Jeff Denham

Mr. DENHAM

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

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 10 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa).

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 2668 would designate the station of the United States Border Patrol located at 2136 South Naco Highway in Bisbee, Arizona, as the Brian A. Terry Border Patrol Station. I am pleased to coauthor H.R. 2668, and I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) for introducing this bipartisan legislation. The Brian A. Terry Memorial Act would honor Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry by designating the station of the United States Border Patrol located at 2136 South Naco Highway in Bisbee, Arizona, as the Brian A. Terry Border Patrol Station. Born in Flat Rock, Michigan, Agent Terry proudly served his country with the United States Marine Corps and continued his service as a police officer in Michigan prior to joining the United States Border Patrol. Agent Terry became a member of the 699th Session of the Border Patrol Academy, assigned to the Naco Border Patrol Station within the Tucson, Arizona, sector. On December 14, 2010, Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry was conducting a Border Patrol Tactical Unit operation in the area of Peck Well. At 11:15, near Rio Rico, Arizona, and about 15 miles north of Nogales, Arizona, Agent Terry and his team spotted a group of individuals approaching their position. Investigators later found that the suspects were preying on illegal immigrants with the intent to rob them. Shortly thereafter, an encounter ensued and gunfire was exchanged that left Agent Terry mortally wounded by a bullet fired by a suspect's AK-47. Agent Terry passed away the following day. This legislation honors the ultimate sacrifice of Agent Terry while he bravely protected our Nation's borders. I support passage of this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2668.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2668) to designate the station of the United States Border Patrol located at 2136 South Naco Highway in Bisbee, Arizona, as the ``Brian A. Terry Border Patrol Station''.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Mariposa County High School Grizzly Marching Band that was selected to perform in the 92nd Annual NYC Veterans Day Parade commemorating the 10th Anniversary Tribute to The World Trade Center, and The Band of Pride Tribute Mass Band Performance on November 10, 2011. The selection committee consisted of The Mayor's Office of Veterans' Affairs, The Honorable Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, The United War Veterans' Council and Melinda Marinoff, The NYC Veterans Day Parade's Official Marching Band and Youth Sponsor. They selected the band because of their incredible reputation for fostering personal growth and development through music, their style and talent, and their respect for the flag. The band joined fewer than 20 other high school bands from the entire United States to participate with several international bands to form a ``Band of Pride.'' They were the only high school band from California. It was a great honor for the band members to be invited to participate in such a magnificent and touching tribute to all those who have served our country and to the victims of 9/11. Even more so, it had special meaning for the band director, Dr. Phillip M. Smith, a disabled decorated veteran who has served his country for over 35 years. In addition, he is a member of their local VFW Post 6042, and is a recently retired reservist. In his lifelong spirit of service, Dr. Smith has donated his time for over the last ten years by directing our MCHS Grizzly Band. He has inspired, mentored, and been a staunch supporter of the last decade of band kids. The kids can count on him to love and accept them at all times. In addition to the great honor of marching in the N.Y.C. Veterans Day Parade, the Mariposa County High School Grizzly Marching Band had the distinction of being selected as one of only 36 high school bands from across the United States to receive a GRAMMY Signature Schools Enterprise Award. In addition to this award, they have also amassed the following: 1st Place, Band and Drum Major--Selma Band Review; highest rating for Division D band in Northern California Band Association history, October 2011; Local Heroes Award presented by Mariposa Chamber of Commerce, October 2011; 3rd Place, Fresno Fair Band Review, October 2011; 1st Place, Oakhurst Heritage Days Parade, September 2011; Mariposa's Fair Parade was dedicated to MCHS Grizzly Band; Silver Medal, Forum Festivals Concert Band Contest, Spring 2011; 3rd in Division, Band and Color Guard, Merced CCBR, November 2010; 1st place Band and Drum Major, Selma Marching Band Festival, October 2010; 4th, Southern California Forum Festivals Concert Band, Los Angeles, Spring 2010; Gold Medal, Forum Festivals Concert Band Contest, Spring 2009; and the Signature Schools Enterprise Award, June 2011. Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the Mariposa County High School Grizzly Marching Band for their hard work and in wishing them great success in their future endeavors.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Veterans of Foreign Wars Chowchilla Post 9896 Life Member Larence C. ``Larry'' Maxwell who served his country honorably from a very young age. Larence C. ``Larry'' Maxwell entered the United States Army shortly after completing high school and began a journey that would see him serve in multiple wars and conflicts for thirty-two years throughout the world culminating with promotion to Command Sergeant Major, the highest enlisted rank in the Army. The son of Andrew and Addie Maxwell of Chowchilla, Larry was born in Madera on December 21, 1946. He was raised in Chowchilla, where he attended elementary school and attended Le Grand High School. In 1965, he entered the Job Corps. In 1966, he was drafted at age nineteen and subsequently enlisted in the Army. He completed basic training at Fort Ord, California and then Advanced Individual Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he was selected for training as an Army Engineer Heavy Equipment Operator. His first duty assignment was with C Company, 94th Engineer Battalion in Nillingen, Germany, where he assisted in the construction of facilities for ammunition and equipment when France resigned from NATO. Vietnam was the next tour for the young Army combat engineer. He was assigned to the 92nd engineer Battalion in January 1968 as a heavy equipment operator and squad leader. The 92nd was known as the ``Black Diamonds'' and gained a reputation as the ``can do'' unit during combat operations, earning fourteen battle streamers in Vietnam and four Meritorious Unit Commendations and the Vietnamese Civil Action Honor Medal First Class. Maxwell participated in the Tet Offensive and four more major campaigns until his tour ended in January 1969. He was wounded by enemy mortar fire in May 1968 and was medevaced to the Army hospital at Bien Hoa and after recovery from his wounds he returned to the 92nd for duty. He concluded his twelve-month tour and returned stateside. He took a brief break from the Army for two years before re-enlisting in 1971, and was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, with the 68th engineer Company as a squad leader and heavy equipment operator, where he worked on numerous projects including those for the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the Mescalero Indian Reservation. After Fort Bliss, he received orders to report to the 598th Supply and Service Company in Kaiserslautern, Germany, where he assumed duties as Class 3 Distribution Chief. He subsequently was promoted to Assistant Platoon Sergeant of the Equipment Platoon with the 370th engineer company. While serving in Germany, his unit was designated as the best engineer company in the U.S. Army. In 1975, he reported to B Company, 43rd engineer battalion, Fort Benning, Georgia, where he served initially as a squad leader and promoted to platoon sergeant. With obvious leadership qualities, he was assigned to the 36th Engineer Group as an instructor in the Basic Leadership Course. His superiors selected him to attend the Engineer Advanced Course at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Upon completion of the Advanced Course, he was selected for Drill Sergeant School at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. After graduation from Drill Sergeant School, he served as Drill Sergeant from June 1979 to October 1982. He returned to Germany as First Sergeant with the 58th Combat Engineer Mechanized 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Downs Barracks, at Fulda, Germany. The unit was responsible for protecting the East/West German border. After completion of the tour with the 11th Armored, he found himself back at Fort Leonard Wood as First Sergeant of A Company, 6th Battalion, 10th Infantry Basic Training. In June 1988, he was selected for the Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas. After graduating from the Sergeants Major Academy in January 1989, he was assigned to Army forces at Camp Nimble in Korea as First Sergeant of B Company, 44th Engineer Battalion. The 44th had responsibilities for duties on the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). In September 1989, he was promoted to Sergeant Major and served in the capacity in Korea at Camp Mercer. After returning stateside, he assumed duties as Sergeant Major for the 535th Prime Power Detachment at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. The 535th had teams stationed in Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey, Panama, and Germany. At the beginning of the Gulf War, Maxwell was designated Command Sergeant Major. In the U.S. Army, the leadership position of Command Sergeant Major is the highest enlisted rank and acts as the senior enlisted advisor to the commanding officer and represents all the enlisted soldiers of the command. Maxwell was made Battalion Sergeant Major of the 43rd Engineer Battalion and deployed to Saudi Arabia, where he became Command Sergeant Major of Task Force 43 assigned to echelons above corps during hostilities with Iraq. After the Gulf War, he participated in disaster relief during Hurricane Andrew. He deployed to Somalia twice, first as Sergeant Major with Task Force 43, 10th Mountain Division, and the second time when his battalion was attached to United Nations' forces for the construction of Victory Base. He subsequently deployed to Panama and Costa Rica for civic action projects and construction of medical aid facilities. His last assignment was Command Sergeant Major of the 84th Engineer Battalion and Sergeant Major of the 45th Corps Support Group (Forward), with the Army's famed ``Tropic Lightning'' 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. While at Schofield, Maxwell deployed with units throughout the Philippines, and other areas. After thirty-two years of service to his country, he retired from the U.S. Army in 1998 and returned to Madera. For his service, Command Sergeant Major Maxwell was awarded numerous decorations including: two awards of the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, three awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, four awards of the Army Commendation Medal, three awards of the Army Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with five campaign stars, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, two awards of the National Defense Service Medal, United Nations Medal, ten awards of the Good Conduct Medal, two awards of Humanitarian Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Unit Award with frame, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, two awards of the Army Service Ribbon, four awards of the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the German Schutzenschnur, the Bronze and Silver de Fleury Medal, and the Drill Sergeant Badge. During his military career, Larry earned an Associate of Arts degree from Central Texas College. After retirement from the Army, Larry worked as a Corrections Officer for the Madera County Probation Department, where he performed duties as an instructor in ceremony and physical drill at the boot camp. In 2000, his drill team won the Grand Prize at the Fresno Veterans Day Parade. He was promoted to sergeant in 2002 and continued to teach and counsel adolescents to become productive members of society until his retirement from the Probation Department in January 2010. Larry is a life member of Chowchilla VFW Post 9896 and American Legion Post 148. He is a member of the Army Engineer Association, the Noncommissioned Officers Association, the Association of the United States Army, and the Armed Forces Association. He is a member of the Grace Community Church and is a volunteer with Food Bank. Larry has two brothers, Charley Maxwell (deceased) of Idaho, First Sergeant (Ret.) Donnie Maxwell, Sr. of Madera, and three sisters, Donna Lea and Bonnie Bartley of Madera, and June Maxwell of Cleveland, Oklahoma. Larry married his first wife, Linda Swilley of Chowchilla and had three children, Garry Maxwell and his wife Tonya of Falmouth, Kentucky, and a daughter Samantha and husband Tim Richards of Chowchilla, and daughter Wendy and husband Chris Yowell of Chowchilla. Larry married Ronda Davis of Mulberry Indiana, who has two children, Jonathan Shambaugh and wife Melanie of West End, New Jersey, and Courtney Shambaugh and Andrew Watkins of Highland, New Jersey. Larry has thirteen wonderful and very active grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Larence C. ``Larry'' Maxwell for his honorable service to our great country, and wishing him the best of luck and health in his future endeavors.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Veterans of Foreign Wars Chowchilla Post 9896 Life Member Johnny Chandler who served his country honorably in the United States Air Force. After graduating from Chowchilla High School in 1998, Johnny Chandler enlisted in the United States Air Force. He completed his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, and later completed Enlisted Aircrew Training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. After completing technical surveillance specialty training in Mississippi, Washington, and Oklahoma, he was assigned to the Airborne Air Control Squadron, one of the three operational E-3 Sentry (AWACS) squadrons in the continental United States. The primary mission of the 965th was Operation Southern Watch in the skies over Southern Iraq. The mission's objectives were to search for, track, and report enemy aircraft contacts to ground and airborne assets and intercept them if they ventured into the No-Fly Zone. While with the 965th, he participated in numerous Red Flag training missions, which are the Air Force's equivalent of the Navy's Top Gun School. Johnny returned to the United States about a year later and was subsequently selected to be one of the first Airborne Surveillance Technicians to participate in the resurrection of the old 960th World War II bomber squad. While at the Base Exchange in Incirlik Air Force Base in Turkey, Johnny watched the television monitors as the first airliner impacted the World Trade Center on September 11, 2011. While with the 960th, he completed two tours with the Operation Northern Watch in the Northern part of Iraq, guiding American and allied aircraft to targets and monitoring enemy air defenses and missile sites. He had over 1,000 flight hours on the E-3 Sentry including 300 combat hours. In 2003, he was promoted to Staff Sergeant and was selected for cross-training in the Air Force Combat Control. Johnny retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2005 and enrolled in Oklahoma State University's engineering program. He graduated in May 2010 with a Bachelors of Science in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. During his academic career, Johnny used his engineering expertise to design a multitude of robotic unmanned aerial and ground systems. He recently accepted a position as an Aerospace Engineer at the Naval Surface War Center where he will be working with high-powered lasers, rail guns, conventional weapons, and unmanned aircraft Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Mr. Johnny Chandler for his honorable service to our great country, and wishing him the best of luck and health in his future endeavors.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Veterans of Foreign Wars Chowchilla Post 9896 Life Member Michael D. ``Mike'' Walden who served his country honorably from a very young age. Mike was born in Los Angeles in 1946; he attended local area schools before enlisting in the United States Army in June of 1963, at the age of seventeen. He completed his basic training at Fort Ord, California, and later completed specialized training in armor warfare in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Mike was next sent to Korea for twelve months for duty with the 2nd Battalion of the 10th Calvary, 7th Division at Camp Hansen located in the demilitarized zone. The unit provided security and conducted patrols while observing North Korean communist forces across the DMZ. Soon after, Mike returned to the States for duty with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry, and 5th Division. After extensive training, the division was transitioned into duty with the First Infantry Division, known as the ``Big Red One''. The ``Big Red One'' remains one of the most storied divisions of the U.S. Army, having led the way for American troops in WWI, and during WWII, was the first Army Division to fight the Germans on North Africa, Sicily, the beaches of Normandy, and the Battle of the Bulge. During the summer of 1965, his division was the first Army division called to fight in Vietnam. Throughout 1965, his unit was involved in significant and major combat engagements. Mike completed a twelve month tour in Vietnam; he returned to the United States in 1966 and was discharged five days after his twentieth birthday. After serving three years and two tours in Korea and Vietnam, he was still not old enough to legally purchase a beer. For his service, he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Korea Defense Medal, among others. After his retirement from the U.S. Army, Mike graduated from West Valley College and St. Mary's College and worked as a project support engineer. He and his wife, Gayla Darlene, make their home in Chowchilla with their two children. Mike is a Life Member of the Chowchilla VFW Post 9896 and an active member of his church. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Mr. Michael D. Walden for his honorable service to our great country, and wishing him the best of luck and health in his future endeavors.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Richard (Rick) Robinson, Stanislaus County Chief Executive Officer, and to thank him for his leadership and dedication to the citizens of Stanislaus County. Richard (Rick) Robinson was appointed Stanislaus County Chief Executive Officer in September, 2004. Prior to his appointment in Stanislaus County, he had, since 1991, held the position of Chief Administrator with Tehama County. Rick started his local government career in 1981 in the Tehama County Auditor-Controller's Office as an Accountant. In 1986, he was elected Auditor-Controller and ran unopposed for a second four-year term in 1990. Mr. Robinson currently serves on several local Committees, including the Community Hospice Board of Directors, the Governing Board of Doctors Medical Center, Stanislaus Workforce Alliance Board of Directors, and the Valley First Credit Union Supervisory Committee. Rick was recently honored by the Stanislaus County Equal Rights Commission as a recipient of the 2011 Annual Dale Butler Equal Rights Award for exemplary service in equal employment opportunity matters and leadership in promoting equal rights. Faced with severe financial challenges during the current economic crisis, Mr. Robinson led an effort to develop a multi-year framework around which the County Budget functions--a strategy which enables the County to address both current and future year budget shortfalls in a systematic and proactive manner. During his career with Stanislaus County, Rick led many efforts aimed at strengthening the County Health Care safety net, including successful initiatives to attain the Federally Qualified Health Care Facility Designation in the County's Health Clinic system, a multi-year effort to retain the County Residency Program, and the sale and transition of the Stanislaus Behavioral Health Center to private ownership. Mr. Robinson has also led efforts to create an Animal Services Joint Powers Agency, construct a state-of-the-art Animal Shelter, create the new Modesto Regional Fire Authority, securitize future tobacco settlement revenues in excess of $40 million and establish, with board approval, a capital facilities revolving loan fund to assist in financing future County construction projects, and coordinate the County's 2011 redistricting efforts. Rick was an honors graduate of California State University, Chico, earning his degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. He is a lifetime selection to Beta Gamma Sigma, a national scholastic honor society for business graduates. As Chief Executive Officer with Stanislaus County, under the direction of the Board of Supervisors, Mr. Robinson oversees all aspects of Stanislaus County government, which includes 26 County departments, a $900 million operating budget and over 3600 employees. Rick has been married to his wife Kathy for thirty-seven years. They have four children and eight grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending Richard (Rick) Robinson, Stanislaus County Chief Executive Officer, for his numerous years of selfless service to the betterment of our community.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Zella Gharat, who after 33 years as a member of the Stanislaus County Board of Education, has announced her plans to retire effective December 13, 2011. A retired legal assistant, Gharat was first appointed to the County Board of Education on June 6, 1978. Throughout the years, she has worked with four county superintendents, including Neal Wade, John Allard, Martin Petersen and the current superintendent, Tom Changnon. She's seen many changes in education since 1978. ``Special education programs were fairly new when I started, and I've watched the Head Start program grow over the years,'' said Gharat. ``I was on the Board when we purchased our current Outdoor Education site and was there for our first county Academic Decathlon and our first Youth Entertainment Stage Company performance. I also remember the important vote to purchase SCOE's administration building at 1100 H Street,'' she said. Stanislaus County Superintendent of Schools Tom Changnon praised Gharat for her invaluable contributions to the Board. ``Zella always has the best interest of students in mind,'' said Changnon. ``She is an advocate for children and a valuable member of the Board. We will miss her.'' ``I've seen a lot of changes over the past 33 years, and I've also seen opportunities for students expand,'' said Gharat. ``From charter schools to specialized academies, there are a multitude of programs in place to ensure that every student can succeed,'' she said. ``I'm proud of all that we've accomplished over the years.'' Through its role of long-range policy development and other critical functions, the County Board works with the Stanislaus County Superintendent of Schools and staff to offer the most effective education programs and district support services. The County Board of Education has responsibility for approving the annual county office budget, adopting policies governing the operation of the Board, acting as the appeals board for student expulsions, acting as the appeals board for inter-district transfers, acting as the appeals board for Charter School petitions, establishing the County Superintendent's salary, and may serve as the landlord and owner of property. The Board also encourages the involvement of families and communities and is a vehicle for citizen access to communication about SCOE's programs and services. Regular meetings of the Stanislaus County Board of Education are open to the public and are held on the second Tuesday of each month beginning at 8:30 a.m. Meetings are generally held at the Stanislaus County Office of Education, unless otherwise announced. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Zella Gharat for her 33 years of dedicated service as a member of the Stanislaus County Board of Education.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Veterans of Foreign Wars Chowchilla Post 9896 Life Member John Wilkinson, who retired from the United States Marine Corps as a Master Sergeant in 1974. John A. Wilkinson was born in Taft, California in November 1935. During his high school years, John worked during the summer months and after school in the oil fields handling drill toll stabilizers and as a truck driver. In 1953, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. During his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, he served on seven aircraft carriers, twelve different shore installations, and duty with all branches of service, as well as Civil Service Personnel. He traveled to twenty foreign countries and saw duty with seven military forces. Throughout his duration of service, John succeeded in many roles. In 1957, he was selected for aviation schooling and completed Aircraft Fundamentals and Jet Engine Mechanics courses and was station at Los Alamitos Naval Air Station where he served as a crew chief performing scheduled and non-scheduled maintenance on all aircraft systems. In 1965, John assumed a two year post as a Drill Instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. He was deployed with his unit to Vietnam in 1970 where he served with H&MS-11, which supported Marine aircraft missions fighting the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces. Master Sergeant Wilkinson received numerous decorations and awards for his service, including the National Defense Medal, seven awards of the Good Conduct Medal, Vietnamese Service Medal with star, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. Upon his retirement from the military, John earned an Associate of Arts Degree from West Hills College and a Bachelor of Art Degree in Social Science and a teaching credential from California State University, Fresno. For thirteen years, John continued his legacy of public service as a civics, economics, and history teacher at Chowchilla Union High School. John and his late wife, Veronica, raised three children. He is now a grandfather of nine and a great-grandfather of ten. He makes his home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Mr. John A. Wilkinson for his honorable service to our great country, and wishing him the best of luck and health in his future endeavors.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sgt. Arnold Truitt Dixon, a veteran of World War II, who is celebrating his 90th birthday on January 1, 2012. Sgt. Arnold Dixon, as he was known in the military, was known to those at home simply as Truitt. Truitt is the eldest son of Mattie and Henry Dixon, born on January 1, 1922, in Ada, Oklahoma. He migrated to California in 1940, and married Lena Owens on November 11, 1941. Their only daughter Janice was born on October 13, 1942. Unfortunately, Lena passed away in January 1985, after a long illness. Soon thereafter, Jacquie entered his life and they were married on March 9, 1985. Truitt and Lena were happily married with a two-year old daughter, when the call came from the United States Army to report for active duty. On September 16, 1944, Truitt reported to duty at Fort Ord, California. Basic training was very tough. He was being trained as a Combat Infantryman and took his training very seriously, which would pay off in the later years of his army career. With basic training and schooling completed, Truitt was aboard a troop ship with thousands of other soldiers travelling to parts unknown. After days of sailing, it was finally announced their destination was the Philippine Islands. After landing in the Philippines patrols were formed to find the remaining Japanese soldiers. His leadership earned him promotions quickly, from private, to private first class and to corporal in a very short time. His ability to lead and the fact that he was an expert marksman earned him the ``Combat Infantryman's Badge'' in late 1944, just after landing in the Philippines. In late 1944, General Douglas MacArthur, as promised, returned to the Philippines. Orders went out to all Combat Divisions in the Pacific command to select ten of their best soldiers for assignment to General Headquarters in Manila. The selection criteria for those men were exceptionally high. They must have a score of 110 or better on the Army General Classification Test, must have an excellent service record as a combat solider, be of good physique and over five feet ten inches tall, and finally, they must have a soldierly appearance. PFC. Arnold Truitt Dixon was selected as one of the 10 soldiers from the 105th Infantry Regiment, 40th Division. All the chosen men reported to Manila to form Honor Guard Company ``E.'' To quote their commanding officer, ``These 200 soldiers chosen for Honor Guard had fought the Japanese on the beaches, in the jungles, and in the mountains. They represented all the fighting men of the Southwest Pacific Area. This unit was probably the sharpest most elite unit formed during World War IL'' The Japanese surrender brought numerous Japanese officers from Tokyo to Manila to formalize the papers that needed to be signed for the official surrender. Truitt was on duty as those officials arrived and remembers the American officer in charge ordering the Japanese to remove their ceremonial swords before entering the building. As he stood by as part of the Honor Guard on duty that night, one of the officers was quoted as saying, ``This is the first time that many members of Company `E' had ever looked upon a Japanese, except over gun sights and, though many a trigger finger itched, the conference was carried out in perfect order.'' It was not long after the surrender was formalized that Company ``E'' was alerted for transfer to Tokyo, Japan and was among the first United States soldiers to arrive in Japan. After staying two days in a silk factory, Company ``E'' moved on to Tokyo, where they were billeted in the Finance Building. Guarding the Supreme Commanders offices, the United Nations headquarters and General MacArthur were their primary assignments. A few weeks after arrival in Tokyo, Corporal Dixon was promoted to Sergeant and assigned as leader of a guard patrol. Truitt's discharge from the Army makes this statement, ``Served in the Asiatic Pacific Theater for 15 months. Served in the Honor Guard Company, General Headquarters Tokyo, Japan. Assisted in the guarding and patrolling of General MacArthur's headquarters. Supervised 15 men of a patrol section. Kept section records and made recommendations to his commanding officer.'' On August 15, 1945, the United States received Japan's notification of surrender. On September 2, 1945, General MacArthur signed the official documents ending World War II with Japan. With the war over, Truitt returned to the United States and reunited with his wife and young daughter. He received his Honorable Discharge on May 5, 1994. During his military career, he received the following decorations and citations: Combat Infantryman Badge, The Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon (with one Bronze Star), Army Occupation Medal, and World War II Victory Medal. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Sgt. Arnold Truitt Dixon for his honorable service to our great country and honoring him as he celebrates his 90th birthday.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Thank you for your leadership on this area. I rise in support of H.R. 527. We can't afford any more of the overregulation. Regulatory burdens from new rules just this year alone have cost American taxpayers $93.2 billion. One study found that each $1 million increase in the Federal regulatory budget costs 420 jobs. Overregulation costs us jobs around the Nation. Let me just speak from my own perspective. Twelve years ago, I started Denham Plastics, something that my wife and I borrowed an incredible amount of money to start a vision that we had supporting the agriculture industry with a plastics company. It has been a tough road to hoe as a small business owner. It certainly comes at great risk to our family, but it was a vision that we had, that we believed, that without any government intervention we can succeed in not only creating new customers but new jobs. But one regulation would have put us out of business--the government- run health care. Just the 1099 provision alone, by having to report all of our customers, by having to report all of our suppliers, would have put our small business under. From an agriculture perspective--I'm a farmer in the central valley. The EPA came down with new dust control regulations. Now, we farm. We drive tractors. We till our land, and we're going to have dust. I mean, just by the sheer motion of a tractor driving through a field or plowing through the dirt--it's something that we've done through the history of our Nation--creates dust. But are you going to put us out of business because of it? We grow almonds. You can't spray the trees full of water before you shake the trees and harvest the almonds. You're going to have dust. So I've been a coauthor of a bill that gets rid of this burdensome regulation, something that would shut down our agriculture industry, not only in the central valley of California but across the Nation. We're farmers. We are going to have dust. Some of my fellow farmers and ranchers are also aware that EPA also wanted to expand its regulation of manure as a threat of greenhouse gas. I mean, some of these things are so ludicrous that they just cost us millions of jobs, and the threat alone causes farmers to say, Do we really want to be in this business? Do our kids really want to take over the family farm? We've got to stop this overregulation because it does cost us jobs. We've got to stop eliminating jobs before we can actually go out and create more jobs. We have to have certainty in the marketplace. And whether you're a farmer or a small business owner, the regulations affect us in such a way that, as a small business owner, I couldn't go out there and hire a lobbyist to go through the 90,000 pages of new regulations this year alone. We have to stop the regulations that are killing businesses throughout the Nation. H.R. 527 is one way to do that. We need flexibility. Most of all, we need certainty. We've got to be able to plan our businesses, not for a month, not for 2 months, not for 1 year. When you're in business, when you're out there borrowing capital, when you're putting your home into a second mortgage because you want to have the American Dream and create a business and want to go out and hire new people, you have to have some certainty. I can't go to my wife and say, Let's take a second out on our home, and maybe we might make it next year. With regulations, we don't know what's going to happen. We need to be able to plan for 5 years, 10 years. We need to be able to plan on putting our kids through college. Before I go out and hire a new employee, I need to make a commitment to that employee that we're going to have ongoing employment, and I need to make a commitment to that employee's entire family, who depends on us for that new job. So the regulations that are killing our businesses across the Nation have to end. We need flexibility. We need certainty as a business. We need it in order to create jobs in this great Nation.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the life of a beloved leader in the Merced community, Bert Stephen Crane, on his 80th birthday. Bert was born in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley's fertile lands of California on November 29, 1931. He is the fifth generation of California farmers and ranchers that came from Connecticut during the Gold Rush of 1849. His ancestors can be traced to John Alden of the Mayflower landing in Plymouth. A true son of this great country. Growing up on the cattle ranch he learned that the day starts in the saddle before dawn, and it doesn't end until all the work is done and the horses are grained and rubbed down. A cattle sale has always been done with an honest handshake. Bert loves music and was the Drum Major in the Merced High School Band, and played basketball. At Menlo College, Bert enjoyed roping and polo. He later studied at Stanford University and U.C. Davis, where he achieved his Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics. During these years, he fell in love with a young gal, Nancy Magnuson, who was studying at Stanford University. They married in 1957, raised three children and have been married for over 54 years. Bert's life has been a great and wonderful adventure. His leadership skills have extended from achieving his Eagle Scout as a young man, to the highly coveted Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, which is a recognition award of outstanding service to scouting and the community awarded at the National Scouting level. He has ridden horses with Ronald Reagan, coached Little League and shipped his Registered Red Angus bulls to Europe and Hawaii. He diversified from the beef business in the early 1970s and started farming walnuts as well. Eventually, he built a walnut processing plant with his wife, Nancy and three children, Bert, Mary and Karen. His children and seven grandchildren are following the tradition of ranching and farming. Bert's step-father was James Parker, M.D., a third generation family doctor. James' love for the outdoors was a natural match for Bert, as they enjoyed fishing and duck hunting out on the family's Sunrise Ranch. Bert has always had fond memories of loading up horses, and packing into Hetch Hetchy reservoir, and Davis Lake for trail riding and trout fishing together. His passion for quality healthcare was learned through his stepfather. Bert has served and led fundraising events for Mercy Hospital for over 36 years and spearheaded the building of the Mercy Cancer Center, and a new state-of-the-art Mercy Hospital in Merced. Bert's wife, Nancy, was the founding president of the Mercy Hospital Volunteers and has served for over 40 years. In 1986, Bert was honored by the University of California, Davis Alumni with the Distinguished Achievement Award for his involvement in research in the University's agriculture and governmental programs, along with his community and industry associations. His service to his community, agriculture and research is one of great respect and integrity. Bert served on the Merced County Planning Commission for 28 years. All of this would not have been possible without the work of his loving wife, Nancy, in keeping the home fires burning and taking care of the children while supporting his passion for service to others. Reminiscing With Bert The year was 1943. The place was the Sunrise Ranch of local pioneer C.A. ``Bert'' Crane, located just off the old Gustine Highway. A young cowboy was growing up on this ranch; he was named Bert, after his grandfather. Well, all ranches have dogs and this was no exception. One of Bert's chores was to feed the dogs. To digress a moment, Grandfather Bert had a best friend, Bill Moffat, of Manteca Beef fame. One of Moffat's employees named Scotty Allen, convinced him that it would be good business to use the scraps from the beef plant to make dog food. The result: Scotty Allen dog food. To promote the sale of this product, the cans were wrapped with coupons . . . . Being loyal friends, the Cranes served up nothing but Scotty Allen. As young Bert fed the dogs he fastidiously peeled the coupons off the cans and sent for the catalog of prizes. When the catalog arrived, Bert searched the pages and finally selected his prize: a fabulous crook-neck Boy Scout flashlight. Mother Crane cautioned that Boy Scout flashlights are for Boy Scouts. This saddened Bert, for the chances of becoming a Scout out there ``in the boonies'' were remote. However, after some soul-searching he sent for the flashlight. Soon after, Bert and his family moved to town. Bert packed up his flashlight, and the family settled across the street from Applegate Park. As good luck would have it, there in the park stood the log cabin Boy Scout hut. Bert quickly joined the Scouts and legalized his flashlight. Bert was twelve; his Scout troop was #101; the leader was Scotty Langley. Langley became Bert's mentor and guided him along the journey to the coveted Eagle Scout Award. His first merit badge was for Horsemanship; his second badge was for Steer Production, and he could tie more knots than the Scout handbook. Three years running Bert won the Merced-Mariposa Trail Ride, Junior Division. Bert was a member of Rancheros Visitadores and enjoyed going on the week long trail ride with friends and politicians in the Santa Ynez Valley. One of his friends was the late Governor of California and United States President, Ronald Reagan. Bert was visiting with the then past Governor and seized the opportunity to take a rope off of a saddle and ``lasso'' Reagan in the outhouse. Reagan thought that Bert was going to flip over the outhouse. Reagan opened the door a couple of inches and worked the knot out of the rope and undid the knot. Reagan came out laughing, stating ``You know Bert, I've been in tighter places than that.'' The following is a list of his service and awards: Member of Central Presbyterian Church Bank of America Advisory Board 1957-1969 Bank of America Plan to Prosper Comm. 1967-1968 Bank of America Livestock Symposium 1969-1970 Merced Land Bank Assoc. 1980-1988 Merced County Land Bank Assoc. 1984-1988 Diamond Walnuts Top Twenty Service Walnut Grower 1983 Speaker at U. C. Davis 1973, Livestock Speaker at Fresno 1985, Livestock Speaker at U.C. Davis 1987, Livestock U.C. Davis Alumni Achievement Award 1986 Merced City-County Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Livestock Produced for the year 1976 California Farm Bureau Member California Cattlemen's Assoc. 1954-1988 Research Comm. 1968-1970 California Cattlemen's Assoc. Farm Credit Policy Comm. 1984-1988 California Cattlemen's Assoc. Land Use Comm. 1984-1988 Merced-Mariposa Cattlemen's Assoc. 1954-1988, Director 1964 American Quarter Horse Assoc. 1954-1988 American Simmental Assoc. 1969-1970 National American Cattlemen's Assoc. 1970-1988 Beef Health Conference Comm. Davis, California 1968 Livestock Research Advisory Board, Davis, California 1970 Pacific Slope Red Angus Association California Beef Cattle Improvement Assoc. 1965-1988, President 1978- 1980, Director 1966-1970 Rancheros Visitadores Member 1978-1988 Beef Improvement Federation Commendation for Excellence for Feed Stock Breeder 1974 Cattlemen's Expo Member of Formation Comm. Representing Red Angus 1968 Red Angus Association 1951-1988: Registration Comm. Chairman 1964-1968 Board of Directors 1962-1971 President of Assoc. 1969-1971 Top Hand Award 1972 Red Angus Assoc. of America Pioneer Breeder Award 1988 Little League Baseball Coach, 1970 Weaver Union School District Board 1966-1970: Clerk 1968 Vice President 1970 Merced County Planning Comm. 1964-1988, Chairman 1966--1967 Merced County District #1 Alternate Supervisor 1966-1970 Lone Tree Soil Conservation District: Director 1957-1986 President 1957-1962 Secretary 1976-87 Eagle Scout Award, 1946 Boy Scouts of America Comm. Member 1969-1970 Boy Scouts Yosemite Area Council Century Club 1978-1988 Central Presbyterian Church 1945-1988 Usher Comm. Mercy Hospital Lay Advisory Board 1969-1984 Mercy Hospital Foundation Board 1984-1987, Vice Chairman 1985 Mercy Hospital Governing Board 1987-2005 Mercy Hospital Charriada Fiesta Benefit 1985 Host & Co-Chairman Distinguished Eagle Scout Award 1988 Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Bert Stephen Crane for his unwavering leadership, and recognizing his accomplishments and contribution. Bert serves as an example of excellence to those in our community.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the life of a beloved woman in the Modesto Community, Leautha Lanora ``Lee'' Anderson. She was born July 26, 1921, to Mary Alena (Carl) and Lloyd Buster Nutt near El Reno, Oklahoma and died November 15, 2011, in Modesto, CA. She was the second born of seven sisters. Her parents were poor farmers and she grew up working the fields and herding cattle. Her father had hoped for a son, so he nicked named her ``Buck''. Lee was one of the few remaining true Frontier Women. She could shoot a rifle from the back of a galloping horse and could light a match from a hundred paces with a rifle that is still in the family today. April 24, 1941, Lee married Alfred Anderson Jr. after a whirlwind relationship of three weeks. They began married life in Vinita, Oklahoma. On a wintry November day in 1942, they left for California with their savings of $80.00. They settled in Carlsbad, California where their first-born son, Dwight was born May of 1943. They enjoyed the coastal town and beaches. While there, Lee worked for actress Rita Hayward, who allowed her to bring baby Dwight along with her to the home. In 1945, Lee and Andy moved and resettled in the lovely central valley town of Modesto with its fertile farming and dairy land. They bought an unfinished home that had no interior walls or electricity. Their house payment was $10.00 a month. Son, Thomas was born there February 1946. A new home was purchased in the then developing outskirts in 1951. Lee took great pride in caring for her new home until her dying day. Lee and Andy were blessed with two more sons with the arrival of Michael in May of 1960, and Troy, November 1961. She was preceded in death by her late husband, Andy, of 63 years in March 2003. They had four sons together; Dwight A. Anderson (Leslie) of Oakdale, CA., Thomas E. Anderson (Kathleen) of Sonoma, CA., Michael D. Anderson (Angela) of Modesto and Troy A. Anderson (Elizabeth) of Modesto. Lee is also survived by three remaining sisters; Gladys W. Antle, Joann Delhart, and Janice Pence, all of Ceres, CA. She was blessed with 12 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. Lee was an active ``Gold Star'' grandmother. She was preceded by her grandson, Cpl. Michael Anderson Jr., who was a United States Marine, a member of the Famed 3/5 Darkhorse Infantry Unit. Cpl. Anderson Jr., was tragically killed in combat action during the successful ``Battle of Fallujah'' in December 2004. Leautha was a devout Christian, accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as her savior at the age of 19 and was baptized in the Holy Ghost 6 years later. She attended and was a faithful member of Calvary Temple Worship Center in Modesto where she was also a member of the church choir. She was surrounded by love and will be dearly missed by those who knew or associated with her. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Leautha Lanora ``Lee'' Anderson for her unwavering faith in God and love of country and family. The life of Leautha Lanora ``Lee'' Anderson serves as an example of excellence to those in our community, and her legacy will not be soon forgotten.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. I rise in support of the balanced budget amendment. Just this week the national debt exceeded $15 trillion. That's the bottom line: $15 trillion, and a balanced budget amendment would hold government accountable. Now, some say that that accountability will tie the hands of Congress in yet one more way. Some say that this is going to create a greater debate between revenues and spending cuts. Well, I'd agree on both. The same way that every American family has to balance their budget every week, every month, every year, the same way that I, as a small business owner, have to pay my bills every week, every month, every year, we owe this country the opportunity to not only see a balanced budget, but a bipartisan effort here in Congress. If you want more job creation, we have to have certainty. Before a company is going to go out there and hire new employees, they need certainty, not only to see that our country is on the right path, not only to see that we're actually going to reduce our debt, but also taking a look at our credit rating to make sure that we actually are creditworthy and have a long-term plan. That type of certainty will create jobs in this country. That type of certainty is what's needed with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1791.

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

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rooney).

Mr. DENHAM. I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 1791 would designate the United States courthouse currently under construction at 101 South United States Route 1 in Fort Pierce, Florida, as the Alto Lee Adams, Sr., United States Courthouse. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rooney) for introducing this bipartisan legislation. I also want to thank the 21 cosponsors from the State of Florida for supporting this bill. Chief Justice Alto Lee Adams, Sr., honorably served his community and the State of Florida throughout his life. Chief Justice Adams was born in 1899 and was raised on a farm in Walton County, Florida. After graduating from the University of Florida College of Law in 1921, he practiced law in Fort Pierce, Florida, from 1924 to 1938. He was then appointed as circuit court judge for St. Lucie County. After Floridians adopted an amendment to add a seventh justice on the State supreme court in 1940, Governor Fred Cone appointed Chief Justice Adams to the newly created seat. Chief Justice Adams served on the court from 1940 until 1951, and he was chief justice from 1949 until 1951. He sat on the bench again from 1967 until 1968. Outside of his judicial career, Chief Justice Adams was active in his community. In 1937 he served as the president of the Florida State Elks Association. From '37 to '38, he served as the vice chair of the State welfare board. Chief Justice Adams also devoted time to local business interests in St. Lucie County, including citrus groves and Bass Motors. He began a cattle ranch in 1937, which is still run by the Adams family. The ranch now encompasses over 65,000 acres in three counties. I believe it's appropriate that we honor Chief Justice Adams's dedicated service for community and the State of Florida. I support passage of this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1791) to designate the United States courthouse under construction at 101 South United States Route 1 in Fort Pierce, Florida, as the ``Alto Lee Adams, Sr., United States Courthouse''.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Thorsen's Plumbing & Air Conditioning Inc. on their 100th Anniversary. This dedicated business continues to bring economic vitality to the region. On November 11, 1911, Andy Thorsen Sr. started his plumbing business as a one man shop in a shed attached to his first home on 567 High Street in Turlock, California. November 17, 1911, he obtained a city license in the name of ``Thorsen's Plumbing'' and began working out of his house at 567 High Street. Andy would ride his bicycle to jobs, carrying 200 pound bundles of 20 foot pipe on his shoulder. In 1916, Andy relocated to 214 Lander Avenue with the sign ``Andy Thorsen, The Plumber''. Andy was the first business person in Turlock to use a horseless carriage for his business, a Model T Ford with special tires for the rough and muddy roads. In the early days, his work mainly consisted of simple plumbing with water storage tanks and wind driven pumps. Between 1918-1927, business continued to grow as the demand for modern indoor plumbing increased. In 1933, Andy Thorsen the Plumber moved to 134 Lander Avenue to a larger facility. As post war construction boomed across the nation, Thorsen's grew with the continued increase in new homes and business construction. Eventually, Andy expanded his business to include plumbing, heating, sheet metal, storage tanks, pumps, motors, windmills, hardware and paint. During the 1950's, air conditioning became popular in the central valley providing comfort and quality to homes. Thorsen's responded by expanding their services to include central air conditioning and heating. Thorsen's saw its greatest expansion during the 1960's and 1970's. Andy Thorsen's two sons, Rodney and Andy Jr., were both involved as partners in the business until 1965 when Rodney took over as president became sole owner of ``Thorsen's Plumbing & Air Conditioning Inc.'' The name change reflected the growing importance of air conditioning. In 1977, Rodney Thorsen completed the purchase of 20 acres of land and built a 19,500 sq. ft. building on North Walnut, employing 80-100 people and expanded to include commercial, residential and service for plumbing and HVAC throughout the Merced and Stanislaus counties. Rodney managed the company for the next 20 years and in 1984, his youngest son Norman graduated from college and returned to Turlock to take over the reins of the company. In 1988, Norman was involved in a serious automobile accident which forced Rodney to take over managing the company again. Over the next 14 years, Norman was able to help Rodney manage the company on a limited basis. Through the skill and devotion of key long- term employees in the office and the field, Thorsen's Inc. was able to remain competitive. In 2002, Craig Pitau was asked to join Thorsen's as the General Manager and was given the opportunity to purchase ownership in the company. Craig worked with Norman managing Thorsen's until Norman's untimely passing in 2004. In 2005, Rodney also passed away. Today, the company is owned by Carl Thorsen, Don Thorsen, Judy Thorsen Enchelmayer and Craig Pitau. Mr. Speaker, please join me in praising Thorsen's Plumbing & Air Conditioning Inc. for their 100 years of operation.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Carl Boyett, who was honored as Citizen of the Year by American Legion Post 74 during a Veterans Day ceremony in Modesto, California on November 11, 2011. This special event is a celebration to honor local citizens and our Nation's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good, and the residents of the local area can join hands in this common purpose of gratitude and remembrance. A resident of Modesto, Carl Boyett won an appointment to the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1963, and obtained the unique experience of marching with the honors company at the late President John F. Kennedy's funeral service. Mr. Boyett joined the United States Army in 1967, where he displayed the utmost bravery during his 12 months of duty in Vietnam. He served valiantly during the Tet Offensive, and he returned to civilian life in 1970 after advancing to the rank of E-5. Earning a Master of Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University, Carl Boyett has provided masterful leadership and results- oriented vision as Chief Executive Officer of Boyett Petroleum since 1970 and as President of the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America in Washington, D.C. Renowned for his generosity of spirit and genuine capacity to share his time and talents with other, Carl Boyett has participated in numerous enterprises with evidence of lasting contributions to the community. He's board chairman for the Gallo Center for the Arts and is a trustee for the California State University Stanislaus Foundation. He's also been a past president of the Stanislaus County Credit Union Bureau Foundation, the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, the Stanislaus Presidents Club, the Credit Bureau of Stanislaus County, Modesto Sunrise Rotary and Modesto Jaycees. Mr. Speaker, please join me in praising Carl Boyett for the significant contributions he has made to the people of the local community and for his honorable and faithful service to the United States of America and the State of California.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in favor of H.R. 3321, the America's Cup Act of 2011. This legislation will allow officially competing and support vessels of the America's Cup to have a waiver from the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. Since 1851 the America's Cup has been one of the sporting world's premier events. Taking place this year in my home state of California, the America's Cup will generate an estimated $1.2 billion in economic activity and create 8,000 jobs, activity and employment that California sorely needs. Unfortunately, I was unavoidably detained during the floor vote on this bill and was unable to cast my official vote in support of the measure. If I were present at the time of the vote, I would have proudly cast an ``aye'' vote to provide race participants the waiver they need to further the excitement, pageantry and traditions of the America's Cup.