Sam Farr

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. We didn't recycle, and we put an effort into doing that. Where that has grown now is all of the paper that's sold to all the offices, and there are 70 million pieces of paper per year used in the U.S. Capitol, we are replacing all that virgin paper, which cut down about 30,000 grown trees, it is all now 100 percent post-consumer waste recycled paper. So just that alone. And in the store where we buy all our supplies, that store sells recycled printer cartridges. That store becomes the receptacle for all the batteries that are used, for cell phones, and for BlackBerrys. So that they will all be part of the recycling stream. So we have just changed the entire approach to how we do business just in our office supplies in this Capitol.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, leadership is about getting results. I want to thank our leadership for bringing a bill to the floor for the first time that gets results. I've never voted for funds for this war, and I've been waiting a long time to vote for a bill that would bring our troops home. On March 20, 2003, the United States invaded Iraq. It was a mistake then, and every day we've failed to correct this mistake costs us in cash, in credibility, and in lives. Every day we are not working to get out of Iraq, we make our Nation weaker and less safe. Every day that we do not get our troops out of Iraq is another day of mistakes. The road out of Iraq starts with the first step. This bill is the first beginning. To start a withdrawal, this bill jump-starts that withdrawal. It starts in 30 days. Passing this bill tonight makes clear that the U.S. House of Representatives has acted to bring our troops home, to end this war, and to put our country back on the right track. This leadership deserves your support.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Garfield Park Christian Church which celebrates its centennial anniversary in the City of Santa Cruz, California this November. Commonly known as the ``circle church'' the surrounding neighborhoods were designed as a series of concentric circles built around the original tabernacle, making the church and the neighborhood forever linked. Nestled into the heart of the Westside of Santa Cruz, not only does the Church celebrate a hundred years in our community but the neighborhoods surrounding the building do as well. Today the church grounds are a common meeting place for children, families and pet lovers. The church provides not only a place of worship but a cultural and community center for the surrounding homes and neighborhoods. It is estimated that over five hundred people use the facilities for events, meetings and gatherings each week. Built in 1890, the church was designed to be a religious center to the unique surrounding neighborhoods that were built in circles around the church and serve as its congregation. When their original tabernacle burnt down in 1935, the spirit of the church did not falter. The loss was turned into a gift when for more than twenty years the site of the original tabernacle was leased to the city to be a park and playground, the original ``Garfield Park.'' Today the Garfield Park Christian Church sanctuary and gym stand on the site of the old Tabernacle, tying the new buildings to their original beginnings. Although Garfield Park Church does have a legacy of being a place of worship among its congregation, it is also devoted to keeping alive compassion and strength of community in its surrounding residents. Two other congregations meet in the building each week along with the building being home to the annual Hindu Navratri festival and other events. By opening its doors and hearts to so many groups, meetings and people, the Garfield Park Church displays its commitment to open compassion and unity. With this anniversary the church will adopt a new name in celebration of their centennial celebration. Moving forward they are adopting ``A New Vision for a New Century'' and a new name ``The Circle Church, Disciples of Christ,'' as they look forward to the next hundred years. Madam Speaker, it is an honor to recognize an organization that is so deeply rooted in community involvement and unity. I am excited for this year's celebration and look forward to many more years of gathering in the circle neighborhoods of Santa Cruz.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor, as many of us have today, the Veterans Day this weekend that's coming up. Congress has spent a lot of time this week talking about veterans. We've talked about how this Congress provided the largest increase in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration. We've debated which side cares more about veterans and who's to blame for the delay. I think the American people can see who really is holding up the latest VA appropriations bill, but I'm here to remind each and every Member of Congress that, as you go home this weekend and speak to veterans and their families in their district, to honor them, ask yourself what have you done to honor your pledge to our veterans and their loved ones? I hope the President also takes a hard look in the mirror before he decides on how he intends to honor veterans on Veterans Day. We have to remember that in honoring our country's veterans that you cannot honor a veteran without honoring their families. They don't come alone. They have parents. They have loved ones. They have children. And the bill that takes care of that is the bill that we're voting on today, which is the Labor-HHS appropriations bill. In order to support veterans, you've got to support their family. Be family friendly, vote for the appropriations bill.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the leadership of the Ways and Means Committee and the members because I think this bill takes a commonsense approach of having, as you have heard, the stories told about people who have had problems that just don't make sense. This is sort of fix the dumb-dumb in the tax law, and that is what this bill does for military veterans, volunteer firefighters, and eligible Peace Corps volunteers and others. I am pleased that the committee included my legislation I authorized to provide tax relief for thousands of military retirees whose VA disability claims have been delayed by dysfunctional VA claims backlog. The issue was brought to my attention by a constituent, Michael St. Germain, whose VA claim took over 8 years to process. Imagine, 8 years to process one VA claim. I am proud in the MilCon-VA appropriations bill that we have appropriated $124 million to provide 1,800 new claims processors to work on the 400,000 backlog of claims. I thank the committee for extending for another 2 years the claims adjustment.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule and in strong support of the underlying bills. I can't believe what I am hearing here tonight, that people are talking about this being a bloated bill, that it's a bill that games are being played. They talk about how much we love the veterans side of it, but we don't like the Health and Human Services side. Ladies and gentlemen, you cannot have a veteran without having a family, without having a home. This bill puts more money into the areas where the President cuts it. In an area where the oil is going to $100 a barrel, they oppose this bill because we give more money to LIHEAP for elderly people and people who have low incomes to heat their homes in this winter that is coming. They cut the budget for special ed, the President cut. We put it back in. We put in money for autism. We put in money for people for research, for strokes, for cancer, for Parkinson's Disease. These things are related to veterans. You can't stand a veteran alone. A veteran has a family. If that veteran's family needs some help, by God, it's the government's responsibility to provide for that good public education and that great institute of health. That's in this bill, education, health, labor, the essence of America, essential to having good veterans. Vote for the rule and for the bill.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 60th anniversary of the Moss Landing Harbor District. Moss Landing is a picturesque coastal hamlet tucked into the dunes of the Monterey Bay halfway between its better known neighbors of Monterey and Santa Cruz. It is home to some fantastic restaurants and cafes and an eclectic group of antique shops and some of the best sea otter viewing opportunities anywhere. The many boats that fill its harbor offer a photographers dream of masts and gleaming boat hulls berthed alongside well-worked fishing vessels. It is a truly wonderful place to visit like so many other small harbor communities around the coasts of the United States. A little deeper look reveals a community that is much more than a quaint tourist stop. Moss Landing is a true economic powerhouse of the California Coast. For starters, it is home to the Monterey Bay region's largest commercial fishing fleet. It is also home to two of the top marine science research institutions in the world--the Moss Landing Marine Lab and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Because of those labs, several world class ocean research vessels call the port home. Moss Landing is also a major draw for ocean recreationists of all stripes, from sailors, recreational fishers, kayakers, and surfers. It is also home to Mighty Mo, the largest natural gas fired power plant on the west coast. Moss Landing has a long history of commercial vitality, dating back to the mid nineteenth century and the grain loading wharf operated by the community's namesake Captain Charlie Moss. But the real growth dates back to the 1947 creation of the Moss Landing Harbor District and the dredging and stabilization of the harbor channel by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Over the past 60 years, the district has shepherded Moss Landing's development into economic powerhouse that supports recreation, commercial fishing, science, and tourism. Under the leadership of the current Harbor Commission President Russ Jeffries, Commission members, Margaret ``Peggy'' Shirrel, Ph.D., Yohn Gideon, Vince Ferrante and Frank Gomes, Jr., and Harbormaster Linda G. McIntyre, Esq., the Harbor District has just this year completed a major $4 million renovation of its north harbor area. The new amenities include a new 4-lane launch ramp, paving of the 5-acre site for parking, storm drains and a boat wash, a 900-foot public access wharf at the water's edge, and a 110-foot visitor serving dock alongside the wharf. A pedestrian/bicycle trail, funded by a Federal grant, and designed to run along the perimeter of North Harbor along scenic Highway 1, will complete the project. This last component of the project is the central part of a comprehensive bike and pedestrian trail under development that will link Monterey to Santa Cruz and place Moss Landing at the heart of what will be one of the most spectacular coastal trail experiences on the Pacific coast. Madam Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize the Moss Landing Harbor District for 60 years of achievement. I know that I speak for the whole House in offering congratulations to the leadership, employees, and users of this Pacific Coast gem.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise in support of H.R. 2262 so we can, after 135 years, update the 1872 Mining Law. Since Ulysses S. Grant's administration in 1872, the Mining Law has governed hardrock mining on our public lands, public lands. Those are lands which you, the taxpayers, own. For nearly 100 years, those lands have been debated in Congress about changing policies that give away public resources and leave each new generation with a larger legacy of unreclaimed lands and degraded streams. Debate has continued. It's continued while northern California's Iron Mountain spewed nearly a quarter of the copper and zinc discharged by industries to the Nation's surface waters; during the decades of efforts to control acidic, metal-laden discharges from old sulfur mines southeast of Lake Tahoe; as historic lands of the Indian Pass in the area of Southern California in the desert area faced destruction from the proposed Glamis mine; and as California cities spend millions of dollars to treat hazardous mine discharges and fight giant mining corporations in court. Like the pollution problems it creates, the 1872 Mining Law persists, but that will now change with passage of this bill, and we owe that hard work to Chairman Rahall and to my colleague Jim Costa from California. While this congressional debate has continued after all these years, we've allowed mining companies to take billions of dollars' worth of gold, silver, and other minerals from our public lands for free. However, we will no longer treat that as we have not treated oil, coal, natural gas. So they will all now have to pay. While countless hearings have been held, nearly 3.5 million acres of public lands have been deeded to mining claim holders for as little as $2.50 an acre. We've had to buy back some of this land to protect the unique ecological, recreational and cultural values, paying prices much higher than those set in the Mining Law. And during our long deliberation, the price tag for mining cleanup has risen astronomically. Since the House last acted on reform legislation, more than 20 mines and mills have been added to the infamous Superfund National Priority List, and the EPA Inspector General has warned that nearly $24 billion in cleanup costs from mine sites now exists, some of which will require treatment in perpetuity. However, this is about to change. For today, the Hardrock Mining Reclamation Act of 2007 will do what it should have done years ago. I urge the passage of this important legislation.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American, Monterey County Supervisor, Jerry Smith, on the occasion of his recognition as one of Monterey County's outstanding veterans of the year by the Monterey County Veterans Services Advisory Commission. I am honored to have this opportunity to recognize Supervisor Smith not only because of his long public service in the California Central Coast community that I represent, but also because I consider Jerry and Byrl, the love of his life and wife of forty years, as friends. Jerry Smith was born in 1945 and raised in Monterey County, California. He is the descendant of a pioneer family that arrived on the Monterey Peninsula in 1889. His great grandfather, William Niblett, first settled in Pacific Grove. The Niblett family lived there until 1937 and later moved to what was then the unincorporated community of Seaside. In the 1950s, Jerry's family was active in the successful efforts to incorporate this area as the City of Seaside. My own family's connection to Jerry's family begins at that time through my father Fred Farr's Seaside based law practice and his own involvement in the Seaside incorporation efforts. After college, Jerry served a tour of duty in Vietnam with the Army's 4th Infantry Division. Following his return to Seaside in 1968, Jerry worked in a variety of fields including hotel management, banking, and auto sales. That is where I first met him, when in 1978 he sold me a Volkswagen Rabbit. Later that year following a service visit, I pulled into traffic while leaving Jerry's Wester Volkswagen dealership and into the path of a fast moving cement truck. I have joked with Jerry over the years that had this accident actually been fatal, rather than simple near fatal, he would have been the last person on Earth that I had any contact with. In 1982, Jerry launched a public service career in law enforcement. He served over twenty years as a peace officer at the California State Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, where he rose to the position of Community Resources Manager. In 1998, Jerry won his first of three terms as Mayor of his home town. Under his leadership, the City of Seaside started its rebirth following the 1993 closure of the adjacent Fort Ord Army base. In 2004, Jerry became the first African American elected to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to represent the Fourth District. In his capacity as County Supervisor, Jerry serves on numerous Committees and Boards, including the Monterey County Voting Rights Committee, the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, the Transportation Agency of Monterey County, the Natividad Medical Center Board of Trustees, and many others. In all of this work, Jerry has kept the interest of veterans at the forefront both in his official capacity and as an active member of American Legion Post 591 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Jerry has also been an active member of his community beyond his official duties as Mayor and Supervisor. He attends St. Francis Xavier Church and is a member of numerous charitable organizations throughout Monterey County, such as St. Francis Xavier Knights of Columbus, Monterey County NAACP, United Way, and the Monterey County Crime Prevention Association, to name a few. Madam Speaker, in addition to his record of public service in general, and for veterans in particular, Jerry is also a shining role model for comity and decorum in public discourse. He is unfailingly gracious. Even in heated disagreement, of which we have had our share over the years, Jerry is always at pains to treat the other participants in the discourse with dignity. I know that I speak for the whole House in offering Jerry and Byrl our congratulations and best wishes for the future.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory and many accomplishments of Shreve ``Mac'' Archer III, pediatrician, race driver, inventor, and my cousin. He passed away in June, 2007 after a long battle with leukemia. Mac was born in St. Paul, MN, in September, 1948. He moved to California and attended the University of California at Santa Cruz and Claremont Men's College, finally obtaining his medical degree in 1979 at the University of Miami, Florida. As a pediatrician in Carmel, CA, he specialized in learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and behavioral problems. He was well known for treating, studying, and funding programs for shaken baby syndrome and traumatic brain and spinal injuries. My cousin was equally well known on the racing circuit as a professional motorcycle racer, and later as a vintage car racer for 20 years in his beloved ``Old Bertha,'' a bright red Cobra 427. Steve Earle, who founded the Monterey Historic Races 34 years ago, said of Mac: ``He always drove as competitively as possible, but without losing his manners. He was a gentleman and a great guy, and everyone admired his driving.'' Mac combined his knowledge of medicine and racing in a most creative way. His business, Entropy Racing and Impact Medical Technologies, created safety products for cars, motorcycles, and jets. He and his long-time friend Eric Bernhard designed such items as a helmet for the U.S. Air Force that lessens the impact experienced when ejecting from jets. They patented the idea of flexible armor and created a back protector that cushions the spinal cord, which is now standard gear for motorcycle racers and is being used more and more by street riders. They designed an air bag for motorcycle helmets that stabilizes the neck in a crash, and helped to design the extractable seat now used in Formula 1 racecars. At the time of his death he was working on a child's safety car seat that would move on tracks to reduce the g-load during a crash and also protect the head. Madam Speaker, I honor the life of Shreve ``Mac'' Archer III, a man who combined his work and play in such a way as to make the world a better place for all of us. I know I speak for every Member of Congress in offering our condolences to his wife, Kim, and their sons Damon and Shreve IV. His passing leaves us sad for our own loss, but grateful for the life he shared with us.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise on a happy note. It is a happy birthday today, the birthday of the United Nations. It was 62 years ago when 50 countries gathered in the great City of San Francisco, California, to make the cause of international peace and security a global mantra and launched the United Nations. It was a good idea then, and 62 years later, it is still a good idea. In a world that is tense with war, the U.N. fights for peace every day. Where hunger plagues the poor, the U.N. provides food aid to more than 80 million people every day, every year. In 166 nations that suffer devastating poverty, the U.N. offers proactive programs to buttress economic development. And, most important of all, the U.N. deploys 100,000 peacekeepers around the world on missions vital to stabilization of regions under threat of conflict. The answer to global distress is found in solving the problems that are the root causes of poverty, the lack of health care, shelter and legislation. The U.N. is the only organization worldwide dedicated to this grand mission. I congratulate the United Nations for its hard work, and ask Members of this body to support and invigorate America's commitment to this vital international organization.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding. Mr. Speaker, it's a pleasure to rise as a former member of this committee and to congratulate the chairman and the ranking member and the fellow committee members for bringing this bill to the floor. Much of the committee work in the past, I think, was focused a lot on the Federal lands in the West. This bill, interestingly enough, focuses on land mostly east of the Mississippi. Congressional authorization is essential to sound management of these important places. But this just isn't about land designation; it's about the beauty and heritage of American spirit, our cultural spirit. As cochair of the House Tourism Caucus, we have learned that we need to increase travel in this country, particularly outreaching to foreign visitors, because the image of the United States around the world is not that good. However, visitors coming to this country, seeing this beautiful land, and meeting the people in this country, and looking at our history and our beauty of what I think is the best culture in the world, the American spirit, can only be done by showing them places that we have preserved, so that it's just not all sort of sprawled-out urbanism. These special places need to be protected, because they need the guidance of a good government structure like the Federal Government along and in partnership with State and local government. I want to associate myself with the words of the other speakers that have long been involved in land-use planning and land use, and there has never been an eminent domain or taking of this land. In fact, the prices, if they do buy them, are agreed upon by the landowner, and they're agreed upon without having to have any disputes. So I think it's worked very, very well. America is a beautiful place, but it's beauty is not just in its scenery. It's also in its people and the people's heritage. I urge my colleagues to authorize the celebration of America's great assets, this bill, the heritage of our people.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. William C. Potter, director of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, CNS, at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, MIIS, for holding the first Nunn-Lugar Chair in Nonproliferation Studies. The Cooperative Threat Reduction, CTR, Program, commonly referred to as Nunn-Lugar, was created to address the threat against global security resulting from the dissolution of the Soviet Union and loss of control over weapons of mass destruction. Just think what could have happened without Nunn-Lugar--since the program's inception in 1992 nearly 7,000 nuclear warheads and 2,000 missiles have been decommissioned. Nunn-Lugar also provides critical funding for security upgrades and conversion of many former nuclear and biological weapons facilities. Along with Senators Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar, Dr. Bill Potter has devoted his academic life to nonproliferation issues as the director of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Under Dr. Potter's leadership, the center is world renowned as a nexus for nonproliferation education, resources, and policy information. For over 9 years, the center has published The Nonproliferation Review, the leading international journal in the field, and other significant publications on various nonproliferation topics by international experts and practitioners. The center nonproliferation databases and website have become known among analysts, government experts, and the media as reliable sources of objective information on cutting-edge policy issues, as well as a broad range of technological and regime-related questions. Dr. Potter is a global leader on nonproliferation issues. He has authored or edited 14 books and has contributed chapters and articles in over 90 scholarly books and journals. He has served as a consultant to the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the RAND Corporation. His present research focuses on nuclear terrorism and on proliferation issues involving post-Soviet states. He is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Council on Foreign Relations and served for 5 years on the U.N. Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Disarmament Research. Madam Speaker, Dr. Potter's work on nonproliferation and disarming weapons in the former Soviet Union and locating ``loose nukes'' has contributed significantly to our global security. I can think of no one more worthy of the honor of the first endowed Nunn-Lugar professorship in the world devoted to nonproliferation study than Dr. William C. Potter. It is my honor to consider Dr. Potter a friend.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American, Mr. Mel Mason, on the occasion of his recognition by the Monterey Peninsula Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People with its Stephen E. Ross award for community service. I have known Mr. Mason for many years. He has distinguished himself in so many fields: as a mentor, an athlete, a public servant, and most of all as an advocate for justice. Mel was born on January 7, 1943 in the Appalachian coal mining town of Providence, KY. As an African American, Mel suffered the full force of that community's Jim Crow era segregation, In 1956, Mel moved with his mother to Seaside, CA. As a young man, Mel made a mark on the basketball court at both Monterey High School and Monterey Peninsula College where he was the stand out basketball star of his day. He still holds the MPC scoring record. While serving in the Air Force, he became the youngest basketball player to be named All-Air Force team and in 1964 led all branches of the military in scoring in Europe. After returning from the Air Force, Mel then attended Oregon State University for a short time under a basketball scholarship. In the Air Force and then at OSU, Mel encountered head on deep seated racism in his superior officers and coaches. Mel fought back, for which he paid a price. In 1965, his complaints about his treatment in the Air Force earned him a bad conduct discharge. In 1966, his complaints and actions at OSU over its treatment of him and other black players led to the loss of his scholarship and a ban on Mel from playing basketball at any U.S. college. U.S. Senator Thomas Kuchel later helped Mel change his discharge to honorable but the college ban stayed and Mel returned to California. These experiences truly fired Mel up and he became a burr under many saddles. He helped organize a Black Workers Unity Organization to fight racism at a San Jose company where he worked. Back in Monterey County he organized a Black United Farmworkers Union support committee during UFW's organizing efforts in the Salinas Valley in the early 1970s. He helped organize the first anti-police brutality campaigns on the Monterey Peninsula and has remained an advocate for fair treatment for people of color and the mentally ill by law enforcement agencies in his community. In the 1990s, Mel co-founded both the Regional Alliance for Progressive Policy and the Pro-Democracy Education Fund. In 2002, Mel began the first of two consecutive terms as President of the Monterey Peninsula Branch of the NAACP. Throughout the early 1970s Mel was an active member of the Black Panther Party, and later the Socialist Workers Party. He ran successfully for a seat on the Seaside City Council where he championed programs for youth, tenants, organized labor, and minorities. Mel later ran unsuccessfully as the SWP candidate for California Governor and President of the United States. Much of Mel's work has been called subversive by many. Some of the organizations that he has been associated with over the years are not popular. While Mel may not have always made right argument, he has always argued in the right way. He has taken unpopular ideas into the democratic process and so made our Nation a better democracy. Madam Speaker, I wish to extend the congratulations of this House to Mr. Mel Mason for his achievements so far and our wishes for his success in the future.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Matthew Richard Will, a father, husband, firefighter, and hero who died recently in the line of duty helping to protect the people he had sworn to serve. Matthew Will was a Heavy Fire Equipment Operator for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as Cal Fire. Will started his career with Cal Fire in 2003 and recently graduated from the department's fire academy in Ione. He was assigned to the Hollister Air Attack Base in Cal Fire's San Benito-Monterey Unit. Earlier this month a house fire broke out in the heavily wooded and rugged area of Big Sur, California, known as Palo Colorado Canyon. The fire soon spread to the surrounding brush and began to threaten the lives and property of other Palo Colorado Canyon residents. Quick action by Matthew and his comrades from Cal Fire and the other responding fire fighting agencies kept the fire from engulfing the whole canyon, limiting the damage to the initial home and about fifty surrounding acres. As part of this effort, Matthew was on his bulldozer working to check the spread of the fire by clearing a fire break. Tragically, Matthew's bulldozer slipped and tumbled down a steep slope. Matthew later died of his injuries. Matthew Will's youth magnifies this tragedy. He was just 30 years old. He is survived by his wife Diana ``Dee Dee'' Will of Hollister, California; 10-year-old son Trysten; 8-year-old daughter Elsie; parents Gary and Debbie Will of Campo, California; and brothers Brandon and Justin Will of Campo, California. Madam Speaker, I have been an occasional Big Sur resident myself for over 50 years. In that time I have seen fire threaten or destroy the homes and property of neighbors and acquaintances. The people of Big Sur live with a heightened sense of fire's danger and a deep respect for the men and women who risk their lives fighting those fires. I know I speak for this House and my neighbors when I share our deep gratitude for his service as a firefighter, and our deep sorrow at his death. Our prayers are with Matthew Will's family, friends, and colleagues at this time of grief and loss.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I have the distinct honor and privilege of representing California's 17th congressional district and, on behalf of all the residents of the central coast, I would like to commend to my colleagues' attention the 35th Anniversary of Monterey-Salinas Transit. The Monterey Peninsula Public Transit System Joint Powers Agency was formed by the cities of Carmel, Del Rey Oaks, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Seaside and the county of Monterey on October 1, 1972. As the predecessor of Monterey-Salinas Transit, it served the Monterey Peninsula area, and later expanded to provide service to the cities of Marina, Salinas, and Watsonville, now serving all of northern Monterey County with new connections into Santa Clara County, including downtown San Jose. It is the foresight of the MST member jurisdictions that has enabled the transit service to be on the cutting edge of technology and service, with ridership of nearly five million passengers each year, including a paratransit van service for disabled customers, a Waterfront Area Visitor Express service for tourists, and the innovative Carmel Valley Grapevine Express. Not only does MST play a significant role in the transportation system of the Monterey Bay region, but it helps meet the basic transportation needs of thousands of constituents. A majority of MST passengers are either elderly or low-income. More than two out of every five MST passengers live in a household without an automobile. For the more than four thousand riders who depend on public transportation every day to get to work, the safe and reliable bus system that MST operates is a necessity for their economic independence. In addition, MST is at the forefront of mixed-use TOD--transit oriented development--promoting community livability and sustainable development along bus routes. Connecting housing and transportation will be the key to retaining the unique quality of life for residents and visitors to the beautiful Monterey Peninsula. It was my privilege earlier this month to help MST mark a milestone in its history and operations with the opening of the new Marina Transit Exchange. The first phase offers customers and staff expanded amenities, electronic signage, and other customer information services and the second phase will provide MST developed housing. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to commend Monterey-Salinas Transit for providing 35 years of exemplary public service to the central coast of California, and ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to wish them well on the next 35 years.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula, or SCRAMP. SCRAMP held its inaugural race on November 10, 1957. For 50 years, the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula has worked to establish Laguna Seca as one of the premier road racing venues in the world. Unlike the operators at other tracks, SCRAMP is a non-profit volunteer organization. As such, they can make donations to the community, but cannot accept donations. Consequently, the Laguna Seca Raceway Fund was established as a 501(c)(3) to be the fundraising arm of the track. SCRAMP has invested more than $20 million in the Monterey County-owned facility over the last five years, part of an ongoing effort to keep the track positioned as one of the world's finest road courses. SCRAMP presents five world class motorsports events each year: the U.S. Sports Car Invitational, the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, the AMA Superbike Race, and the Monterey Sports Car Championship. These events bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Monterey County. The financial impact on the community is significant, estimated at one million dollars annually. SCRAMP itself donates hundreds of thousands of dollars of its proceeds each year to civic and charitable organizations that volunteer at events held at the track, a major source of revenue for these organizations. Mazda became the title sponsor of the venue in 2001 and it was renamed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The new sponsorship is a major contributor in realizing the continuing vision for improving the raceway, making it more beautiful, functional, and safe. Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues will all join me in offering congratulations and encouragement for this fine organization on their golden anniversary.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate San Benito County Council #2890 of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, on its 20th anniversary. LULAC is the largest and oldest Latino national membership organization in the United States. This chapter was formed on October 17, 1987, and was the first Latino civil rights organization in San Benito County. Since its formation, San Benito County LULAC has encouraged its membership to uphold and defend the rights of the Latino community, and serves as a circle of community influence and support. It promotes voter participation by encouraging the Latino community to register to vote, to participate in the electoral process, and to defend their voting rights against violations. The chapter encourages and supports San Benito County agencies and government bodies, ensuring that the Latino population has a voice that represents their needs and concerns. San Benito County LULAC formed a Youth Council on October 5, 1989. It encourages youth participation in community and educational opportunities and has provided scholarship grants to over 140 students totaling $136,000. They also formed a young adult council on February 10, 2000, whose local members attend colleges and universities throughout California. The chapter also served as the home State council for the local State director and State youth president. LULAC believes that education is the foundation for the cultural growth and development of every community member. It organizes student conferences and retreats for youth development and leadership training. For the past eight years, this chapter has sponsored the after school Young Readers Program at the former Fremont School and Ladd Lane School, enabling over 240 first through third grade students and their parents to develop strong reading habits. Madam Speaker, I commend San Benito County LULAC on its many accomplishments. Its exemplary record of civic involvement and extended support to the residents of this community personifies the very best of community involvement. I congratulate them on the 20th anniversary of their chapter's founding and invite all citizens of the county to celebrate their accomplishments.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a remarkable citizen, Mr. Melvin Bell Lane, who passed away in July at the age of 85. Mel and his brother Bill helped define Western living with their publications ``Sunset'' magazine and Sunset books. Mel was also well known as a philanthropist and was one of California's most prominent conservation leaders. Mel Lane was born in Iowa, where his father sold advertising for ``Better Homes and Gardens'' magazine. When Mel was 6 years old, his family moved to California, where his father bought the 30-year-old ``Sunset'' magazine. It was then the on-board tourist magazine for the Southern Pacific Railroad's Sunset Limited. During World War II, Mel and Bill both served in the Navy. After the war, the brothers went to work for the magazine, eventually becoming co-owners. Under their direction, ``Sunset'' magazine and its books on food, gardening, travel, and do-it-yourself became standards of the industry. It was said that ``Sunset's Western Garden Book'' was the most revered of its many publications, with well-thumbed copies found in nearly every nursery in the State. In 1965, California Governor Pat Brown appointed Mel to be the first chairman of the newly created San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission. This agency was successful in stopping developers from filling in the bay and paving over the wetlands. Later, Governor Ronald Reagan named him to be the first chairman of the California Coastal Commission, and Governor Jerry Brown re-appointed him. His attitude was that a healthy environment was crucial to a healthy economy. ``As soon as business tightens up, not only do we drop environmental controls but as a shot to the economy we drill for more oil and cut down trees,'' he said. ``These are a rip-off of the environment that can't be done indefinitely, so it's poor business.'' When Ronald Reagan was elected President, he asked Mel to come to Washington to direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but Mel was not one who enjoyed being in the public eye, and he declined. Mel also co-founded the Peninsula Open Space Trust, preserving nearly 60,000 acres to expand State and local parks. Mel graduated from Stanford University in 1944, and as a trustee from 1981 to 1991, he was a strong supporter of the humanities and creative writing, and of course for environmental research and teaching. Following the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, he worked to restore the damage that had been done to the campus, especially to the Memorial Church. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Joan Fletcher Lane; daughters Whitney Miller and Julie Lane Gay; his brother, L.W. ``Bill'' Lane; and four grandchildren. Madam Speaker, I had the great pleasure of knowing Melvin Lane when he and my father worked together on the California Coastal Commission. He was a smart businessman, a dedicated environmentalist, well known yet humble; a man who always said ``Make my speech shorter.'' He had that unique ability to inspire confidence and loyalty from people with opposite points of view. He will be sorely missed.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the most prominent centers of agricultural research and education in the world on the occasion of its 40th anniversary. The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems, CASFS, located on the campus of the University of California at Santa Cruz, enjoys a reputation as the Harvard of organic farming. While this reputation is well deserved, it did not come easily to the UCSC Farm, as CASFS is more commonly known. The program began life in 1967 as an obscure 4-acre organic garden tucked away in a disused and unnoticed corner of the UCSC campus. It was birthed by master gardener Alan Chadwick who inspired a group of students to convert a dry hillside into a magnificent terraced garden that incorporated the latest techniques in chemical free horticulture and reflected the back to the land Zeitgeist of the day. In 1972, the project expanded onto another unused campus site where garden participants began a 17 acre, later 25 acre, experimental organic farm. There they set out explore ways of improving and applying organic farming techniques. Throughout the 1970s, the little UCSC Farm community quietly grew with a mixture of a little campus support, some creative grant writing, and the sales of its farm produce. A steady stream of student apprentices advanced through constantly evolving program. By the 1980s, the UCSC Farm had come to a crossroads. Could it reach beyond the little world of the UCSC campus and help shape the broader world of agriculture? While the UCSC campus family welcomed the project, the broader UC system didn't know what to do with it. It didn't have any formal accreditation and it was not located on one of the UC land grant institutions where agriculture was supposed to happen. It simply lacked the necessary pedigree to secure an official and funded place within the University of California system. As the State assembly member representing the Monterey Bay Area during the 1980s, I had the honor of securing a line for the UCSC farm in the State's higher education budget. In 1990, I authored the California Organic Standards Act, which was largely shaped by work at the UCSC Farm and the Santa Cruz community of organic growers that had grown up in its neighborhood. Since entering Congress, I have worked hard to share the story of the UCSC Farm's important work with my colleagues. Congress has responded with a total of over $3 million in direct appropriations to the UCSC Farm since 2000 to assist with its important research and extension work with the rapidly expanding organic farming sector. Indeed, the UCSC Farm's influence has been far reaching, inspiring may sustainable agriculture programs at other universities, including UC Davis, Cal Poly, and USDA's Agricultural Research Service. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I pass on the congratulations of the House to all the people who have worked so hard over the course of the past 40 years to make the UCSC Farm such a great success.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and thank three of my constituents who helped save the life of their friend Todd Endris, after he was attacked by a Great White shark off Marina State Beach in California on August 28. Though shark attacks actually are less common than the media would have you believe they are nonetheless startling and scary whenever they do happen. We are reminded only too graphically of the power of nature when these beasts of the ocean appear. Endris, a 24-year-old student at California State University at Monterey Bay, was surfing in Marina when a 15-foot Great White caught him on his right side and dragged him under the waves. Todd fought with the shark, striking it again and again on the eye with his fist. After what seemed like endless punches the shark released Todd who scrambled desperately back to the water's surface exhausted and bleeding. His friend Joe Jansen who had seen the attack unfold shouted to Endris to grab hold of and climb back on his surfboard as best he could while friends and fellow surfers Brian Simpson and Wes Williams helped steer him back to the beach. Todd lost nearly three liters of blood and was close to shock. Without the intervention of the other three swimmers, he could have slipped away and back into danger's path. As it was, he suffered extensive injuries to his torso and right hip and leg. He was flown to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose and is now expected to make a full recovery. Madam Speaker, August 28 started out like any other day for these young men, who were simply out for a day of surfing. No one expected to be called ``hero'' before the day was done. But that is exactly what I would call Joe Jansen, Brian Simpson and Wes Williams for their courage in saving their friend Todd Endris from a fatal shark attack. I thank them for their selfless bravery and wish Todd good luck in his recovery.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Monterey County Film Commission's 20th year of ``lights, camera, and economic action'' for Monterey County. It was created in 1987 by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to increase local economic development through the film industry. The film commission markets Monterey County to bring an economic boost to the area from film, video, and multimedia production. Its mission has expanded over the years as it also provides local educational programs on various aspects of the film industry's artistry, skills, and employment opportunities. It has also created a scholarship fund for students of filmmaking. The film commission has helped attract and facilitate hundreds of movies, TV shows, commercials, documentaries, and still shoots, bringing in nearly $60 million to date to the local communities. There is also spin-off tourism value when local sites are shown in these products. The film commission acts as a liaison between film productions and local governments and communities. It serves as a resource for information and guidelines on film procedures and filming on public and private property. It provides services including a location library, scouting assistance, and logistical referrals for crew, facilities, and support services. It markets the county's locations through tradeshows and sales trips, advertising and public relations, and film industry events. The commission is a member of the Greater San Francisco Film Commissions, California Film Commission, and is affiliated with the Association of Film Commissioners International. Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to honor this group, and I know my fellow Members join me in congratulating them on 20 years of service to the community.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the inaugural Writer's Festival in my hometown of Carmel, California. As co-chair of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, I would like to commend the organizers, Jim and Cindy McGillen, for their efforts to initiate the first ever Carmel Authors & Ideas Festival, which will take place at the Sunset Center in Carmel on September 28-30 this year. Inspired by the Sun Valley Writers' Conference, the format of the festival is to be a combination of talks by well-known authors and break-out sessions with lesser-known writers, allowing attendees to interact with them on an informal basis. The first line-up of authors includes Frank McCourt, ``Angela's Ashes''; Doris Kearns Goodwin, historian; John Grogan, ``Marley and Me''; Douglas Brinkley, editor of ``The Regan Diaries''; Seymour Hersh, investigative reporter; Irshad Manji, critic of radical Islam; and Elizabeth Edwards, ``Saving Graces.'' In all, 25 award winning authors will be present, including Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize winners, and New York Times Best Sellers. Carmel Mayor Sue McCloud said of the festival, ``It's certainly in keeping with our history as a writers' haven and artists' haven.'' Boutique conferences like this one are a good match for the community which is known for its non-traditional approach to literature and poetry. McGillen has sought out authors who are interesting, compelling, and entertaining. Madam Speaker, this festival promises to be an exciting new addition to the lineup of high quality cultural events enjoyed year-round in California's 17th District, and I am proud to represent them in the U.S. Congress.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the 5th Annual Sea Otter Awareness Week, September 23-29, 2007, sponsored by Defenders of Wildlife. This week-long event provides the opportunity to educate the broader public about sea otters, their natural history, the integral role that sea otters play in the near-shore marine ecosystem, and the conservation issues they are facing. In the past, the killing of these animals for their fur brought their numbers down to less than 100 by the 1930s. The decline of southern sea otter populations not only has impacts on the species itself, but also affects other marine populations and the surrounding ecosystem. For instance, the demise of sea otters allows their prey sea urchins to proliferate unchecked, which leads to the alarming overgrazing of kelp beds--one of the ocean's nursery grounds for many marine animals. In particular, research shows that the absence of sea otters has a direct link to the sharp decline of kelp along portions of California's coast. Sea otter research also has proven to be an effective method of monitoring toxins and diseases in the marine environment, both of which can affect the health of humans and other wildlife. The presence of the California sea otter has become an icon of the State's coastal environment and culture, and these charismatic animals bring significant tourism revenue to Californian coastal communities. Protecting them is not only directly advantageous to the otter population, but also fosters indirect benefits on a greater scale. Groups such as Defenders of Wildlife, Friends of the Sea Otter, The Otter Project, and The Ocean Conservancy have raised public awareness and helped protect this important species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. Due to these efforts, the southern sea otter population has increased to more than 2,800 animals. However, these numbers are still significantly less than what is necessary to consider the population stable and their population growth in recent years is slower than expected. Researchers are beginning to identify indirect hazards for sea otters such as non-point source pollution, pathogens, and entrapment in fisheries gear that are causing their population growth to slow. Such realizations support the need for continued research and preventive measures to respond to these issues, while continuing to ward against the direct killings/takings that still occur. California has taken the first step toward addressing these emerging concerns by signing into law California Assembly Bill 2485, which establishes a State fund for sea otter conservation. This year Californians had the option of donating a portion of their tax returns to sea otter conservation. To date, this has raised $145,000. However, this is a federally protected species and the State cannot go it alone. In addition to working with my colleagues to secure Federal funds to support a continued and complete recovery of the population, I am also introducing the Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act today. This bill provides for research and recovery programs for the southern sea otter. Madam Speaker, I applaud the many accomplishments of Defenders of Wildlife and other non-profit environmental organizations, working with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, researchers, fishermen, State and Federal agencies, schools, and many other institutions and individuals, who devote tremendous effort to protect and recover the southern/California sea otter. Sea Otter Awareness Week is just one of their many activities geared towards honoring and saving this species, and I am proud to be associated with this vital work.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of my district's most outstanding citizens, Violet de Cristoforo. Today, the National Endowment for the Arts will honor Mrs. de Cristoforo with a National Heritage Fellowship Award, our country's highest honor in folk and traditional arts. Violet de Cristoforo was born Kazue Yamane in Ninole, Hawaii. At the age of 8 she was sent to Hiroshima, Japan for her primary education. Then at the age of 13 she returned to the United States to attend high school in Fresno, California. Upon her graduation Mrs. de Cristoforo married Shigaru Matsuda. It was also around this time that Mrs. de Cristoforo joined the Valley Ginsha Haiku Kai, a local haiku kais, or poetry club, and began focusing on the newer kaiko style that loosened haiku traditional 5-7-5 structure. With the onset of WWII, Mrs. de Cristoforo, her husband and three children were moved to forced detention facility in Jerome, Arkansas. After her husband refused to complete a questionnaire, the family was split up; Mrs. de Cristoforo and her children were sent to Tule Lake, California, while her husband was sent to a detention facility in Santa Fe, New Mexico. While under forced internment, she wrote hundreds of haikus reflecting on her environment and everyday life in the camps. Sadly, only fifteen of the hundreds of haikus survived upon her release in 1946. It is important that we recognize Mrs. de Cristoforo not only for her own haikus but for the hard work and dedication she contributed to the preservation, translation and publication of other haikus of the Japanese culture and life in the forced internment camps. Mrs. Cristoforo's own book, ``Poetic Reflections of the Tule Lake Internment Camp, 1944'' was published over 40 years after it was originally written. Years later Mrs. de Cristoforo compiled the haikus of many former internment camp poets and published, ``May Sky: There's Always Tomorrow: A History and Anthology of Haiku''. These poems are not just their history; they are part of our American history, because these people were also Americans. It is sad that so few of these works survived that time, for not only were many lost in the camps but, prior to their forced detention when many of them were destroyed. At the time Mrs. de Cristoforo and her husband ran a small bookstore in Fresno. This material is forever lost which makes her work that much more important. Madam Speaker, Violet Kazue de Cristoforo is truly deserving of our thanks and her recognition by the NEA with the National Heritage Fellowship Award is but a small token of appreciation for a lifetime of dedication and sacrifice.