Sam Farr

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to pay tribute to the life and memory of a dear friend, Jeff Norman, who died last fall at the young age of 56. Jeff was a longtime resident of Big Sur in my central California Congressional District. He was many things in his short life: botanist, historian, author, activist, to name just a few. But to the many people whose lives Jeff touched, he will always be remembered as a friend, an inspiration, a pillar of support in times of need, and the possessor of a most acute acid wit that could add humor and common sense to the most tense and fractious meeting. Jeff was born in Oakland, CA, and moved to Pebble Beach in 1962 with his parents, Don and Kathy Norman. He found his life's work as a naturalist at a very young age. While only 14, he discovered a fern unknown in Monterey County at Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp. At 15, he was the youngest person hired as a lab technician at Hopkins' Marine Station. He graduated from Pacific Grove High School in 1969 and then attended UCSC. Jeff's childhood experiences in the Big Sur area drew him back to the coast following college. He built a life for himself in this creative and fiercely independent community of the Big Sur coast. He lived in Palo Colorado and Bixby Canyons, and on the Post Ranch. In 1980, Jeff purchased his dream home, Alta Vista, a unique, handsplit redwood cabin that was built in the 1920s by the Overstroms, a homesteading couple. Jeff lived for 28 years in his beloved remote sanctuary three miles above the highway with no road access. It was a life that few still choose to live in modern America, but Jeff sought it out with both gusto and grace. Yet Jeff was very much connected to the world around him, especially the people, history, and environment of Big Sur. Indeed, his life's work was the preservation of both the natural and social fabrics of Big Sur. Jeff's enthusiasm for gathering information, seeking answers, and solving puzzles was insatiable. He found equal joy in discovering a new species of clover or swapping wild tales with an old timer. As a consulting biologist he was fiercely protective of the unique ecology of the Big Sur region. Over the years he worked as a biologist for many different organizations, including the U.S. Forest Service, CA State Parks, UC Santa Cruz, the Big Sur Natural History Association, the Esalen Institute, and the Monterey County Planning and Building Department, among others. An active member of the California Native Plant Society, he was a consultant for the Big Sur Land Trust and the Monterey Pine Forest Watch. As a social historian, Jeff was a friend and chronicler of the larger-than-life characters of Big Sur, including homesteader families such as the Posts, Harlans, Ewoldsens, Pfeiffers, and Trotters, artists and bohemians, intellectuals, conservationists, ranchers, and other folk. He was in his element when he was lecturing on local history and natural history at libraries, museums, Pacific Valley School and Big Sur Elderhostel or presenting talks on Robinson Jeffers for the Tor House Foundation. He was a charter member of the Big Sur Historical Society and past president and member of the Friends of the Big Sur Library. In 2004, Jeff co-authored Images of America: Big Sur with the Big Sur Historical Society, a book that traced the history of the coast from the days of the homesteaders with numerous never-before-seen photographs of the coast. He also co-authored Big Sur Observed with Kip Stewart in 1994, and was a major contributor to Donald Clark's Monterey County Place Names (1991). At the time of his death he was energetically at work on a new book about the bohemians of Big Sur. Madam Speaker, I know that I speak for the whole House in extending my condolences to Jeff's family and friends. He will be greatly missed. He had mastered the art of a life well lived. So while we mourn his passing we are grateful for the spark of wonder and stewardship that he ignited in all of us.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to commemorate the creation of the Peace Corps. Forty-seven years ago this month, March 1961, President Kennedy called upon Americans to serve abroad. Since that time, nearly 200,000 Americans have responded to that call, including five sitting Members of Congress. They left behind the comforts of family and friends and decided to forego high-paying jobs to share their abilities with people across the globe. Peace Corps volunteers work in the poorest communities of the world's poorest countries, where they build lasting relationships, inspire young people to become leaders, and simply make good friends. Peace Corps volunteers improve America's standing worldwide, one community at a time. Today I have introduced a bill to reauthorize the Peace Corps and to double its size by the year 2012. I look forward to bipartisan support for the Peace Corps and ask all Members to join the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Members of Congress who cosponsored the Peace Corps reauthorization.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for their leadership and vision on this issue. I would also like to thank the Foreign Affairs Committee staff for their meticulous work. We have a better bill on the floor for it. This legislation is important because future stabilization operations are going to rely on a different set of skills, different than we currently have. We talk about stabilization and peace building, but how exactly do you do that? That is what this bill is about. It is a bill that allows the Secretary of State, working with the Secretary of Defense, to essentially bring the core of people that have the talent, have the linguistic talent, the knowledge talent, the experience of careers, to come together to form an emergency response team, much like we have in the domestic program with FEMA. Even Secretary of Defense Gates has noted that future conflicts will be fundamentally political in nature and will require an application of all elements of national power, not just the Defense Department. On another occasion, Secretary Gates called for more resources to be given to our civilian agencies, so that they will have the civilian professionals capable of carrying out reconstruction and stabilization operations. Why would the Secretary of Defense ask for more money to go to the State Department and to USAID? It is because he sees the future threats and our capacity to deal with them and understands that a safer and more secure and more peaceful world depends upon adequately funding our civilian agencies. He knows that the best way to avoid war is to stabilize countries by creating stakeholders for peace in those countries. USAID, our foremost development agency, has the expertise, but lacks the manpower and regular training to conduct stabilization operations. With this bill, USAID will receive additional personnel to implement stabilization operations. The State Department will also be enhanced as it takes on the role of coordinator of these complex operations. Again, I appreciate all the hard work that went into this bill to get it to the floor. I appreciate the strong backing from Secretary Gates and from Secretary Rice. I would also like to thank Congressman Saxton, my colleague, for his stalwart support and his work on H.R. 1084. It is my earnest hope that improved American civilian capabilities will yield fewer and shorter conflicts and will build a more peaceful and prosperous world. In order to do that, I need your vote, and I ask for that for the betterment of America and the world.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend my colleague, Mr. Walsh, for his efforts in bringing attention to a marvelous memorial and historical site at the other end of the Capitol venue. I speak of the Congressional Cemetery and the resolution we consider today, H. Res. 698, to commemorate the cemetery's 200th anniversary. Many people think of cemeteries as dreary places. But I see them differently. Cemeteries are the great repositories of more than just the long dead. They are centers of civilization. They teach us about our heroes. They teach us about our faith. They give us clues about our culture and architecture and art. They are our history all wrapped up in one place. Places like this deserve to be preserved and appreciated. The Congressional Cemetery was first established to accommodate the repose of our predecessors who met their end while in Washington. Back in those days refrigeration was not available and the deceased had to be dealt with quickly. Many members, so far from home, needed a resting place of some dignity. The Congressional Cemetery became that place. The cemetery passed out of congressional control and unfortunately later fell into neglect and disarray. More recently a local effort by neighbors and community renewed interest in the history of the cemetery and that, I believe, is evidence of a reinvigorated dedication to what ultimately unites us all: our humanity, our mortality. And what a wonderful thing that it can be manifested in such a magnificent surrounding! This cemetery has many famous residents, not the least of whom is John Phillip Sousa. I can think of no other artist who knew that to feel most alive, you need music. I am tickled to know that every year on Sousa's birthday there is a musical celebration at his gravesite honoring him and the very American music he gave to our country. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be a cosponsor of H. Res. 698 and commend it to my colleagues with gusto. I hope each of you will take a walk down to the cemetery, visit our forbears and revel in the history of this site with quiet reflection. Take your time, too: there's 200 years of history to catch up on.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of our most famous writers and native sons, John Steinbeck. On what would have been his 106th birthday, my community celebrates Steinbeck's world-renowned body of work and respected place in American literary history. Born in Salinas in 1902 and raised in and around Monterey Bay, John Steinbeck established himself as one of America's most widely read writers through works including The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, and East of Eden. As an author and journalist, Steinbeck became known for exploring the plight of Americans during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, garnering international recognition and admiration for his socially astute and engaging writing over several decades. Graduating from Salinas High School before attending Stanford University, John Steinbeck began writing from an early age. From his first major success with Tortilla Flat in 1935, Steinbeck's writing over the coming years was deeply entwined with the Monterey Bay region. Set against the backdrops of Soledad, Monterey, and the Salinas Valley, the experiences and struggles of Steinbeck's characters reflected the social and economic challenges of the times. Much of his earliest writing offered a vibrant and realistic insight into the lives of agricultural and migrant workers during some of the most formative periods of the 20th century. During World War Two, Steinbeck worked in Europe as a foreign correspondent for the Herald Tribune of New York. Steinbeck's profound talent for socially perceptive and captivating writing was continually acknowledged throughout his lifetime. He was honored with numerous awards and prizes, including the Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath and the 1962 Nobel Prize for Literature. In 1963 he was also named an Honorary Consultant in American Literature to the Library of Congress. Madam Speaker, in view of this impressive record of recognition for John Steinbeck as an American literary great, today I too would like to honor him for his lasting contribution to literature and culture in this country.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a tireless public servant who has dedicated much of his career to improving the quality of life for our soldiers and their families. William A. Armbruster shortly will be retiring from the Army as he steps down from his role as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Privatization and Partnerships. I first came to know Bill through the Army's collaboration with myself and local officials over re-use issues at the former Fort Ord, which was closed in a BRAC action in 1991. More importantly, Bill was pivotal in shepherding plans to privatize Army housing at the Presidio of Monterey--now known as the Ord Military Community--in one of the most successful Residential Community Initiatives ever undertaken in the United States. In Monterey there is a strong military presence including the Army and Navy and related agencies. Both services were in dire need of upgrading their housing to accommodate growing numbers of personnel. Rather than expend millions of dollars in rehabbing inadequate barracks and family quarters for soldiers and their families who are attached to the Defense Language Institute, Bill helped craft a first-in-the-nation joint RCI project between the Army and the Navy using private capital to leverage new and improved housing stock. Now not only do both the DLI and the Naval Postgraduate School have premier housing for their personnel, they have it at minimal cost to the Federal government. This is the sort of creative thinker Bill Armbruster is. He uses the power of his office to make positive changes in his department and for the men and women who serve our military. Even more recently Bill has been front-and-center on negotiating a complicated land swap at the former Fort Ord that, again, will result in much needed housing for Army personnel and for the first time will make available this housing to essential personnel attached to the DLI and other Federal agencies. This deal, colloquially known as the Stilwell Kidney exchange, involves the Army, the City of Seaside, the California State Parks system and the American Youth Hostel. It has taken 4 years to accomplish. But Bill stuck with it because he knew it was the right thing to do to advance the mission of the Army and the nation. Madam Speaker, I will miss Bill Armbruster for his creativity, his dedication and especially his humaneness. He was always looking out for our service men and women's quality of life. It has been a joy to work with a man of such integrity, and I wish him well in the years ahead.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a father, husband, and soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the Nation. U.S. Army PFC George Howell was from the small rural central California community of Prunedale. He was a humble man who devoted his life to his family. George enlisted into the Army in June 2007, and was deployed to Iraq in September 2007, where he fought valiantly as an infantry soldier in the 10th Mountain Division. He fought not only to give freedom to the people of Iraq, but to offer a better life to his family. He was a soldier who rose to defend his country and a young father who rose to provide for his young children. He dedicated his life so that others can live in a future filled with hope. On December 21, 2007, George was fatally wounded when his unit was attacked while on patrol in northern Iraq. He was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on January 25. 2008. George was awarded a Purple Heart and the Army Service Ribbon for his courageous service. These awards depict the greatness of this fine soldier and symbolize the sincere gratitude of this country. Moreover, George's life has inspired the lives of others and has united a community. This soldier, father, and husband shall he remembered for his caring, altruistic life. Held closest to George's heart is the love and support of his wife. and partner, Kristen, and his two young children, Niya, Raiden, and his yet to be born child. His dream and lifework was his family, and he fought to offer them a life filled with limitless opportunity. In the future, his family will experience the dream their father has waiting for them. Madam Speaker, I know that I speak for the whole House in extending our deepest sympathies to PFC George Howell's family. While we praise his service and sacrifice for his country, we must never forget the deep personal tragedy of a wife losing her husband and of children losing their father. They are all great American heroes who deserve this Nation's recognition, gratitude, and support.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1834 introduced by my colleague Jim Saxton. This bill would authorize the national ocean exploration program and the national undersea research program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Our world is defined by its ocean. Planet Earth could be better named Planet Ocean. We are truly an ocean nation. In fact, more than half of the United States lies underwater and all people in the United States and in the world are affected by the ocean. The ocean helps control our climate, influences our weather, and affects our health. The ocean gives us rain, oxygen, food, medicines, and minerals and energy sources. The ocean supports our nation's economy: it is a highway for transportation of goods and people. Even our national security is affected by the ocean. Our ocean is important as a heritage to many cultures throughout the world and to our cultures throughout the United States. This one world ocean we all share is also a constant source of wonder and discovery. In spite of its importance, little of the ocean has been explored. The ocean is our last and largest frontier. More is known about the moon than is known about the deepest parts of the ocean. This bill will add to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's ability to conduct research and exploration of the ocean. The bill will foster collaboration between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of the Navy. The ocean exploration program and the undersea exploration program will drive technological advances and will increase our knowledge about the ocean to help us understand how to best manage, use, and preserve this resource. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and show that the age of discovery is not over.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Uni-Capitol Washington Internship Program. This program is a wonderful educational experience for both the intern who works in a congressional office, and for the office who receives an intern from the program. The program annually delivers some of Australia's best and brightest university students who have a passion for and commitment to civic engagement and public service to congressional offices for 2-month internships. The Uni-Capitol Washington Internship Program began in 2000 and since its inception, I have been a proud participant. This year I welcomed a wonderful student-ambassador to my office, Stephanie Lyons, who has shared with us her experiences as a newcomer to Washington from the perspective of an Australian. Stephanie, who visits us from the University of Canberra, is a great example of the high quality students who are involved in this program. With a bachelor's degree in communication, specializing in public relations and political communication, Stephanie will this year commence her honors degree, drawing upon her experiences here in Washington as a research stimulus. Throughout her time in this office, she has had the chance to pursue her interests in the media and a range of issues, from foreign affairs, human rights, and diplomacy to science and the environment. Over the past month, she has been an invaluable asset to this office. She has attended committee briefings, drafted constituent correspondence, and assisted my staff with research. Her Australian accent has garnered the attention of many of my constituents on tours and over the phone. She is often asked to share her experiences in Washington, DC. Stephanie is one of several outstanding Australian interns. This year, a record 13 students from across Australia were matched with congressional offices. They were drawn from seven Australian universities in four different states and the Australian Capital Territory. The Uni-Capitol program gives its students practical experience and allows them to gain knowledge and understanding of the internal workings of the United States Government. Including this current group, 81 Australian students will have interned in Washington since the program's inception 9 years ago. For creating the Uni-Washington program, credit must be given to its founder, Eric Federing. Eric is a former senior House and Senate congressional staffer who has worked to foster the exchange of ideas and knowledge between the U.S. and Australia through his efforts with the Uni-Capitol Washington Internship Program. Madam Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to seek international connections by participating in this rewarding program. It is truly heartening to see how much this program has grown over the years, and I look forward to its continued success. I ask my colleagues to join with me in recognizing the contributions of the Uni-Capitol Internship Program and, again, thank Stephanie Lyons for her participation and hard work.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American and community servant, Pearl Carey, for her lifetime of achievements and service above self. Pearl is a long time resident of the Monterey Peninsula. All of us who have had the good fortune over the years to befriend her, know that Pearl has been one of the busiest people on the Monterey Peninsula--a true divine spark who has helped to light the way for all. Pearl grew up in Oklahoma, her girlhood ambition was to become a Christian missionary in Africa. She never realized that dream, but instead devoted much of her adult life to helping improve the lives of those around her, particularly children. She worked with the local YMCA, Salvation Army, Community Theater of Carmel, the National Council of Negro Women and the United Fund. Working with children has been one of her primary passions. ``I just love kids,'' is her simple explanation. She was the employment interviewer in the Neighborhood Youth Corps and Job Corps, worked with Head Start, owned and operated a child care center, was the CETA coordinator in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, and is a life member of the PTA. The list of Pearl's general community activities is also long. She was a member of the National Council of Negro Women, an advisory member of the Welfare Rights Organization, volunteered at Eskaton Hospital, a board member of Turning Point Prison Mother Program, and chaired the Seaside Community Heart Fund. Her political involvement included stints as the minority coordinator for California Governor Jerry Brown's 1968 campaign, screening co-chairperson for George McGovern's California primary campaign, co-chair of the Northern California Black Caucus and the State Affirmative Action Committee, and delegate to the 1972 Democratic convention. On top of all of her public service activities, Pearl has also been a local, regional, and even national leader in the golf community. Golf has always held an attraction for Pearl, but as a youth, few if any opportunities to play were available for an African American woman. When her military husband was stationed on the Monterey Peninsula, Pearl decided to take lessons and realize her ambition. She quickly expanded her golf game beyond the occasional game. Over the years, she has served as president of the Pacific Women's Golf Association, president and treasurer of the Western States Golf Association, president of the Seaside Women's Golf Club, and founder and director of the Seaside Junior Golf Program. She received the Joe Dey Award from the USGA, California Golf Writers Award, and Northern California Golf Association Golden State Award, honoring her for her activities. Today, Carey is involved with the First Tee of Monterey County, along with her duties at the Seaside Junior Golf Program, board of directors for the AT&T Junior Golf Association, and as the treasurer of the Western States Golf Association. Madam Speaker, the list goes on and on, and we cannot hope to list all of her many activities throughout her life. Most people would he happy with a fraction of her accomplishments. On February 9, 2008, Pearl will receive another honor in Monterey, the NAACP President's Award. No better choice could have been made than Pearl Morris Carey. I know my fellow members join me in congratulating her upon this well- deserved tribute.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a man of action and principle, Mr. Joseph St. Clair. Joe and his wife, Maria, came to the United States from Hungary in 1939. When this country entered World War II he was required to take his family back to Hungary. As a civilian English and history teacher in German-occupied territory, he was assigned to monitor American prisoners of war. He refused to cooperate with the Germans and had to go into hiding. The 6- week long winter siege of Budapest by the U.S. was a particularly difficult time for his friends and family, living in a bomb shelter and coming out at night to butcher frozen horses to feed themselves. Living through these experiences shaped his character and priorities: devotion to family, service above self, and leadership. After the war he was again in danger, this time from the Communist Party. As friends and colleagues disappeared, he realized that he needed to get his family out of Hungary. With the help of Americans, Joe was able to get them all to Switzerland, and eventually back to the United States. He changed his family name to St. Clair and moved to Monterey, where in 1948, he became the founding chairman of the Hungarian Department in the newly formed Army Language School, now known as the Defense Language Institute. In 1970 his department was given the Abraham Lincoln Award of the American Hungarian Studies Foundation because ``. . . never before nor anywhere else in the world has the Hungarian language and culture been taught so effectively to so many students of non-Hungarian background as it has been by the Hungarian Department of DLIWC.'' Joe and Maria met during their college days at the University of Budapest where he was the leader of the Catholic men's service organization, and she was the head of the Catholic women's organization. They had four sons, Joseph Jr., Akos, George, and Robert, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Joe spent many years as a Boy Scout leader and won special awards and citations from that organization. Joe's life was one of service to his community. In addition to being his sons' scoutmaster, he was active in Kiwanis and the Knights of Columbus. At one time he held the record for donating more blood than anyone else on the Monterey Peninsula. After retirement he moved to Scotts Valley in Santa Cruz County. He volunteered with the Red Cross and became chairman of the board of directors of the California Gray Bears, a pioneering self-help organization of senior citizens. With the Gray Bears he harvested vegetables, distributed the food to home-bound seniors, and operated the largest recycling center in Santa Cruz County. For one of his awards, it was estimated that he had clocked over 10,000 hours of community service. When Joe retired after 30 years at the Language School, he was given the Department of the Army's second highest civilian award for meritorious service. The wording on the citation in part sums up the man who was Joe St. Clair: ``Mr. St. Clair understood the responsibility of the manager as being primarily one of leadership in the highest sense of the word. In whatever position or assignment he received, Joe St. Clair was invariably an enlightened guide, a relentless, demanding, but inspiring leader both to his students and his faculty.'' Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues will join me in honoring the life of this admirable man, and we are grateful that he chose to become a citizen of our country.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 and the manager's amendment offered by House Education and Labor Committee Chairman, Representative George Miller. It is globally accepted that the higher education system in the United States is the envy of the academic world. Paths to college often have different origins but always have the same destination, to enlighten our minds and expand our horizons. A path that often goes unnoticed but traveled by a hidden portion of our population is the path of those with dyslexia. Dyslexia is often the butt of many jokes, but for those affected by it, it is anything but funny. Reading and writing are two fundamental skills that are essential to how we learn from the time we enter school to the end of our lives. For people who suffer from dyslexia, like myself, our ability to learn by traditional teaching methods is more challenging, and dyslexic children often fall behind at an early age. Imagine trying to follow along with your classmates and simply not understanding why you cannot read at the same level as everyone else. Being young, you don't know that you have this condition. Your teacher, who has not been trained to identify dyslexia, assumes that you may be slow or lazy. The longer the problem goes unidentified, the greater the challenge to overcome and adapt. As a young child with dyslexia, I quickly lost interest in school and became a class disruption. If it had not been for a science teacher who encouraged my interest in the sciences, who knows where I would be today? In science I had the opportunity to learn with my hands and not solely through a bunch of jumbled words in a textbook. This newfound appreciation for learning spilled over into other subjects and inspired me to succeed every day. Most students with dyslexia go unidentified and are more likely to struggle in early grades, which may mean they stay back a grade, lose interest in their studies, can become increasingly disruptive in class and may be sent to alternative schools for troubled youths or special education classes. All this because our teachers are not trained to recognize dyslexia in the classroom. As part of the manager's amendment to H.R. 4137, a study by the Center for Education at the National Academy of Sciences will examine teacher education programs at institutes of higher education to determine if teachers are adequately prepared to meet the needs of students with reading and language processing challenges, including dyslexia. For too long, the Department of Education has resisted efforts to increase awareness and training for students with dyslexia. We owe it not only to our children but also to our teachers and parents to fully recognize dyslexia as an impediment to accessing their full potential. A simple recognition of this condition can change a child's life forever and help set them on a path to be a productive member of society. I was lucky, but a good education policy should not be based upon a collective crossing of fingers. Mr. Chairman, I again urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 4137 and the manager's amendment offered by the House Education and Labor Committee Chairman, and my good friend, Congressman George Miller.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to advise my colleagues of the 5th anniversary of the Center for Homeland Defense and Security, located at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. NPS has always been at the forefront of military graduate education for all the military Services and no more so than 5 years ago, when the School was selected by the Department of Homeland Security to fill a critical gap in graduate level education for our current and future leaders of homeland defense and security. Since 2002, the Center has graduated nearly 200 students from the ranks of our Nation's first responders--public health, law enforcement, fire, emergency management and other disciplines that make up homeland security, and from almost every State in the country. The highly competitive application process and the rigorous academic excellence of the master's degree program ensures that Center graduates are having a significant impact on protecting the Nation. Moreover, the success of the Center in Monterey compelled the Department of Homeland Security in June 2007 to establish the DHS Homeland Security Academy in the National Capital Region. NPS was again called upon by DHS to replicate the Center's success by providing faculty and curriculum for DHS employees at the second site in West Virginia. At that time, FEMA Administrator Paulison said the following, ``The NPS master's program has a proven track record of building a national network of leaders who work across agency and jurisdictional lines to solve problems and protect the American people. We are very pleased to be able to leverage this successful program and offer more opportunity for DHS employees to learn in a setting that mirrors homeland security across the Nation.'' Success has many fathers and I would like to pay special tribute to two former NPS leaders who were instrumental in bringing the Center to NPS--Provost Dick Elster and Associate Provost Paul Stockton. Their recognition that NPS offers a highly qualified, multi-disciplinary academic faculty, together with Dr. Stockton's willingness to do the hard work necessary to develop a Homeland Security master's degree curriculum--literally from scratch--coupled with the school's inherent relationships with the COCOMS--in this instance NORTHCOM--reinforced former Secretary Ridge's decision to select the Naval Postgraduate School for one of our Nation's most important homeland security education missions. There are many other partners, stakeholders, and sponsors who have influenced the success of the Center and who deserve recognition, including current Center Director Glen Woodbury and David O'Keeffe, who leads the DHS Homeland Security Academy in Shepardstown, WV, along with the current president of NPS, Admiral Oliver and Provost Dr. Ferrari. All of these folks will continue to lead the Center into the future with the same success that has been achieved in these last 5 years.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise to commend a distinguished career of public service. On February 1, LTG Robert Ord will be retiring as the Dean of the School of International Graduate Studies at the Naval Postgraduate School. After 34 illustrious years in the U.S. Army, culminating as the commanding general of the U.S. Army Pacific, Bob Ord joined the faculty at the Naval Postgraduate School, bringing his wealth of military experience and relationships from the halls of the Pentagon to one of the most significant graduate military education programs in the Nation. The School of International Graduate Studies addresses current and emerging global security challenges by providing U.S. military and international students with a graduate education in foreign policy, international relations and security cooperation. Having been a former Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1964-66, I have a deep appreciation for the programs in the SIGS department that focus on the need for security building. Two programs of special interest to me are the Leader Development and Education for Sustained Peace and the Center for Stabilization and Reconstruction Studies. Both of these programs address a gap I identified while serving in the Peace Corps--the need to have greater cross-cultural awareness in our security building programs; and, the importance of bringing stabilization and reconstruction stakeholders together in the classroom before they work together in an operational environment. Along with the Center for Homeland Security and Defense, the only Department of Homeland Security-sponsored master's degree program, SIGS is at the cutting edge of 21st century security and homeland defense challenges. The most recent jewel in this crown of programs at the School of International Graduate Studies is the Global Center for Security Cooperation. Continuing as director of the center, Bob Ord brings dynamic leadership and breadth of experience to ensure the successful coordination of DOD international education programs. Madam Speaker, I am proud to call Bob Ord a friend and I wish him well in the next chapter of his storied life.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, Members of the House, I rise today to recognize the great efforts by House Chief Administrative Officer Dan Beard to make the Capitol a more environmentally sustainable workplace. Mr. Beard has spearheaded the ``Greening of the Capitol'' initiative, a mission to make the millions of square feet of Capitol infrastructure a model of sustainability. From recyclable paper and energy-efficient light bulbs to cafeteria composting and sustainable seafood, Mr. Beard has re-imagined the Capitol complex as a new, greener place to work. I would like to convey my gratitude for his hard work and dedication and vow to continue as a partner toward this very worthwhile goal. I would like to submit for the Record an article appearing in the Washington Post on January 16, 2008. The article, written by Jane Black, reviews many of the excellent improvements Mr. Beard has brought about in our cafeterias. On Capitol Hill, a Vote for Edibility and the Environment Congress is back in session this week, soon to tackle such solemn matters as the destruction of CIA videotapes and the credit crunch. But in the halls of the Longworth House Office Building, much of the chatter is about another weighty matter: the new cafeteria food. As staffers briskly walk the long corridors, they stop to poke into Goodies, the renamed and renovated Longworth Convenience Store, which now features organic chocolate along with the old Cup O' Noodles. Or they peep into the rehabbed Creamery, formerly Scoops ice cream parlor. The whole place has an aura of curious excitement, like a college during orientation week. (Then again, that may be because many of the staffers look as if they could still be in school themselves.) Since members departed for the winter recess, the House cafeterias, which turn out 2.5 million meals a year, have undergone extreme makeovers. Longworth Cafe, the largest in the complex, was transformed first. Over the weekend of Dec. 15, the old salad bar was swapped for one made of sustainable materials, ``green'' signs were installed and entrees such as mystery meatloaf and mashed potatoes disappeared, replaced by crispy chicken with goat cheese and spinach and a ``panzanella'' station, where staffers can build a salad of marinated figs, prosciutto and feta cheese. As of Monday, Restaurant Associates--the new contractor, which also supplies food to the Kennedy Center and the National Gallery--had also reopened the cafeterias in the Rayburn and Cannon buildings and the Members' Dining Room. If only more congressional work were done as swiftly. The changes are part of the larger Green the Capitol project, an initiative of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that aims to make the House carbon neutral by the end of the session. The dining service was a prime target, and not only because of the 1950s-era food. Cafeteria waste accounted for half of the estimated 250 metric tons of trash the House sends to landfills annually. Now the plates, cutlery, cups--everything except the soup and coffee lids--is compostable and turned to pulp on-site. In addition, the cafeteria offers fair-trade coffee, certified sustainable seafood and as much organic, locally grown food as it can deliver. ``I don't know much about the greening, but the food is a lot better,'' said Caitlin Lenihan, press secretary for Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), standing in line at the panzanella station. ``I'd stopped coming a while back, but I've already had the pizza and the barbecue. It's all improved.'' Other staffers agreed, giving high marks to the quality and variety of food. (And this reporter can vouch for their good taste. The panzanella salad, while a far cry from the Italian bread salad for which it is named, was fresh, and the Asian shrimp wrap was nicely balanced by crunchy Napa cabbage and carrot slaw in ginger dressing.) But the embrace of change, so touted on the campaign trail, clearly has not quite filtered down to the aides who keep the Capitol wheels in motion. Along with the praise came the inevitable griping--off the record, of course. The No. 1 topic of complaint: that biodegradable cutlery. ``Funky,'' ``wacky'' and ``weird texture'' were common descriptions. Put too much pressure on the fork, several staffers noted, and it snaps in half. ``I even hear the spoons melt in hot drinks because they're made of cornstarch,'' said one staffer. (A test of that claim proved it was untrue: the first cafeteria urban legend.) Complaint No. 2: the prices. Under particular scrutiny by caffeine-fueled aides were the bottles of Starbucks Frappuccino. One staffer was so incensed that he e-mailed his friends a chart illustrating how the new $3.30 price is 47 percent higher than the $2.25 the bottles sold for in the old cafeteria and 4.8 percent higher than the approximately $3.15 they sell for in Starbucks stores. ``The wraps are more expensive,'' said a Republican aide. ``The main entrees are a little more. I'm not sure about the pizza, because I never would have eaten the pizza before.'' A reasonable complaint--if it were true. With the exception of those Frappuccinos, the price hike is in their heads, says Aidan Murphy, Restaurant Associates' vice president of operations. All like items cost the same, he said; only new dishes, such as those from the twice-weekly sushi station, are more expensive than items on the old menus. And predictably, there was a resistance to change itself. ``This is an improvement, but there are little quirks you have to get used to,'' said one senior Democratic staffer who visits the cafeteria every day. ``I used to get this yogurt in the morning. They don't have it anymore. They have organic yogurt, which I don't want.'' The green efforts are ``generally a good thing, and we support it,'' the aide said. ``But I'm still a little focused on what happened to my Dannon.''

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague and good friend Congressman Mike Honda in order to congratulate the members and coaches of the Mount Madonna girls volleyball team on their extraordinary run to become the 2007 California Interscholastic Federation, CIF, Division V Champions. In 3 years, the Mount Madonna Hawks went from being a team ranked non-competitive by their own athletic league to state champions. In a school of only fifty students with only thirteen of those being junior and senior girls, eleven girls made the seemingly impossible a reality. On December 1, 2007 the Mount Madonna Hawks defeated an opponent from a school seven times their size to win the 2007 CIF Division V State Championship. Along the way the Hawks also picked up the titles of the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Co-Champions, the CIF Central Coast Section Division V Champions, and the CIF Northern California Division V Champions. They accomplished this while also earning the CIF Central Coast Section award for best collective grade point average for an all varsity team. Team leaders Hannah Meade, Alexa Rosendale and Erin Mitchell were each recognized individually by local and State organizations for their inspired and passionate play. However, we all know that it is the entire team of Ashley England, Camille Schwartz, Joanna Koda, Rachel Sunberg, Shelby Bofula, Soma Sharen, Tessa Fischer and Zoe Bostick that made this possible. I am so proud of their accomplishment and urge them to cherish this moment and use it as inspiration to overcome adversity in the years ahead. I have long admired the students and teachers at the Mount Madonna School and second year Coach Gabrielle Houston Neville, more affectionately known as Gabby, and Athletic Director Sidd McDonald. They are testaments to the dedicated and exceptional staff that nurtures these future leaders. When people ask about the young women of the 2007 Mount Madonna girls volleyball team, let it be said that throughout the season they showed the character, determination, sportsmanship, and mental and physical resilience of true champions. To the team I say, congratulations on your title as 2007 Division V State Champions, young Hawks; may this mark the beginning of future successes.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Community Bridges of Santa Cruz County, which will gather to celebrate its 30th anniversary later this month. Community Bridges, a family of non-profit programs, provides otherwise unmet care to the citizens of Santa Cruz County and is a vital component of our community. Since its inception on October 19, 1977, Community Bridges has worked to provide innovative human services to enhance our diverse community. Today the family of programs (Child and Adult Care Food Program; Child Development Programs; La Manzana Community Resources; Lift Line: Live Oak Family Resource Center. Meals on Wheels; and WIC Nutrition Program) serves nearly 30,000 Santa Cruz County community members each year. Through its services, the group nurtures the entire life from beginning to end. Starting childhood, Community Bridges fosters a better life by providing childcare, after-school programs, and teen mentoring to ensure that children develop the skills they need to succeed in school and life. For those later in life Community Bridges helps residents maintain their dignity and independence by providing meal delivery, transportation, and literacy and language education. With an eye on healthy living, Community Bridges combats childhood obesity and promotes community wellbeing by providing nutrition education programs, breastfeeding support for new mothers, and food reimbursements. Moreover, Community Bridges helps reduce the risk of child abuse and keeps families strong by providing parenting classes, fostering educational attainment, and connecting families to health insurance programs and other important resources. They not only seek to address unmet human service needs in our county, but also focus on supporting existing efforts to serve the community by working with other local care providers. Community Bridges promotes civic engagement by actively seeking community input and providing leadership training opportunities for local residents. By building partnerships with local organizations they ensure the greatest efficiency and accessibility of services for Santa Cruz County residents. The broad reach and integrated structure of Community Bridges affords the agency the unique ability to swiftly identify and address community needs as they emerge. Madam Speaker, it is an honor to express appreciation for the critical role Community Bridges serves in providing a safety net for the most vulnerable members of our community and helping to improve the quality of life for the children, families, and seniors in Santa Cruz County.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this legislation, the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Tax Relief Act of 2007. This holiday season, Congress can provide tax relief to members of our military, our veterans, our volunteer firefighters, and to Peace Corps volunteers through the passage of this legislation. I am pleased that the committee included in the legislation a section of the bill that I authored which became section 106 earlier this year, and The Military Coalition who wrote in support of this language said: ``The consortium of uniformed services and veterans associations representing more than 5 million current and former military servicemembers and their families and survivors is writing in support of your planned legislation to rectify the longstanding problem encountered by many disabled veterans when filing for disability compensation with the Department of Veterans Affairs.'' This bill corrects that, and I am very pleased with it and ask my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Pinnacles National Monument. The extraordinary geology of the landscape has captured the imagination of Central California homesteaders, ranchers, naturalists, and philanthropists since the 1800s. A remnant volcano, the Pinnacles Volcanic Formation of rocky fingers of stone, talus caves, and lofty cliffs create a stark contrast to the smooth rolling hills of the surrounding Gabilan Range. More than 14,000 acres of congressionally designated wilderness together with its multiple ecological niches provides the best remaining refuge for floral and faunal species representative of the Central California Coast. Located within the Pacific Flyway migratory route, Pinnacles has the highest concentration of nesting Prairie Falcons of any National Park site, and provides a safe haven for 20 species holding special Federal or State status. Pinnacles is the only National Park site within the ancestral home range of the California condor that releases and maintains this Nation's largest bird species. There are nearly 400 species of bees at Pinnacles, the highest known bee diversity per unit area of any place on Earth. The monument sustains a showcase example of chaparral, a unique miniature forest ecosystem that elsewhere in coastal California is losing ground to ever-increasing urban expansion. Life flourishes in the protective shadow of this remnant volcano whose location along the San Andreas fault zone has carried it nearly 195 miles northward from its place of origin and contains the Nation's largest talus caves. Research on Pinnacles' geology has helped revolutionize the theory of plate tectonics. In this landscape Pinnacles National Monument preserves natural and cultural resources whose stories are woven into the fabric of this Nation's history and heritage. On January 16, 1908, under the authority of the newly created Antiquities Act, Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed 2,080 acres of the Pinnacles National Forest Reserve as Pinnacles National Monument. Today Pinnacles covers over 26,000 acres across both Monterey and San Benito Counties. Surrounding lands are still grazed by cattle, ridden by cowboys and vaqueros, and farmed by descendants of the first settlers who homesteaded the region. Madam Speaker, I know the Members of this House will join me in noting this important milestone for Pinnacles National Monument: a haven for solitude; a recreational getaway for climbers, hikers and lovers of open space; a springboard for personal journeys of enrichment; and a continuing reminder of America's history preserved for future generations to study and enjoy.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my cousin Dan deGrassi on his retirement. Dan has worked for Santa Cruz County in environmental preservation for most of his adult life. A third generation Berkley graduate, Dan deGrassi completed his education to enter his adult years in a world in turmoil over war, race relations and social mores. With deep feelings about the changes he observed in the societal fabric around him, he became a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War and as such, Dan sought alternative service. It was then that he started his environmental work in 1971 at the Ecology Center in Berkley, California. Realizing a connection to environmental preservation, Dan moved down to Santa Cruz in 1973 and began work at the local recycling center. The following year, Dan returned to school, this time to study in environmental studies, a passion that would follow him throughout his life. In 1974 Dan married Laurel and the two welcomed their daughter Jessica 2 years later. Starting 2 weeks after his daughter's birth, Dan began his work at the Santa Cruz County Advanced Planning Department, where he worked to preserve prime agricultural areas. Two years later, he and Laurel welcomed their second child, a boy, Aaron to the family. Later on Dan moved on to curbside recycling and helped pioneer the Materials Recovery Facility, which specializes in organization of recyclable materials. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to consider Dan both family and friend. His work in ensuring the preservation of the environment and his dedication to Santa Cruz County is inspiring and I would like to congratulate him on his retirement and thank him for his service.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 853 honoring those who have volunteered to assist in the cleanup of the November 7, 2007 oil spill in San Francisco Bay. My district lies roughly 50 miles south of the area affected by the oil spill. Even though they were not directly affected by the spill, the institutions and people in my district offered their help and support to their northern neighbors. The Marine Wildlife Center at the Long Marine Lab in Santa Cruz treated birds injured by this spill, the NOAA Weather Service in Monterey played a pivotal role in providing wind and sea forecasts necessary to predict the spill's trajectory and assist in containment, and local organizations such as the Santa Cruz Surfrider Chapter organized volunteers to assist cleanup efforts in the San Francisco Bay. I am proud of all of the people who unselfishly volunteered to assist the cleanup. Their unselfish response to this environmental disaster highlights just how important marine resources are to our communities. But, despite our best intentions ``business as usual'' is killing our oceans. We can no longer rely on the generosity of the citizens of this country to clean up the mess created by big business and poor governance. When my constituents invest their valuable time to take care of the environment, I take notice. Actions speak louder than words, and with their actions in November, the people of the Central Coast are asking us to do more to ensure that we protect the environment while we conduct our business. If there is one thing that this oil spill shows, it is that if we don't make protecting the environment a higher priority, it will come back to haunt us . . . look at climate change.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. What is interesting in talking about the cafeteria, it hasn't been mentioned what Dan Beard did is we put out a contract. As you know we have cafeterias in buildings and take-out centers. We have a lot of food service here. They redid the contract for all the food services, and a firm won this contract. It is a big one. I think it is about $20 million. They are going to provide all fair trade coffee, which is the coffee that is paid the best price because you grow it for organic conditions, for taking care of the employees, paying good wages of doing it environmentally sensitive, and Starbucks and everybody else is participating in this. Also, the foods in our cafeterias are going to be organic. We are going to make sure that the eating habits of Congress become a lot healthier along with the way we are doing business in our offices. Lastly, I am going to walk home with George Miller, so I will leave, but I want to tell you, that in our office and I think other offices, we don't throw out the magazines, as we send them to the VA and community health clinics and senior centers. We don't put any dead batteries into the trash. We deposit them in a single place so they can be recycled. This is interesting, all the CDs you get sent in the mail for promotional advocacy efforts, they are not thrown out. They are provided to local gardeners to use to scare off birds and squirrels in their vegetable garden.

Mr. FARR. Can I just tell you our offices led this effort on recycling, and my staff really got involved with it. And I'm really surprised how much we are doing, and I am sure a lot of other offices are doing the same. We use only recycled paper products. The paper that is printed on only one side, we go through and have our interns make sure that that becomes the fax paper so that the clean side is used again in the fax process. The white paper, mixed paper, and newspapers each have their own recycling bin. Cardboard is set aside to be recycled. As long as they have a clean side, mail campaign postcards are bundled and used as scratch paper. Each work station in my office has three bins, one for white paper, one for mixed paper, and one for wet trash. The officer manager will spot check the bins to make sure that everyone is separating their trash correctly. And we also have a separate bin for plastics, glass, and cans. Now, that's just one office. And the point here is we can all do this. And there is money to be made by the government in these recycled products. What you are talking about is the Department of Agriculture just down the street has about as many employees as the House of Representatives. They were making tens of thousands, I think about $80,000 a year profit on recycling in the Department of Agriculture. And as you pointed out, the United States Congress was making about $21 a year. So that has all changed thanks to this new leadership. And I am very proud to be a part of this greening of America by starting here in the Capitol of the United States.

Mr. FARR. They use them as reflectors. I just want to say to my colleagues, especially to you, Earl, that you have been a champion every day reminding people of the art of the possible, whether it is the bike caucus or the livable cities caucus or all of these things that end up being essentially the best that America can reach for. I am very proud to serve with you. Thank you for asking us all to participate in tonight's caucus.

Mr. FARR. First of all, thank you for doing this Special Order. It's very important for the American public to know that their Capitol, this is a public building, the people of this country own it. But we, as caretakers of it, are changing it into a model place to work and to have as a seat of government. And just a few things that Mr. Blumenauer talked about, we're eliminating plastics and Styrofoam from the food service has totally been eliminated. As he showed, they're using compostable food service items. We're running a commercial composting operation, reducing waste by 50 percent. We've installed 30,000 compact fluorescent lights and use one-quarter of the energy that will last 10 times longer than the regular light bulbs. We've changed the settings on heating and ceiling fans to reduce the run-times by 14 percent. We've replaced 84 vending machines with energy efficient equivalents. People don't think about these vending machines. They're all plugged in and they have lights and everything on them. Analyzing the electrical energy usage throughout the 6 million square feet of the House buildings, the offices that we occupy, we're doing that audit now to find savings. We've activated economizers on building air conditioners, which cut the annual cooling cost by 20 percent. And we've initiated a study to relight the Capitol dome. Those lights are on all night, and I think we're all proud of it, but that study will reduce the energy requirements and do very efficient lighting. And as you said, what you see here is that I think this is a real response to what the voters asked for last November, which was a change in direction in America in their House of Representatives and their Senate. They elected new majorities. The new majorities elected new Speakers. And the new Speaker has led us in a new direction. And in just a short period of time, a number of months, we've done some dramatic changes in this building, and it's just historic. And I would like to compliment both of my colleagues, we're all west coasters, Washington, Oregon and California. And I think what we're reflecting here in the Capitol is what we bring from your own States, that have been very conscious about the sound economics of energy efficiency. And the last thing I would just like to say is that this blast that the Republican leadership put out about the greening of the Capitol is so un-business, it's so dumb, it's sort of that dinosaur politics that just says, you know, don't change. If you look at the businesses in America, the new investment is in all the stuff that we're doing. And this is the direction this country is going. It's the direction the planet is going. It makes good economic sense and it makes great environmental sense. And we ought to be applauding ourselves for stepping up to the plate and not criticizing those who have taken the lead.