Paul Cook

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Madam Speaker, on February 26, 2016, I was unavoidably absent. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On rollcall No. 92, 93, 94, 99, and 100, I would have voted ``no.'' On rollcall No. 95, 96, 97, 98, and 101, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in special recognition of the Lake Arrowhead Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala that was held on February 20, 2016. Lake Arrowhead is an unincorporated mountain community in San Bernardino County and is located in my district. This year, Billie and Harold Weiss will be honored as ``Citizens of the Year'' for their contributions to their community. This amazing couple volunteers countless hours to several organizations, including Meals on Wheels, Arrowhead Arts Association, Operation Provider, and the Rim of the World School District. I would like to thank Billie and Harold for the positive influence they've provided mountain residents. I would like to congratulate LouEddie's Pizza for receiving recognition as the ``Business of the Year.'' Located in Skyforest, LouEddie's is not only well known for their delicious cuisine but also for their contributions to local causes, which include the Skyforest Festival and the Special Olympian dinner. Finally, it is an honor to recognize the Rim Educational Foundation as the ``Non-Profit of the Year.'' Founded in 1987, the foundation raises money for local schools to cover gaps in state public education funding. Last year the foundation raised $450,000, with 75 percent of those funds going directly to classrooms and the remainder was donated to the Advancement through Individual Determination (AVID) program. This certainly is a remarkable achievement. Congratulations to all the honorees who make the 8th Congressional District of California a special place to live.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, having been in the United States Marine Corps my whole life, I learned a valuable lesson; always surround yourself with loyal people. For me, I'm lucky to have the best staff on Capitol Hill--all of them have become part of my family. It's nostalgic that I come to the floor today to personally thank Peter Rescigno who will be leaving my office at the end of this week. Peter has been with me since I was elected as the Representative for California's Eighth Congressional District three years ago and has become a fixture of Longworth 1222. As he prepares to leave for New York, I can't thank him enough for the counsel and dedication he has provided to me and the constituents of California's Eighth Congressional District. A joke I always share with people is when I hired Peter, I also needed to hire a translator. You know, being from New York, he speaks so fast and you can never understand a single word he says. Don't let that fool you, Peter is one of the most talented people I've ever met-- his dedication and loyalty stops at nothing. He always has a smile on and deals with anything and everything you throw his way. Trust me; I've thrown some unexpected things his way--he's never let me down. For this Marine, who's seen change all too frequently, this goodbye is one of the hardest. Peter, as you prepare to leave for New York, I want you to know that thanks for this Congressman will never be enough. I'll always be grateful for your help and most importantly your friendship. I'm excited to hear about the great things you'll accomplish. Make me proud, you always know where to find me.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Vincent Ajanwachuku, who will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dreamers, Visionaries, and Leaders Project on February 6, 2016. Currently, Dr. Ajanwachuku serves as the chief of surgery at St. Mary Hospital in Apple Valley, California, a position he's held since 2004. Dr. Ajanwachuku's journey is a remarkable one. Born and raised in Nigeria, he arrived in the United States in 1973 to pursue his undergraduate education at New York University. Eventually, he earned his medical degree from the Howard University School of Medicine and was selected to teach medical students in the discipline of surgery. During his career in medicine, Dr. Ajanwachuku has received a number of accolades, including ``Humanitarian of the Year'' from St. Mary Hospital. He was given this award because of his dedication to improving the educational growth and practical experiences of nurses and medical technicians at his hospital. He has also been honored with a ``Values in Action'' award from St. Mary Hospital for being a servant leader. It is long overdue that Dr. Ajanwachuku is receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award. He has persevered through significant obstacles during his life, yet he continues to give back to his community and improve the lives of those around him. I want to congratulate Dr. Ajanwachuku for this notable achievement and for being a role model to the youth in the Victor Valley.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Mildred Dalton Hampton-Henry for her efforts to improve educational outcomes for low- income students in San Bernardino, California. On February 6, 2016, Dr. Hampton-Henry will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dreamers, Visionaries, and Leaders Project during their annual awards ceremony. It is an honor to highlight Dr. Hampton-Henry's professional achievements today. A native of Arkansas, Dr. Hampton-Henry arrived in San Bernardino in 1983 and became the executive director of the Provisional Accelerated Learning Center, also known as the PAL Center. The PAL Center provides structured educational services to low-income students from urban environments. The programs at the center strive to reduce the number of high school dropouts in her community. In addition to her work with at-risk youth, Dr. Hampton-Henry is an accomplished educator. She was the first African American professor to receive tenure at the California State University, San Bernardino College of Education. In addition, Dr. Hampton-Henry taught courses at Southern Illinois University, the same school from which she received her Ph.D. in philosophy. I want to congratulate and thank Dr. Hampton-Henry for her passion and commitment to bettering her community. She truly embodies the spirit of selfless sacrifice and is well-deserving of the Lifetime Achievement Award that she will receive on Saturday.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a special event that took place in my district to honor public safety personnel. On January 23, 2016, Chapter 63 of the International Footprint Association hosted ``Breakfast for Heroes'' to show their appreciation for the tireless work done by public safety agencies in the High Desert region of California. ``Breakfast for Heroes'' took place at the El Pescador Restaurant in Victorville, California and the public was encouraged to attend to show their appreciation. This is the first time that Chapter 63 held a breakfast event to honor High Desert public safety personnel and they anticipated a large turnout of attendees. Attendees were able to take tours of an ambulance, fire truck, and police vehicles. All proceeds from the event goes towards the Chapter 63 Scholarship Program. The International Footprint Association is a non-profit community benefit organization whose mission is to foster positive relations between law enforcement and the public. During my time as a legislator, I have worked with this organization on numerous occasions and have always been impressed with the work they do in our communities. I strongly encouraged my constituents to attend ``Breakfast for Heroes'' to show their support for the men and women who put their lives on the line every day.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Liam Gavigan for his tireless efforts to construct a veterans monument in Lake Arrowhead, California. Liam is a member of Boy Scouts of America Troop 89 and has undertaken this task as his Eagle Scout Project. From the time he became involved with the Cub Scouts, Liam had a vision for creating a monument to honor the sacrifices of veterans who live in the San Bernardino County mountain communities. It took several years, but Liam's determination resulted in him fundraising over $20.000 needed to construct the memorial. With assistance provided by the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust, Liam was also able to secure the necessary land upon which the monument will stand. As a Vietnam veteran and retired Marine Corps infantry officer, I applaud Liam and the members of Troop 89 for their diligence in bringing this project to fruition. I look forward to visiting the monument during my next trip to Lake Arrowhead.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the heroic actions of San Bernardino County Sheriff's Deputy Asiah Medawar. In the early morning hours of January 15, 2016, Deputy Medawar was dispatched to a traffic collision in Victorville, California. When she arrived on scene, the vehicle was partially engulfed in flames and an unidentified citizen was attempting to remove the injured driver. Sensing the severity of the situation, Deputy Medawar immediately sprang into action and was instrumental in dislodging the unconscious driver from underneath the dashboard. Deputy Medawar and the unidentified citizen dragged the driver away from the vehicle, which burst into flames shortly thereafter. The driver incurred severe burns to his hand but did not suffer life-threatening injuries. Because of Deputy Medawar's selfless actions, the driver's life was spared. I want to thank Deputy Medawar for her bravery and sacrifice on behalf of our High Desert community in San Bernardino County. Her actions reflect great credit upon the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and other law enforcement personnel throughout our country. I would like to also offer my sincere gratitude to the unidentified citizen who assisted Deputy Medawar during this heroic event.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, over my time representing the citizens of California's Eighth Congressional District, I have been able to spend time with and learn from some of the best community leaders America has to offer. Today I rise to speak about Mike Podegracz, the City Manager of the City of Hesperia. Mike was first appointed City Manager in 2005. During his time as City Manager, he has overseen the completion of the Ranchero Underpass and Interchange projects, the G Avenue Lead Track and the completion of the Hesperia's Civic Plaza Complex. Being fiscally conservative, Mike led the organization through the recession without staff layoffs while maintaining a balanced general fund budget. Having spent the first half of his career in the private sector, Mike understands the impact of superior customer service on the community, and places a special value on this trait across all city departments. Hesperia is a city known for its excellent customer service, and Mike has made this possible through all he has been able to accomplish. I wish Mike the best in all that is yet to come. He has left a huge imprint on the City of Hesperia and I'm proud to have worked with him.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, over the course of this debate, you're going to hear about the failures of this deal from members of both parties. You'll hear about how this deal fails to provide the ``anytime, anywhere'' inspections that the Administration promised. You'll hear about how it relies on Iran to self-inspect at military nuclear facilities such as Parchin. And you'll hear about how Iran will get over a hundred billion dollars in immediate sanctions relief in exchange for a limited inspections regime that expires within 15 years. These are all important reasons to reject this deal, but I want to focus on something different: the character of the Iranian regime. The Islamic Republic of Iran's founding action 35 years ago was to declare war on the United States, violating all international laws and agreements by invading our embassy and taking our diplomats hostage. Since then, Iran has been complicit in the murders of thousands of our soldiers. Iran's Lebanese terrorist proxy, Hezbollah, murdered hundreds of Marines in Lebanon in the 1980s, and in the last decade, Iranian- sponsored militias murdered thousands of American service members in Iraq. As we debate this deal today, Iran continues to hold American hostages. This is a regime that was born in terror and that exists to spread terror across the world. It's the character of the Iranian regime that makes its pursuit of nuclear weapons so dangerous. Countries like Japan have enough stockpiled plutonium for thousands of bombs, but because it doesn't sponsor terror or threaten its neighbors, no one is concerned with the Japanese nuclear power industry. An Iranian regime that espouses terror and threatens genocide can never be allowed to have a nuclear program, not today, not in ten years, not in a century. Iran's development of a nuclear weapon will have repercussions far beyond its own borders. Iran's terrorist allies are currently waging war against America's allies across the Middle East. Iranian proxies Hezbollah and Hamas continue to threaten Israel with tens of thousands of rockets, Iranian death squads in Iraq and Syria have killed tens of thousands of people, and Iranian backed rebels overthrew the pro- American government of Yemen. This is not ancient history; this is all within the past year. Any deal that the United States signs must result in the dismantlement, destruction, and irreversible rollback of Iran's nuclear program. There is no acceptable level of enrichment for an Iran that sponsors terrorism and threatens its neighbors. If Iran won't accept a deal on these terms, then the United States should keep the sanctions in place and tighten them until they force the Iranian regime to its knees. Iran will never be a normal nation as long as its government is ruled by radicals whose ideology is terror. When Ronald Reagan was pursuing nuclear arms reduction negotiations with the Soviet Union, he famously operated under the principle of ``Trust, but verify.'' In contrast, this deal requires blind trust without any meaningful verification. It does nothing to change the character of the Iranian regime and instead counts on the good will of a terrorist state that openly proclaims ``Death to America.'' I refuse to trust the security of America and our allies to the Iranian regime's promises. I don't trust Iran and I cannot support this deal.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, over my time representing the citizens of California's Eighth Congressional District, I have been able to spend time with and learn from some of the best community leaders America has to offer. These are folks who regularly put the interest of others before their own. They show us their character and generosity by going above what is required or expected of them, in order to improve the livelihood of the community as a whole. I come before you today to speak on Dr. Reddy's latest philanthropic endeavor--Victor Valley College's Dr. Prem Reddy Health and Sciences Building. Opened on August 28, 2015, this 24,000 square foot facility will provide much needed new labs for the science programs, as well as nursing specific training labs, all integrated with indoor and outdoor student gathering and study spaces to create a collaborative and technology driven learning environment. The building will also feature expanded anatomy and chemistry labs, as well as a digital science lab capable of up to 40 workstations. The new nursing lab will feature 8 simulated medical beds and instruction space for up to 40 students. All of these lab and training facilities are supplied with high tech audio and visual equipment and a wireless network for student access. The building also operates under the most technologically advanced systems for energy efficiency and energy savings. The students trained and educated in this state-of-the-art facility will enter the healthcare industry in a period of great turmoil. As the payment methods and organization of the industry rapidly evolve, no one can predict what the future may hold. However, the one thing we know for certain is that we will always need the most highly trained and educated students to provide the actual care, person to person. That process begins by having a learning environment to facilitate their education. I graciously thank Dr. Prem Reddy for his generosity on making this building a reality, and I congratulate Victor Valley College for its development and wish its future students years of success.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, as a combat veteran, I'm deeply concerned that the men and women of our military continue to struggle to find employment upon reentering civilian life. These individuals have not only displayed great courage but have acquired distinctive skills that make them ideal candidates for employment. Veterans who serve this country honorably shouldn't struggle to find employment, which is why I'm introducing the HIRE Vets Act of 2015. The HIRE Vets Act is a bipartisan bill that would promote private sector recruiting, hiring, and retaining of men and women who served honorably in the U.S. military through a voluntary and effective program. Specifically, it would create an awards program recognizing the meaningful, verifiable efforts undertaken by employers--both large and small--to hire and retain veterans. This program, designed to be self-funded and within the U.S. Department of Labor, will allow employers to proudly display one of four Presidential Awards on their products and marketing materials. These ``HIRE Vets Medallions''--Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum-- would be awarded to employers that achieve specific hiring and retention goals each year. The program also establishes similar tiered awards for small and mid- sized employers with fewer than 500 employees. To ensure proper oversight, the Secretary of Labor would be required to provide Congress with annual reports on the success of the program and the hiring and retention levels of veterans. This bill goes beyond simply recognizing that a business hires veterans. The HIRE Vets Act is an opportunity for Americans to see which companies truly live up to the employment promises they make to veterans. It is our duty to ensure veterans are given the benefits and resources they've earned through their service to this country, and this includes encouraging meaningful job opportunities. 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.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 387) to provide for certain land to be taken into trust for the benefit of Morongo Band of Mission Indians, and for other purposes.

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

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The Morongo Band of Mission Indians, a tribe located about 20 miles west of Palm Springs, California, along with the city of Banning and a private property owner who resides in California together have asked Congress to enact H.R. 387, providing for the exchange of certain lands within or adjacent to the Morongo Reservation. The bill also directs the Secretary of the Interior to grant an easement to the city of Banning for the use of certain lands currently held in trust on behalf of the tribe. The easement will provide the city with the ability to install electric, sewer, water, and related utility lines to accommodate commercial activity in the area. This bill will accomplish three goals. First, it will promote the consolidation of the tribe's reservation lands. Second, it will resolve a land use dispute between a private landowner, the city, and the tribe. Third and finally, it will facilitate commercial development on lands adjacent to the tribe's reservation, which will be beneficial for the city of Banning and the tribe as well as for the private landowner. This bill truly represents a win-win-win agreement without any of the parties having to compromise their desired goals. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, in closing, this just basically shows that you can actually get some things done at the local, State, and Federal levels. This battle has been going on for a long while. I used to represent the area when I was in the State House. And when you can finally get all of the parties together and work in a bipartisan fashion, good things can happen. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Victor Valley College Foundation's establishment. This organization has helped Victor Valley College better serve my constituents of the High Desert by providing students the tools to achieve not only their academic goals, but life goals as well. Students have received more than $6 million in scholarships, allowing them to focus on their studies rather than how to pay for college. Through donations, grants, and partnerships, the Victor Valley College Foundation has expanded the budget of the Victor Valley College by nearly $50 million. In doing so, higher education has been more accessible than public funding alone would have allowed. Over the past 40 years, almost every department and program at Victor Valley College has been supported by the Foundation, of which are the School of Nursing, Southern California Logistics Airport School of Aviation Technology, Solar Photovoltaic Design and Installation, Automotive Technology Hybrid Vehicle Maintenance, Geographic Information Systems, Contract and Community Education, and Paramedic Academy. The Victor Valley College Foundation has enriched campus life by supporting student experience programs that include the Associated Student Body, Athletics, Model United Nations, Performing Arts, and Tropical Research Institute. Among its major accomplishments, the Foundation helped open and outfit influential campus facilities like the Performing Arts Center, Student Activities Center, Regional Public Safety Training Center, and the new Dr. Prem Reddy Health and Science Building. Finally, I would like to congratulate the Board Officers, Directors, Emeritus Council, and the Staff members on the Victor Valley College Foundation's 40th Anniversary.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the Yucaipa High School Women's Softball team for ending their season as California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division II champions. The team has been named the 2015 Cal-Hi Sports State Team of the Year. The Thunderbirds have had a rewarding season with an incredible 31 wins. Last Friday, the ladies scored another victory when they beat the undefeated Mission Viejo high school at the final game in Irving, California. With dedication and commitment, the team, along with their head coach David Kivett, earned the title after an entire season of hard work. In closing, I'd like to joyously congratulate the players: Alexis Avalos, Kaitlyn Alvarado, Annie Bakenhus, Brooke Bolinger, Brooke Brady, Skyler Burke, Keely Clark, Mallorie Cross, Jordan Green, Jordan Herron, Jazzy Lopez, Kayla Martin, Megan Martin, Kelly Martinez, Madyson Marvuli, Blayne Nelson, and Kora Shoemaker.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank James H. Carr aka ``Jim Carr'' who is being recognized for his many years of service to the Spring Valley Lake Community and the Spring Valley Lake Country Club. 1980 was the beginning of the Carr family's life at Spring Valley Lake and Spring Valley Lake Country Club. After completion of Jim's ``SVL weekender home'' in 1980 the first 8 years of weekends were like ``mini-vacations'' of fishing, and golf with little thought as to the ramifications of both national and local political decisions being made. Decisions made in 1988 would force Jim to become involved and protective of his ``golf and fishing paradise'' when it was learned George AFB would be closed. Then in 1990 the Country Club lost more members with the departure of the ``Wild Weasel'' Air Force squadron from George AFB. Jim became concerned the Country Club would not survive and had several conversations with the new general manager Greg Davis. In one of the conversations Greg Davis stated his mission directed by Mr. Dedman Sr. was to turn the club around or it would be sold by ClubCorp. It was at that time Jim was asked to Chair the Board of Governors of the Club. In late 2002 Jim became more active in the Spring Valley Lake Home Owners Association when contacted by a small group of residents that had become aware of deficit spending by the Association. The only solution was to find and elect people to the Association Board with financial/business experience and the will to make tough financial decisions. It took several years, but with the help of many concerned citizens the Association became financially sound and well managed. I wish Jim the best in his retirement. The Eighth District of California and Spring Valley Lake are thankful for your service.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bid farewell to Basem Muallem who will be retiring after 29 years with Caltrans at the end of March. A true man of the people, Muallem will always be remembered as an extraordinary leader who listened and understood the growing infrastructure needs of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. As District 8 Director, Muallem is currently responsible for the largest of the 12 statewide Caltrans districts geographically, with four interstates and 32 routes totaling over 7,000 lane miles within its boundaries. Muallem manages a staff of 1,280 and an operating budget of $181 million. He oversees all facets of design, construction, operation and maintenance of the state highway system in the greater Inland Empire region. Muallem works in partnership with both regional transportation and local resource agencies to provide a safe and reliable highway network for the traveling public. For as long as I have been in public office, our region continues to face massive growth. As more people, businesses and vehicles come into the area, the challenges of providing a highway system to meet the region's growing needs increase. Muallem has been a good friend to these needs in the various positions he has held within Caltrans. What's next for him you might ask? Muallem, who holds a Bachelors of Science degree in biology, and a Bachelors and Masters of Science degrees in Civil Engineering is headed to Parsons corporation, an engineering and construction company. I wish him the best of luck in his new endeavors.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the League of Women Voters of the San Bernardino Area celebrating its 60th year anniversary. Irmagard Blum, Margaret Chandler, Sibyl Disch, Joan Fallert, Jane Hall, Sally Hartley, Jerry Keller, Jane Kotnerm, Ruther Kekkonen, Gerry Pico, Jackie Russler, and Nancy Smith founded the League of Women Voters of San Bernardino on March 17, 1955. The League of Women Voters of San Bernardino objective is to promote political participation amongst citizens, especially women, without partisan bias. The League of Women voters of San Bernardino continue their commitment to support political action and advocacy. For its past 60 years, this organization has committed over six decades to support local services for voters, from registration, serving as a witness, and partake in other acts to ensure citizen participation in and oversight of the election process. The League of Women Voters in San Bernardino Area educates citizens on issues and candidates, supports voter registration, and encourages citizens to create and implement positive policy in Congress.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5331 would designate the facility that was already mentioned on Gorgonio Drive in Twentynine Palms as the Colonel M.J. ``Mac'' Dube, United States Marine Corps Post Office Building. Mac passed away this year, but will always be remembered in Twentynine Palms as a United States Marine and a dedicated public servant. Mac and I, ironically enough, both served as colonels at the same time, an honor I will always remember and cherish. Mac was a great marine. He served for over 30 years. He earned four Purple Hearts, multiple wars, four Bronze Stars with Combat ``V,'' and a Silver Star. After a career as the Chief of Staff at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, he retired in Twentynine Palms, where he went to work, ran for office, became the mayor, and became a council member. Then when he was done with that, he served in multiple county offices, oftentimes as a volunteer. His children grew up there. He was deeply involved and was somebody that, ironically enough, was part of the Marine community on the military side and, obviously, the civilian community and the county side on the other side of the fence. This is a tribute to a man who dedicated his life to serving his Nation, serving the Marine Corps, and serving the Twentynine Palms community. He left a legacy for all those who will come after him. He was always in town. He gave so many things to so many people. He was the most generous individual I ever knew, and I think that he will always be remembered in the Twentynine Palms area for his hard work, his dedication, and his patriotism.

Mr. COOK. Will the gentleman yield for a comment?

Mr. COOK. I thank the gentleman. As I mentioned, I knew Mac very, very well, and I used to joke with him, and I said, ``You know, I have two Purple Hearts, and it showed that I was dumb enough to not duck twice, and you have four of them. What does that say about your IQ?'' But he was a true American and would do anything, and I thank the gentleman from Vermont so much for his support of the bill.

Mr. COOK

Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a retiring leader of the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, Patrick Milligan. Patrick Milligan was born in San Bernardino in 1937. His family started one of the original citrus farms in Rialto. He fondly recalls memories of growing up in Rialto during a time when he and his friends could walk through vacant land shooting bb guns. In 1955, he graduated with honors from San Bernardino High School and later graduated from Stanford University and Stanford Law. He returned to his hometown and began practicing trial law in 1961, starting a law firm in San Bernardino where he continues to practice law. Pat is married to Jean Miller Milligan and has four children, two of whom have followed in his footsteps as attorneys. In 1964, at the age of 28, Pat was elected to the Board of Directors for the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (Valley District). He has served on the Board for over 41 years and has served as President of the Board for 19 of those years, almost half of his tenure. When Pat was elected, Valley District was only 10 years old. So, Pat has been involved in building this new agency from the ground up. He ``hit the ground running'' helping Valley District settle two lawsuits with Orange County Water District and Western Municipal Water District, respectively. The settlements fairly divide water resources providing the downstream agencies with the guaranteed amounts they desired while providing the upstream, Valley District service area, the flexibility they desired. The resulting court judgments are still used to this day to manage water resources. To help reduce the possibility of costly lawsuits in the future by providing a forum where water issues could be discussed, Valley District along with Orange County Water District, Chino Basin Municipal Water District (now Inland Empire Utilities Agency), and Western Municipal Water District formed the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority. Pat was also instrumental in settling a 40-year legal dispute that involved both the Department of Water Resources and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWDSC). He directed the effort to negotiate with MWDSC which led to a cooperative agreement. Under that agreement, MWDSC has purchased some of Valley District's unused imported water from the State Water Project resulting in substantial revenues used to build facilities and purchase water for storage locally. The agreement also benefited MWDSC when their partially completed Inland Feeder Pipeline was connected to Valley District's Foothill Pipeline allowing MWDSC to fill their newly constructed Diamond Valley Reservoir before their pipeline was complete. When Pat took office, Valley District had a contract with the State of California to receive up to 98,000 acre-feet of water from the State Water Project but Valley District had no facilities in place to distribute the water. Under his leadership, Valley District built a regional pipeline system that began with the 84,000 foot long, 6.5 foot diameter Foothill Pipeline. The system now spans from Rialto in the west to Yucaipa in the east. To save money, these facilities were built in partnership with other water agencies. Pat shepherded this ambitious project through good and bad economic times, and never lost the vision to complete these regional facilities. Later, Valley District had the foresight to purchase an additional 4,600 acre-feet of entitlement water raising the total annual amount to 102,600 acre-feet. Pat was the innovator and force behind using ``Super Wells'' to lower high groundwater conditions in South San Bernardino to help prevent liquefaction, a new term at that time, during earthquakes. The super wells and accompanying pipeline, known as the Baseline Feeder, pumped the nuisance high groundwater to meet needs in Rialto. On the east end of the valley, additional facilities were added that enabled the transport of local storm water. These facilities, in combination with other local facilities, were used in a creative arrangement to meet supplemental water needs in the Yucaipa area without construction of a pipeline to Yucaipa. The agreement, known as the ``Exchange Plan'', enabled Mill Creek water to be delivered to Yucaipa in exchange for State Water Project (SWP) water. Pat has always looked out for the Valley in which he grew up. In the early 1970's the United States Army Corps of Engineers unveiled an ambitious flood control plan on the Santa Ana River that included the proposed Mentone Dam that would capture both the Santa Ana River and Mill Creek. While the Mentone Dam made sense as a flood control facility, it did not make sense to people that lived in the valley. The dam would have created an eyesore on the east end of the valley and covered over most of the community of East Highland! Valley District took the lead in encouraging alternate proposals and in 1986, the Army Corps agreed to an alterative that moved the dam into the foothills where it stands today. Under Pat's leadership, the Seven Oaks Dam is being used not only for flood control but also for water supply. Valley District, on behalf of water customers throughout the valley, partnered with the Western Municipal Water District and secured Water Right Permits to capture the newly detained water made available by the construction of the Dam. The capture of this water, which would have historically flowed into the Pacific Ocean, will save the people of the valley hundreds of millions of dollars. Pat has always understood the value of the investment in the State Water Project. When that value was threatened by the Department of Water Resources and other State Water Contractors, Pat directed litigation to protect the District's contract right to sell any unused imported water at a fair price. Valley District prevailed and the resulting revenue has been used over the years to help fund regional facilities, reducing local costs. Pat has always believed in good planning backed by solid science. Valley District has been a leader in studying the valley's resources to determine the opportunities and constraints. Through a relationship with the United States Geological Survey that has lasted decades, a groundwater flow model was produced which has proven invaluable to analyze water management scenarios and new projects. This model continues to be enhanced and is used every year to develop a management plan for the valley. This year, Pat announced that he would be retiring from the Valley District Board. His vision and leadership will be dearly missed by both the Board and the Staff. I commend Pat for his years of leadership and service and wish him all the best.