Jeff Denham

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson, who is retiring after nearly three decades of public service, including 12 years serving as Stanislaus County Sheriff. In 1988, Sheriff Christianson began his storied law enforcement career by joining the Ceres Police Department. He was sworn into the Sheriff's Office in January of 1996, where he has served ever since. As Deputy Sheriff he filled an impressive variety of roles as Patrol, K9 Handler and Supervisor, Bailiff, Field Training Officer and Detective. As Sergeant he was assigned to Patrol and supervised the High Tech Crimes Unit. As Lieutenant he worked in Homeland Security, Internal Affairs, and was the Northwest Area Commander. Sheriff Christianson has been a mainstay of the community throughout his time in office. Public Safety facilities have been expanded with more jail beds, a medical and mental health care unit, and a day reporting center, while the significant Public Safety Restoration Plan was completed with the support and funding of the Board of Supervisors. Sheriff Christianson capped off his tenure in office with the completion of the Coroner's Facility and the Re-Entry and Enhanced Alternatives to Custody Training (REACT) Center. Sheriff Christianson began a stellar academic career by earning a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice Management. He later graduated from the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Course, the POST Executive Development Course and West Point Leadership in Police Organizations. He also received an Executive Certificate from the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Sheriff Christianson is married to the love of his life, Yvonne. Together they have two children, Nicole and Kyle. He is looking forward to spending more time with his family after retirement. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending the outstanding contributions made to public safety and Stanislaus County by Sheriff Adam Christianson and hereby wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Isaac Applbaum, an active investor, enthusiastic venture capitalist, and senior advisor to the Mayor of Jerusalem for Public Private Partnerships. Isaac grew up around Brooklyn, New York, where he attended Yeshiva University. He then moved on to earn his degree in Computer Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. After graduation, he joined Bell Labs as a programmer. He has since gone on to launch Concorde Solutions, a software assets management firm. The firm was bought by Bank of America, which landed him a role as a senior vice president responsible for strategic investments. From there, Applbaum has spent over 20 years in the Bay Area's venture capital universe. Mr. Applbaum works with a variety of investment firms and continues to push investment in Israel. He is a major contributor to partnerships between American and Israeli companies. He also cofounded Teal Lake Cellars, which produced a variety of high quality kosher wines that to bring together friends, leaders and colleagues from all walks of life. Isaac is happily married to Hilda, his wife of 31 years, and together they have three children. He has dedicated himself to teaching the world about the beauty of Israel and its culture. To that end, he has spent much of his time working tirelessly to build flourishing Jewish communities in Israel and the United States. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending Isaac Applbaum for his outstanding devotion, contributions and dedication to his community. We wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Pastor Glen Berteau for his many years of service to his community. A longtime church leader, he has touched thousands of lives. On September 9, 2014, Pastor Berteau led the House of Representatives in its opening prayer. In a rare honor, he was afforded the opportunity again on May 18, 2017. In addition to being a pastor, he is also an author of multiple books. He wrote the youth manual ``Strategies for Advancing Youth Ministries'' as well as the books ``Christianity Lite'' and ``Christianity To Go.'' Pastor Berteau's parish, known as The House Network, has ministries in all communities throughout Modesto, CA. The church runs Nineveh Outreach, Cross Recovery and various worldwide mission trips. They have also opened Heart and Soul Coffee, a coffee shop in Downtown Modesto that uses coffee to advance its ministry. Pastor Berteau has led The House Network to grow into a multi-campus organization, with churches in Modesto, San Jose, Slidell, Hilo, Downtown Modesto, and Fort Worth. The House in Modesto was featured in Outreach Magazine in 2009 for being the Second Fastest Growing Church in America and it is now on the list of the Top 50 Largest Churches in America. Mr. Speaker, Pastor Glen Berteau has impacted the lives of everyone in his congregation and community. His commitment to serving Jesus Christ has helped him change communities for the good all over California. Please join me in recognizing his lifetime of service to God.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Darius Assemi, a home builder, businessman, philanthropist, and Central Valley resident of more than 40 years. Darius has been a close friend and confidant for many years, including my time in the State Senate and here in the United States House of Representatives. Darius is currently President and CEO of Granville Homes, a real estate development company established in 1977. Over the last 40 years, Granville Homes has built more than 6,000 single-family residences in the Fresno metropolitan area, and has been involved in the acquisition, financing, and development of over 100 construction projects. Through these experiences, Darius's knowledge of building codes and resilient construction has been an important influence on me as I have pursued disaster mitigation policies. Darius is actively engaged in public policy work at the local and state level. He is passionate about legislation that affects transportation, agriculture, health care, education, and the environment. In 2009, Darius was appointed to the California Transportation Commission by Governor Schwarzenegger, and reappointed by Governor Brown in 2012. During his 6-year term, Darius was actively engaged with legislators and key stake holders in securing much-needed transportation funding for the Central Valley. In addition to public policy, Darius is driven to educate his fellow citizens about the complex issues that affect everyone in the community. The lack of health care options available in the Central Valley and across the world is an issue that Darius and I have focused much of our time on. In 2009, he helped to establish the Alliance for Medical Outreach and Relief (AMOR), a non-profit with a mission to build healthier communities. AMOR constructed and continues to operate a 100- bed hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan that provides medical services and health education to over 80,000 people annually. High amongst Afshar Hospital's key accomplishments is their success in reducing the maternal and infant mortality rates in the Kabul metro area. In addition to their work in Afghanistan, AMOR is in the process of building a wellness clinic and community resource center to serve the impoverished Central Valley farming community of Mendota. Darius views his various business endeavors as vehicles to further his true passion: helping to improve the lives of those in the community and around the world through strategic partnerships and philanthropic giving. The Granville Foundation's mission is to provide food, shelter, healthcare, and education to the underserved. In 2006, Darius initiated the Granville Home of Hope, a program in which a new home is raffled off, with 100 percent of the proceeds from ticket sales given to local non-profits. Over the last 12 years, the Granville Home of Hope has raised more than $5.2 million dollars, providing food, clothing, scholarships, and resources to those in need. In addition to Home of Hope, the Granville Foundation provides support to various organizations--in 2017 alone the foundation sponsored more than 70 non- profits. I am proud to call Darius a friend and I am grateful for hi s companionship throughout my years in public service. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending Darius Assemi for his outstanding contributions to the Central Valley, our state, and nation.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Dr. Frank Luntz, PhD, a talented communications professional and linguist whose unique talents have moved the needle on some of our nation's most critical issues. Frank has been an excellent advisor and close personal friend of mine throughout my time in Congress. His guidance has been invaluable. Frank grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut and graduated from Hall High School before going on to get his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania. He then earned his Doctorate in Politics from none other than Oxford University. He has since gone on to council presidents and prime ministers, Fortune 100 CEOs and professional sports franchises, nonprofit directors and Hollywood creatives. He served as a consultant to NBC's The West Wing, one of the most popular and universally-loved television shows in recent memory. Dr. Luntz is a celebrated author, with three books on the New York Times Best Sellers list: Words that Work: It's Not What You Say it's What People Hear, What Americans Really Want Really, and WIN. Additionally, he has written about the power of language for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Financial Times, The Times of London, and The Washington Post. Luntz is dedicated to teaching the next generation of thought- leaders, instructing young scholars at the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University and The George Washington University. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending Dr. Frank Luntz for his outstanding contributions and dedication to communications and political scholarship, our nation and the people who serve it. We wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Long Beach, California legend, Bruce MacRae. Bruce is a longtime employee of the United Parcel Service (UPS) and is currently Vice President of State Government Affairs for California and the Western Region of the United States. In this role is where our lives originally intersected. My relationship with Bruce has kept me grounded during my time in elected office and his friendship is one that will continue (even though our days of smoking cigars are less frequent). Bruce grew up in Long Beach and graduated from Wilson High School. He started his career with UPS in the area, at the Anaheim package facility in 1979. Bruce rose through the ranks as a driver and took on a management position in 1987 which was the catalyst to his success as a Government Relations executive. As a result of Bruce's professional success and his free loving personality, philanthropy has been a natural pursuit. Bruce is a Long Beach City College Board member, Long Beach Police Foundation president, and generous donor to the Long Beach City College's athletic department. These accolades along with his big personality donned him the title of ``Legend'' in a Long Beach Post article in 2015. As with any life there are ups and downs. In 2015, Bruce suffered a heart attack while in Phoenix for work. It was a grounding experience for everyone that knows and cares about Bruce. At that moment, we all truly realized how much Bruce means to the Long Beach community and the level of respect that people have for him. As you would expect from someone of Bruce's character, he recovered from open heart surgery seamlessly. I am proud to call Bruce a friend and I am grateful for his companionship throughout my years in public service. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending Bruce MacRae for his contributions to Southern California, our state, and nation.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Darius Anderson for his outstanding business acumen and host of contributions to his community. Darius Anderson is a founder and contributing member of a variety of businesses. About 20 years ago, he became the Founder and CEO of Platinum Advisors, a government affairs firm that works all throughout California. He also is the Founder and CEO of Kenwood Investments, a California Opportunity Fund that has been a fixture in many communities since 2000. On top of that, he is a Managing Member of Sonoma Media Investments, a newspaper publisher. He also served as the Chief of Staff for the Yucaipa Companies and was the Vice President of External Affairs for Ralphs Grocery Stores, Inc. between 1993 and 1998. Darius Anderson has dedicated years of hard work and his own personal time for the betterment of his community. He was the Chair of the National Advisory Council for the UC Berkley Institute of Governmental Studies, and is now a member of the Board of Directors of the George Washington University Graduate School of Public Management's Council on American Politics, California Building Bridges, Sonoma State University Green Music Center and is a Co-Chair of the Friends of the UCSF Center for Reproductive Health Advisory Board. Darius Anderson has no plans to slow down. His next big undertaking is the Treasure Island Development Project, an effort to redevelop the former Naval Station Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and recognizing Darius Anderson for his lifetime of success and positive contribution to dozens of California communities.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson, who is retiring after nearly three decades of public service, including 12 years serving as Stanislaus County Sheriff. In 1988, Sheriff Christianson began his storied law enforcement career by joining the Ceres Police Department. He was sworn into the Sheriff's Office in January of 1996, where he has served ever since. As Deputy Sheriff he filled an impressive variety of roles as Patrol, K9 Handler and Supervisor, Bailiff, Field Training Officer and Detective. As Sergeant he was assigned to Patrol and supervised the High Tech Crimes Unit. As Lieutenant he worked in Homeland Security, Internal Affairs, and was the Northwest Area Commander. Sheriff Christianson has been a mainstay of the community throughout his time in office. Public Safety facilities have been expanded with more jail beds, a medical and mental health care unit, and a day reporting center, while the significant Public Safety Restoration Plan was completed with the support and funding of the Board of Supervisors. Sheriff Christianson capped off his tenure in office with the completion of the Coroner's Facility and the Re-Entry and Enhanced Alternatives to Custody Training (REACT) Center. Sheriff Christianson began a stellar academic career by earning a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice Management. He later graduated from the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Course, the POST Executive Development Course and West Point Leadership in Police Organizations. He also received an Executive Certificate from the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Sheriff Christianson is married to the love of his life, Yvonne. Together they have two children, Nicole and Kyle. He is looking forward to spending more time with his family after retirement. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending the outstanding contributions made to public safety and Stanislaus County by Sheriff Adam Christianson and hereby wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my humblest gratitude for the opportunity to serve my community, my country, and the U.S. House of Representatives for the last 8 years. Anybody who has lived the life of public service knows that you have to surround yourself with good people, meaning you have got to have a great team, both in the district, as well as here in the U.S. Capitol; from the legislative side of things, as well as making sure that your constituency has the best customer service there is. We have had an amazing team. To be able to help people in our community with all of the different challenges they have faced with Social Security, or VA benefits, or visas, we have had an amazing team there to help out. To help our veterans receive the benefits that they deserve and have earned, we have had a great team to help out. We have passed a number of pieces of legislation because we have had a team here in Washington, D.C. that is focused on delivering for our community, for our State, and for our country. And for that, I need to thank our entire team, from my chief of staff: Jim Kjol in the State Senate; to Jason Larrabee here, starting from my first days; to now, Bret Manley, my current chief of staff. We have had teams that have been managed by great individuals. On the personal front, you can't do this job without having a spouse that is there with you through all of the challenges of campaigns, schedules, and traveling. I have had the best partner, friend, and companion. Sonia has put up with a lot, and she has also enjoyed the ride that we have had together. It has been an amazing journey that my kids have taken part in, to have my son and daughter not only face the challenges of kids growing up in a political family, but also having the great accomplishments side by side with their father. Mr. Speaker, I will address the rest of my remarks in the coming minutes.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, continuing with my family, Sonia, from our earliest days of dating and putting up with the travels of my commitment to serve my country in the Air Force, to my kids facing the challenges of traveling in this job, I thank them. I also want to thank those who have elected me and who put their faith and trust in me to allow me to work hard for them. It has been a tremendous journey, one that I have been privileged to have had, both from my family and from our community. I have made great friendships here, from the wolf pack to my legislators who have come here with me, some amazing relationships, and it has been a great honor to serve with them, to work with them, and to enjoy our time together. Lastly, to my parents, my mom, who has been so proud of me: Mom, I just say to please stay off Facebook. Thank you to my father, who has passed, for giving me the strength and the confidence to do anything that I wanted to do in life, and to my grandfather, who encouraged me to get into public service. It has been their support as well as my brother, sister, and business partner who have allowed me to spend my time serving my community and serving my country. Mr. Speaker, it has been a great ride, and I thank them all.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for scheduling this time for all of us to address each other, as well as address our country. I rise to express my gratitude to the men and women of California's 10th Congressional District for allowing me the honor of serving them and representing them here in our Nation's Capitol for the last 8 years. Together, we were able to accomplish incredible things for the Central Valley. The recent passage of the farm bill ensures greater prioritization of the Central Valley and will help our farmers, our farmland to keep the valley productive for future generations. The bil includes my VET-2-FARMS Act; crop insurance, dairy, and specialty crop protections; and several key animal welfare provisions. We also advanced the debate on immigration reform. I am proud to have stood with my friend, Pete Aguilar, as we fought to protect our Nation's Dreamers and secure our borders in a bipartisan manner. My Veteran Skills to Jobs Act, which passed in 2012, has helped many veterans find employment using the skills that they learned while serving their country. There is no greater way to show respect to our men and women in uniform than allowing them to use the credentials and the service and the expertise that they had on Active Duty to gain gainful employment once they depart service. We passed the Civilian Property Realignment Act, which allows us to sell off the properties we don't need so we can reduce our debt, including the first property, which was the Trump hotel, the old post office. The Passenger Railway Authorization bill, which forced Amtrak to run more like a business, actually having pets on trains for the first time, which allows them to create a new profit center. The Sandy Recovery Act, which allowed us to not only serve in FEMA reform, but actually allowed us to build smart policies across the entire country so that we are building stronger communities resistant to some of these natural disasters. Additionally, in our own area, I am proud to have secured the funding and authorization for the French Camp veterans healthcare facility, which will start construction early next year. We made real progress on the issue of human trafficking as well. In our community, we have fought to make sure that we were working with all levels of law enforcement, utilizing the best techniques to stop the human trafficking, which has much larger impacts even in California. But to have Uber as a partner, now for the first time, the 10th Congressional District has the technology available to align our law enforcement with the victims that could be stuck in harm's way in an Uber or some other type of transportation. Through my work on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, we secured big wins for the 10th District: two different highways, $29 million in TIGER grants and BUILD grants for local roadways to improve safety and ease congestion. Last but certainly not least, for years now, for decades, we have talked about water. It is the lifeblood of the Central Valley. If you shut off our water, you shut off our farms, you shut off our economy. We made big strides, securing funding, making sure that, with the WIIN Act, we also passed the New WATER Act, allowing for the first time to have an infrastructure bank so we can borrow money with a guaranteed payback to build new water storage and new reservoirs. You want green energy? Hydro is the greenest, most renewable energy that we have. This is our opportunity to build Shasta with the $20 million upfront, and the new grant for $450 million for Sites Reservoir. We need four to five million new acre feet of water. We have the ability now to move that forward. So some great progress as we move forward on Los Vaqueros, Shasta Dam, Temperance Flat, and many of our irrigation districts that are looking to expand, create green hydro energy, new recreation, new water, and the future of the valley as well. It has been my greatest honor to bring these achievements home for the valley. Thank you, again, to my constituents and to all of my colleagues, especially in the California delegation. We have come together on many different issues to fight for our State. It has been a big honor. Let me end with saying this: I started my public service career wearing the cloth of this great Nation, and I have been blessed, once again, to serve this country in a new capacity. There is no greater honor than being able to serve this body and fight for and represent the American Dream that we have in our communities, and it is with great respect and honor that I move into the next chapter of my life.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Garton Tractor for their induction into the Ag Hall of Fame as the 2018 Legend of Agriculture by the National AG Science Center. Garton Tractor is a 4th generation, family owned business that has been in operation since 1954 in and around the Central Valley, providing agricultural machinery to their customers. They pride themselves on quality product and service and assisting the agricultural industry. Garton Tractor has nine different locations that range from Ukiah to Merced. The family is also deeply involved in giving back, supporting local charities that work to improve education and the quality of life in their local communities. Since its official opening over six decades ago, Garton Tractor has thrived in the Central Valley. They have become a bedrock of our local agricultural community. Their service to the farm families has expanded and improved over the years, and we are proud to acknowledge their most recent achievement. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Garton Tractor for their significant contributions to agriculture and their induction in the AG Hall of Fame.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pete Butler for his dedicated service as a Wounded Warrior Fellow in my district office. In 2002, Pete graduated from Sunset High School in Beaverton, Oregon. He soon found his calling and devoted his life to serving his country in the United States Army. Pete enlisted in 2007, serving two tours in Afghanistan. He earned many commendations and accolades, including a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and a Combat Infantry Badge. After retiring from the U.S. Army in November 2014, Pete settled down in Turlock, California with his wife, Stephanie, and children, PJ and Brayden. In 2015, he started work at Starbucks as a Store Assistant Manager. At the same time, he stayed busy attending classes at California State University of Stanislaus, where he intends to obtain his Bachelor's of Science in Political Science. Driven by a desire to continue serving his country, Pete applied for a position with the Wounded Warrior Fellowship and joined our team. He served as a liaison to veterans' communities in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties. Pete was a tremendous asset, advocating on behalf of these brave men and women. He helped provide strong oversight over the French Camp VA Hospital project, which will benefit veterans in our district and surrounding areas. In addition to his other duties, Pete played an integral role working with our flood control agencies, including the successful authorization of the Lower San Joaquin Chief's Report. The project aims to reduce the overall flood risk for over 50,000 residents around the San Joaquin River in California's Central Valley. Although Pete will be sorely missed by all, including the rest of the staff, Team Denham wishes him the best in his next endeavor. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Pete Butler on his new position and recognizing him for his faithful service during his time with my office.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sheriff Steve Moore of San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department and his more than 30 years of outstanding service and commitment to public safety in our community. Sheriff Moore grew up in Ventura, California. He began his journey into law enforcement as a police explorer at the early age of sixteen. In June 1972 he graduated from Hueneme High School joining the Oxnard police department as a cadet from shortly thereafter. He then served in the Fresno County Sheriff's Department as a reserve deputy, starting in 1976. In 1982, Sheriff Steve Moore joined the San Joaquin County Sheriff's office as a Deputy Sheriff. By 1986, he was sergeant in the custody training unit of San Joaquin County, a position he held until 1990. During his tenure, Moore has been in command of each of the major divisions in the County Sheriff's Office, including as a Sheriff's patrol area commander from 1999 to 2002. There he grew in his capacity as a leader, overseeing all private operations. In 2006, he put his considerable leadership skills to use and was elected Sheriff in San Joaquin County. Sheriff Steve Moore earned a Bachelor's Degree in Criminology Law Enforcement California State University Fresno with a single-subject teaching credential. He also graduated from the FBI National Academy, 185th Session. He is a longtime board member and previously served as chairman on the California State Sheriff's Association Board of Directors for the Audit, budget, and finance committee. He is also a recipient of the Linden's Lions Club ``Melvin Jones Fellowship Award'' as well as the California Peace Officers Association's ``Award of Distinction.'' In addition to all of this, Sheriff Moore is an active community leader and volunteer. He served on the California Council for Interstate Adult Supervisions, as well as the California Department of Boating and Waterways Commission. Steve Moore and his wife Robyn have two children, their daughter Stephanie and son Gregory. Mr. Moore enjoys working, traveling, running, dining with friends, and, above all, spending time with his family. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Sheriff Steve Moore for his more than 30 years of service and outstanding contributions to San Joaquin County as well as our country.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 3508) to reauthorize and amend the Marine Debris Act to promote international action to reduce marine debris, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1093) to require the Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal Transit Authority to provide appropriate Congressional notice of safety audits conducted with respect to railroads and rail transit agencies, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about something miraculously happening in California. For the first time in decades, we are on the verge of building new infrastructure for our water. We have been waiting since 1979 to actually build something new. Last Friday, with the signing, Shasta, a big improvement raising the spillway 630,000 new acre feet of water, and now, next week, passing the WRDA bill, which is actually the New WATER Act financing for Los Vaqueros, Sites, and Temperance Flat, it is time to build things in California and save our number one industry, agriculture. These are real solutions and real dollars. We are going to get it built.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 20-year anniversary of the Hoops For Youth Foundation and their achievements in helping and supporting at-risk kids in Washington, D.C. Since 1999, the Hoops for Youth Foundation has brought together lawmakers, congressional staff, community leaders, and the lobbying profession in a bipartisan effort to help give children in our Nation's Capital a fighting chance with educational, family, hope, and career opportunities through countless hours of community service. Mr. Speaker, the Hoops for Youth Foundation dedicates its support for organizations like Healthy Babies, Inc, a Washington, D.C. based non- profit, which supports at-risk families to have healthy babies and move out of the cycle of poverty. Healthy Babies reaches out to high-risk, low-income, substance-abusing, pregnant and parenting women, men, and their families. It removes barriers for health and success by helping clients identify what they need. Healthy Babies works with service provider partners to connect women and families to resources including health care, housing, nutrition, mental health services, educational support, skills building, substance abuse support, and employment. They stay with families long-term to give them the best chance for success. The Foundation also supports important schools like The Cornerstone School of Washington, D.C., which provides a Christ-centered, nurturing, and academically rigorous education to the children of Washington, D.C.; and St. Anthony's, which continues to be a family and neighborhood tradition. The curriculum and environment at St. Anthony is based upon the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus Christ as understood by the Catholic Church. They are proud to offer a rigorous, standards-based academic program to students in Pre-K3 through grade eight. Finally, the Foundation dedicates its support to Washington Jesuit Academy, which provides a high quality and comprehensive education to boys from low-income communities, offering them a safe, rigorous academic setting and advancing their spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical growth. The guiding vision of the Washington Jesuit Academy is to create an education model that addresses the cycle of poverty that plagues our students' communities, and replaces it with a cycle of hope, determination and success. In order to challenge the city's widening achievement gap and bleak graduation statistics for low-income males, WJA incorporates the Magis (``the more'') and asks the important question: What more can we do for our students, our families and our community to change the face of urban education? Mr. Speaker, the commitment and achievements over the past 20 years of the Hoops For Youth Foundation, Members of Congress, congressional staff, community leaders, and the professional lobbying community, should be recognized, for their incredible dedication to ensuring at- risk kids in our Nation's Capital have the opportunities to become the next generation of leaders. We must also recognize those efforts to promote strong family values and commitment to success by programs like Healthy Babies, St. Anthony's, Cornerstone School of Washington, D.C. and the Washington Jesuit Academy.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of America's Water Infrastructure Act. This bill revitalizes our waterways, bolsters flood protection, and ensures our channels and harbors can supply America and the world with U.S. goods. Most importantly, this bill includes my New WATER Act, a provision that will help us to build new water storage in California. The last time we built anything of substance in California for water storage was 1979. We have waited 50 years--50 years--because we don't have Federal financing and Federal authorization. Finally, under this bill, the New WATER Act will set up a bank for financing for these water storage projects, and we can finally get some of these big reservoirs under way: Shasta, raising Shasta; building Sites Reservoir, which has been studied for decades; building Los Vaqueros; building Temperance Flat. It is time to build water storage in California. We need to be solving our own problems, and the New WATER Act helps us with that financing. Below-ground water storage projects, water recycling, and desalination projects are also eligible. We want to look at all water in California, but this allows us a Federal financing plan to match State and local dollars as well. Also, I included the lower San Joaquin County Army Corps chief's report in this bill to enhance flood protection for more than 50,000 valley residents in San Joaquin County. This will reduce annual property damage and enhance security at 262 critical infrastructure sites, including French Camp.

Mr. DENHAM. French Camp will be the Army Corps' first VA project, building a megaclinic for our veterans in our local community right in this area in between Lathrop and Manteca. We look at revitalizing America's infrastructure. This is a monumental step forward in America's water infrastructure, and I ask my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Hill for recognizing me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John McCain, a family man, a war hero, United States Senator, and a very, very close friend. John was a one-of-a-kind, a man with an undeniable spirit, an incredible gift to work alongside people of different beliefs and backgrounds for the good of all people. As a veteran, I recognized John's service went above and beyond the call of duty. McCain was not the kind of man to put his brothers in arms at risk to save his own skin. Even as a POW, he put country first. His patriotism was inspiring. It was so inspiring that, as a young airman at the time--I was going to junior college at Victor Valley College, became the student body president, and the first time they sent somebody to Washington, D.C., it was me. It was my first trip to Washington, D.C., and I actually got to meet the man that I had only read about and really got to know him, know John and his real character. It was an honor to be with him in the 2000 campaign and again in the 2008 campaign. In 2008, we spent a lot of time traveling together throughout the West Coast, even spending some time in my district in Modesto, California. Sonia and I were lucky enough to witness John at his happiest on his ranch in Sedona, working the grill, surrounded by family, to see the joy in the man's face just flipping shrimp and burgers and being around family in a very serene, beautiful spot. John never lost sight of what truly mattered. He was willing to take on great risk in his political career, as he did in his military one, not because it was convenient or because it would benefit him, but because he knew it was the right thing to do. John and I worked together to create a bipartisan fix for our broken immigration system. Together, we drafted the Uniting and Securing America Act, the USA Act, as he introduced it in the Senate, one that would provide a compromise for children who were brought here through no fault of their own and deserve an opportunity in this great country. He and I had sat down initially in 2010 when I was first elected to Congress to talk about my idea on the ENLIST Act and talk about how you could show the ultimate act of patriotism and allow these kids in our high schools to be able to serve in the military. Together, we made sure our country had a serious discussion about real immigration reform for the first time in over 20 years. Here in the U.S. House of Representatives and across the country, we must not lose sight of the vision John had for this Nation. His America was one defined by bipartisanship, optimism, and hope, looking forward to a brighter tomorrow where our Nation can come together as one; and I, too, believe in that vision. I will be forever grateful to John for making me part of his incredible journey, and I pray that the example he set will serve as an inspiration for this Congress, for our Nation, and for generations to come. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Hill very much for yielding to me tonight and for honoring our great friend.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of Assyrian Martyr's Day. I stand with the Assyrians in my community in commemorating this solemn day--the day the Iraqi army entered Simele and its surrounding areas and massacred thousands of men, women, and children. We must never forget this horrific event and I hope one day we can erect a memorial in Simele for the fallen. We also recognize the 103rd anniversary of the Ottoman genocide against the Assyrians and others that began in 1915. I will continue pushing for global recognition of this genocide. Despite tragedies of the past, the Assyrian people have shown an unparalleled resolve to build a better and brighter future. Earlier this year, I introduced the Nineveh Plain Restoration Act in Congress to support the swift rehabilitation of the Nineveh Plain in the wake of war and violence. We must ensure Assyrians have a home and a future in their ancestral homeland, and I will continue to prioritize this. Although we cannot change the past, I look forward to working with those in my community to build a strong and vibrant future for Assyrians here in America and around the world. I urge my colleagues to stand together with me in remembering those who lost their lives. May their memories continue to be with us.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and ranking member for their support of H.R. 5974, the VA COST SAVINGS Enhancements Act. This bipartisan bill improves care for our veterans. It also ensures that the VA is using the latest cost-saving technology. It directs the VA to install onsite medical waste treatment systems in facilities where this will result in a cost savings within 5 years. Systemwide, this will save the VA millions of dollars each year and directly improve safety and healthcare for our veterans. In addition to the significant cost savings, this technology is safer and increases crisis readiness. Safety is paramount when caring for our vets, and treating waste onsite prevents the spread of dangerous infections. Both the CDC and the World Health Organization recommend this technology, and this policy brings the VA in line with recommended practices for private medicine. Likewise, in the event of an earthquake or a wildfire, which we saw in California, transportation infrastructure can be compromised and prevent hazardous waste from being trucked to a disposal site or through a city. We need to make sure that this is handled onsite. In a disaster scenario like this, treating waste is critical to preventing an outbreak and keeping the facility actually up and running without huge backloads of the waste. Our veterans deserve the highest quality of care. This technology improves crisis-readiness and is safer, more efficient, more cost effective, and more environmentally friendly than traditional medical waste disposal. Installing these machines will immediately begin saving the VA millions of dollars per year and directly improve care for our veterans. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5974.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.