Jeff Denham

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, I, once again, introduced the ENLIST Act. The ENLIST Act would give young adults who came here through no fault of their own, who have graduated from our high schools, who can pass a background check, who can speak English, and whom the military is asking for to protect and defend the Nation that they know and love the opportunity to actually sign up for the military, to wear the cloth of our Nation, and put their lives on the line. At the end of an honorable term, they would be eligible for permanent residence in the United States of America. This is an act of patriotism. This is an opportunity to create a greater national defense and an opportunity for those kids who know of no other country to call home to actually pledge allegiance and be patriots of this great Nation.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, there is a lot of talk about bipartisanship in this body. Oftentimes, a bill will come to the floor, and you may hope that one party or the other might throw some votes your way or that you might get some last-minute votes. True bipartisanship is what has happened on this committee. I, Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, and Ranking Member Capuano have worked together to not only form a bipartisan bill but to actually educate every one of our Members. We want to talk to Members of both parties and now of even both Houses to make sure that we are actually reforming something that is going to create not only a more efficient system but create American jobs. I want to thank each of those individuals for their willingness not only to work together but to work hard. It takes a lot of time to set up separate meetings with every single one of your colleagues in order to explain all of the intricacies on such a large bill. In this case, we have done that. We saw bipartisan and unanimous support first out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last year and now, this year, again, unanimous support out of the Rules Committee on a bill for which we get real structural reform. After 35 years, this splits off the Northeast corridor. So, if you are riding the train on the Northeast corridor, your profits--the money that each rider is spending--will actually go back to fixing your rail. We make sure that you are upgrading the infrastructure, that you are creating jobs, and that you are creating a more efficient Amtrak. That is something the riders on the Northeast corridor should be proud of, and it should be a lesson for every other corridor across the country-- that you get to keep your profits and improve your infrastructure and actually have greater ridership numbers in the process. Amtrak has made some great strides. In this bill, we are cutting our authorizations by 40 percent. I think it is a great opportunity to actually highlight some of the successes that they have had but to also demand more. This also defunds high-speed rail. We want to make sure that what is happening in California does not happen in the rest of the country. Where you have great rail projects going with higher speed--with high- speed moving into New York and Florida--we want to make sure that we don't have the same challenges that are plaguing California's high- speed rail, which has tripled in price. We also have other conservative issues in here that will get rid of waste. That includes the food and beverage losses that we see year after year. We want to make sure that Amtrak is moving in the right direction to eliminate those losses. This builds American infrastructure and creates jobs to fix century- old infrastructure problems. It unlocks the RRIF program, a program which has billions of dollars in it, yet every year when you are going to upgrade your infrastructure when you have a new project, this is one of the least areas that you want to work in because RRIF is so much of a challenge. There are long timelines, long approval processes. If you are going to invest in something, you want to know: Am I going to win out this loan application, or is it something that is going to actually hinder or slow down our project? We want to streamline that. We want to have those who need the access to capital that are going to improve our infrastructure to actually have the benefits of that program. This introduces competition and leverages the private sector to reduce the Amtrak subsidies and actually use the stations to be more profitable. Amtrak has stations in many key cities that can be utilized to increase profits from everything from the restaurants and shopping that they have, but to also be able to advertise in those stations. And advertise on the right-of-way, the right of way that Amtrak has to be able to use billboards, set up cell sites. There is so much more profitability that we can have by having Amtrak as a partner. I just want to touch on a couple of final issues. One of the challenges that freight rails have is the red tape they have to go through on the environmental process and on the historical review process. In this reform bill, we are not saying that you don't have to go through that process; we are just saying that we are going to streamline it so you can go through it quickly. There ought to be timelines. You ought to be able to meet timelines so you can plan your infrastructure and you can plan those jobs so you can actually move America forward and move our rail forward at the same time. This also empowers States. We have taken this reform bill to the next level. We reformed the State routes last PRIIA bill. We are doing it again this time to empower States to have more control over their routes. If a train is going to come through their district or their State, they ought to have some input on not only whether or not it is going to stop, but also increasing ridership in that process. They ought to have some skin in the game, and this allows them to do that. One area that I want to mention that I think has created more bipartisanship than anything else in this bill, and somebody else that should receive some recognition is actually my dog, Lilly, who will now be able to ride on the train.

Mr. DENHAM. If you are on the Northeast corridor and you have never ridden the rail before because you have a pet that you either have to leave at home or a pet that you are going to drive because of, you will now have the opportunity to ride on Amtrak--not only in the Northeast corridor, but all across the country. This is something that we have had pet owners reach out to us on from every different State asking that they actually be able to do this. I can take my dog back and forth to California on the airplane. I pay an additional fee to do that, but it is something that provides me the ability to be able to travel with my pet. Why wouldn't we do that same thing on Amtrak? If Amtrak is looking for more riders, if they are looking for greater revenue, why wouldn't they be able to compete in this one more area with our airlines? I mean, this is a commonsense opportunity for those who want to take rail to actually be able to travel with their pet. I would like to say that it has been something that has not only helped us build a path, but brought on greater bipartisanship. This bill has taken a lot of work. I appreciate the chairman's work and the ranking member's work on this. It has been a great bipartisan effort. I am looking forward to its passage today.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I just want to touch on a few of the great things on this reform bill. Make no mistake, this will reform passenger rail as we know it today in many different areas. First of all, we expect that Amtrak will be utilized more often in a more efficient way and in a more transparent way operating more like a business, a business that will give results back to its customers. This is going to be a bill that sets up different lines of business. So if you are on the Northeast corridor and you are paying a ticket that is high priced, you don't want to subsidize Amtrak across the Nation, your money is now going to stay on the Northeast corridor so you have not only improved infrastructure, but a smoother ride, a more efficient ride, and a quicker transit time. We want to fix rail across the Nation. We want to make sure that we are doing it in a fiscally responsible manner. On the Northeast corridor, we are going to see significant improvements and jobs created at the same time. We are going to see in other areas of the country, in areas like mine where you have got rail that we want to extend further, we want to be able to utilize RIF loans. RIF loans have been a great program that has been sorely underutilized. You talk to companies out there that want to use RIF loans, it is amazing that they won't even apply for them because they know they will slow their projects down. The wait time in actually getting them approved to release that capital will shut your project down, so they just don't apply. We streamline that process so that we can actually unleash that capital not only for Amtrak to improve its lines of business, but for other rails across the entire country to improve theirs as well. We also introduced competition. This leverages the private sector to reduce Amtrak's subsidies and uses our stations and right-of-way as actual income streams. Amtrak should be utilizing every income stream available to them and utilizing their right-of-way for signage, for cellphone towers, and utilizing their stations to actually generate a larger profit. Mr. Speaker, let me just touch on one other area that I am very, very passionate about, one that hasn't been talked about a lot on this floor but one that is getting a great deal of press across the entire country. To those families that have a pet at home, to those families that have to make a decision ``Do I leave my dog or cat at home, or I am actually able to travel with them on a train?'' right now they have to make a decision to either take a car or take an airplane. It is amazing to me to find out, as somebody from California, when I travel back and forth with my dog, I can put them on a plane, but yet I can't put them on a train to go up the Northeast corridor or anywhere else across the country. This is something that will allow new riders that didn't previously want to ride the train before because they couldn't take their pet on there to do so, but also a new revenue generation with paying for those pets the same way that our airplanes across the country are paid for taking their pets as well. Now, this is a great, bipartisan bill, one that I am very proud that we reached across both aisles. We whipped every Member of the Transportation Committee to make sure that we had true results across the entire country to get not only bipartisan support, but unanimous support. You talk about the right way to get a bill done, this is it, by encouraging Members of both parties to actually work together for real reforms that move America forward. This rail bill does just that. It will create jobs; it will create a more efficient passenger rail; and this is going to give new opportunities to those that never were able to ride rail before the opportunity to be greater involved. Let me just touch on one last point. Across the entire country, our passenger rail oftentimes rides on our freight rail system. They have to share the same tracks. Well, one of the challenges is we have bottlenecks across the entire country. As we expand that new infrastructure, as we create these new jobs, as we create greater efficiencies, we need to be able to do it in a timely and cost-effective manner. What we have done is cut a lot of red tape and streamlined the process. There are both environmental and historic review that we actually put time periods on. We want to do the reviews. We want to make sure that it still remains historic and that we are being environmentally sensitive. We are just saying: Let's streamline the process so we can get the projects done quickly, getting people to work, and getting a rail system that is like no other across the entire globe. We have great improvements here. I am very proud of this bill and the work that we have done here, and I am looking for full passage this afternoon.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the life of a beloved community leader and friend from Victor Valley College. Willie Davis Pringle, also known as Big Will, was a beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and coach. He died at the age of 62 on Tuesday, January 6, of this year. Willie began his career at Victor Valley College, where he worked for 33 years. He was an active member of his community, and he advocated for students, the disabled, and the disadvantaged. While at VVC, Willie also met the woman and coworker who later became his wife, Mary. Willie was a member of the Victor Valley Elementary School Board for 16 years. He assisted the disabled through job opportunities and benefits, served on the Hesperia Truancy Board, and was a member of the City of Victorville Advisory Board and Planning Commission. He also served as a member of the supervisory committee for the Victor Valley Federal Credit Union and was currently serving as president of the board of directors for Excelsior Charter School. For many years, Willie would help serve meals to the homeless with the Salvation Army. Recently, he was recognized by the Los Angeles County Alliance, the California Alliance, and the National Alliance of Black School Educators for his service as a school board member. In 2009, Victor Valley Community College presented him with the Distinguished Service Award. Willie was a lot more than that to many of us students. In the 33 years that he spent there, he was a friend; he was a mentor; he would talk to you as you walked through the campus; he would recognize if you weren't in class that day. Many times, he would seek you out in the community to make sure that you were staying out of trouble. This mentor meant so much to so many of us, and he is going to be sorely missed. In December, Victor Valley College officials hosted a dedication ceremony in honor of the 33-year college employee, naming the college's athletic training room after him. Pringle served as the Rams' head football coach and athletic director, and he later became the director of student services before retiring. He gave a lot of advice to many of us, encouraging us to seek out other opportunities. For me, I became student body president. And we had many other football players that followed in those same footsteps, at Willie's request. He kept us busy. He mentored us. He got us involved and engaged. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring and recognizing Willie Davis Pringle for his unwavering leadership and many accomplishments and contributions.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Forty years ago today, the first flight carrying U.S. prisoners of war out of North Vietnam lifted off from Hanoi to take the first 40 U.S. servicemen to freedom. These men, some of whom had been held for 8 years in a brutal captivity, were just a small cohort of more than 683 Americans known to have been held in North Vietnamese prisons and the first of 591 POWs returned to American soil after the Paris Peace Accords through Operation Homecoming. Sadly, 92 Americans died in captivity, and to this day, more than 1,000 Americans who served in Indochina during the Vietnam war era are still unaccounted for. Today, we are here to honor both the men who survived and those who never returned. Their extraordinary courage, endurance, and sacrifice should be an example for everyone in this Chamber and across the country. I would, in particular, like to recall the service of my good friend Senator John McCain and of our colleague here in the House, Sam Johnson, who spent nearly 7 years as a prisoner of war--many of them locked in solitary confinement. The treatment that Congressman Sam Johnson and Senator McCain faced inside the prisons was designed to break those held. To force them to give military information or to serve as propaganda tools for the North Vietnamese regime, physical and emotional torture were used to compel cooperation. The denial of food and sleep deprivation were regular, beatings with bars and whips were common, and the binding of POWs with ropes and then dislocating their arms and legs was a favorite tactic. The names of the places that they were held have entered the lexicon--the Hanoi Hilton, the Alcatraz, and the Dogpatch--all names that conjure up images of cramped cells, isolation, filth, and savage pain. Madam Speaker, it is worth remembering that the North Vietnamese, in order to justify their treatment of the American captives, declared all of their prisoners to be war criminals and denied them all protections of the Geneva Convention. What is most remarkable is these men never broke. They kept faith with their country and with each other despite the extraordinary costs to themselves. When asked what kept them going, many responded their faith in God and their fellow prisoners. Commander Paul Galanti stated: What held me together was faith--four of 'em: faith in God, faith in my fellow POWs--many of whom I'd never met, although I felt closer to them than my own family--faith in my fellow military forces and leaders whom I knew wouldn't let us down, and, finally, faith in the USA. Madam Speaker, these stories and the others shared by my colleagues here tonight should remind us of the terrible price paid by those who serve our country and of the debt we owe to each of them. We must also continue to make every effort to recover the 1,636 missing in action from the Vietnam war. I would like to thank Mr. Dold for speaking earlier tonight on this topic. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act, which passed bipartisan not only in the House with 266 votes, but also bipartisan in the Senate with 62 votes. As Chairman Shuster noted, this is a jobs bill that will create jobs, enhance our energy independence, and strengthen our national economy. This pipeline will transport over 800,000 barrels of oil per day. That is according to the Department of Energy. It will also help create good paying jobs, over 40,000 jobs, according to the State Department. We held a hearing in our subcommittee last week regarding the need for more transportation infrastructure for energy projects. One witness testified we will need 12,000 to 15,000 miles of new pipeline over the next 5 to 10 years. Keystone XL is just one of those new projects. This is the most studied pipeline in our history. This is no reason to continue to stall this project. This is a safe project. America has 2.6 million miles of pipeline, providing an extremely safe way to transport energy products. The Keystone pipeline will be built the safest pipeline ever with 95 special mitigation measures, including nearly 60 recommended by the Department of Transportation, the most extensively studied and vetted pipeline project in the history of our country. Finally, as amended in the Senate, this bill will make important strides towards greater energy efficiency. In conclusion, the Keystone XL has been under review for over 6 years and debated and voted on in the House and Senate numerous times. We need these jobs. We need this energy. We need it now.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona for yielding. It was a pleasure to travel to your southern border. I have traveled to the southern border of California many times. And as we saw on the entire border security trip, our entire southern border is very different depending on which State and which area of the State that you are in. In my home State of California, we saw the jet skis that were coming along the surf that were bringing in a couple of illegal aliens at the time. We have got to be able to address that from a Coast Guard perspective. And when you have double fencing in those high urban areas, we saw the Vietnam landing strips that, at one time, were a very good piece to add along border security when we had nothing. But now we have got to replace that with new fence that will allow our Border Patrol agents to actually see through and address it when there is a weakened area in that fence. We have got to go much further. Along the California border we also have a number of mountains and even cliffs where we have to address the border differently. And in your area, we saw where a truck was able to cut through, while you had a big fence, was able to cut through that fence and actually go across the border into your area, which is why we need the VADER technology. We saw some of the technology that is being redeployed from Afghanistan, and with that infrared technology, we actually saw individuals coming across the border. But with the VADER technology, we can actually see 150 miles. So you would see people actually lining up on the border or preparing to bring drugs across. Now we can actually work with our counterparts in Mexico to actually go and address it from their perspective before it even gets on to American soil. So there is much more that we can do, both with technology that is coming back from Afghanistan, coming back from Iraq, as well as new technology that will give the American public the assurance that we have the measurements and metrics in place to secure our border. Part of our challenge right now is not knowing how many people are coming across. If you never know how many people are coming across, you can never address how many you are actually catching, and the metrics are on how many people are actually coming into our country. If we are going to have a full debate on immigration, we have to first give the American public the sense and the security that we need and deserve, and this bill will do just that. We have to do it now. We can no longer wait until there is another surge of 50 or 60,000 unaccompanied minors or family units that are coming across the Texas border, where they are just hopping in a boat, going 100 yards, and stepping on American soil and then looking for refuge. We have to send that message across Central America, across South America, that we are actually sending the message that our borders are secure, and this isn't going to just be an automatic path during the summer months across that river. Many things we can do. Many things we need to do. This bill will give us the measurements and metrics to secure our border.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Stanislaus County Supervisor Dick Monteith, who will be awarded the first ever Champion of Free Enterprise Award by the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, for his 55 years of public service. Dick Monteith was born in Los Banos, California to Kenneth and Elizabeth Monteith. He spent his early years attending Merced and Stanislaus County public schools, graduating from Turlock High School in 1950. He continued his education at Menlo College and Stanford University, graduating with a B. A. Degree in Sociology in 1954. While at Stanford University, he played football as a starting defensive back and was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. From 1950 to 1957, he served in the United States Navy Reserve, whose mission is to deliver strategic depth and operational capability to the Navy, Marine Corps, and Joint Forces. Soon after graduation, Dick started a life-long career in agri- business as a partner with his father in Monteith Tractor/Truck Company. He subsequently served in the marketing department of Gallo Wines, and as a Sales Representative for Weyerhaeuser Company. He retired in 1991 as General Manager of Sales and Distribution for Middleton Packaging prior to seeking his first elective office. Dick was first elected to the California State Senate, 12th District, in 1994 and again in 1998--terming out in 2002. In 2007, Dick was elected to the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors and was Chairman of the Board in 2011. Supervisor Monteith serves on the boards of Youth for Christ and the Modesto Gospel Mission. He has also been a fifty-year plus member of the Turlock Masonic Lodge #395. Dick and his wife Jeanine make their home in Modesto. He has two adult sons, three adult step-daughters, and seven grandchildren. Dick and Jeanine attend Trinity Presbyterian Church. In their spare time, they enjoy traveling, sporting events, and the arts. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Supervisor Dick Monteith for his recognition from the Modesto Chamber of Commerce with the Champion of Free Enterprise Award. His 55 years of dedicated service to the community and the state are to be commended.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act. This bill is based on the Cassidy Keystone bill which passed the House last Congress on a bipartisan vote of 252-161. As Chairman Shuster noted, this pipeline will create jobs, enhance our energy independence, and strengthen our national security. Mr. Speaker, this is a bill that makes numerous project benefits a reality. According to the Department of Energy, the pipeline will transport over 800,000 barrels per day of oil from Canada to the gulf coast, which will help reduce reliance on more hostile nations. Some have argued that the oil will just be exported, but the administration's own environmental analysis denies that that will ever occur. It will also create good-paying jobs now, while promoting the growth of our energy economy for the future. This is the most studied pipeline in our history. In the history of our Nation, we have never studied a pipeline like this. There is no need to continue to stall its approval. This project will be safe.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, America currently has 2.6 million miles of pipeline providing an extremely safe way to transport energy products. The Keystone pipeline will be the safest ever built, with 95 special mitigation measures, including nearly 60 recommended by the Department of Transportation. It is time to approve this project. We can't afford any more delays. The American public deserves these jobs, and we deserve to be energy independent.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the life of a beloved leader in the Modesto community. Former Modesto City Council member David ``Dave'' Frank Geer died at the age of 72 on Sunday, December 28. He followed in his father's footsteps and became a paratrooper in the United States Army and served for many years in the Reserves after Active Duty. For 27 years, Dave worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy and the Nuclear Security Administration. He was a Federal security police officer with a Q level security clearance. In 2009, Dave decided to get more active in politics and ran for the Modesto City Council District Two. He won handily. He was a strong advocate for his largely Latino district, which includes some of Modesto's poorest neighborhoods, which he lived in for more than a quarter century. He understood politics without being political. He did his homework on issues facing the city. And while he treated people with respect, he did not shy away from asking very tough questions. In addition to serving on the city council, he was involved in many aspects of our community. And he was very involved with many of us in addressing all problems, not just from a city perspective, but from a county, from a State, and from a Federal perspective. Dave Geer was a man who was very involved in his community and wanted to strengthen his Nation. He will be missed. We will miss his leadership. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and recognizing Dave Geer for his unwavering leadership and many accomplishments and contributions. He had a long history of service to his Nation and community, and he had a genuine love for the people, community, and Nation he worked so hard for.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Mick Founts, Ed.D., San Joaquin County Superintendent of Education, who is retiring after many years of outstanding service to our community. In 1976, Mick Founts graduated from Humboldt State University with a B.A. in English. Four years later, he obtained his Master's Degree in Education and two credentials: Administrative and Pupil Personnel Services. Mick was awarded his Doctor of Education degree from University of the Pacific in 1995. During his 38 year career in education he has been an English classroom teacher, high school and college football coach, assistant principal for a continuation school, assistant principal for a comprehensive high school, a Coordinator of Child Welfare and Attendance, a Director of Alternative Programs, an Assistant Superintendent of Alternative Education Programs and Charters, an Associate Superintendent of County Operated Schools and Programs, Deputy Superintendent of San Joaquin County Office of Education Student Programs and Services, and in 2010 was elected as San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools. As Superintendent of Schools, Founts is charged with the ultimate responsibility for all activities of San Joaquin County Office of Education. In 1991 Mick began the San Joaquin County Office of Education Community School Program. The ``one.Program'' includes Court School as well as Community School and is recognized throughout the State as an innovative alternative education program. It now serves more than 1,500 at-risk students working to overcome obstacles leading to a high school diploma. Mick was the Juvenile Court, Community, and Alternative School Administrators of California President elect (1996-97), President (1997-1998), and Past President (1998-1999). Superintendent Founts has either authorized or developed some of the most unique public charter schools in California. These include agricultural academies, technology sites, fine and performing arts high schools, collegiate sports academies, career and technical education academies, and many more . . . all within San Joaquin County. Dr. Founts currently served as a Commissioner on the California State Board of Education Advisory Commission on Charter Schools. His commitment to Career and Technical Education, Agriculture, Migrant Education, Technology, and Outdoor Education is constant, as is his commitment to Teachers College of San Joaquin; the first college operated by a County Office of education. This commitment extends to the many events that SJCOE sponsors for students throughout the County: Academic Decathlon, Science Olympiad, Math Olympiad, Mock Trial, as well as the local and State Spelling Bee, to name just a few. In 2013, he was one of twenty Superintendents to work with Governor Brown to support the reform effort aimed at bringing more money to children in our schools. In addition, he championed a variety of programs to fill the void in operations and support programs created from budget cuts in sports, technology, and art clinics, as well as helped fundraise to send more than 200 students to Outdoor Education by way of fundraising. Also during his term as San Joaquin County Office of Education Superintendent, Mick served as an environmental steward for schools by designing a cutting edge Solar Parking Lot linked to the SJCOE Clean Transportation Technologies Academy and New Energy Academy funded by a partnership between PG&E, SJCOE, and California Department of Education. Its curriculum is devoted to renewable energy and green technology topics with the goal of giving students a foundation for college and jobs in the clean tech industry. Superintendent Founts was instrumental in the formation of the County's career academy concept that will prepare kids for work and college. His vision created a state-of-the-art career and technical education facility along with regional occupational programs and centers such as Career Academy of Cosmetology. In addition, through SJ Building Futures Academy and SJ Regional Conservation Corps, he helped give young adults viable work skills as well as keeping them off the street by providing a second chance at a high school diploma. Like his taste for variety in education, Mick also enjoys an array of hobbies. In addition to his career in education, he is a ranch owner and farmer for his family's South African Boer Goat business Biggy Farms and regularly competes in National livestock shows. Mick played and coached both high school and college football and continues to enjoy sports. He can often be found at a local football or basketball game. Mick was raised in a musical family and played in bands during his younger years. He continues to play the guitar for his own enjoyment and has an appreciation for many different musical styles. He also has a love for Victorian homes and he and his family have enjoyed restoring one on their own property. Mick's impact on students covers many years and it is not unusual to hear grown men refer to him as ``coach'' to this day. Previous students often call his office or stop by to share that they would not be where they are today had it not been for his influence. When Mick retires at the end of his term, he leaves a legacy that spans many generations. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending the outstanding contributions made to education and the San Joaquin community by Superintendent Mick Founts and hereby wish him continued success in his retirement.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor San Joaquin County Supervisor Ken Vogel and to thank him for his leadership and dedication to the citizens of San Joaquin County. Ken Vogel was born in Stockton, California on March 9, 1945, and moved to the Linden/Waterloo area in 1947. Mr. Vogel's family has been in the area since 1852 when his great-great grandparents came to the Jackson Valley in Amador County, and in the early 1900s, moved to the Stockton/Lodi area. Ken graduated from Linden High School in 1963, then went on to receive a BA, MA, and Teaching and Administrative credentials from Fresno State University. He worked as a teacher, vice principal, and principal in the Lodi Unified School District from 1980 until retirement in 2004 but continued as a substitute principal until his election to the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors. Ken has had the honor of receiving the Lodi Lodge #256 of Masons Award for Outstanding Professional Service to Students of Public Schools and the John Terry Award from the Lodi School Administrators Association for Outstanding Educator. In 2001, he was named Boss of the Year by the Lodi CSEA group of classified employees. Ken raises over a hundred acres of walnuts and cherries in the Linden and Farmington areas and has farmed in the area for over 30 years, marketing walnuts and cherries through local companies. In 2004, he received an award from Diamond Walnut as the Outstanding Hartley Walnut Grower of the area for that year. He has been an active member of the San Joaquin County Cherry Growers Association and a Farm Bureau member for many years and, as a Supervisor, continues to attend Farm Bureau meetings regularly. Ken's community involvement activities include: Trustee and Past President of the Board of the Linden Unified School District from 1992- 2006, Trustee and Vice President of the Board of the Lodi Public Library from 2003-2006, Member and Past Director of the San Joaquin County Farm Bureau, Member of the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Water Committee, Member and Past Director of the Kiwanis of Greater Lodi, Member of the Escalon Kiwanis Club, Member of the Ripon Chamber of Commerce. Member of the Linden Chamber of Commerce, Member of the Linden Athletic Boosters Club, Member of the Friends of the Linden Library, Member of the Morada Area Association, Member of the Stockton Chamber of Commerce, Member of the Lodi Chamber of Commerce, Member of the Clements-Lockeford Chamber of Commerce, Member of the Historical Society of the Germans from Russia, Member of the San Joaquin County Historical Society, Member of the Lockeford Historical Society, Member of the Escalon Historical Society, Member of the Ripon Historical Society, and Member of the Lodi American Legion Post #22. He also served in the United States Army Reserve from 1968-2000 and was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain. Ken is has always been committed to the economic development of his community, including the protection and expansion of our large agricultural industry. In addition, water has been one of his most focused areas of involvement as a member of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending Ken Vogel, San Joaquin County Supervisor, for his numerous years of selfless service to the betterment of our community.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor San Joaquin County Supervisor Frank ``Larry'' Ruhstaller on his retirement from the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors and to thank him for his dedicated, life-long spirit of community service. Mr. Ruhstaller was born in San Francisco on April 3, 1948. He is a third generation Stocktonian and a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley where he earned his Bachelors of Arts in US History emphasizing in US City Planning. Larry was a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the U.S. Navy. Currently, Larry is serving his eighth year on the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors representing the 2nd District, which encompasses most of central and northern Stockton. During his tenure as Supervisor, Larry has been instrumental in creating a green purchasing policy for the county departments and has been a strong advocate for a comprehensive Delta restoration plan, serving the Chairman of the Delta Protection Commission and as a member of the Delta Stewardship Council and the 5 Delta Counties Coalition. Supervisor Ruhstaller also serves on the Board of Directors of the Health Plan of San Joaquin, the Mental Health Board and Hospital Medical Executive Committee, overseeing the San Joaquin General Hospital operations. In addition, Larry serves as the Board Representative on the Local Agency Formation Commission and as Chairman of the San Joaquin Flood Control Agency. Prior to his election to the Board, Larry served two terms on the Stockton City Council from 1997-2004. His community involvement includes time as the Chairman of the Stockton Asparagus Festival and President of the Board of Directors of the Stockton Visitors and Convention Bureau. Frank and his wife, Kitty, have been married 28 years. They have 3 children and 4 grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring San Joaquin County Supervisor Larry Ruhstaller on his retirement and thank him for his exemplary leadership and service to the community.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Bernard Mulligan and to personally thank him for his life-long spirit of public service and his unyielding commitment to the community of Morgan Hill. Bernie graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School in New Jersey in 1960. He later went on to receive a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Political Science from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Following his graduation, he moved to Morgan Hill, CA where he has been an active member of the community for the past 40 years. Among his many accomplishments, Bernie Mulligan was the Volunteer Coordinator for the community's annual Independence Day celebration. He chaired the Blue Ribbon Task Force on medical needs and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Morgan Hill Community Health Foundation and the Saint Louise Regional Hospital Foundation. Bernie is the current President of the Morgan Hill Sister Cities program and personally founded the Headford, Ireland and Seferihisar, Turkey Sister City Associations. Bernie has spent countless hours promoting the values of limited government through several years of service on the Santa Clara County Republican Committee and working on the 1980 and 1984 campaigns for President Ronald Reagan. Bernie has one son, Sean, who is a programming engineer. Bernie's hobbies include traveling, music, and drinking Irish ales and stouts. He is known by members of the Morgan Hill community as the ``Ambassador of Good Will.'' Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and thanking Bernard Mulligan for his exemplary leadership and unyielding service to the community.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of the Marvis Hood, Jr., who, after proudly serving his country, passed away on December 8, 2014, from complications related to pneumonia. Marvis ``Big Daddy'' Hood, Jr. was born in Marlin, Texas to Marvis and Jewelene Hood with one sibling, Graham Hood. In 1960, Mr. Hood joined the United States Air Force and later re-enlisted in the United States Army 52nd Sig BN, performing 22 years of military service. He voluntarily served three tours in Vietnam and eventually retired on Oct 6, 1984 as a Staff Sergeant. During his service, he earned five Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal (5 campaigns), the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/Palm, and Expert on Rifle and Pistol awards. He earned the nickname ``Big Daddy'' playing football during a duty station assignment in Naples, Italy where he earned MVP as an Offensive tackle. While in the military, he married Vera Mae Touchstone, a childhood friend. They had three sons, Roderick, Marcus, and Marvis III. Mr. Hood remarried on March 18th, 1977, to the love of his life Dora Jean Taylor. Having moved to Modesto for the remainder of his military career, he also served as a Reserve Officer with the Stanislaus County Sheriff Department. Being a resident of Modesto for 37 years, Mr. Hood was involved in many charitable endeavors that benefited many in and outside the community of Modesto. Because of his appreciation for the opportunities his military career provided, which helped shape the man he became, Mr. Hood was deeply concerned about veteran issues; especially the health and welfare of homeless veterans. He established a yearly ``Standown'' for homeless veterans, that was modeled after the concept established during the Vietnam War, to help provide health services, winter clothing, food, and a warm safe place for the night. Wanting to provide service for more than a few days a year, Mr. Hood was looking for a long term solution that led him to establish the Central Valley Homeless Veterans home. He provided a support system to aid many veterans in getting back on their feet. The Stanislaus County chapter of the American Red Cross awarded the Good Samaritan Senior Hero award to Marvis Hood, Jr. for his work helping veterans Mr. Marvis Hood Jr. is survived by his wife Dora; his three sons Roderick Hood, Marcus Hood and Marvis Hood III; his brother Graham Hood; and half-brothers Dwight Hood and Mike Wallace. He is loved and remembered by a host of family, friends, and the many he helped. Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the life of Marvis ``Big Daddy'' Hood, Jr. and all of his excellent contributions to veterans and the community. Anyone who knew Marvis saw a gregarious and sometimes larger than life personality which at times hid a teddy bear heart of gold which was always willing to lend a helping hand or timely words of wisdom.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Turlock Mayor John Lazar on his retirement from the Turlock City Council and to personally thank him for his dedicated, life-long spirit of community service. Mayor Lazar was born and raised in Turlock and is a graduate of California State University, Stanislaus. In 1976, he served as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives, beginning his long career in public service. His experience includes working as a district representative for U.S. Representative Tony Coelho and as a legislative assistant for Assembly Members Gary Condit and Jack O'Connell. In 1988, he secured his real estate license and began working at Coldwell Bank Central Valley Realtors. John Lazar was first elected to the Turlock City Council in 1992 and served on the council for 14 years until elected as Mayor of Turlock in 2006. He was appointed to the Stanislaus County Council of Governments, where he served from 1999-2000, California State Mandates Commission from 2000-2005, and the Stanislaus County Local Agency Formation Commission from 2000-2006. He is currently a member of the Emanuel Medical Center Governing Board. Over the years, Mayor Lazar has received several honors; including receiving the 2007 Turlock Chamber of Commerce's Citizen of the Year, 2002 Central Valley Association of Realtors' Realtor of the Year Award, and the 1995 California Junior Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Young Californian Award. He has sat on numerous boards, including the Rotary Club of Turlock, Stanislaus County Organization of Governments, Turlock Community Auditorium, and the California Association of Realtors. Mayor Lazar and his wife, Nellie, have three sons. His hobbies include reading history and biographies and collecting political buttons. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Turlock Mayor John Lazar on his retirement from the Turlock City Council and thanking him for his exemplary leadership and service to the community.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of the Vice Mayor of the Ripon City Council, Elden ``Red'' Nutt, who passed away November 21, 2014. Elden ``Red'' Nutt was born on May 19, 1937 and raised in Fowler, California. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1954 and worked as a boiler operator on the USS Hornet (CVA-12). Red's long history of service to the community of Ripon first started in 1965 when he was hired as a Ripon police officer. Red later became a sergeant in 1972 and was appointed police chief in 1982. He served as chief until retiring in 1991. Red was appointed to the Ripon planning commission in 2002 and first elected to the city council in 2004, serving stints as vice mayor and mayor. While on the City Council, Red served on various committees and commissions, most notably the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFco) where Red served as Board Chairman. Notable projects completed during Red's tenure include: Main Street & Stockton Ave. Enhancements, Mistlin Softball Fields, purchase of Ripon's first bus and the start of a fixed route transit service, Stanislaus River Bike Path, Boesch and Lan Parks, City Hall & Police Department expansion, annual fireworks show made possible by community donations, Veterans Museum and memorial wall, and the Police Memorial. Red's involvement in the community went far beyond his role on the City Council. Red served as the post commander for the American Legion Post 190 in 2004-2005, and again in 2010-2011. Red also served as the president of the Ripon Lions Club, was a two-time past president of the Ripon Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and auxiliary member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1051. Red also volunteered his time with the Friends of the Library and the Ripon Historical Society, serving as a docent at the Veterans Museum. Red and his wife Bonnie have been married for 55 years. They have raised three children, John, Debbie, and Diane. They have six grandchildren and one great grandchild. After retirement, Red enjoyed spending time with his wife traveling the country in their RV and collecting antiques. Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the life of Ripon City Council Vice Mayor Elden ``Red'' Nutt and all of his admirable contributions to the safety and betterment of his community.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge City of Tracy Mayor, Brent H. Ives, for his numerous years of outstanding service and commitment to the betterment of our community. Mayor Ives is a local of Tracy and grew up in the community. He attended New Jerusalem School in the Vernalis area and graduated from Tracy High School in 1971. He attended San Joaquin Delta College and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco. Mr. Ives began his service in 1988 as a Parks Commissioner in Tracy. He served on the Parks and Recreation Commission for four years prior to serving one year on the Planning Commission. In 1991, he was elected as a Tracy City Councilmember and for the last eight years, has served as Mayor. Mayor Ives served as a member of the Economic Development Advisory Group, South County Fire Authority, San Joaquin Partnership for Economic Development, San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (ACE), and as Chairman of the San Joaquin Council of Governments and the San Joaquin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). He also lead the Mayor's Community Youth Support Network (MCYSN), which provides broad- based assistance and solutions to youth and their parents encountering the challenges that young people and their parents face today. Mr. Ives operates BHI Management Consulting in Tracy, a consulting firm that specializes in assisting small government agencies and non- profits in areas of strategic planning, governance, organizational health and supervisory excellence. Prior to his time in public service, he worked as a Senior Engineering Deputy Section Leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory before retiring after a 37 year career. Brent and his wife, Lynda, have three grown children and enjoy spending time with their grandkids. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring City of Tracy Mayor, Brent H. Ives, on his retirement and thank him for his exemplary leadership and service to the community.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Mayor Willie W. Weatherford of Manteca on his retirement and to personally thank him for his dedicated, life-long spirit of community service. Mr. Weatherford started his career in public service as a Manteca city police officer in 1966. He was promoted to Police Sergeant in 1971 and seven years later to Police Captain. He was named Police Chief and City Manager for the City of Galt in 1983 but found he was missing ``the family city''. The Weatherford's made the move back to Manteca after a few years, and Willie took the helm as Police Chief until he retired in 1994. Not one for retirement, Mr. Weatherford ran a successful campaign for a seat on the Manteca City Council just two years later. He was elected Mayor in 2002 and is currently completing his third term in office. Notable projects completed during Mayor Weatherford's tenure include: conversion of an abandoned sugar beet factory into Spreckels Industrial Park, several senior housing projects, multi-purpose gyms at Golden West School and Sequoia School sites in conjunction with the Manteca Unified School District, a skate park, BMX park, Big League Dreams sports park, the Tidewater Bike Path, which converted nearly four miles of abandoned railroad tracks into a pedestrian and bicycle pathway, Stadium Plaza, Northern California's first Bass Pro Shop and the Manteca Lifestyle Center at the Promenade. Mayor Weatherford's dedication to service extends far beyond the public sphere with membership in several community organizations, including the Manteca Safety Council, Manteca Kiwanis Club United Lutherans Church Council, serving on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club, United Way, Eskaton Independent Senior Living, and as District Chairman for the Boy Scouts. He has truly made a substantial and lasting impact. Mr. Weatherford and his wife, Sherilyn, have been members of the Manteca community for more than 42 years. He is the proud father of two daughters, Dawnis and Dayna, and grandfather to 5. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Manteca Mayor Willie Weatherford, on his retirement and thanking him for his exemplary leadership and service to the community.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as was duly noted, this bill is about jobs. This will create jobs, tens of thousands of American jobs, which are long overdue, to enhance our energy independence and strengthen our national security. However, today I want to simply talk about the safety of this pipeline. As the chairman noted, TransCanada has agreed to a number of additional mitigation measures to make the Keystone XL pipeline the safest ever built. These 59 special conditions were recommended by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and go above and beyond current regulations. Several conditions will help ensure the use of high-quality steel welds, both of which will reduce the chance of a pipeline release. The pipeline will also include automatic shutoff valves and increase the depth of coverage. In many places, the pipeline will be buried a foot deeper than the regulations require. Furthermore, TransCanada will provide enhanced right-of-way inspections and greater transparency. I believe in an all-of-the-above energy solution which includes this important pipeline that will not only create jobs but will help us to be energy independent. This project will create private sector jobs while being the safest pipeline ever built. This project, again, has been bipartisan. It passed out of three committees with bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation at a very important time, when we need those American jobs.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Save Mart Supermarkets, who will be inducted as a member of the Stanislaus County Ag Hall of Fame's ``Legends in Agriculture'' during a ceremony in Modesto, California, on November 13, 2014. Save Mart Supermarkets, a California corporation, owns and operates 221 stores in Northern and Central California and Northern Nevada under the Save Mart, S-Mart Foods, Lucky, and FoodMaxx banners. A privately- owned retail food company, it is sustained by a familial corporate culture. The company has always believed in supporting local suppliers and producers, and is actively engaged with the charities and causes of the communities where its stores do business. Their long history began when the first Save Mart opened in Modesto, California on January 17, 1952. Over the next four decades, many changes took place. Long known for innovation, Save Mart was one of the first supermarkets to offer customers pre-packaged meats, yard and garden supplies, plants, fresh-cut flowers and gift items, all creative concepts for the 1950s, and relatively unheard of for the area until Save Mart introduced them. In 1984, major growth occurred for Save Mart Supermarkets with the opening of eight new stores and a new partnership established to produce Sunnyside Farms dairy products. The company expanded throughout the 1980s including the acquisition of twenty-seven Fry's supermarkets located in the East Bay area in 1989; 1997 saw the acquisition of 10 Lucky stores in the Central Valley. With their success, the company developed its own warehouse concept under the name FoodMaxx, which it owns independently. In 2003, Save Mart Supermarkets acquired 25 Food 4 Less stores and rebranded them FoodMaxx. The FoodMaxx division is now 50 stores strong. Still growing, in 2007 Save Mart Supermarkets acquired Albertsons stores in the Metro Sacramento area, San Francisco Bay Area, and Northern Nevada, and converted them to Lucky and Save Mart stores. Today, the company operates stores throughout the Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, and Northern Nevada. Save Mart Supermarkets is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen--conducting business ethically and giving back to the communities that it serves. The company has partnered with a number of organizations and established giving programs that can deliver both tangible and intangible benefits to the communities served by Save Mart Supermarkets' stores. Some of the partners include American Heart Association, City of Hope, Children's Hospitals: Madera, Oakland, San Francisco, and Sacramento and local food banks. One event that the company has made its own is the Toyota/Save Mart 350. Ranked as one of the top ten annual NASCAR races by Maxim magazine, the Toyota/Save Mart 350 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event held every year in June at Sonoma Raceway. Save Mart Supermarkets has sponsored this race since 1989, when it attracted only 20,000 spectators. The annual event now draws a crowd of approximately 110,000 and raises money for the company's charities and Save Mart CARES. Mr. Speaker, please join me in praising Save Mart Supermarkets for their significant contributions to agriculture and to the people of our local community.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the life of Ron Tingley, who passed way September 8th in a tragic traffic accident. Ron was born to Ethel and Richard Tingley January 31, 1947. His lifelong interest in our veterans started with his father who was a World War II vet stationed primarily in Guam. In addition, his grandfather served as a motorcycle courier in Germany during World War I. After retiring from 41 years of service as a counselor at Modesto Junior College, Ron wanted to give back and continued his work with our country's veterans. Mr. Tingley played an instrumental part in establishing the Veteran's Resource Center (VRC) at Modesto Junior College (MJC). The VRC opened three years ago as a permanent location for vets to meet, study, and share camaraderie. Once in place, Ron worked with veteran students to solidify the purposes and services of the VRC. Uniting partners in the community helped the VRC extend services beyond the college campus. In addition, Mr. Tingley collaborated with off-campus resources to educate and train MJC veteran students to facilitate peer support groups. He became keenly aware of the needs of spouses and dependents and it was crucial for him to develop a veterans' spousal support group and network. Beyond meeting the needs of the veterans, Ron educated a wide variety of MJC personnel about the challenges that veterans face on a daily basis as they acclimate to civilian life. Campus staff and faculty leaned on Ron to handle the most sensitive situations. The crisis responses he managed and resolved kept students in school and, for some, kept them alive. It was a passion for Ron to remain connected with and support the heroes of our country. Ron is survived by his wife of 40 years, Jeanette; his sister, Janice Clair; brother-in-law, Duane Clair; nephew, Eric Cole & his wife Chris; & by many loving friends and relatives. Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the life of Mr. Ron Tingley and all of his excellent contributions to veterans and the community.