Sam Farr

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a constituent and an activist who has worked tirelessly for her community and the Democratic Party. The condition of our local communities stands at the heart of our Nation's well being, and we should all commend and find ourselves humbled by those individuals who dedicate themselves to their specific improvement and prosperity. Barbara Graves is one such individual and, for her great work, is being honored by the Santa Cruz County Democratic Central Committee, SCCDCC, as the 2005 Democrat of the Year. Barbara has worked tirelessly to improve and protect her community, having served as Capitola's alternate on the Regional Transportation Commission, Capitola's representative to the Advisory Committee of the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District, Chair of Capitola Walks Club, the Ventana Chapter's Delegate Alternate to the Sierra Club's National Council, Chair of the local Sierra Club Political Committee, and Treasurer of the Environmental Council of Santa Cruz County. Ms. Graves serves currently as the Region 9 Director and Environmental Caucus Secretary of the California Democratic Party, and contributes in no small way to the betterment of her community by coordinating both the non-profit ``Traffic Busters in Schools'' and WAVE. As part of her dedication to the Democratic Party and with the hopes of fostering political innovation she also coordinates the Santa Cruz County Precinct Captains Program providing, among other things, free training on the use of campaign data tools. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to honor Ms. Barbara Graves as an exceptional citizen and community leader. Barbara's ongoing service to the Democratic Party and undaunted commitment to her community show her as an example to all those who wonder how it is that one person might affect real, substantial change, and I commend the Santa Cruz County D.C.C. on their recognition of Barbara's work and achievement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to honor this exemplary individual.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the offer of assistance from the chairman and look forward to working with him to get this done.

Mr. FARR. Mr. Chairman, I rise to engage in a colloquy with the gentleman from New Jersey (Chairman LoBiondo). Mr. Chairman, as the gentleman from New Jersey is aware, Congress in 2002 during the last reauthorization of Coast Guard activities enacted into law authorization for the Coast Guard to transfer a parcel of land at Point Pinos, California, to the City of Pacific Grove. Over the last 3 years, the city has worked with the Coast Guard to finalize the arrangements, but the land has yet to be transferred. The delay has frustrated city officials, prevented the reuse of the land, and burdened the Coast Guard with maintenance and security of a facility they no longer need. Mr. Chairman, I would ask the chairman if he is aware of the problem and whether anything can be done to expedite the closure to this issue and the transfer of the property.

Mr. FARR. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, there is a rumor in Monterey, California, that when the Portola expedition arrived there in June, 1770, Mayor Dan Albert was there to welcome them to the City. Mayor Albert has served the people of Monterey for so long that we forget that there was a time when he was not part of local government. He and his wife Joanne are also dear friends to me and my wife Shary. So I rise today to honor not only a public servant of the highest caliber, but also a friend of many years. Dan Albert is serving his tenth two-year term as Mayor of Monterey. He has held the position of Mayor longer than anyone in Monterey's 225 year history. Mayor Albert was elected to the City Council in 1979 and elected Mayor in 1986. Prior to that time, he served on the City of Monterey Parks and Recreation Commission for several years. He is a former member and Chair of the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), the one local position that he and I have both held. But length of service is not everything, as my colleagues know. The value to a community comes through what it continues to receive from its longstanding public officials. By that measure, Dan Albert is worth his weight in gold. When first elected to the City Council, Monterey was in the economic doldrums. The fishing industry had disappeared, the tourism industry was weak and the military economic activity was being continually threatened. What a difference 25 years of real leadership makes. The BRAC Commission just reaffirmed the indispensable role that Monterey plays in supporting the Defense Language Institute and Naval Postgraduate School. Monterey is the center of a thriving regional tourism economy. Its convention center, Window on the Bay Park, Aquarium, and coastal recreation trail all draw and enrich visitors from at home and abroad. And the City of Monterey is a national model for the participation of its citizens in neighborhood preservation and enhancement. All of these trends, and many others, have Dan Albert's quiet leadership at their center. It is a legacy that has made a permanent mark on Monterey. Mayor Albert retired after 37 years from his position as teacher at Monterey High School. During his time at Monterey High he coached the Monterey High varsity football team for 23 years. Mayor Albert and his wife, Joanne, are lifetime residents of the city and both attended Monterey High School. They have four grown children and ten grandchildren. Finally, I want to mention something that is not often said of politicians. Danny Albert is polite. He is always gracious; always friendly. He treats all those around him with dignity, respect and a charming humor. Which is not to say that he doesn't fight hard for his city. As a former football coach, he knows how to block, tackle, and score touchdowns for Monterey. But he does so with a style that preserves the conversation and promotes mutual respect and comity.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the constituents of the 17th District of California, we extend our heartfelt sympathy to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The devastation wrought on Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama is unimaginable to most Americans but we on the Central Coast of California want our fellow Americans on the Gulf Coast to know that we stand shoulder to shoulder with them to rebuild their lives and communities. The epicenter of the 1989 Lorna Prieta earthquake occurred in the Santa Cruz Mountains 10 miles from my congressional district. It was 7.1 on the Richter scale and was the first major quake in northern California since 1906. Since that time, residents on the Central Coast have experienced many federally designated natural disasters including mudslides and flooding. We Californians understand all too well that Federal disaster assistance has to be immediate and sustained. The $10.5 billion in emergency funding approved on September 2 is the start of what must be a long-term Federal effort to assist the residents of the Gulf Coast communities to rebuild their lives and communities. There is no price tag on the emotional and spiritual healing for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, but it may be a small comfort to know that millions and millions of Americans are contributing in many ways to your future well-being and that you are not alone.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a tremendous public servant. Col. Michael R. Simone, United States Army, recently retired after 30 years of uniformed service to our Nation. I know him both as a friend and as the Commandant of the Defense Language Institute located in my Central California District. DLI is the premier language training institution in the world, instructing U.S. troops in any language required to meet national security demands. I can think of no other single training officer in the U.S. military other than Colonel Simone who has done more to directly prepare our service men and women to meet the challenges we face in Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, and in the broader struggle against international terrorism. In 1975, Colonel Simone earned a bachelor of science at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. After serving in field artillery, he went on to earn a masters in International Affairs from Columbia University in 1985. Colonel Simone served as assistant professor of Soviet Studies at West Point, completed a masters in Political Science at Columbia University, and also earned a Certificate of Advanced Training in Soviet Studies from the Averell Harriman Institute. Finally, he attended the Armed Forces Staff College, the U.S. Army Russian Institute, and completed the Defense Attache Course. Then Colonel Simone became a diplomat. From 1993 to 1995, he served as the Assistant Army Attache in Embassy Moscow. Colonel Simone then moved to Vienna as the Assistant Joint Staff Representative to the U.S. Delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. In 1998, he returned to Moscow as the Army Attache. Then from August 2000 until May 2003, he commanded the European Operations Division of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's On-Site Inspection Directorate in Darmstadt, Germany. On June 4, 2003, Colonel Simone became the Commandant of the Defense Language Institute. And the rest, as they say, is history. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I wish to close with a short personal anecdote. One of the greatest pleasures as a Member of Congress is to nominate the brightest high school graduates of our districts to the service academies. Every year, I host a small reception for the nominees and their families just before the students leave for their first academy year. This year, I asked Colonel Simone to host this reception. Not only did he and his wonderful wife Jan open their home, but they made sure, more importantly, that every room was full of serving junior officers, academy graduates all, who could offer the students advice and support as they began their great journey. This happy evening gave me a first-hand look at Colonel Simone's all-consuming dedication to training soldiers. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to applaud Col. Michael R. Simone, a person who has served his country with great distinction for so many years. I join with all his friends and family in honoring this talented man and his many achievements.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Conference Report to H.R. 6, the so-called comprehensive energy bill before us today. I urge my colleagues to vote against this legislation, which represents bad energy policy, bad environmental policy, bad fiscal policy, and bad nonproliferation policy. H.R. 6 does nothing to address the issue of America's continuing dependency on imported oil. It does nothing to require more fuel efficient vehicles. It does nothing to reduce pump prices now or in the future, but it does shower wealthy oil and natural gas companies with unneeded tax breaks, royalty-free drilling on public lands, and exemptions from environmental laws. We can and must do better if we are to seriously address the energy needs of our Nation. We should strike a sound policy balance by pursuing improvements in fuel technology and energy efficiency, maintaining a clean environment, and preserving our wilderness areas and public lands. Frankly, this bill is an embarrassment--after six years of discussion and negotiation, the best we have to offer is a bill that in effect preserves the status quo? Instead of providing forward-looking policy ideas for a sound energy future, H.R. 6 is content to drive us into the future by looking through the rearview mirror with its heavily weighted dependence on fossil fuels. Mr. Speaker, the majority of subsidies in H.R. 6 go to the oil, gas, coal and nuclear industries, leading to more pollution, more oil drilling and more radioactive-waste-producing nuclear power. By contrast, only a small percentage of the tax breaks would go to energy efficiency and renewable energy incentives that could actually save consumers money and reduce our dependence on dirty energy sources. By refusing to commit to improving and investing in sustainable fuel technology, we are putting our technology and manufacturing industries at a competitive disadvantage at a time when the rest of the planet is searching for alternatives to fossil fuels. American consumers are being squeezed at the pump while the big oil companies are reaping record profits and the Republican Leadership is passing an energy bill that will further raise gas prices. How in good faith can we go back to our constituents with a national energy policy that does not address the future, does not address short term fixes or long term solutions? I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation so we can develop a comprehensive energy policy that looks to the future and doesn't rely on repackaged out-dated technologies from the past.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask this body what is the rush? There is no need to adopt. There is no deadlines on this agreement. Three of the six countries have not even ratified it yet. I think when we are trying to do a trade agreement, we have got to do the best that America can do. The richest country in the world is about to enter into a trade agreement with the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere so that we can open up nontariff issues. They send us goods without tariffs. Yes, we do not grow bananas in the United States or guanabana or platano, but we want to send them our goods so that people who are earning $2 a day can buy Two Buck Chuck. Come on. America, can do better. You cannot have fair trade until you have basic aid. You cannot have a middle class without having schools and water and sewers. There is nothing in here; even the Millennium Fund that the President introduced, a good program, underfunded it to these countries. You have got to build up countries so that they have a faith in themselves before they have the opportunity for a middle class. We can do better, America. Congress, put this over. Vote against it.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, there can be no worse public act than a government that refuses to acknowledge the humanity of its citizens. Throughout history, the United States has struggled to rise above the divisions among its people and, instead, fuse its people into a single, unified citizenry. Whether it was the struggle over civil rights for persons of color, the fight for women's rights or, most recently, the battle for access by persons with disabilities, the United States has risen above our differences and embraced them as worthy of a society that sees itself as open, free, and inclusive. The fight by persons with disabilities for nondiscrimination in matters of employment, transportation and building access, and accommodation, was landmark. Through the enactment of the ADA, our country removed the cloak of secrecy wrapped around our disabled citizens and announced to the world that persons with disabilities were valued members of our society. So, today, as we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, I rise to honor ever person, disabled or not, who worked so hard to see this law enacted. These persons and their effort are a testament to the spirit of fairness, the spirit of perseverance, and the spirit of hope that inspires us all. There can be no worse public act than a government that refuses to acknowledge the humanity of its citizens. Throughout its history, the United States has struggled to rise above the divisions among its people and instead fuse its people into a single, unified citizenry. Whether it was the struggle over civil rights for persons of color, the fight for women's rights, or most recently, the battle for access by persons with disabilities, the United States has risen above our differences and embraced them as worthy of a society that sees itself as open, free, and inclusive. The fight by persons with disabilities for non-discrimination in matters of employment, transportation and building access and accommodation was landmark. Through the enactment of the ADA our country proclaimed that 43 million Americans were real people, deserving of amenities everyone else took for granted. Through the enactment of the ADA our country removed the cloak of secrecy wrapped around our disabled citizens and announced to the world that persons with disabilities were valued members of our society. The successes of ADA continue to astonish us, even 15 years later: the disabled child who now can play Little League ball; disabled veterans who can now use special equipment to play golf at military golf courses; disabled patrons who can now go to movie theaters, restaurants, and museums who before found the trip daunting, or were blocked entirely. Now we have buses that kneel for our disabled riders, earphones for opera lovers who just don't hear well enough, and talking elevators that tell blind passengers their floor stop. All of this may have been mandated by the ADA but just as consequential is that it was American ingenuity that developed it. We figured it out. We set a goal to integrate persons with disabilities into mainstream America, and by gosh, we did. Unfortunately, even with the ADA in place, the road to full accommodation has been pitted with potholes and rough spots. As it was with civil rights, or women's rights, the full recognition of disability rights falls short in many regards. As a Nation we need to recommit ourselves to these lofty laws; it is the right thing to do. There are still too many instances of persons with disabilities being excluded from public venue because they are different. That is just wrong and it is un-American. In the land of freedom, established so every man and woman could pursue their dreams, these incidents are blots against our national value of equality. So today while we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I rise to honor every person--disabled and not-- who worked so hard to see this law enacted. These persons and their effort are testament to the spirit of fairness, the spirit of perseverance and the spirit of hope that inspires us all.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, August 8th is the 90th birthday of an outstanding American scientist who deserves to be recognized and remembered. I wish to recognize Dr. Jose Delgado's scientific achievements and contributions to our understanding of the brain and human behavior. He has been a pioneer in the exploration of brain function, including how our minds work based on electrical and chemical studies in many animal species. Dr. Jose Delgado was born in Ronda, Spain. At the age of 22 he joined the Republican army fighting against Franco as a military doctor, and toward the end of the Spanish Civil War was interned in a concentration camp from which he escaped twice and was later released. He was invited to the United States by Professor John Fulton, as a Spanish Research Council Fellow, and later was a James Hudson Brown Fellow, and an Assistant, Associate and then Full Professor of Physiology and Psychiatry at the Yale University Medical School. For 25 years Dr. Delgado taught and did breakthrough research at the Yale Medical School, and then returned to Spain and organized a brain research institute at the Ramon y Cajal Hospital in Madrid, bringing together an international group of over 100 scientists. His major methodological innovations include: Permanent implantation of electrodes in the brain; intracerebral Chemitrodes and Dialytrodes; Cardiac pacemaker implantation; brain pacemakers; brain radio stimulators; two-way radio communication brain-to-computer; time-lapse recording of social behavior in monkey colonies; and the design and application of non-invasive electromagnetic devices for the investigation of biological effects and application of therapeutical uses. Dr. Jose Delgado's main goals have been to alleviate pain and diminish aggression and human suffering. His discoveries have resulted in over 500 research publications and 6 books, enriching our lives, knowledge of brain development, and how we can educate our children toward what he called a Psychocivilized Society. Among many others, he received the following honors: Countess of Maudes Prize (1944), Roel Prize (1945), Member Sigma Xi Society (1951), Ramon y Cajal Prize (1952), Fellow, New York Academy of Sciences (1955), Guggenheim Fellow (1963), Master of Arts, Yale University (1967), Salmon Lecturer, New York Academy of Sciences (1968), Gold Metal Exhibit Award, American Psychiatry Society (1971), Alfonso X EI Sabio Medal (1972), Gold Metal Award, International Society of Biological Psychiatry (1974), Rodriguez Pascual Prize (1975), Adolf Meyer Lecturer, American Psychiatric Association (1979), Honorary Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Santo Tomas, Manila (1980), Humanist Laureate, The Academy of Humanism (1985), Favorite Son of Ronda, Spain (1985), Academician, Royal Academy of Doctors, Madrid, Spain (1986), the name of `Rodriguez Delgado' is given to Public School No. 2 in Ronda, Spain (1988), Favorite Son of Andalucia (1988), Author of the Year, ``EI Medico'' Prize, Madrid, Spain (1989), Favorite Son of Malaga (1996), Century Award, International Organization of Psychophysiology (1998), Gold Medal, Ateneo of Malaga (1999), Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Granada, Spain (1999). Dr. Delgado is now living in San Diego, California, and we celebrate his return to the United States. We wish him and his family a very happy 90th birthday celebration, and many more fruitful and rewarding years.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of United States Army Master Sergeant Arthur C. Agpalasin who served our country for 33 years, earning many medals as a result of his bravery and dedication. He passed away peacefully on July 13, 2005, in the company of his family. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Shirley and nine children. Enlisted in 1940, MSG Agpalasin saw combat duty in World War II, the Korean war and the Vietnam war. Despite being wounded and captured as a POW during the Bataan campaign, MSG Agpalasin continued his military service to the United States through covert guerrilla operations against the occupying forces. During the Korean war, MSG Agpalasin participated in and survived the Inchon landing. He was wounded and captured as a POW at Hagaru ri but successfully escaped his captors. In 1961, MSG Agpalasin continued his service to our country as a Drill Instructor at Fort Ord. He trained countless young soldiers for the war in Vietnam and in 1969, he joined his soldiers for what would be his final combat tour of duty. Upon retiring from the U.S. Army, MSG Agpalasin continued his spirit of service by becoming involved in various community and civic organizations including the Fort Ord Retiree Council. Mr. Speaker I wish to honor this man for his relentless commitment and service to our country, as well as his contribution as a role model for younger troops. Long into his retirement, MSG Agpalasin often visited the Defense Language Institute, DLI, located in Monterey Bay where he became a mentor and a heroic example for the soldiers. He was recently honored by the DLI troops at a picnic for war veterans for his utmost dedication to the core tenets of the U.S. Army. His contributions will be remembered and appreciated by citizens and his legacy will serve as an inspiration to future generations of soldiers.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization bill. This bill tramples on the Bill of Rights in the name of patriotism. To be patriotic means to be loyal and devoted to one's country. As Thomas Paine once said, ``It is the duty of the Patriot to protect his country from his government.'' We are all Patriots today in the finest sense of the word, but just because some of us want to ensure that Congress retains its legislative oversight over these draconian provisions, some will call us unpatriotic. To quote Thomas Jefferson, ``Dissent is the highest form of patriotism''. While not one of us in the Chamber takes lightly our Oath to protect and defend the United States, the permanent extension of the Patriot Act, as the expense of our civil liberties, will not in and of itself make our country safer. I voted against the original PATRIOT Act that was hastily passed in October 2001. The same concerns regarding the abuse of power still exist. With such broad, sweeping provisions as roving wire taps and sneak and peek searches, Congress must retain its ability to exercise legislative oversight to ensure the civil liberties of the people are upheld. The provisions of the misnamed Patriot Act should be reauthorized periodically, not made permanent. This Administration consistently hides behind the fear of terrorism to achieve their legislative agenda. In this case, they are trying to convince the American people that giving up their civil liberties is necessary to combat terrorism. My constituents remain unconvinced. In my district, the local governments of Pacific Grove, Salinas, Santa Cruz, and Watsonville, California have all passed resolutions expressing their concerns with the anti-privacy and anti-liberty portions of the Patriot Act. Mr. Chairman, homeland security means protecting the civil rights of Americans.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Chairman, I would like to commend the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on International Relations for their work in drafting the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for FY 06 and 07. Though I was supportive of the underlying bill that was passed out of Committee, I regret that I will not be able to vote in favor of final passage due to the inclusion of a variety of amendments that were added to the bill during floor consideration. Additionally, I would have liked H.R. 2601 to address and correct the failed U.S. policy towards Colombia. Current U.S. assistance to Colombia is heavily weighted towards military and drug interdiction assistance, with only 20 percent of U.S. aid going to social and economic programs like alternative development programs. I strongly believe that only through addressing the root causes of conflict in Colombia, that of poverty and despair, will we be able to have lasting peace in Colombia. I am very thankful though that the Chairman and Ranking Member for the inclusion of a Sense of Congress that states that the U.S. foreign assistance should be used to support local capacity-building in developing countries. I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia during the 1960s, and the goal of our service was to ``work ourselves out of a job.'' By the end of our two year service as Peace Corps volunteers, our goals were to have educated host country nationals in different skills who could then take ownership of development projects and finish the job of developing their own country, in a culturally appropriate way. As Peace Corps volunteers, I worked on micro development issues, and U.S. foreign policy, if it is to succeed in creating long-term development and foster stability in developing countries, should take this mantra to heart, and focus on building local capacity. I am therefore very thankful for the Chairman and Ranking Members recognition of the importance of local capacity building by including this important Sense of Congress in H.R. 2601.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Madam Chairman, I thank the gentleman for his amendment and thank him for his active response corps. And I would just like to close by saying that Douglas Feith, who is the Under Secretary for Defense and Policy, recently stated that there is a strong argument that the United States should be intensifying its efforts to build partnership capacity with other countries to give them the capability to fight terrorism at home, not just law enforcement, not just military but also civilian administration and education.

Mr. FARR. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. FARR. Madam Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I too rise, Madam Chairman, in strong support of the Dreier amendment. I, as many of my colleagues know, was a Peace Corps volunteer in South America; and as a returned Peace Corps volunteer elected to Congress, I realized that what we needed was some activity in this country that would start educating people somewhere between the Peace Corps and the Work Corps. As the ranking member just mentioned, we have countries where we have been in with the military, but it is the ability to respond to the post-conflict issues that we need, a FEMA- type, a response-type corps of people who are linguistically capable of speaking that language, that know the country culture, can work with the nongovernmental organizations that are abroad, with military personnel that are still in the country, with the host country governments, with our United States USAID, with our United States Department of State. And where do you bring all of those people together to train them and educate them? That is what the Active Response Corps is: taking people with those skills and putting them together so that they can be rapidly deployable, U.S. citizens who are civilians, who are educated and trained in fostering the stability in a post-conflict situation. I am very pleased that the first one of these activities is going to take place at the Naval Postgraduate School on August 1 with Ambassador Pascual coming out to California where, for the first time, the military, the civilians, the State Department and so on will all be together in developing this. I look forward to this as one of the great new initiatives of this Congress and of this country to really give us the ability to respond to stabilization and respond to conflict reconstruction.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a man who was a rising star in the fresh produce industry. At age forty, Joe Nucci was one of the youngest leaders in his field. Tragically, Joe passed away suddenly July 7, 2005, while vacationing with his family in Florida. Joe was born and raised in Salinas, California. In 1983, he graduated from Salinas High School and went on to study for two years at Hartnell College. He completed his college education at California State University Chico and spent a year in Buffalo, New York working with JC Brock Fresh Foods. In 1989, Nucci returned to California to take a position at Mann Packing Company, which was run by his father, Don Nucci, and his father's business partner Bill Ramsey. One of Joe's first achievements at Mann Packing Company was finding a new use for a previously unpalatable product: broccoli stems. Impressing his coworkers and superiors with a new bagged broccoli coleslaw, it wasn't long before he advanced to Mann Packing Company's product development and quality assurance division, then to the position of vice president of marketing. In 2000, he became president and CEO of the Mann Packing Company. Under his leadership, the company grew at an unprecedented rate and became one of the produce industry's strongest innovators. The Produce Marketing Association recognized Joe's fairness, integrity, and innumerable talents and invited him to serve on their Board of Directors as secretary/treasurer. He was to become its chairman in 2006. His contributions to the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, the Produce for Better Health Foundation, and the International Fresh-cut Produce Association will not long be forgotten either. Joe Nucci made tremendous strides to better his industry, local community, and our Nation. He will be remembered for his innovation, his leadership, and his devotion to his family. He is survived by his wife, Debbie; two sons, Michael and Matthew; three sisters, Lorri Nucci Koster, Gina Nucci, and DeDe Nucci Reyna; father Don Nucci; and mother Barbara Manning. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to honor the memory of Joe Nucci.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Edna Kimbro, State Parks Historian and architectural conservator. On June 26, 2005, Edna Kimbro, 57, died of cancer at her Watsonville residence. She is survived by her husband Joe, sons David and Joey, brother Todd, and granddaughter Sakura. Ms. Kimbro was born on June 25, 1948. She graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz with a degree in Art History. In the 1970s, Kimbro bought the last remaining building of an early civilian Spanish settlement and began preserving it as best her finances would allow. In 1998 Kimbro, along with her husband and two sons, purchased a 150 year old adobe home in Watsonville, CA. To preserve the building, she traveled to Europe on a United Nations grant to study the earthquake resistant preservation of old mud brick based buildings. Sadly shortly after she returned home, the Lorna Prieta earthquake destroyed the 150 year old adobe home. This unfortunate event did not daunt her. Edna convinced State administrators to buy the damaged adobe, repair the damage, and create a State park. Mr. Speaker, I am joined by Edna Kimbro's family and mends to honor her life and contributions to the preservation of California's history. Her memory will always be preserved in our minds, just as the adobe structures she worked so tirelessly to preserve.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, the President asked this Nation to fly the flag for our troops over the Fourth of July holiday. But while the Nation supports the active duty men and women in uniform serving in harm's way, the President is shortchanging the soldiers who are now serving and will be veterans in the future. Mr. Speaker, I serve on the appropriations subcommittee most ably led by the ranking member, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards), who has led the battle of pointing out the underfunding of the Veterans Administration for health care. We now see it is a fact. Both the Republican leadership in the House and the Senate made a quick fix. The Democrats have said this fix is not enough, claiming that we will have a greater shortfall as the veteran soldiers from Iraq come home. If you truly want to honor those serving, you have to pledge to honor them in the future. Fully funding veterans health care is the most patriotic way we can honor our troops, all of whom will some day be veterans.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Captain Jeffrey E. Kline, United States Navy, who retires this month after 26 years of uniformed service to our Nation's Navy. His career is highlighted by a blend of significant operational and academic achievement. At the University of Missouri, Capt. Kline participated in the NROTC Program and was commissioned in 1979 upon graduation with honors. He then attended Surface Warfare Officer School at Newport, RI. His first assignments were as Gunnery Officer and Navigator onboard the USS Moosbrugger from 1979 to 1981 and then on the USS Ranger as the Propulsion Officer until 1983. Upon completion of USMC Instructors School, Capt. Kline was a Naval Gunfire Instructor with the Land Force Training Command, Pacific, until 1986. He returned to Department Head School at Newport followed by another sea duty assignment as Combat Systems Officer onboard the USS John L Hall from 1986 to 1988. This led directly to a billet as the Combat Systems and Operations Officer on the staff of Commander Destroyer Squadron Three Two through 1990. Captain Kline then continued his education at the Naval Postgraduate School, graduating with a Master's degree in Operations Research with distinction in 1992. Upon graduation, Captain Kline served his first tour as a Commanding Officer onboard the USS Aquila. In 1993, he was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Programs, Analysis and Evaluation as a Naval Forces Analyst, and was awarded the Legion of Merit for his work in 1996. Returning to academia, he graduated with distinction from the National War College at the National Defense University in 1997. From 1997 to 1999, Captain Kline assumed his second operational command as the Commanding Officer of the USS Cushing. This was followed by a two-year tour as Deputy Operations Officer for the Commander, Sixth Fleet. For this work he received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal in 2001. Captain Kline completed his distinguished naval career as the Associate Dean and Chair of Warfare Innovation at the Naval Postgraduate School. Captain Kline has been consistently recognized for his outstanding service throughout his naval career. In addition to the Legion of Merit and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, he has been awarded two Meritorious Service medals, three Navy Commendation Medals, and two Navy Achievement Medals by various commands. His academic achievements in naval education earned him the 1992 CNO Excellence in Operations Research Award, the 1996 Naval War College Award for the best Geostrategic Context paper and two Northrop Grumman Awards of Excellence for Systems Engineering in 2003 and 2004 while at the Postgraduate School. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to applaud a person who has served his country with such distinction for so many years. I join with all his friends and family in honoring this talented man and his many achievements.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Captain Jeffrey E. Kline, United States Navy, who retires this month after 26 years of uniformed service to our Nation's Navy. His career is highlighted by a blend of significant operational and academic achievement. At the University of Missouri, CAPT Kline participated in the NROTC Program and was commissioned in 1979 upon graduation with honors. He then attended Surface Warfare Officer School at Newport, RI. His first assignments were as Gunnery Officer and Navigator on board the USS Moosbrugger from 1979 to 1981 and then on the USS Ranger as the Propulsion Officer until 1983. Upon completion of USMC Instructors School, CAPT Kline was a Naval Gunfire Instructor with the Land Force Training Command, Pacific, until 1986. He retuned to Department Head School at Newport followed by another sea duty assignment as Combat Systems Officer on board the USS John L Hall from 1986 to 1988. This led directly to a billet as the Combat Systems and Operations Officer on the staff of Commander Destroyer Squadron THREE TWO through 1990. Captain Kline then continued his education at the Naval Postgraduate School graduating with a Masters Degree in Operations Research with distinction in 1992. Upon graduation, Captain Kline served his first tour as a Commanding Officer on board the USS Aquila. In 1993, he was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Programs, Analysis and Evaluation as a Naval Forces Analyst, and was awarded the Legion of Merit for his work in 1996. Returning to academia, he graduated with distinction from the National War College at the National Defense University in 1997. From 1997 to 1999, Captain Kline assumed his second operational command as the Commanding Officer of the USS Cushing. This was followed by a two-year tour as Deputy Operations Officer for the Commander Sixth Fleet. For this work he received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal in 2001. Captain Kline completed his distinguished naval career as the Associate Dean and Chair of Warfare Innovation at the Naval Postgraduate School. Captain Kline has been consistently recognized for his outstanding service throughout his naval career. In addition to the Legion of Merit and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, he has been awarded two Meritorious Service medals, three Navy Commendation Medals, and two Navy Achievement Medals by various commands. His academic achievements in naval education earned him the 1992 CNO Excellence in Operations Research Award, the 1996 Naval War College Award for the best Geostrategic Context paper and two Northrop Grumman Awards of Excellence for Systems Engineering in 2003 and 2004 while at the Postgraduate School. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to applaud a person who has served his country with such distinction for so many years. I join with all his friends and family in honoring this talented man and his many achievements.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Davis amendment to the Treasury Transportation bill. Our foreign policy should reflect our Democratic values. The Administration claims that family values are the bedrock of our society, yet this same Administration has instituted one of the most anti-family policies in US history. In June 2004 the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued regulations that only permit Cuban-Americans to visit their immediate family members in Cuba every three years. Are any of us willing to trade places with Cuban-Americans living in the United States who are denied the opportunity to visit freely with their family members . . . because of geography? I think not. What does such a restrictive policy say about American values to Cuban Americans? What does such a restrictive policy say about American values to the rest of the world? What does such a policy say about the civil rights of Cuban Americans living in the United States? It is akin to a ``separate but equal'' policy since Cuban Americans, who should enjoy the same civil liberties that all other Americans enjoy, cannot freely visit their families in Cuba. As this Nation prepares to celebrate its 229th birthday on July 4, I urge my colleagues to remember the democratic principles our Founding Fathers enshrined in the Constitution. Don't treat Cuban Americans as ``separate but equal.'' Overturn the ban on travel to Cuba and support the Davis amendment.

Mr. FARR. Mr. Chairman, the hypocrisy of this Administration is stunning. Sergeant Lazo was sent by his commander in chief to fight in a war that President Bush has claimed is a ``fight for freedom.'' Yet this same Sergeant Lazo, an American citizen, has been told by the Government he serves that he is forbidden from seeing his children simply because they live in Cuba. This tragedy is an extension of the administration's idiotic policy to restrict travel to Cuba. This myopic policy is anti-family, anti-democratic values and it must be repealed. I have been a strong supporter of lifting the travel ban and embargo; there is no better way to spread democracy and improve relations between Cuba and the United States then by allowing for people-to- people exchanges and unlimited family travel and promoting trade between our two countries. But because of the restrictive travel policies implemented by this administration, each and every U.S. citizen should be very concerned that fellow American citizens do not enjoy the same rights and freedoms that each one of us has. Sargeant Lazo is a tragic victim of a flawed 40-year-old policy. It is time for change. Support the Flake amendment and allow Sargeant Lazo to visit his children. Point of Order

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Chairman, I rise with a great deal of concern about Colombia and in support of this amendment, because I think the facts I have heard here on the floor just misconstrue what is really going on down there. We need to wake up and smell the coffee. The debate here should be about improving sales of Colombian coffee, not about the increased sales of Colombian coca. What was Plan Colombia has now become Plan K Street. What was supposed to help Colombians help themselves has now become Help American Corporations Stay in Business in Colombia. What should be money to eradicate the poverty that drives drugs in the first place has become a program to give Dyna Corporation $80 million, to give 16 U.S. contractors money to maintain Colombian helicopters and money to U.S. firms to own and fly the eradication aircraft. This is not about Plan Colombia anymore. This is about Plan K Street. Lockheed Martin got $9 million. Congress Members here travel to Colombia almost monthly on what I have now called the Narcotourism Tour that American Congressmen like to have. They come home thinking that they have seen the problems in Colombia and that all we need to do is give more money. I am all for a real Plan Colombia, a plan that invests in Colombia, that lets Colombians do the jobs that Americans should be working themselves out of. For 5 years the same companies are doing the same things they have been doing; 5 years without the Colombians owning those companies, without the Colombians doing that work. It is time that we make a statement. Cut this $100 million, put it into alternative development, do something that helps Colombians help themselves so that we do not have to keep American corporations on the handout from American Congress Members to keep their businesses going in the guise of trying to eradicate drugs in Colombia. It is time to stop. Mr. Chairman, it doesn't take an inside-the-beltway policy work to understand that the current policy towards Colombia is broken. My district on the Central Coast of California is filled with compassionate people who closely follow US foreign policy towards our southern neighbors and they recognize that our current policy towards Colombia is broken. They are well aware that only eradicating a farmer's crops and not providing for alternative livelihoods is not a sustainable solution to the coca growing problem in the Andean region. US assistance to Colombia is reflective of this flawed policy: 80 percent of funds have gone for military assistance and been eaten up by coca eradication. Only 20 percent of funds have gone to social and economic programs. These programs are what build local economies and communities and provide alternatives to coca production. This distribution of assistance is not a recipe for permanent coca eradication. It's not a recipe for peace. It's a recipe for disaster. And that disaster is reflected in the Administration's own figures for coca production. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy statistics for 2004 show that, despite a record number of crops sprayed in Colombia, data shows that coca production remains ``statistically unchanged'' and the US street prices of cocaine and heroin are at or near all-time lows. I'd like to quote a constituent and friend of mine, Bert Muhly, who has traveled extensively throughout Latin America for decades and has been a tireless advocate for the downtrodden throughout the Western Hemisphere. Bert correctly states: ``Plan Colombia must be abandoned in favor of a Plan for Peace where the billions our government spends on shoring up the military establishment of countries of Latin America that are used to suppress the hopes of their people is diverted to programs that will alleviate poverty and give hope to the people within those countries.'' I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Colombia in the 1960s and have visited Colombia many times since then. I have seen first hand that Colombians are resilient and bright people who desperately want peace. Yet U.S. assistance and the Colombian government have not laid the ground work for peace. The Colombian government has failed to focus on creating a rural development strategy to address the underlying causes of poverty. With such a lop-sided policy that fails to invest in the innate capabilities of rural Colombians so that they can build a life for themselves that doesn't involve coca production, I am sad that my adopted country will remain stuck in this quagmire of civil war. House rules prevent the $100 million from the McGovern-Moore-McCollum amendment to be reallocated to alternative development, which would be my preference. Absent that option, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in support of this amendment which is a step in the right direction to encourage reform of U.S. policy in Colombia.