Jeff Denham

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, in Congress we have an obligation to care for our veterans in return for their financial challenges face them long after their conclusion of active service and while we have service and dedication to our Nation. For many veterans lifelong physical, psychological and made important strides towards improving care for veterans, there is still much to do. The most recent study from the Department of Veterans Affairs estimated that in 2009, approximately 76,000 veterans were homeless on any one particular day and 136,000 veterans were homeless at some point during the year. The stark reality is that veterans are more likely than their civilian counterparts to suffer from homelessness. In fact male veterans are 1.4 times as likely to be homeless than nonveterans and female veterans are two to four times as likely to be homeless. Col. Darryl C. Hunter, M.D., founder and director of the Sacramento Community Veterans Alliance has stated that ``by conservative estimates, up to 30 percent of the homeless population is comprised of those who have worn the uniform of our Nation's military.'' In addition to homelessness, research has found that troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are at an increased risk of developing mental health problems, with over 15 percent already diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or PTSD. Many of these veterans are not aware of the available Department of Veterans Affairs health programs and services that can be a critical component of reintegration into the community. It is important that we work together to reduce the incidence of homelessness among veterans and repay, in what small measure we can, their service to this great country. As part of this effort, I along with Representative Daniel E. Lungren of California are proud to cosponsor the resolution supporting the designation of the week of November 6-12 as National Underserved Veterans Awareness Week. The week will have a particular focus on disseminating information on health services available to veterans, as well as the various health benefits provided in private insurance plans. A model of such outreach to veterans is operated by the Sacramento Community Veterans Alliance. Every year, the Alliance hosts an all-day health fair and free clinic to provide health screenings and eye exams to underserved and homeless veterans at no cost, as well as advising them on their service benefits and connecting them to resources on healthcare, mental health, and homelessness.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I am here this afternoon to talk about H.R. 1734, the Civilian Property Realignment Act. Here we have an opportunity to not only cut waste, but also to create jobs and to bring in new revenue without raising taxes. Here's an opportunity for Republicans and Democrats to agree and send the President actually something he is asking for. What the Civilian Property Realignment Act would do would be to have greater oversight over leasing authority. We would also have redevelopment of underutilized property, the best use possible, and combine agencies. Where you may have 50 percent of an agency in one building, 50 percent in another, we're going to combine them into one agency. And then we're going to sell off the things we just don't need, properties that we have around the entire Nation, some of which have sat vacant, some of them are declared excess, underutilized, sell off the things we just don't need. And then, finally, we want to create transparency. We want to shrink the size of government by creating transparency, showing how many employees are going to be housed in which buildings, and before we go out and lease new space or buy new space actually let people know before we go out and hire new employees. This is the best opportunity, I believe, to shrink the size of government. I want to go through these one by one. First of all, oversight of leasing authority. We held a hearing several months ago. The Security Exchange Commission went out over a weekend and secured 1 million square feet over the next 10 years at the cost of $550 million. Over half a billion dollars of taxpayer dollars were committed on a weekend with no oversight, with no authority, and today we still have a vacant space because the employees that may have been hired have never been hired, and there's no proposal to ever hire the employees, yet taxpayers are now on the hook for $550 million. We need new oversight. We need greater oversight. The SEC, the Securities and Exchange Commission, we have now pulled back their oversight, but this is happening in many different areas of the bureaucracy. Many different agencies have this authority today and still have the ability to go out and secure these types of leases. It is time to bring it all under one department. GSA has the opportunity to manage all of our leases, all of our portfolios, and make sure that we are actually making sound business decisions. What a philosophy that is for government--actually see what we need, what agencies have how many employees, what are their leasing needs, have the transparency and the oversight before we go secure a new lease. Redevelopment--we need to redevelop some of these properties. The Old Post Office right down the street here about a block away from the White House, a property that we had built in the late 1800s, it's a beautiful property. It's one of the tallest buildings in the capital region. It has a big clock. It is a nice historic building. That's one we don't want to sell off. But rather than spend $6\1/2\ million every year in upkeep, rather than have this vacant building that could be utilized, why not redevelop it? Why not make that a showpiece? Why not allow constituents and visitors to the Washington, D.C., area to actually go up into this national monument, go up into the clock tower and be able to take in one of the greatest views that our country has to offer? And let's do it and make a profit. We have offers coming in now from Trump, Waldorf Astoria, and Marriott Properties that all want to redevelop this property, create hundreds of jobs in the short term just in the redevelopment process, but also create hundreds of jobs in the long term by making sure that we have an employment base for years to come in this capital region. But this isn't just about Washington, D.C. We have properties like this across the Nation. If it's a historic property, then let's redevelop it. Let's make sure that the infrastructure is there, done by a private investor that is going to go out and redevelop this property and then have the long-term job effect afterwards. It can be done, it can be replicated, this one jobs investment. The companies that are talking about moving into the Old Post Office is $140 million total private investment, $100 million in materials, 300 immediate jobs. If you go around the D.C. area, you can see that we could use the 300 jobs just in this one project. Then another 275 permanent jobs for year in, year out in this one beautiful new hotel that would be redeveloped. That's $11.2 million in annual revenues to the D.C. area. This is a way to get Republicans and Democrats to agree on something that not only creates jobs, not only gets rid of waste in $6.5 million that we spend every year just in operating costs anyway, but get a property moving again in the right way. We also need to combine agencies, collocate. There are too many properties out there where we have 25 percent utilization, 50 percent utilization. Why wouldn't we have close to 100 percent utilization on every property? You would in business. There's no business that wants to keep vacant office space, vacant warehouse space; but in government, because we don't have agencies talking to each other, we have vacant office space and vacant warehouse space across the entire Nation. Here's an opportunity to do more with less. We have an opportunity to, in courthouse sharing, we have waste, 946,000 extra square feet, which was constructed because of lack of sharing. The number of courtrooms needed is 27 of the 33 courtrooms, which would have been reduced by a total of 126 if all we did was just share. But this is one example. Again, this goes across the entire bureaucracy across the United States. Combining agencies, collocating, getting to 100 percent utilization rate is something we ought to all strive for. But I think one of the biggest areas, not only for redevelopment and jobs, but to bring in revenue--there is a lot of talk out there about taxes. If you really want to bring in revenue that Republicans and Democrats can agree on, let's sell off some of those things that we just don't need, properties that we have sat on for decades, properties that we may have bought at one time or developed at one time because we actually had a purpose for using them. But there's no accountability, no efficiency to be able to say at a certain point that this property is just not needed; it's not being utilized; it hasn't been developed. It's going to cost us millions of dollars every year in operating costs. It's going to cost us billions of dollars to do tenant improvements. We don't look at all of our properties across the Nation. We don't even look at our asset portfolio by agency. Let's start taking a look at the 1.4 million properties, buildings that we have across the Nation that your Federal Government owns that utilizes taxpayer dollars and make a business decision: Do we need it now? Is it being used efficiently? And can we sell off some of the things that we just don't need? We've already identified 14,000 excess properties--``excess'' meaning we don't need them today. Let's start by selling those off. But then let's look at some big ticket items. Rather than giving the Presidio back to California or to San Francisco, rather than doing a sweetheart deal for one city or one State, selling off big billion dollar properties to New York, let's do a competitive process that affects all of our taxpayers, that actually brings revenue back to our Treasury and reduces our debt. And along the way, as we're selling off these properties, the private individual that buys it or the company that's redeveloping it is going to reinvest not only in the property, but in the community. You can generate millions of jobs just by creating the redevelopment across the entire Nation. So there's a great opportunity with our property sale as well. And then we also need oversight. I mean, there has been a huge lack in oversight across the Nation. One of the glaring examples that I've seen is in my home State of California, a courthouse that was proposed over a decade ago. Now, in 2000 we had 60 judges, with a proposal to add about 20 more judges. They were going to build a new courthouse. About $400 million it was going to be to build this new courthouse. We also spent millions of dollars acquiring this new piece of property that is in a beautiful area of downtown, redeveloped all around it; but it is a hole in the ground. For the last decade, we have not done it because we haven't hired new judges; in fact, we have fewer judges now. And across the Nation there is this new policy to actually commingle, share courtroom space. So we've got two courtrooms in the L.A. area that neither one is a hundred percent occupied. We have space there just for individuals; but if we did sharing, we could actually get rid of one of those two courthouses. But instead, we're going to obligate a half a billion dollars to build a brand-new court site when we're not utilizing the other two court sites that we have today. We need greater oversight so that we can look at all of these properties, the stimulus package that we had at one time and the money that's still being spent out there and actually use them for shovel- ready projects that will create jobs today. This little courthouse is going to spend a half a billion dollars on courtrooms that we don't need. We need greater oversight. If we want to really move this country forward, if we want to get Republicans and Democrats to agree, if we want to get both parties in both Houses to work on something together, if you want to send something to the President that the President is actually asking for that creates jobs, not just numbers out there or long term, that creates jobs today, something that's going to bring in revenue--we know we need revenue, we know we've got a huge debt that we've got to pay off--immediate revenue within the first year, over $15 billion within the next decade. And I think that that is a very conservative estimate, that we have a chance to sell quite a bit more than that itself. And then, lastly, cutting waste. With one bill we can cut waste, we can create jobs, and we can create revenue with both parties agreeing to something that will move our country forward. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Sierra Pacific Industries on re-opening the Sonora Sawmill. This dedicated business is assisting in bringing back economic vitality to the region. Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) is a third-generation family-owned forest products company based in Anderson, California. With its formation in 1949, the firm now owns and manages nearly 1.9 million acres of timberland in California and Washington, and is the second largest lumber producer in the United States. Sierra Pacific employs over 3,500 people in these two states, with about 3,000 of them in California. The U.S. Forest Service estimates that these direct jobs in California also provide more than 7,000 indirect jobs in related and affected businesses. At Sierra Pacific Industries, the company's dedicated team members produce quality wood products using the most sophisticated equipment and machinery. This basic understanding represents Sierra Pacific's philosophy toward its valued crew members. During the course of Sierra Pacific's growth and development, efforts have been made to assure an atmosphere of fair treatment and appreciation for all employees. Some of SPI's continuing programs include: appropriate compensation and benefit levels for crew members and their dependents; development of supervisors sensitive to the needs and concerns of today's crew members; and career advancement opportunities for all employees through a desire to promote from within the company whenever possible. Through a full commitment to this philosophy, SPI continues to be an organization where its crew members are proud to work and others strive to become part of the team. Sierra Pacific continues to make substantial investments in forestry and mill modernization in the State of California. Although many companies have left the state due to its difficult economic and regulatory climate, SPI remains committed to rebuilding a competitive climate for business in California and investing in the rural communities where it operates. Sierra Pacific Industries is committed to managing its lands in a responsible and sustainable manner to protect the environment while providing quality wood products and renewable power for consumers. To SPI, sustainable forest management means more than planting trees. The company employs modern forest management practices that closely mimic natural forest events. It has invested in state-of-the-art equipment to optimize every fiber of every tree. SPI is a voluntary partner in the independent Sustainable Forestry Initiative ' (SFI') forest certification program to help ensure our forests are here for generations to come. The expertise of its registered professional foresters and natural resource specialists guarantees that wildlife habitats, water quality, and other forest values are protected. The Sierra Pacific Foundation was established and funded in 1979 by A.A. ``Red'' Emmerson's father, R.H. ``Curly'' Emmerson. During the past 20 years, the Foundation has provided over $3 million in Higher Education scholarships to dependent children of SPI employees. The Foundation also contributes to youth activities and other organizations in the communities in which Sierra Pacific Industries has facilities, with contributions to more than 100 worthy organizations each year. The Foundation awarded $403,250 to 177 students to assist them as they attend colleges, universities and trade schools during the 2011-2012 school year. Mrs. Ida Emmerson, wife of company president A.A. ``Red'' Emmerson for nearly 41 years, served as president of the Sierra Pacific Foundation until her death in 1996. Red and Ida's daughter, Carolyn Dietz, proudly succeeded her as Foundation president. The original Sonora sawmill was first constructed in 1901. It had several owners before Sierra Pacific Industries purchased it and nearby timberlands in 1995. Sierra Pacific operated the plant continuously until it was forced to close the facility in 2009 amid weakness in the lumber market, reduced timber harvests on nearby national forest lands, and increasing state regulatory burdens. In June of 2011 SPI announced that it would rebuild the mill using new technologies that would allow it to cut a wider array of log sizes to maximize the efficiency of the operation. The mill restarted in September, 2011 and employs about 130 workers on two shifts. Sierra Pacific Industries generates $11.7 million in annual payroll in Tuolumne County to its direct employees, and pays $400,000 in property taxes. In addition, SPI pays out over $200,000 annually to local vendors for their supplies and services. Mr. Speaker, please join me in praising Sierra Pacific Industries for their diligent work in the timber industry and applauding them in the re-opening of the Sonora Sawmill.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Neil Saigal, a remarkable young man who will be remembered as someone who lived life's moments to their fullest. His presence impacted, and changed for the better, all those who were fortunate enough to be in his company. It's hard to imagine that such a bright flame has been extinguished, and even harder to imagine that we won't one day see Neil again with his camera in hand, a story to tell, and a witty remark on his lips. While we all miss Neil, we take comfort in knowing that God had better plans for him, and that he's found peace. Before Neil passed away he was living in India, surrounded by family and everything he loved in life. He was learning meditation, practicing yoga, and playing any number of sports every day. Even though we often measure life in years, with Neil it is more fitting to measure it in terms of accomplishments. Everything Neil did, he did in splendid fashion. After graduating from Clovis West High School in 2003, he went on to attend the University of California, Irvine, and received a degree in Psychology in 2008. While at U.C. Irvine he was a member of the Crew team, a researcher in the Brain Imaging Center, and a great friend to all his classmates. His success at U.C. Irvine included receiving a patent for MEFWAY, and being awarded a 1st place prize at the Young Investigators Award by the Society of Nuclear Medicine, in Toronto. He continued his academic pursuits as a Fulbright Scholar, attending the Karolinska Institute where he continued his research in brain imaging. Soon after, he attended the University of Cambridge, in England, on a full scholarship. Neil's most notable accomplishment however was not academic, but moral--living compassionately, selflessly, and always thinking of those around him. Mr. Speaker, please join me in remembering Neil for his thirst for life, love of nature, insatiable curiosity, humble spirit, and warm heart.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the people of Taiwan on the occasion of the upcoming October 10, 2011, Centennial National Day of the Republic of China. The Republic of China shares my country's belief that government must be by the people, for the people, and of the people. After the heroic struggle for liberation during World War II, in which our two nations fought side by side, the Republic of China was instrumental in the foundation of the United Nations and has continued to play an important role in global affairs. The Republic of China is an example of democratic and economic liberalization for emerging economies in Asia. This impressive economic growth has turned Taiwan into one of the United States' largest and most trusted trading partners and the single largest per capita importer of U.S. agricultural products. Our relationship has proved very important to my district which is home to some of the most productive farmland in the world. The Republic of China has pursued a foreign policy that promotes peaceful cooperation between nations, and I support its efforts to provide leadership in the international community. Today, I send my good wishes for the future prosperity of a free and democratic Taiwan.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the bravery and selfless action demonstrated by California Conservation Corps trail camp supervisor Mark Allee. On the morning of June 29, 2011, Mark Allee, a California Conservation Corps trail camp supervisor, patrolled from the O'Shaughnessy Dam to the Wapama Falls Bridge along the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in order to assess the trail conditions after an unseasonal storm dumped over two inches of rain in 14 hours. Wapama Falls is arguably the most powerful waterfall in Yosemite National Park and flows almost year-round. During peak flows, it has been known to inundate the trail bridge crossing it. On the day Mr. Allee arrived at the Wapama Falls Bridge, he saw nature's unbridled power in full display. Falling over 1,000 feet, the waterfall created a venturi effect which generated super intense winds that swirled and buffeted Mr. Allee, requiring that he take shelter behind nearby trees. Typically, spring flows over the waterfall are approximately 700 cubic feet per second; however, Mr. Allee witnessed a much more furious flow that day which was approximately twice the normal amount. At first, Mr. Allee heard only the indistinguishable and powerful noise of intense winds, waterfall spray and heavy rain. Continuously, yet chaotically, huge bursts of water would plunge from the falls and flood the entire bridge deck. Because of this, the access trail and steps leading to the bridge were submerged in a foot of water at times as it poured onto the boulders below. The volume was described as the equivalent of five 4-foot diameter culverts disgorging their full contents simultaneously. Mr. Allee, who also works as a river guide and is a certified Swiftwater Rescue Technician, knew immediately that accessing the bridge was hazardous and that crossing it was extremely dangerous. While radioing these conditions into park dispatch, Mr. Allee saw four (in actuality, there were five) backpackers access the bridge from the other side (east to west). Mr. Allee thought that they would recognize the severe hazard and stop; however, they did not and began an attempted crossing. Mr. Alice frantically signaled to the party to not cross. He gave multiple arm signals and shouts, but because of the intense noise, verbal communication was impossible. Despite Mr. Allee's warnings, the hikers continued to attempt a bridge crossing which set in motion the emergency. Shocked and horrified, Mr. Allee witnessed as the first two backpackers were immediately knocked to their knees by the force of the current. He recognized the extreme threat, and in an attempt to rescue them as they would be swept downstream from the bridge, Mr. Allee jumped to position himself on a boulder just below the bridge in order to help anyone that might possibly be swept by. As Mr. Allee moved onto a large boulder immediately downstream of the bridge, the first hiker (Mr. Fox) was quickly pushed by the torrent underneath the lower rail and off of the bridge. It happened so rapidly that Mr. Allee didn't even realize that Mr. Fox had fatally disappeared into the flow. While accessing the bridge's upper handrail from the large downstream boulder, Mr. Allee saw the second backpacker (Mr. Meyer) get pushed underneath the lower rail and into the current. This time, however, Mr. Meyer was able to grab the lower handrail while his wife leaned over and held his head out of the swiftwater. Mr. Allee leapt into action from the west side of the bridge and instinctively wrapped his legs and left arm around the top rail and extended his right arm to help Mr. Meyer. Mr. Allee looked directly into the eyes of Mr. Meyer who was clutching to the rail for his life. Exposed to full fury of the torrent, Mr. Allee screamed to Meyer's wife to ``Get back!'' While doing so, Mr. Allee reached down and tore Mr. Meyer's rain poncho off in order to decrease the drag on his body. Only reluctantly was Mr. Meyer's wife pulled to safety by one of the other party members. Reaching further into the violent flow and full force of the swiftwater, Mr. Allee was then able to disconnect the waistbuckle on Meyer's backpack, which was immediately swept away by the current. Having freed Mr. Meyer from that additional drag, Mr. Allee screamed to Mr. Meyer to ``Grab the truss!'' Most unfortunately however, an exhausted Mr. Meyer was peeled from the lower rail and disappeared into the maelstrom below the bridge. In shock, Mr. Allee retreated from the immense threat and returned to his pack to report the situation to the park dispatch. Subsequently, the three survivors retreated to a secure location on the east end of the bridge and awaited rescue. With instinctive skill, tenacious strength and great courage, Mr. Allee heroically attempted to save the lives of others he did not know. The risk and threat in doing so was immense, yet Mr. Allee's actions exhibited tremendous bravery and valor. The survivors described Mr. Allee's actions as heroic. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending Mark Allee on his quick thinking and risk of personal safety on June 29, 2011, in Yosemite National Park.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the life of a beloved leader in the Modesto community, Mathew A. Bruno. Matt was born in Akron, Ohio, on December 25, 1943, and passed away surrounded by his family on September 19, 2011, in Modesto, California. In 1946, at the age of 3, he and his family moved to Ripon, California. Growing up in Ripon he farmed peaches, almonds, and grapes with his father Tony and his two brothers Joe and Ed. Matt graduated from Ripon High School in 1961. In 1966, he left the family farming operation, and bought La Loma Liquors in Modesto. Matt married Barbara Claypool in 1967, and together they owned and operated La Loma Liquors until they sold the business in 1972. Matt then purchased Turlock Appliance Center, and one year later purchased Miller Dairy Supply. In 1974, he merged the two companies to form Turlock Dairy & Refrigeration, Inc., a 65-employee company on South Walnut Road that played a key role in the expansion of dairy farming in the area. With Turlock Dairy & Refrigeration, Matt focused the business on dairy construction, dairy equipment, and dairy refrigeration. Matt loved all things agriculture and owned several other agriculture- related businesses through the years. ``He always put his customers and employees first,'' said son Tony Bruno. ``He always told my brother and me that the only thing we could offer as a company is to have good service.'' Throughout their 44 years of marriage, Matt and Barbara enjoyed traveling together and entertaining their many friends at their home. Matt loved tending his garden at home and sharing the bounty with anyone and everyone. He was very generous in every aspect of life; always ready to give to someone in need, whether they be in need of money, food, time, or a drink. ``You can't walk on one leg!'' is what Matt would say if you tried to leave after having only one glass of wine. He was the most gracious host and loved being surrounded by people. In fact, Matt's greatest joy was spending time with his family and friends, especially his three grandchildren. Mr. Bruno and his wife, Barbara, often held a fund-raising dinner for the Education Foundation of Stanislaus County. He also was involved with the Center for Human Services, the Memorial Hospital Foundation and other causes. Matt is preceeded in death by his parents Tony and Martha Bruno and his brother Joe Bruno. He is survived by his wife Barbara Bruno, his son Tony (Gretta) Bruno, his son Mathew (Natalie) Bruno, and his three grandchildren Francesca, Matteo, and Rocco. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Matt Bruno for his unwavering leadership, and recognizing his accomplishments and contributions. The life of Matt Bruno serves as an example of excellence to those in our community, and his legacy will not be soon forgotten.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, I rise on this amendment and in support of the underlying TRAIN Act. The TRAIN Act is a bipartisan plan to analyze cumulative economic impacts of EPA's regulations to better understand how these policies affect American manufacturing, energy prices, and private industry's ability to create jobs. The question that Americans want to know is: Why are our jobs leaving? Why aren't we making things? This bill will help us to define that. Here today in support of the TRAIN Act are Jennifer Fraser and Jeff Rose from Vantage Data Centers, a NextGen data center and a small business from my State of California that has become an industry leader in performance efficiency and environmental stewardship. Since its inception in 2010, Vantage has sought to minimize electricity consumption at their data centers, as electricity is far and away their greatest cost. The price of electricity has caused many companies in their industry to flee to other countries with a more welcoming business climate and cheaper electricity prices. Despite this existing competitive disadvantage for the United States, the EPA proposes new Utility MACT standards that will raise electricity prices and will have an adverse effect on even an environmentally friendly data center like Vantage and force more jobs overseas. The EPA has proposed regulation after regulation that would stifle job creation, hurt American economic competitiveness abroad, and increase energy prices on families already strained by the tough economy. The House Republican jobs agenda focuses on removing these barriers to job creation and includes necessary reforms like the TRAIN Act. The support of job creators like the National Association of Manufacturers, the Association of Builders and Contractors, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Small Business Entrepreneurship Council further proves the need for the TRAIN Act to ensure that the administration does not continue to hamper the economic recovery and job creation of private industry. Announcement by the Acting Chair

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Madam Speaker, this past weekend, California's central valley lost a great leader, a leader in the dairy construction field, a man that has been a supporter to many community causes, such as the Education Foundation of Stanislaus County, Center for Human Services, and the Memorial Hospital Foundation. Matt Bruno owned and operated Turlock Dairy & Refrigeration, which employed 65 employees. He played a key role in the expansion of dairy farming in the area. His family grew peaches, almonds, and grapes, and he still continued that tradition on the farm where he was raised. He graduated from Ripon High School, was very active in real estate investing and commercial properties, and in 1972 he bought Turlock Refrigeration Center. A year later, he bought Turlock-based Miller Dairy Supply, and the two companies were merged in 1974. Matt Bruno is survived by his wife, Barbara; sons, Tony and Matt; three grandchildren; brother, Ed Bruno of Ripon; and sister, Vickie Maselis of Modesto. On this day, the House of Representatives will celebrate his life.

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 S. 846.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Hartzler).

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Senate bill 846 would designate the newly constructed federal courthouse at 80 Lafayette Street in Jefferson City, Missouri, as the ``Christopher S. Bond United States Courthouse.'' I would like to take this opportunity to thank Senator Blunt of Missouri for introducing this legislation. I want to thank his colleague, Senator McCaskill, also of Missouri, for cosponsoring this bill. Senator Bond has honorably served the State of Missouri and this Nation for many decades. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and went on to pursue his undergraduate degree at Princeton University and his law degree at the University of Virginia. After law school, he clerked for the Honorable Elbert Tuttle, who was then the Chief Judge of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia. After a brief time of private practice in Washington, DC, he moved back to Missouri, where he was elected as Missouri State auditor in 1970. Two years later, Senator Bond was elected Governor of Missouri, making him the youngest Governor in State history. He served two terms, from 1973 to 1977 and from 1981 to 1985. In 1986, Senator Bond ran successfully for the United States Senate, where he represented citizens of Missouri for 24 years until his recent retirement after the 111th Congress. During his time in the Senate, he served on several committees and was chair of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship from 1995 to 2001. I believe it is appropriate that we honor Senator Bond's dedicated service for his State and country. 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 yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 846) to designate the United States courthouse located at 80 Lafayette Street in Jefferson City, Missouri, as the Christopher S. Bond United States Courthouse.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, Mr. Nunes, to commemorate the 224th anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing of the Constitution by thirty-nine delegates to the Constitutional Convention, led by George Washington, represents the formal beginning of our Republic. In conjunction with the Bill of Rights, the Constitution is one of the greatest documents in history, a model for more than 100 governments around the world; what President Lincoln describes in his Gettysburg Address as a ``government of the people, by the people, for the people.'' Mr. Speaker, please join Mr. Nunes and me in celebrating the 224th anniversary of this historic day, and in recognizing the contribution of the U.S. Constitution to American freedom.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor fallen Riverbank Naval Petty Officer Third Class James Ray Layton. HM3 James Ray Layton was born in Livermore, California on January 29, 1987 and died September 8, 2009 in Kunar Province, Afghanistan serving during Operation Enduring Freedom. Artist, healer and music lover James Ray Layton brought joy and love into the lives of his family, friends and Comrades in Arms. At the time of his death Layton was assigned to Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan, which is responsible for training and equipping Afghan security forces. Lt. Cmdr. John Daniels, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon, said Layton deployed to Afghanistan with an element of the Okinawa-based 3rd Marine Division. Layton enlisted Dec. 20, 2007. Layton's death was described by McClatchy Newspapers correspondent Jonathan Landay, who was embedded with a group of Marines and pinned down by heavy fire in a rugged section of Kunar Province on Tuesday. ``The Marines were cut down as they sought cover in a trench at the base of the village's first layer cake-style stone house. Much of their ammunition was gone. One Marine (later determined to be Layton) was bending over a second, tending his wounds, when both were killed, said Marine Cpl. Dakota Meyer, 21, of Greensburg, Ky., who retrieved their bodies.'' Layton is the 28th soldier or Marine from the Northern San Joaquin Valley and foothills killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the first from Riverbank. He is survived by his father Brent Layton, mother Nikki Freitas, step-father Gilbert Freitas, brothers Jonathon, Jesse, Brandon and Sage, and sister Jordan, grandmothers Kathy Anderson and Shirley Hughes, grandfather Winn Layton, stepsister Andrea Freitas, stepbrother Jason Freitas, and loving aunts, uncles and cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his Papa, Ray Hughes.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. I thank the gentleman from Nevada for yielding. Mr. Speaker, in the midst of our Nation's pressing economic troubles and our political disputes, let us all pause for a minute to take a moment and reflect on what happened to our great Nation 10 years ago on September 11. Americans experienced the most horrific attack in the Western World. On the 10th anniversary of September 11, let us remember the great heroism that came out of this horrible tragedy, the brave first responders, the men and women that serve in the police departments, the men and women that serve in our fire departments, those brave men and women that quickly responded at that horrific time. Let's also think of the original passengers of Flight 93, those passengers that showed bravery at a very difficult time, the extraordinary action that they took. Let's think of those same service men and women that put their lives on the line every day, put their lives on the line after those attacks, and have continued to put their lives on the line for the last 10 years protecting our country in the wars that ensued after, and the millions of Americans that came together at this tough time, put their differences aside, put their political differences aside, put all of their differences aside and came together as a country. We can all remember what we felt that day, where we were. I was traveling away from my family. My daughter was 3 years old at the time. I can remember the disbelief as I saw what was happening on TV before my eyes, the sorrow that I felt for the pain that you could see in the faces of those individuals that were wondering whether their family was safe when they went to work that day, the fear that I had as a father and as a husband away from my family, not knowing what was happening in my home State or to my kids. Then the anger set in. After I found out my family was safe, the anger that I felt that terrorists would attack our great Nation, and then the pride that I felt as America came together, united, the strength of a great nation, understanding that freedom doesn't just come free. To those that attack us, we will fight back, fight back for our freedom and strength as a nation. I would ask all that remember these stories, the service men and women that are bravely serving our country, to stand proud, to renew their commitment to what happened that day and let us make sure that America never suffers in that way again.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, Mr. Cardoza, to acknowledge and honor the 50th Anniversary of Modesto Chamber of Commerce's Harvest Luncheon. The first luncheon dates back to 1956 when a Modesto Junior College Scholarship was generated from a lunch honoring the richness of Stanislaus County's agriculture. In 1961, the Modesto Chamber of Commerce officially became the sponsor of the Harvest Luncheon; In 1961, Stanislaus County's agricultural production was $142,031,000; The luncheon was originally established to showcase local growers and producers and to demonstrate the impact of agriculture in Stanislaus County; In 1980, Bill Lyons, Sr. offered to donate the beef and ``charge'' for the luncheon to increase the scholarship dollars for Modesto Jr. College students with agricultural related majors; In 1996, the Harvest Luncheon Scholarship was renamed to honor two giants in Stanislaus County agriculture, Henry Voss, former Secretary and Claire Berryhilll, past Director, of the California Department of Food and Agriculture; In 2002, Del Monte Foods became a private partnership leader and has since generously donated $10,000 annually to the Modesto Chamber of Commerce Voss/Berryhill Modesto Junior College Ag Scholarship Program, significantly increasing the amount of scholarship dollars awarded; With the exception of 1961 and 1963 through 1965, 456 students have been awarded in excess of $300,000 in scholarships in the past 50 years; In 2011, Stanislaus County's agricultural production was $2,572,434,000; The luncheon is made possible through the generous donations of agribusiness and agricultural producers and processors from throughout Stanislaus County. The Harvest Lunch/Ag Aware Committee consists of 33 dedicated individuals plus innumerable volunteers who plan for six months and serve in excess of 800 attendees in fifteen minutes. The tradition of giving thanks for Stanislaus County's bountiful harvest of over 350 agricultural commodities continues to this day. Mr. Speaker, please join Mr. Cardoza and me in honoring Modesto Chamber of Commerce on 50 years of sponsoring the Harvest Luncheon so scholarships for agriculture related majors can continue to be awarded. The luncheon is a valuable asset to the community and should be celebrated.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 694 I was inadvertently detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye''. Stated against:

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Bill Mattos on being awarded the ``Golden Rooster Award'' from the California Poultry Federation, and to thank him for his dedication to the agriculture community. This award is a tribute to Bill's professional accomplishments in the poultry industry, as well as his dedicated service and leadership. Bill Mattos was born and raised on a farm in Stanislaus County. He is an honors graduate of Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo where he was named outstanding graduate in journalism (Betty Belle Kemp) and holds a Master's Degree in Agricultural Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A former Stanislaus County Supervisor, he worked for the USDA under Secretary Earl Butz and served as a White House intern in the Nixon administration. Bill is the president of the California Poultry Federation where he manages the affairs of the meat poultry industry with emphasis in governmental relations, public affairs, public relations, animal welfare and marketing. He also works with agricultural and business groups to promote business and industry in California. He travels extensively throughout the West Coast and to Washington, DC to promote California issues. He hosts a cable television program, ``Westside Stories,'' which features monthly interviews with elected officials, executives with charitable organizations and leaders throughout various Stanislaus County and Merced County communities. He was the founder and former president of Mattos Newspapers, Inc., where he operated a newspaper and printing company for 30 years. He is past chairman of the Doctors Medical Center Board of Governors; President of the Stanislaus County Fair Board; past president of the Stanislaus State University Foundation Board, member of the dean's advisory board of the School of Agriculture at the University of California in Davis; former president of the Newman Rotary and the Newman Chamber of Commerce; and former California chairman of the National Newspaper Association. As a member of the Stanislaus County Fair board for 17 years (appointed by the governor every four years), he has worked extensively on livestock and fair issues over the years. He lives in Newman and is the father of two daughters, Toni and Natalie. Mr. Speaker, please join me in commending ill Mattos for his hard work in the California poultry industry, and congratulating him upon receiving the California Poultry Federation ``Golden Rooster Award.''

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. Con. Res. 67.

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

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 67) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the life of a beloved doctor in the Merced Community, Gregory Wayne Meyer, M.D. Gregory Wayne Meyer, M.D. was born in 1957 in Merced, California and died at the age of 53 after a tragic hiking accident on June 29, 2011 in Yosemite National Park. A family lost more than a husband, father, son and brother when Dr. Meyer died while trying to rescue a friend and colleague in Hetch Hetchy, Yosemite National Park. Dr. Meyer, 53, and physician assistant Richard Fox, 53, were swept to their deaths while trying to cross a bridge at Wapama Falls, which was swollen by near-record ice melt and an unseasonably late thunderstorm. Meyer was trying to save Fox, who was overtaken by rushing water according to Paula Meyer who survived the accident. The Meyer family lost a budding rancher, a gourmet cook, the driver of a battered '69 green pickup, a tree grower, a pie baker, a wine connoisseur, an ice cream maker and a man whose trademark under pressure was striving to be the calmest man in the ER. Greg touched all those around him with a special sense of ``grace and elegance,'' which is how he defined a ``great'' practitioner of emergency medicine, which is what he did at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier. That's where the Merced High graduate met his wife, Paula, in 1997, when he was a doctor and she was a physician assistant. It wasn't love at first sight--``we bonded over cooking,'' she recalls--but after they were married in 2006, they became inseparable and expanded their joy with twin daughters, Kate and Emily, in 2008. His parents think back to a boy who borrowed $140 from his dad at age 8 to buy a Hereford bull. He saved nickels from his allowance to pay back the loan, with 1 percent interest, until his dad finally told him he could pay him in full when he sold Cheyenne, the bull. ``He had 30 head of cattle when he went to college,'' his mom remembers. And Paula, Texas-born but Southern California-bred, had no clue that the guy who took her to lunch at the Bel Air Hotel in L.A. for their first date was more comfortable riding in the ``Green Beast'' pickup, wearing an old straw Stetson hat and muddy work boots. ``Bet you never thought when you met me you'd get cow bleep on your shoes,'' he told her after one of their trips back to Merced. It was also on a visit to Merced that he took her to the Branding Iron and they dined under his own brand. He blended a high-profile career in emergency medicine with a down- home love of the ranch. Paula used to surprise and entertain friends at the ER with photos of the two of them in Merced, hauling compost and working the land. In recent years, they'd begun to spend two weeks in Whittier and two weeks in Merced, at the 17-acre ranch where he planted oak, peach, almond, cherry and plum trees. ``He was living his dream,'' his mom says. Adds Paula: ``We had a charmed and beautiful life. I've never met anybody who had a happier childhood and lived everyday to the fullest.'' Greg was an Elks member, donated to the Merced Theater restoration project, contributed to the Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital Foundation in Whittier as well as to Mercy Medical Center Merced although his own medical partnership was in Southern California. He learned to cook and loved it. Their babies' first solid food was fresh steamed broccoli and rutabagas he'd grown. With good food came good wine, and although he wasn't a snob, he liked to pick wines he liked. Years ago, he proposed to Paula at Hetch Hetchy after telling her to come look at some ``variegated stones'' in the water--and the ruby one was a bottle of Peter Michael wine. Two days before he died, he reproposed to her, using the same ploy and the same wine, while asking if she knew everything she knew now back when he first asked her to marry him, would she have done it? ``Oh yes,'' she told him. ``I had no doubts in how much I was loved.'' Greg was all-Merced through and through, a career lifesaver and a hero to many. One of his partners says that although there were 13 doctors in the Whittier partnership, Greg was an ``influential de facto leader. He had this ability to get in there and work with all the partners.'' One of them, Dennis Conneen, was on a 10-day religious retreat in England, broke off his trip after two days and flew back to California when he heard Greg had died. He was a cherished friend of Greg's and delivered a beautiful eulogy at Greg's memorial service in Whittier. Greg is survived by his wife, Paula, his twin daughters Kate and Emily, his parents, Chuck and Annetta Meyer of Merced and sister; Kellee Meyer and her husband Doug Brown, also from Merced, his grandmother, Mary Wood, his aunt, Myrna Akins, of McHenry, IL and three cousins, Andrea Akins Berrett of Arrington, TN, Angela Smith of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, and Aric Akins of Poplar Grove, IL and their respective spouses and children. Greg was predeceased by his grandfather, Iris (Spud) Wood, who was extremely inspirational to Greg in both his love of the outdoors and farm life. Greg attended Merced High School, University of California at Irvine for both his undergraduate and medical degrees. He completed his internship and residency in Emergency Medicine at Harbor UCLA in Los Angeles, and a fellowship in Hyperbaric Medicine at Long Beach Memorial, Long Beach, CA. Greg's family is profoundly grateful to Mark Alee, the California Conservation Corps professional who bravely risked his life trying to save Ric and Greg. Paula acknowledges she may not be alive today if it weren't for Mark's selfless act of heroism, quick physical strength and his strength of character. Steve Yu, the lead investigator, Rebecca Lund, the family liason, both with the National Park Service have treated our family with unusual kindness and respect throughout this tragedy. We also are grateful for the many men and women who searched tirelessly for Greg after the accident under extreme conditions. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Gregory Wayne Meyer, M.D. for his unwavering leadership, and recognizing his accomplishments and contributions to the Merced Community. The life of Dr. Meyer serves as an example of excellence to those in our community, and his legacy will not be soon forgotten.