Sam Farr

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Monterey Museum of Art for their fifty years of service dedicated to the stewardship and celebration of the artistic legacy of the Monterey Peninsula. On behalf of the whole House, I am honored to extend to the Monterey Museum of Art the gratitude of the Congress and the American people for their past and future service. Monterey County, in Central California, is a region that has inspired artists since the late 1800s. Artists flocked to the area, which was then and still is a region of pristine beauty. They brought with them the tradition of plein air painting, still in evidence today with artists painting the land and seascapes of ``the greatest meeting of land and sea.'' The Monterey Museum of Art was founded in 1959 in Carmel as a Chapter of the American Federation of the Arts by a group of civic minded individuals who sought to create an arts space for that seminal arts colony. In addition to celebrating pioneers of early California art such as Armin Hansen, the museum collects and exhibits contemporary photography by such renowned artists as Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Imogen Cunningham, contemporary artists working locally, in California and nationally. Now comprising two locations, after the bequest of an historic adobe in the early 1980's by Frank Work, the museum serves nearly 40,000 visitors annually from around the world, including thousands of local schoolchildren. The museum is reaching out to families and children with new activities and programs geared to inspire a passion for the visual arts in accordance with their mission. The mission of the Monterey Museum of Art is to collect, preserve, and interpret the art of California from the nineteenth century to the present day, within a national and international context. In this way, they expand the appreciation of their evolving artistic legacy and inspire a passion for the visual arts. We look forward to the next fifty years of their endeavors in this area. Madam Speaker, I want to hold up the Monterey Museum of Art as a model museum and cultural institution, an expression of what makes our nation a worldwide leader in arts unique to our land. May their continued success inspire many more generations to celebrate our nation's artistic heritage and participate in its future.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the 25th anniversary of the founding of The Performing Animal Welfare Society, PAWS, which continues to valiantly lead efforts to protect all animals and to ensure proper humane sanctuary for wildlife who have experienced the inhumanity of the exotic and performing animal trades. In 1984, Pat Derby and Ed Stewart founded PAWS, sharing their commitment to develop a pristine sanctuary for abused, neglected and retired wildlife. Throughout the last 25 years, I am proud to have worked with PAWS to ensure improved, humane standards for captive wildlife. An early success for PAWS and animal rights activists was celebrated in 1985 with the passing of California Assembly Bill 1620 which introduced humane standards for the care and handling of wildlife. Following that initial success, more support was garnered which led the California Assembly to pass the Elephant Bill in 1995. This historic statute mandated that elephants be provided minimum adequate space to move freely and prohibited the use of chains for confinement. Building on previous accomplishments, PAWS forged a bipartisan partnership with Congress in 1997 to pass the Asian Elephant Conservation Act. In another watershed moment for animal protection advocates, this important legislation provided financial assistance for projects intended to protect Asian elephants and blocked funding for captive breeding programs. As a co-sponsor of the original Act, and having twice voted to fully fund the Asian Elephant Conservation Reauthorization Acts of 2001 and 2007, I understand the importance and deeply appreciate the beneficence of PAWS. In addition to protecting elephants, PAWS has successfully implemented solutions to rescue and relocate over 35 tigers and other animals from breeding facilities. Through The Performing Animal Welfare Society's extraordinary accomplishments, which now includes over 2,400 acres of natural protected sanctuaries, countless captive animals have been rescued from hazardous and inhumane conditions and have been provided with healthy and sustainable environments in which to live quality lives. Without their steadfast support and dedication for the humane treatment of wildlife, our nation's efforts to protect these animals would be drastically impaired. Madam Speaker, it is with the upmost respect and gratitude that I rise to honor the 25th anniversary of PAWS and especially to pay tribute to Pat Derby and Ed Stewart.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Chair, I rise in support of this budget. I didn't do it without some reservation, because I've been spending a lot of time listening to the needs of this country as it juxtaposes itself in the world, in Afghanistan and in Iraq, certainly in South America where I served as a Peace Corps volunteer. And what I think is very dangerous about the thinking of cutting the foreign aid, the 150 account, is that is all the humanitarian aid. If the combatant commanders tell us that you cannot win this war on military terms, that you're going to have to use civilian power, that's what we call soft power, smart power, then that's the account that invests in it, the account that invests in foreign aid and extended IMET programs to bring foreign officers to train in the United States, to send Peace Corps volunteers around the world. And I'm a strong supporter of what has been promised to be working that out. And I think that it's a bold budget for a great new President of the United States, and I look forward to supporting it.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Dale Skillicorn of Watsonville, California. Dale passed away on March 14, 2009 at the age of seventy-one, leaving behind a city better for his efforts. He was an extraordinary community leader who served as the city of Watsonville's Mayor Pro Tempore and had served as a city councilmember, representing the city's 7th District, since 2002. Dale was born on April 4, 1937 in Watsonville, California. He graduated from Watsonville High School then attended Monterey Peninsula College and San Francisco State University. Dale spent more than twenty years in public service positions. He served on the Santa Cruz County Planning Commission for fourteen years, and then spent five years as Santa Cruz County Parks Commissioner. In 2002, Dale was elected to represent Watsonville's District 7 on the city council. He was reelected in 2006 and in 2008 was selected as the Mayor Pro Tempore by his peers on the city council. Dale brought a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the city council. Dale Skillicorn's public service career will be remembered for his dedication to green job creation and advocacy for the Pajaro Valley's agriculture industry. He played a key role in bringing the Alternative Construction and Energy Expo to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. In addition, many residents in Watsonville will remember Dale through his work as a volunteer in many organizations located in the Pajaro Valley. Madam Speaker, Dale Skillicorn touched the hearts of everyone he came into contact with, was a pillar to the city of Watsonville. He lived his life as an active member of the community, who was driven by compassion to help others. I am certain I speak for the entire House in extending our heartfelt sympathy to Dale's wife of 29 years, Jan Skillicorn; his son, Mark Skillicorn; and his two stepdaughters, Valerie Justus-Rusconi and Christina Justus-Garcia.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. I want to build on your comment about homeland security because as co-Chair of the Travel and Tourism Caucus, we've been looking at Las Vegas, too. One, you have the largest hotel capacity in the United States. I believe that the goal is to have 100,000 rooms.

Mr. FARR. Well, you think about that. That means, theoretically, 140,000 people could check in and check out in the same day. And so your airport is one of the most sophisticated airports in the United States. And you're starting to--which I think is a marvelous concept-- look at wouldn't it be a lot faster to move people if, when they check in their baggage to go to Las Vegas, that that baggage then is in their room when they check in. When they leave their room, they leave the baggage there and it's at the like baggage pickup when they go home. The idea is that, one, for security purposes. You do this perimeter screening and you don't have to do it in the airport. Secondly, they find what slows people down is sort of schlepping the bags. You've got to go pick them up and then you've got to lift them and you've got to get into a vehicle. That just slows things down. If people didn't have to carry all that luggage, they could move a lot of people a lot faster. So there's a lot of lessons to learn here on just how--and, frankly, we've also taken from the hotel industry the way TSA--the agents who are at the gates--could learn much more hospitality treatment of not being rude to passengers. Just have a little bit more of a professional flare while they also do their security business. So there's a lot we're learning from your city that has applications throughout this United States. I hope that we can model it. I wish that the United States would talk more and the President would talk more-- whomever the President is--but President Obama would really talk about the fulfillment of the American Dream and the realization of the greatness of our country by encouraging people to really see more of it and experience it. His city of Chicago is a big tourist draw and convention draw. He understands that. Every community has a soul. Every community has something that can build upon that is really great. I think we are still in the developmental stages of trying to pull out the essence of that soul-- what the natives in that community do, the historic aspects of the community. People settled there and built a town, and there's something in that that will attract people to come and see it. There's so much opportunity to expand in travel and tourism--we just have to take it away from something of being a luxury item. It's not that anymore.

Mr. FARR. Welcome to this discussion.

Mr. FARR. We have got a lot of great places to visit.

Mr. FARR. You can use your tax refund to do travel, if you get one.

Mr. FARR. Be healthy. Explore more.

Mr. FARR. What I've also noticed is that people are very interested in what we call ``watchable wildlife.'' The history is you go to zoos to see animals. But they really want to see them in the out-of-doors in their natural state.

Mr. FARR. We've got the dynamic duo here. This is incredible.

Mr. FARR. Well, welcome. You're a new freshwoman, fresh Congresswoman to this, and it's exciting to see you so interested in travel and tourism, obviously representing Las Vegas, and I'll let you talk. But I also have to say that from what I've heard, the best deal in America is to take your family to Las Vegas right now. And as you said, they're almost giving away hotel rooms, and air travel, if you go by air, is just dirt cheap. And the experience that one can have, it's probably in some cases cheaper than staying at home.

Mr. FARR. Smaller businesses, you can come to Monterey peninsula, Monterey----

Mr. FARR. This is my daughter saying this, give more to the people. I mean, when you think about that service and that tipping and that concept of giving, I think it's so fundamental to our American culture that, as we said, travel and tourism isn't a luxury. It's a part of the American culture, the dream, to enjoy oneself.

Mr. FARR. I think it's important to realize that when we wanted to in Congress--we're essentially the one spouse, the father or the mother is serving in Congress, and taking away from the normal--we're not living with our family during the week. We're here in Washington. We go home on weekends. But in order to get us to bond together with your new freshman class and all the rest of us, we took a retreat. Essentially, that was business travel. We went to Williamsburg. We did that as Democrats, and the Republicans the following week did the same thing. And so why did we do that? We didn't think of ourselves going on a vacation or going on a boondoggle. It was really about how to do our professional lives better and incorporate our families so that we can incorporate them in our business. And I think that that's real important. And what's happened in this economic crisis is the press has made that kind of experience for businesses and even for government, that you shouldn't be doing that; you should feel very guilty.

Mr. FARR. And if you went to that ball game out of town, you really would be a tourist. If you go in your hometown, it's something you do because it's a local activity, but it really is an experience. You being in that ballpark, you spent money to get there. You're spending money on food. You're spending money on programs, on the paraphernalia. That's all part of the tourist experience.

Mr. FARR. That's a very moving story, and just God bless your dad. What a wonderful person he must be. My daughter said something to me that really touched me just a couple of weeks ago. She said, Dad, I'm so thankful that I have a job. And she used to be a waitress. And she said, I just know so many people that have been laid off, even some of her friends who have been waitresses, college graduates who are coming home but in between finding a job are doing--she said, you know what you and Mom could do, she said next time you go out, tip a little bit higher.

Mr. FARR. And for the Nation. I think we need to be proud of who we are, and you know, going to a ball game is a tourist experience.

Mr. FARR. What is very interesting about this is that travel is really educational. I mean this city, I think, is a must for any child in school who is learning about American history. In making it interesting, it comes alive. I mean the city of Washington may be the best family tourism city in the world because most of the things here are free--going to the museums, visiting all the monuments--and you can't help but recognize the Capitol when you see it. You've seen it in books. You've seen the Washington Monument and the Lincoln monument. This city makes it exciting. So you think about how many different ways one gets educated by visiting someplace else, knowing more about themselves. I was a Peace Corps volunteer, and I was living in another culture and was experiencing all that newness in food, in dance, in music, in language that made me realize the strengths of my culture in America but also some of the weaknesses--the family values issues where people really stick together in families. I find that travel and tourism is an eye opener, and I represent Carmel where I live, which is a small, little town of 4,000 people. Everybody has heard of Carmel. It's just a charming, little town. The mayor of Carmel, not Clint Eastwood but one of the other mayors, was telling me that, and asked me the question: What do you think is the number 1 question asked for things that people want from the city government? I always say: Well, where is Clint Eastwood's restaurant? He said: No, that wasn't the question. That wasn't it. The number 1 ask from the government of Carmel was for a copy of their zoning ordinance. That just shows that the tourists come and shop, not with just their pocketbooks, but they shop with their eyes and their minds. They looked at why they wanted a zoning ordinance, and so many Japanese asked for it that we had to have it translated into Japanese. The people said: If this city can look so cute, why can't our city incorporate some of these ideas? So that's what, I think, of travel and tourism. Obviously, businesses use these opportunities to take their associations--the dental association or the plumbers' association--and go have a conference.

Mr. FARR. No, absolutely not.

Mr. FARR. I was home last weekend. It was interesting that people were telling me, if you want to travel now and go by air anywhere in the United States--say I want to go from the West Coast to the East Coast--they said book your travel through Las Vegas. The prices for air travel going through Las Vegas are the cheapest in the United States.

Mr. FARR. In January and February, the travel and tourism, the business travel was so far down that we lost $1 billion. Now, $1 billion is a lot of jobs of people that were laid off. And I think, unfortunately, we didn't have anything in this stimulus package precisely for travel and tourism. But if you want to jump start a lot of jobs in America, this is the industry that has the most jobs when you think of all of the venues that you talk about.

Mr. FARR. Well, I think that we're all in the media. We have to get elected in the media, and we have to go out and take risks. It seems to me that what we need to do is realize, as a country, that we should not be condemning businesses that are doing things to help people have jobs. The service industry is not always the best paying industry, and these are great jobs for students, great jobs for people coming up with limited skills at the entry level. The wonderful thing about it is that there is no sort of degree requirements so you don't have to have a college degree or Ph.D. to manage a big resort. If you have skills and you are able to deal with people and some business management skills, you can achieve that. I think that what we're doing by watching people condemn business travel right now is we're just shooting ourselves in the foot.

Mr. FARR. Travel and tourism is the largest business in the world, and it is expanding faster than any other business. Every country is trying to do more of it. You see the advertising on our television sets about islands in the Caribbean, about going to Spain or about going to Australia and New Zealand, all of those travel promotion ads. We don't do that. The United States, unfortunately, isn't running any ads in other countries, saying, ``Visit the United States.'' I and the other co-Chair, Roy Blunt, of the Travel and Tourism Caucus have a bill. It is a bill to essentially provide grants to States and local communities to do that kind of destination marketing. We know that a lot of Canadians----