Paul Cook

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1135) to reauthorize the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic Preservation program.

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 295, introduced by Congressman James Clyburn from South Carolina, reauthorizes the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic Preservation program. Since 1988, the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic Preservation program has awarded over $60 million in grants to assist Historically Black Colleges and Universities with needed maintenance and rehabilitation of historic buildings on their campuses. These projects may include repairing damaged masonry, upgrading electrical and plumbing systems, or fixing leaking roofs. Although the needs of our Nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities exceed the amounts authorized by this legislation, future funding provided to this program will help to ensure that the rich history of these campuses remains preserved for future generations. I urge adoption of this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1967) to amend the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 to authorize pumped storage hydropower development utilizing multiple Bureau of Reclamation reservoirs, as amended.

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

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding public service of San Bernardino County Sheriff's Deputy Jeffery Dean, who is assigned to the department's Victorville City Station. For the past three years, Deputy Dean has served as a patrol deputy, traffic division deputy, and is also a certified Major Accident Investigation Team (MAlT) deputy. On May 14, 2017, Deputy Dean was on patrol in Victorville, California when he made contact with a young man from the State of Washington who was working in the area as a magazine salesman. Deputy Dean noticed injuries to the man's face and was told that they were the result of a robbery in which the victim's wallet and cell phone were stolen. Realizing the man's dire situation, Deputy Dean took it upon himself to pay for the man to stay in a hotel room, and he purchased a bus ticket so the victim could return to his family in Washington. Every day, men and women in the law enforcement profession work tirelessly to make a difference in our communities. However, often times, their work goes unnoticed in the media and press. I would like to take a moment to highlight the great work of Deputy Dean and the entire San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department for their commitment to public service.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the exemplary service and promotion of Bishop Roger Thomas to his current position. As a result of his keen awareness, understanding of humankind, his unquestionable devotion to serve God is boundless. It is his effective stewardship that leads men and women to successful conclusions within the church and in their private lives. The sincerity of his voice moves individuals to be at their best regardless of the challenges they face. He inspires youth and adults to further their education in higher institutions of learning. Individuals in search of counseling, guidance, advice, employment and legal matters are aided directly and/ or indirectly by his influence. Bishop Roger Thomas proves regularly that the service of God's children is more than an obligation but rather to care for the needs of all humankind is an honor.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, San Bernardino Council of Governments Board of Directors, and school districts and agencies throughout San Bernardino County that have adopted the County's Vision2Read early literacy program. The San Bernardino County Vision2Read National Press Conference was held on April 19, 2017 to announce a newly formed partnership between San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, San Bernardino County Preschool Services, First 5 San Bernardino, and the Children's Fund, which will offer the nationally acclaimed services of Footsteps2Brilliance to residents in San Bernardino County. Footsteps2Brilliance will provide free access to early literacy activities in English and Spanish to all families with pre-kindergarten children. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives, I would like to thank all agencies, organizations, and volunteers involved in this collaboration to provide the resources of Footsteps2Brilliance and tools for our future leaders.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service and induction of Ginger Ontiveros to the Victor Valley College Alumni Hall of Fame. Ginger was the previous Executive Director of Victor Valley College Foundation and was instrumental in changing the landscape of higher education within Victor Valley. As an alumnus of VVC, Ginger is extremely compassionate and thoughtful towards the needs of students and exceled in her role as Executive Director of the VVC Foundation. During her 15 years with the Victor Valley College Foundation, Ginger provided Victor Valley College with vast opportunities through securing gifts for VVC, easing enrollment challenges for students, and assisted in the development of the renowned Dr. Prem Reddy Health & Science Building at VVC. This is only a few of the many programs that Ginger implemented which fostered mentors from the Victor Valley community to give back to students attending Victor Valley College. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives, I would like to thank Ginger Ontiveros for her tireless work and dedication to the students of the High Desert and faculty of Victor Valley College. Ginger Ontiveros' work has shaped education within Victor Valley and I am pleased to hear that she will be inducted in the Victor Valley College's Alumni Hall of Fame.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service of Denny and Caroll Yule who will be presented the President's Award from the Victor Valley College Foundation on February 25, 2017. Dennis and Carol were nominated for this award for their collaborative impact and contributions to Victor Valley College education and the Victor Valley Community. Dennis and Caroll have sponsored numerous college scholarships that have enabled students, who otherwise could not afford a degree, to pursue higher education. Without such generous donations from the Yules to the college foundation, some VVC students would not have received their associate degrees. Besides their monetary donations, Caroll has volunteered many hours of personal time to guest lecture at Victor Valley College. As described by Victor Valley College Foundation President, the Yules are ``irreplaceable members of our community.'' On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives, I would like to thank Denny and Caroll Yule for their tireless work and dedication to the students of the Victor Valley. I congratulate the Yules on receiving the President's Award from the Victor Valley College Foundation.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service of Mike Podegracz who will be presented the Distinguished Service-Community Service Award from the Victor Valley College Foundation on February 25, 2017. Mike Podegracz was nominated for this award for his countless hours of service and civic engagement within the community of Hesperia and throughout Victor Valley. Mike has devoted 15 years to the economic and urban development of Hesperia. As city manager, Mike developed numerous necessary developments including the community's finest park and recreation center, city council facility, and police station. In addition to Mike's work as former city manager, he continues to contribute to various charities and non-profit groups such as: Hesperia's Relay for Life, Community Cleanup Day, and the Water Conservation Booth at the Hesperia Days Celebration. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives, I would like to thank Mike Podegracz for his tireless work and dedication to the High Desert Community. I congratulate Mike Podegracz on receiving the Distinguished Service-Community Service Award from the Victor Valley College Foundation.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service of Michelle Estrada who will be presented the Distinguished Service-Education Award from the Victor Valley College Foundation on February 25, 2017. Michelle Estrada was nominated for this award because of her dedication to her students and staff at Hesperia High School. Ms. Estrada provides a one of a kind Early College Academy that allows students to receive college credit while attending Hesperia High School. The Early College Academy provides students with technical skills that enable them to become specialists before they graduate. Ms. Estrada is passionate about helping students who lack the support to succeed and is a pillar at Hesperia High School for students to strive towards success. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives, I would like to thank Michelle Estrada for her tireless work and dedication to the students of Victor Valley. I congratulate Michelle Estrada on receiving the Distinguished Service-Education Award from the Victor Valley College Foundation.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. I thank Mr. Bilirakis for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as a combat veteran, I am deeply concerned that the men and women of our Armed Forces continue to struggle to find jobs upon their return to civilian life. These individuals have not only displayed great courage in serving their country, but have acquired certain skills that make them ideal candidates for employment. I am not going to go over many of the things that were said about how the program is an incentive, as I think that has already been covered. I just want to underscore the fact that this is a problem. It is not a new problem. You can have the statistics, but one has to ask oneself: Why do we have a lower percentage of veterans who are getting the jobs? As was already mentioned, I am a product of the Vietnam war; and the veterans who were getting out there, a lot of people were afraid to hire them. They didn't know whether they would be recalled back into the service, and they didn't know whether they had post-traumatic stress disorder. They were not going to take a chance on them, and that was sad. That was many, many years ago, but the stats don't lie. I am very, very supportive. I get passionate about these programs because the bottom line is we have to make sure that we take care of the troops, and this is a bill that, with the cooperation of private industry, has those incentives built in there. I am optimistic. We had bipartisan support the last time. We went all the way up there and were waiting the last time for the Senate--holding our breath. Everybody knows you don't always get what you want. I am not going to give up and neither will the people who have been supporting this bill because we are all very, very passionate about veterans. I thank Chairman Roe. I thank Ranking Member Walz for his great support and military service. I thank Representative Tulsi Gabbard for, once again, being the original cosponsor of this important legislation and for always being there for the veterans and the military. I also thank Congressman Bilirakis for his great support. Once again, this passed out of the House last November and had unanimous support. I urge my colleagues to once again vote in favor of this bill.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding public service of outgoing Victorville Sheriff's Station Captain Sam Lucia, who has spent 13 of his 27 years in law enforcement servicing the people of Victorville, California. His departure from the Victorville station is due to his promotion to lead the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Employee Resources Division. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives, I would like to thank Captain Sam Lucia for his tireless work and dedication to the residents of the high desert. It has been a pleasure to work with him over the years, but I know he will continue to excel in his new role with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 10 years of service of outgoing Hesperia Parks and Recreation Board Member Rebekah Swanson. Rebekah was elected to the Hesperia City Council this past November and is stepping down from her current position on the board. Rebekah was first elected to the Hesperia Parks and Recreation Board in 2006. Since that time, Rebekah has vociferously fought to improve the quality of recreation programs within the city, culminating in the construction of competition level soccer fields. She also championed better utilization of Hesperia's Civic Park and spearheaded improvements to all of the parks throughout the district. Perhaps her most impressive achievement was that she, along with her colleagues on the board, accomplished these important projects without raising taxes or exceeding the district's budget. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives, I would like to thank Rebekah for her leadership and tireless advocacy for the people of Hesperia. I look forward to working closely with her in her new role as a member of the Hesperia City Council.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the life of Riverside County Supervisor John Benoit, who passed away on December 26, 2016 at the age of 64. John was a lifelong public servant, having spent 31 years in law enforcement prior to his first foray into elected office in 1999 as a board member for the Desert Sands Unified School District. In 2002, John was elected to the California State Assembly, where I had the pleasure of calling him a colleague. I was always impressed with John's keen understanding of developing sound public policy on behalf of his constituents. He was a true statesman in every sense of the word. John was elected to the California State Senate in 2008 and was eventually appointed to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors in 2009 by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. On the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, John represented the largest and, arguably, most diverse district in the county. Yet, he never let his partisan leanings interfere with his duty to serve his constituents. This, undoubtedly, will be one of John's many lasting legacies. John is survived by his wife, Sheryl; son, Ben; daughter, Sarah; and two grandchildren, Abrielle and Nick. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives, I would like to offer our condolences to John's family and friends during this difficult time. May he rest in eternal peace.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the life of Lawrence K. Dodge, who passed away on December 1, 2016. A third-generation Californian and San Bernardino County native, Mr. Dodge grew up on a citrus farm in Redlands. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps after high school and served as an aviator with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. In 1969, at the age of twenty-seven, Mr. Dodge became the youngest CEO of a national insurance group. Dodge went on to found the American Sterling Corporation in 1977. Through the years, Mr. Dodge was a generous philanthropist who gave back significantly to his community, including a gift to his high school, Redlands High School, which enabled the construction of Dodge Stadium. Dodge was also instrumental in the development of the Lawrence and Kristin Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, through what was, at the time, the largest single gift in Chapman's history. Dodge supported a wide range of organizations and projects serving families and children. Many future generations will continue to enjoy the benefits of Mr. Dodge's perpetual kindness. Always the optimist, Mr. Dodge will be remembered for his interminable service to his country and his community.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the tenth anniversary of the Mammoth Lakes Trail and Public Access (MLTPA), a non-profit organization which has devoted their efforts to the planning and creation of a four-season trail system in Mammoth Lakes and the immediate Eastern Sierra. MLTPA is an effective, independent leader in recreational wilderness regions of California, preserving America's natural beauty and encouraging a prosperous local economy. In 2005, the MLTPA began planning and raising over twenty million dollars which it invested to connect people with nature. Public access was improved so more people could come and enjoy the area's great outdoors and through collaborative partnerships and recreation opportunities, community participation increased. MLTPA has made a significant difference in connecting the community to the local government and businesses in order to bring people to the region by providing a safe and sustainable trail network. Mammoth Lakes Trail and Public Access has increased awareness about the future of the community and its relationship to the surrounding public lands. MLTPA has led a collaborative effort with the local government, federal agencies, and other non-profits. Its upcoming projects include the acceleration of various transportation projects which aim to link the Town's bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and parking alternatives. I congratulate them on their ten years of success and look forward to all their success in the years to come.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, as a combat veteran, I am deeply concerned that the men and women of our Armed Forces continue to struggle to find jobs upon their return to civilian life. These individuals have not only displayed great courage serving their country, but have acquired distinctive skills that make them ideal candidates for employment. Veterans who serve this country honorably should never struggle to find employment, which is why I have introduced H.R. 3286, the Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act, the HIRE Vets Act. As already mentioned, this bill creates an innovative system to encourage and recognize employers who make veterans a priority in their hiring practices, incentivizing the creation of thousands of jobs for veterans. This bill goes beyond simply recognizing that a business hires veterans. It is critical that we establish a nationwide gold standard program that creates a strong and consistent brand. This bill is an opportunity for Americans to see which companies truly live up to the employment promises they made to veterans. It is our duty to ensure veterans receive the benefits and resources they have earned through their services to this country, and that includes encouraging meaningful job opportunities. I have been around a long while and, of course, have my own experiences from Vietnam, where a lot of veterans returned to their hometown and were shunned; they were ostracized, creating problems in terms of alcohol, drugs, you name it. A lot of it was related to the fact that they couldn't find a job or people didn't want to talk to them. This bill, I think, with the help of businesses, goes a long way to correct a problem we have had for many, many years. This bill passed out of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee unanimously, and I want to thank Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Takano for their support. I would also like to thank Representative Tulsi Gabbard for being the original cosponsor of this important legislation. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the Big Bear City Community Services District (BBCCSD) 50th anniversary. BBCCSD hosted a special ceremony on Monday, August 1, 2016 during their regularly scheduled board meeting to mark this special occasion. BBCCSD was formed in 1966 to provide water, solid waste, and sewer services to residents of Big Bear City and East Valley. As the representative of Big Bear City in the U.S. House of Representatives, I'd like to congratulate BBCCSD Board President Paul Terry, Board Vice President John Green, Board Member Karyn Oxandaboure, Board Member Larry Walsh, and Board Member Al Ziegler. In addition, I'd like to recognize past and current BBCCSD employees for their contributions to the residents of Big Bear City and surrounding communities.