system. It's important. Forty-six million Americans currently have no health care insurance, yet health care costs have risen dramatically in years. Insurance premiums in California have risen at a rate more than twice the rate of inflation, eating up a larger and larger percentage of household incomes. With the recent economic downturn, far too many families are losing their employer-based coverage and unable to afford the cost of health care on their own. Like it or not, we taxpayers are paying for the health care in some of the most expensive ways possible, through the emergency room, for those who are uninsured. Last year, hospitals in my district provided nearly $200 million in uncompensated care. Clinics in our Central Valley alone have provided care for over 600,000 who have little insurance or none at all. This system cannot and should not continue. The bottom line is we are paying for the uninsured today--the 46 million Americans who do not have insurance. We ought to do it in a better way. Our citizens' health and our Nation's fiscal health depend on meaningful reform. Let's begin that effort.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of two important pieces of legislation that I have sponsored and that are now included in the natural resources bill that we have received from the Senate, S. 22. San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act The first, the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act, will bring to a close 18 years of litigation between the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Friant Water Users Authority, the U.S. Department of the Interior and others. Representatives Cardoza, McNerney and Radanovich joined me as co-sponsors of this legislation. This bill is similiar to the one that we introduced in the waning days of the 109th Congress, and reintroduced at the beginning of the 110th Congress as H.R. 24. The bill approves, authorizes and helps fund an historic Settlement on the San Joaquin River in California. However, the bill we are introducing today does reflect a few significant changes resulting from discussions among the numerous Settling Parties and various ``Third Parties'' in the San Joaquin Valley of California. During the past year the parties to the settlement and these affected third parties, such as the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors, have agreed to certain changes to the legislation to make the measure PAYGO neutral and to enhance implementation of the settlement's ``Water Management Goal'' to reduce or avoid adverse water supply impacts to Friant Division long-term water contractors. The legislation that we are voting on today incorporates these changes, which are supported by the State of California and major water agencies on the San Joaquin River and its tributaries. The Bush Administration also supported this legislation. This bill will approve a settlement that seeks to restore California's second longest river, the San Joaquin, while maintaining a stable water supply for the farmers who have made the San Joaquin Valley the richest agricultural area in the world. The Settlement has two co-equal goals: to restore and maintain fish populations in the San Joaquin River, including a self-sustaining salmon fishery, and to avoid or reduce adverse water supply impacts to long-term Friant water contractors. Consistent with the terms of the Settlement, we expect that both of these goals will be pursued with equal diligence by the federal agencies. The bill also authorizes $1 million for the California Water Institute at California State University, Fresno, for the creation of an Integrated Regional Water Management Plan for the Central Valley. The plan will serve as a guide for those in the study area to use to address and solve long-term water needs in a sustainable and equitable manner. This legislation is crucial. Without this consensus resolution, the parties will continue the fight, resulting in a court-imposed judgment. It is widely recognized that an outcome imposed by a court is likely to be worse for everyone on all counts: more costly, riskier for the farmers, and less beneficial for the environment. The Settlement provides a framework that the affected interests can accept. As a result, this legislation has enjoyed the strong support of the Bush Administration, California Governor Schwarzenegger's Administration, the environmental and fishing communities and numerous California farmers and water districts, including the Friant Water Users Authority and its member districts that have been part of the litigation. When the Federal Court approved the Settlement in late October, 2006, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne praised the Settlement for launching ``one of the largest environmental restoration projects in California's history.'' The Secretary further observed that ``This Settlement closes a long chapter of conflict and uncertainty in California's San Joaquin Valley . . . and open[s] a new chapter of environmental restoration and water supply certainty for the farmers and their communities.'' I share the former Secretary's support for this agreement, and it is my honor to join with Representatives Cardoza, McNerney and Radanovich, as well as Senators Feinstein and Boxer who have previously introduced and supported this legislation to authorize and help fund the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement. For almost two years we have worked with the parties to the settlement, affected third party agencies and the State of California to ensure that the legislation complies with congressional PAYGO rules. In November of 2007, the House Natural Resources Committee favorably reported a revised version of the bill (H.R. 4074) that included amendments conditionally agreed to by the parties that allow most Friant Division contractors to accelerate repayment of their construction cost obligation to the Treasury. In May of 2008, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee favorably reported the Senate companion measure (S. 27) with provisions that further refined the accelerated repayment concept and addressed third party concerns about its implementation. These changes, included in the bill we introduce today, both increase the amount of up-front funding available for the settlement and decrease the bill's PAYGO ``score'' by $88 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office. In exchange for agreeing to early re-payment of their construction obligation, Friant water agencies will be able to convert their 25-year water service contracts to permanent repayment contracts, so-called ``9D contracts'' under federal Reclamation Law. I note that the Bureau of Reclamation and the Friant Water Users Authority on behalf of its members have had very specific discussions on how the repayment amounts will be calculated in accordance with this legislation, memorialized in a letter dated February 20, 2009, from Mr. Donald Glaser, Regional Director of the Bureau of Reclamation for the Mid-Pacific Region. I request that Mr. Glaser's letter be inserted in the Record. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Sacramento, CA, February 20, 2009. Mr. Ronald Jacobsma, General Manager, Friant Water Users Authority, Lindsay, CA. Subject: Financing Provisions of the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. Dear Mr. Jacobsma: As you are aware, amendments were made early in 2008 to the proposed San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act (Act) in an effort to reduce the ``PAYGO'' score of the Act. One of the amendments made in the Act would authorize and direct the Secretary of the Interior to convert certain Friant Division, Hidden Unit, and Buchanan Unit irrigation contractors' water service contracts to water repayment contracts, subject to certain provisions. The Act was recently passed by the Senate as Title X, Subtitle A, Part 1, of S. 22, and we expect the House of Representatives to consider it shortly. As you know, staff from the Bureau of Reclamation and the Friant Water Users Authority have had technical discussions concerning the financing provisions of the bill. This letter and enclosures set forth our understanding of how the financing provisions will be implemented if the conversion sections of the Act, found in Section 10010, are in their current form upon enactment, if those provisions of the bill are modified before enactment, we will of course need to reevaluate whether the information in this letter and enclosures is still accurate. Enclosed is a summary of each of the financing provisions in Section 10010 related to the contract conversion and our understanding of how they would be implemented by Reclamation (Enclosure 1). Also, enclosed are two specific examples to demonstrate how the financial calculations for this conversion and related funding would work given a number of specific assumptions (Enclosure 2). Enclosure 2 consists of a description of the assumptions used and a spreadsheet for each of the examples. If there are any problems with the information provided in the enclosures, please contact Jason Phillips as soon as possible to discuss and resolve. Sincerely, Donald R. Glaser, Regional Director. These new contracts will be administered as repayment contracts consistent with federal Reclamation Law, including the Acts of August 4, 1939 (ch. 418, 53 Stat. 1187) and July 2, 1956 (ch. 492, 70 Stat. 483). The later Act, among other things, provides in part that the contractors shall have a first right ``. . . to a stated share or quantity of the project's available water supply . . . and a permanent right to such share or quantity upon completion of payment. . . .'' It is my understanding that, except as specifically provided in this legislation, the operative provisions of such repayment contracts will be substantially similar to the existing water service contracts. The bill also provides in Section 10010(c)(1) that, consistent with Section 213(a) of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982, the ownership and full-cost pricing provisions of federal Reclamation Law no longer will apply to the individual Friant Contractors upon repayment of their capital obligations. A question has arisen as to whether these Reclamation Law limitations would apply to water delivered under such a repayment contract after full repayment of capital, where a Friant contractor also had a contract for another supply under a water service contract, such as the Cross Valley Canal contract. It is my understanding that the Department of the Interior and Friant contractors concur that in such a situation, the acre-limitation and full-cost pricing provisions would not apply to water delivered from Central Valley Project facilities for which the capital costs had been fully paid, but would apply to water delivered from Project facilities for which the capital costs had not been repaid, such as water from the Cross Valley Canal contracts. The Senate Committee amendments also included new provisions to enhance the water management efforts of affected Friant water districts. These provisions are contained in Part III of Title X, Subpart A, of the legislation before the House today. These changes were developed by the parties to the settlement at my request and the request of Mr. Cardoza and Mr. Radanovich to ensure that the Friant districts have the best opportunity to mitigate water supply impacts resulting from the Settlement. Specifically, the legislation now includes new authority to provide improvements to Friant Division facilities, including restoring capacity in canals, reverse flow pump-back facilities, and financial assistance for local water banking and groundwater recharge projects, all for the purpose of reducing or avoiding impacts on Friant Division contractors resulting from additional River flows called for by the Settlement and this Legislation. In addition, with respect to Part III authorizing financial assistance for local projects for water banking and groundwater storage, recovery and conveyance, the bill authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to share up to 50 percent of the cost of such projects. It is my understanding that in administering other cost- sharing programs, the Bureau typically provides the maximum cost sharing authorized unless the applicant requests less. Near the end of the 110th Congress, parties to the Settlement and affected third parties came to agreement on additional provisions that would greatly facilitate passage of the bill by making it fully PAYGO- neutral. The legislation we are introducing today includes substantial funding, including direct spending on settlement implementation during the first ten year period of $88 million gained by early repayment of Friant's construction obligation, and substantial additional funding authorized for annual appropriation until 2019, after which it then becomes available for direct spending again. This additional funding is generated by continuing payments from Friant water users and will become directly available to continue implementing the settlement by 2019 if it has not already been appropriated for that purpose before then. In 2006, California voters showed their support for the settlement by approving Propositions 84 and 1E, which will help pay for the Settlement, with the State of California now committing at least $200 million toward the Settlement costs during the next 10 years. When State-committed funding, direct spending authorized by the bill, and highly reliable funding from water users are added together, there is at least $380-390 million available for implementing the Settlement over the next 10 years, with additional dollars possible from additional federal appropriations. It is my understanding that Senator Feinstein intends to work during the 111th Congress to find a suitable offset that will allow restoration of all of the direct spending envisioned by the settlement without waiting until 2019, and I will do whatever I can to aid in those efforts. Today's legislation continues to include substantial protections for other water districts in California who were not party to the original settlement negotiations. These other water contractors will be able to avoid all but the smallest water impacts as a result of the settlement, except on a voluntary basis. The bill we are introducing today contains several new provisions to strengthen these third-party protections in light of the changes made to address PAYGO. These include safeguards to ensure that the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors and other third parties will not face increased costs or regulatory burdens as a result of the PAYGO changes. This agreement would not have been possible without the participation of a remarkably broad group of agencies, stakeholders and legislators, reaching far beyond the settling parties. The Department of the Interior, the State of California, the Friant Water Users Authority, the Natural Resources Defense Council on behalf of 13 other environmental organizations and countless other stakeholders came together and spent countless hours with legislators in Washington to ensure that we found a solution that the large majority of those affected could support. I urge my colleagues in the House to approve this legislation and provide the Administration the authorization it needs to fully carry out the restoration, water management and other actions called for under the settlement. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness I also rise today in support of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness designation. This provision adds about 85,000 acres of wilderness in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California. About 45,000 acres of the wilderness created by this bill will be incorporated into the currently existing Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness area. The other 40,000 acres will comprise a new wilderness area, which will be named after former Congressman John Krebs. John Krebs served two-terms in Congress, from 1975 to 1979, representing California's San Joaquin Valley and the central Sierra Nevada mountains that include Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. He was born in Berlin in 1926 and immigrated to the United States in 1946. He graduated from the University of California and later US's Hasting College of Law. He had lived in Fresno, California since 1958 and prior to being elected to Congress was active in local government, including serving a term on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. I had the great privilege of working in John Krebs first congressional campaign and joining him during his first term in Washington. It was through his efforts that Congress first provided federal wilderness designation for the Mineral King area. The wilderness areas designated by this Act include some spectacular areas within the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The Redwood Canyon area contains Redwood Mountain Grove, the largest stand of Giant Sequoia within the parks. The Redwood Canyon area also includes over 75 known caves, including the longest cave in California with over 21 miles of surveyed passage. This bill is obviously very important to me--both for preserving these natural areas for future generations, as well as for honoring my former boss--and I urge my House colleagues to approve S. 22 so this measure can become law.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to two brothers whose lives and pursuits have exemplified the spirit of raw determination, fortitude, entrepreneurship and virtues of citizenship demonstrated by so many of those immigrating to this great country of ours. On Thursday, March 12th 2009, Campos Brothers Farms will receive the Nisei Farmers League's 2009 Agriculturalist of the Year Award, an award given to an outstanding member of the Nisei Farmers League who has shown exceptional leadership skills, devotion, and who truly makes a valuable contribution to agriculture. Many things contribute to California's bountiful crops and the economic well-being of the state, but one significant underlying factor in California's agricultural success has been the presence of men such as Fermin and Tony Campos. Fermin and Antonio Campos were born in Olondriz, Spain in the Province of Navarra, where they were two of nine children. Tony came to the United States in 1952 at the age of 17 as a sheepherder with Fermin arriving three years later. After five years of hard work they were proud to become U.S. Citizens beginning their American Dream. In 1957, the brothers formed their partnership known as Campos Brothers Farms. Over the years they have been active in many capacities and industries. Early they worked with sheep, later raising crops such as alfalfa, cotton, black-eye beans, raisins and grapes before beginning their endeavors with almonds. The brothers were also proud to be associated with the start of the Caruthers Raisin Packing Company where Tony served as President for five years. Both brothers were actively involved in the raisin industry serving on the Raisin Administrative Committee as well as the Raisin Bargaining Association. In 1980, the Campos Brothers built their first almond huller. Along with their wives and children they watched the company blossom under their mutual hard labor becoming one of the most respected producers, processors, and sellers of quality almonds in the world today. Tony and Fermin have been active on the California Almond Board and its various committees. Both Tony and Fermin have been active supporters of their local FFA organization, Fresno State Agricultural Program and the California Agricultural Leadership Program. They are proud members of the Nisei Farmers League continually advocating for California Agricultural interests. We recently lost Fermin. His passing has left a large hole in not only the family and the family business, but in agriculture in general. Agriculture indeed misses Fermin's contributions and passion. Tony continues to carry on the family tradition of pride, passion, excellence and advocacy. So I believe it very fitting today to rise before you my colleagues, to honor Fermin and Tony Campos, Nisei Farmers League's 2009 ``Agriculturalists of the Year.''